Research and Practice in Education Building Alliances, Bridging the Divide

by Coburn, Cynthia E.; Stein, Mary Kay; Baxter, Juliet; D'Amico, Laura; Datnow, Amanda; Engle, Randi; Honig, Meredith; Ikemoto, Gina; Lewis, Catherine; Park, Vicki; Perry, Rebecca; Rosen, Lisa; Stokes, Laura

• ISBN13: 9780742564077
• ISBN10: 074256407X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-04-16
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

The divide between research and practice is commonly lamented across policy-oriented disciplines, and education is no exception. Rhetoric abounds about how research should influence practice, but few people have studied the relationship empirically. This book presents findings from a series of ten interlocking case studies of nationally visible RD projects, with a unique focus on how researchers and practitioners actually work together, and the policy, social, and institutional processes that either enable or hinder their work. The lessons from these cases have powerful implications for designers, funders, school and district leaders, and universities seeking to develop such collaborations in the future. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Cynthia E. Coburn is associate professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California at Berkeley, where she specializes in organizational studies and policy implementation. Mary Kay Stein holds a joint appointment at the University of Pittsburgh as professor of learning sciences and policy and senior scientist at the Learning Research and Development Center. She is also the founding director of the Learning Policy Center.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. vii
List of Tables	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Reframing the Problem of Research and Practice	p. 1
Fostering Partnerships for Educational Innovation	p. 15
The Middle-School Mathematics through Applications Project: Supporting Productive Collaborations during Two Different Phases of Curriculum Design	p. 19
The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools: Evolving Relationships in Design-Based Research	p. 37
Examining a Novel Partnership for Educational Innovation: Promises and Complexities of Cross-Institutional Collaboration	p. 55
Role of Tools in Bridging Research and Practice	p. 73
Success for All: Using Tools to Transport Research-Based Practices to the Classroom	p. 77
Tools to Deepen Practitioners' Engagement with Research: The Case of the Institute for Learning	p. 93
QUASAR: The Evolution of Tools to Support Educational Improvement	p. 109
Developing Conditions to Foster Knowledge Development in Schools	p. 127
Building Demand for Research through Lesson Study	p. 131
The National Writing Project: Anatomy of an Improvement Infrastructure	p. 147
Research and Decision Making in School Districts	p. 163
The Partnership for District Change: Challenges of Evidence Use in a Major Urban District	p. 167
Research to Practice: A Case Study of Boston Public Schools, Boston Plan for Excellence, and Education Matters	p. 183
Key Lessons about the Relationship between Research and Practice	p. 201
Appendix: Research Methodology	p. 227
References	p. 233
Index	p. 249
About the Contributors	p. 255
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