Building Trust and Capacity: Strategies for Effective Research-Practice Partnerships in Computer Science Education

• In Event: Assessing the Effectiveness of Research-Practice Partnerships: Lessons From the Field

Abstract

Objectives and framework
This research was designed to assess the effectiveness of a research-practice partnership (RPP) in computer science education (CS) using dimensions from a framework for RPP effectiveness. Researchers also documented challenges, strategies, and lessons learned from engaging in RPPs in education. The study employed the framework on effective RPPs as described in Assessing Research-Practice Partnerships: Five Dimensions of Effectiveness (Henrick et al., 2017), focusing on dimensions related to building trust and developing the capacity of participants.

Methods and data sources
Researchers conducted a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with partnership team members. Researchers also observed RPP team meetings and recorded detailed notes from all meeting observations. A thematic analysis was conducted on interview transcripts and meeting notes using a coding framework developed from the interview protocol. The coding framework was iteratively revised and updated through the analysis.
Interview participants in this study were members of the RPP. A total of eight team members were interviewed, including four district team members, two team members from university A, and two team members from university B. Observations of team meetings occurred over five months, including weekly whole-team meetings as well as subteam meetings.

Findings
The interviews and observations pointed to several promising strategies and lessons learned from engaging in partnership work.
Alignment of goals and cultures. When considering forming an RPP, researchers and practitioners should be thoughtful about the goals, cultures, and philosophies of participating institutions. A key ingredient for establishing the RPP was alignment across institutions about the problem of practice and a shared understanding of the objectives of the work. Partnership leaders can also facilitate the process of building a shared commitment to the work among new team members.
Learning opportunities. Provide opportunities for various team members to learn about the different aspects of the project. These opportunities can help get team members invested in the work. Learning opportunities happened when team members got to experience the work firsthand or got to see products from the partnership in action. RPPs can also leverage those opportunities as routines that help with onboarding for new team members.
Concrete value. A key strategy was creating the conditions for concrete successes to reinforce the benefit of the partnership for different parties. This was particularly important during the early phases of the partnership, when team members needed to see the value of participating.
Flexibility to adapt and address growing pains. Team members reported that there were challenges early on in the partnership in terms of building relationships and determining appropriate roles and responsibilities but over time the partnership faced fewer of these challenges. Similarly, a key ingredient of collaborative work noted by several team members was the ability to be flexible when conditions or the work itself changed.

Significance
As RPPs continue to gain traction within education, there is a need for studies that employ established frameworks to gain insights into the strategies and approaches that help to make RPPs effective. The current study provides concrete strategies and lessons learned for developing effective partnerships.

Authors

• John Wachen, The Learning Partnership

• Steven McGee, The Learning Partnership