Utilization of Research in an Equity Audit Research-Practice Partnership

• In Event: A Focus on Equity: Participant-Centered Research Alliances

Abstract

Purpose
In 2017, we entered into an RPP with Overlook School District (OSD) to explore whether equity is “present in all parts of the educational system, including environment and resources” (Skrla, McKenzie, & Scheurich, 2009, p. 14). The goal was to examine problems of practice in order to provide OSD with relevant, accessible, and rigorous research that analyzes the conditions of equity and inequity within the district. Therefore, an important step prior to embarking on an RPP is to understand the research needs of the practitioner partner and how they intend to use that research (Golden-Biddle et al., 2003). This case study presents four stages of this long-term effort—development of the RPP, defining equity, conducting equity audit research, and using equity audit findings—to address the research question: How is research used by various stakeholders throughout the stages of a Research-Practice Partnership?

Methodology
Data for the entire RPP equity audit were collected through interviews, observations, group panels, analytic memos, surveys to school personnel and students, public documents, and internal documents over a period of two years. Rowan researchers spoke to 42 district constituents and analyzed survey responses from 78 faculty and 200 students. After completion of the RPP, we then interviewed seven district personnel to better understand their uses of the research findings. Thematic analysis of the data enabled us to understand how the RPP stakeholders desired to use research and/or actually used research (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Fereday & Muir-Cochrane, 2006).

Findings
In the first three stages of the RPP, researchers and practitioners used research for instrumental or conceptual purposes. Practitioners wanted to know what evidence would enable them to identify and correct inequities within their schools. They indicated that the purpose of engaging in the RPP was to have research to drive decision making. Further, practitioners indicated a desire to define equity conceptually, as one participant indicated, “the word and concept of equity has not been used to ‘build,’ but rather to curb arguments. . . people will use that word in different ways to achieve different goals.” During the fourth stage of the RPP when findings were distributed, district leaders described using that research more symbolically or politically, indicating the research confirmed what they suspected, but they lacked time and resources to implement the suggested solutions.

Study Significance
RPPs are one way of linking researchers and practitioners to investigate problems of practice and collectively suggest solutions (Tseng et al., 2017). This paper aims to contribute to the literature base regarding how RPPs are formed, how key ideas are defined, and the way research is conducted and used. In particular, this study aims to contribute to a gap identified by Coburn & Penuel (2016)—understanding how RPP research is used—in order to guide teams when designing, conducting, and disseminating RPP research. Both researchers and practitioners need to have a clear understanding of what research is needed and how the research will be used in order to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Authors

• Stephanie Lezotte, Rowan University

• Sharada Krishnamurthy, Rowan University

• Daniel Tulino, Stockton University

• Shelley Zion, Rowan University