Shared Solutions: A Model for Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships

• In Event: Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap: Evaluation and Problem Solving Within Research-Practice Partnerships

Abstract

Objectives
Inaugurated in 2013, Shared Solutions is a fruitful partnership between one of the strongest education schools (and one of the largest and most reform-minded urban districts. Shared Solutions’ research and activities focus on flagship school improvement efforts and creating a stable infrastructure for integrating practitioner and community feedback into our work. This paper will highlight key lessons we are learning as our partnership matures.

Theoretical Framework
At the outset of our partnership, we co-developed a conceptual framework based on Bryk and colleague’s (2010) research on the five essential supports for school improvement: school leadership, parent-community ties, professional capacity, school climate, and instruction. This framework guided and brought coherence to our Partnership work. Furthermore, early stakeholder engagement established a truly mutualistic partnership with a research agenda that benefits the District and broader academic community (Coburn, Penuel, & Gail, 2013).

Methods
To measure key dimensions of school improvement, we co-constructed a set of principal, teacher, student, and parent/guardian surveys. We additionally hosted several events; engaged stakeholders in instrument development; and launched a social media campaign.

Findings
Here we highlight three learned strategies for involving stakeholders at the intersection of research and practice.

1. Interactive community forums to build stakeholder engagement. Feedback from our mini-conferences and interactive forums has been overwhelmingly positive. Conference discussions informed refinement of the District’s “Action Plan,” and during follow-up events stakeholders provided feedback on District-wide surveys. These activities produced research grounded in the day-to-day reality of our school system and increased the chances that findings will be integrated into practice (Penuel, Fishman, Cheng, & Sabelli, 2011).
2. Social media to increase participation in research. Community support is vital to success of a partnership (Stanton & Easton, 2002). A fundamental goal of Shared Solutions is to provide accessible mechanisms for ongoing, cross-stakeholder conversations. Our media-based strategy consists of regularly updating our website and Facebook page; hosting Twitter #edchats; and featuring stakeholders on our podcast and blog.
3. Database development as a tool for research and practice. In Fall 2015, Shared Solutions will launch a public online database where users can view annual survey and demographic data for every school in the District. We believe access to such data empowers practitioners. We will host “analyses workshops” to collaboratively discuss how schools can use this data to capitalize on strengths and build capacity in challenge areas.
As a result of our efforts (we believe), participation in the 2015 Spring District-wide surveys increased over last year. Preliminary response rates are approximately 8% for parents/guardians, 25% for students, 58% for teachers, and 85% for principals. These numbers are unprecedented for the District.
Scholarly significance
Our innovative approach to including stakeholders at every stage of the research process serves as a model for researcher-practitioner partnerships. We believe this partnership represents a new education research paradigm that removes the research-practice gap by relying on a truly collaborative process of designing, implementing, analyzing, reporting and using research.

Authors

• Kirsten Lee Hill, University of Pennsylvania

• Katherine Stratos, School District of Philadelphia

• Tonya E. Wolford, School District of Philadelphia

• Laura M. Desimone, University of Pennsylvania

• Adrienne Reitano, School District of Philadelphia

• David Kowalski, Temple University

• Tonya E. Wolford, School District of Philadelphia