The opening section of this paper describes the author's first experience with collegial attempts at curriculum reform through practical inquiry, illustrating a process in which ideas are tested and developed in action. It is pointed out that this form of teacher-based practical inquiry is a characteristic feature of a certain kind of curriculum reform process. It is stated that "the institutionalisation of 'action-research' and 'teachers as researchers' as approaches to teacher education within academic institutions raises a number of critical issues for tutors and supervisors to reflect about. If we are to facilitate reflective practice as a form of educational inquiry in schools then we must treat teacher education as a reflective practice also." Some of the issues to be faced by teacher educators in promoting reflective practice and action research on the part of teachers are illustrated by detailed descriptions of three reform projects: (1) The Humanities Curriculum Project, under the direction of Lawrence Stenhouse (1967); (2) The Ford Teaching Project (1973-75); and (3) The "Teacher-Student Interaction and Quality of Learning Project, (1981-83). (JD)