Reimagining Collaboration: Investigating the Third Space in a School District-University Partnership

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: School-University Partnership Research Roundtable: Creating Space and Agency (Table 8)

Abstract

In efforts to self-examine our school district-university partnership for successes and opportunities for improvement and to contribute to the literature on creating and sustaining school-university partnerships (SUP) as third spaces, this study investigates the features in a nascent SUP that align with a third space. Through deductive and inductive qualitative coding of interviews of leaders in a particular SUP, we found that Leaders in the large-scale, district-wide partnership have begun to engage in the simultaneous renewal of schools and universities, enact systems-level change, and develop shared expertise. Data analysis also revealed opportunities for leaders to intentionally cultivate a third space partnership by addressing cultural hegemony, developing humanizing pedagogies, and building solidarity. Implications, limitations, and next steps are shared.

Authors

• Megan E. Lynch, Boise State University

• Rachelle Curcio, University of North Florida

• Lunetta Williams, University of North Florida

• Diane Yendol-Hoppey, University of North Florida