Innovations in science education are currently concenred with the continuum of teacher professional learning and the development of inquiry-oriented pedagogical practices (Lang et al., 2007; Monsen, 2003; Ronnerman et al., 2008). These innovations challenge the essentialist epistemology of traditional teaching and have widespread implications for future models of teacher education and collaboration between schools, policymakers and universities. CROSSNET Ireland, an EU funded Comenius study, explored innovative pedagogical practices through boundary crossing in one school-university partnership involving teachers from three schools. The theoretical framework in this boundary crossing study draws from activity theory, social learning theory and the theory of care.