Research-Practice Partnerships: Addressing K-12 Educational Problems Through Active Collaborations

A developmental evaluation of research-practice-partnerships and their impacts

International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership ◽

10.22230/ijepl.2020v16n9a967 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

Author(s):

Amanda Cooper ◽

Samantha Shewchuk ◽

Stephen MacGregor

Keyword(s):

School Improvement ◽

Practice Research ◽

Research Practice ◽

Developmental Evaluation ◽

Joint Work ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Learning Capacity ◽

Collaborative Processes ◽

K 12 ◽

Development Network

Globally, K-12 education systems are grappling with how best to integrate research and evidence into policy and practice. Research-practice-partnerships (RPPs) have arisen as a potentially powerful mechanism for school improvement. This study investigates the ways four research-practice-policy-partnerships are addressing impact by (a) reporting on metrics being used to assess brokering and partnerships, and (b) exploring the ways that network leads and policymakers conceptualize partnerships and impact on the frontlines. Our findings suggest that while metrics being used provide a necessary baseline for number and types of partnerships, more robust methods are needed capture the quality of interactions and to strategically inform network development. Network leads conceptualize impact in relation to collaborative processes (shared goals; new and diverse partnerships; improved student achievement; system alignment); systems and structures (joint-work; funding and sustainability; demand from practitioners; equity); continuous learning (capacity-building; reach; adaptability; storytelling). Our discussion provides ideas about network improvement that include sharing cases of failures (alongside exemplary cases) to maximize learning, and advocates for the use of developmental evaluation to explore the impacts of RPPs.

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Boundary Crossing in a Professional Association: The Dynamics of Research Use Among State Leaders and Researchers in a Research-Practice Partnership

AERA Open ◽

10.1177/2332858419891964 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 233285841989196 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Megan Hopkins ◽

Hayley Weddle ◽

Maxie Gluckman ◽

Leslie Gautsch

Keyword(s):

Professional Association ◽

Boundary Crossing ◽

Research Use ◽

Research Practice ◽

Joint Work ◽

Research And Practice ◽

Research Findings ◽

Problems Of Practice ◽

K 12

As spaces for researchers and practitioners to engage in long-term, mutual collaborations aimed at addressing problems of practice in education, research-practice partnerships (RPPs) offer rich contexts for research use. Our study examines how interactions between researchers and practitioners shape opportunities for research use in a professional association engaged in RPP activities focused on fostering change in statewide K–12 science education. Drawing on a conceptualization of RPPs as joint work at boundaries, we show how both researchers and practitioners facilitated research use. Furthermore, research use was facilitated by brokers’ engagement in RPP activities and with shared pieces of research. Findings affirm the role that brokers play in connecting research and practice and identify specific activities that may be useful in facilitating research use in RPPs.

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Exploring research practice partnerships for use in K--12 computer science education

ACM Inroads ◽

10.1145/3477607 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 24-31

Author(s):

Monica M. McGill ◽

Alan Peterfreund ◽

Stacey Sexton ◽

Rebecca Zarch ◽

Maral Kargarmoakhar

Keyword(s):

Science Education ◽

Computer Science ◽

Computer Science Education ◽

Research Practice ◽

K 12

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A research model to study research-practice partnerships in education

Journal of Professional Capital and Community ◽

10.1108/jpcc-11-2019-0031 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amanda Cooper ◽

Stephen MacGregor ◽

Samantha Shewchuk

Keyword(s):

Capacity Building ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Research Practice ◽

Research Model ◽

Content Type ◽

Study Research ◽

Collaborative Processes ◽

Learning Cycles ◽

K 12 ◽

The Impact

PurposeThis scoping review utilizes findings from 80 articles to build a research model to study research-practice-policy networks in K-12 education systems. The purpose of this study was to generate a broad understanding of the variation in conceptualizations of research-practice-policy partnerships, rather than dominant conceptualizations.Design/methodology/approachArskey and O'Malley's (2005) five stage scoping review process was utilized including: (1) a consultative process with partners to identify research questions, (2) identify relevant studies, (3) study selection based on double-blind peer review, (4) charting the data and (5) collating, summarizing and reporting the results in a research model identifying key dimensions and components of research-practice partnerships (RPPs).FindingsCoburn et al. (2013) definition of RPPs arose as an anchoring definition within the emerging field. This article proposes a model for understanding the organization and work of RPPs arising from the review. At the core lies shared goals, coproduction and multistakeholder collaboration organized around three dimensions: (1) Systems and structures: funding, governance, strategic roles, policy environment, system alignment; (2) Collaborative processes: improvement planning and data use, communication, trusting relationships, brokering activities, capacity building; (3) Continuous Learning Cycles: social innovation, implementation, evaluation and adaptation.Research limitations/implicationsBy using a common framework, data across RPPs and from different studies can be compared. Research foci might test links between elements such as capacity building and impacts, or test links between systems and structures and how those elements influence collaborative processes and the impact of the RPPs. Research could test the generalizability of the framework across contexts. Through the application and use of the research model, various elements might be refuted, confirmed or refined. More work is needed to use this framework to study RPPs, and to develop accompanying data collection methods and instruments for each dimension and element.Practical implicationsThe practical applications of the framework are to be used by RPPs as a learning framework for strategic planning, iterative learning cycles and evaluation. Many of the elements of the framework could be used to check-in with partners on how things are going – such as exploring how communication is working and whether these structures move beyond merely updates and reporting toward joint problem-solving. The framework could also be used prior to setting up an RPP as an organizing approach to making decisions about how that RPP might best operate.Originality/valueDespite increased attention on multistakeholder networks in education, the conceptual understanding is still limited. This article analyzed theoretical and empirical work to build a systematic model to study RPPs in education. This research model can be used to: identify RPP configurations, analyze the impact of RPPs, and to compare similarities and differences across configurations.

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The Editor’s Note: The beginning of a beautiful friendship?

Phi Delta Kappan ◽

10.1177/00317217211007317 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 102 (7) ◽

pp. 4-4

Author(s):

Rafael Heller

Keyword(s):

Education Research ◽

Research Practice ◽

What Works ◽

What Works Clearinghouse ◽

Federal Initiatives ◽

K 12

Since the field of education research emerged, complaints have proliferated about its quality and researchers’ failure to share findings with practitioners. Federal initiatives such as the What Works Clearinghouse have sought to increase the availability of research, but many researchers have continued to be disconnected from practicing K-12 educators. Rafael Heller explains that the research-practice partnerships described in the April 2021 Kappan show promise for bridging the divide.

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