Research Use in a Research-Practice Partnership in Germany: A Two-Level Approach (Poster 2)

• In Event: Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Research Use in Research-Practice Partnerships Based Across the Globe

Abstract

Theoretical background and objectives
According to author(s) (2021), research-practice partnerships (RPPs) are defined, among others, by the principle engagement with research as a leading activity. However, details of how the combination of research and practice is organized aren´t defined and therefore left to the individual RPPs worldwide. In a project of the Quality Initiative Teacher Training, funded by German Government, nine cross-institutional so called Development Teams (DTs) have been established at a university in Lower Saxony from 2016 to 2023, comprising representatives from four groups: university (researchers), school (especially teachers), extracurricular partner organization and student teacher. These DTs addressed four pressing challenges in teacher education: competence-oriented teaching, inclusive schooling, mentoring in practical studies, and teacher´s health. More than 230 actors from more than 45 organizations and schools have been involved in this partnership over a constant period of time (average three years; student teachers´ average one year). The design of these DTs combined all principles of RPPs featured in the definition of author(s) (2021). The teams further developed university teaching and improved school teaching practice in co-constructive cooperation, especially by designing learning modules and developing teaching materials.
The objective of this study was to examine the research reference in this specific RPP. The work of Weiss & Bucuvalas (1980), which distinguished four categories of research in education: instrumental, conceptual, symbolic and process use (author(s), 2022; author(s), 2017), is used as a conceptual framework.

Modes of inquiry
Research in this RPP was pursued on two levels: 1) Each DT conducted application-oriented research for the development of their learning modules or teaching materials in one of the four areas of action outlined, firmly anchored through the active participation of PhD students and professors; 2) The accompanying research of the whole project examined possible effects of research-based and research-informed knowledge acquisition on the competence enhancement of the participants of all DTs based on works of van Schaik et al. (2019) in a questionnaire study. This questionnaire study was conducted in 2021 with n=78 participants (n=105 contacted; full survey on all active DT members in 2021; response rate 74%). A one-way ANOVA was conducted and a path model on effective relationships was calculated.

Results and significance
The path model offered empirical evidence that the research-based mode of co-construction plays an essential role when competencies, especially in the area of innovation are to be enhanced. Additionally, ANOVA highlighted heterogeneity in the research-based and research-informed mode of co-construction between school representatives and researchers. Therefore, it's recommended to involve school representatives more intensively in scientific processes and components within RPPs. Both in the accompanying research and in research within the different DTs, conceptual use of research as well as process use were identified, which can be attributed to the conception of this RPP as a research and development project by definition.
The results help substantially for improvements in RPPs, especially on the theory-practice linkage, and for better understanding personal development and learning effects in boundary-crossing collaborations.

Authors

• Sandra Fischer-Schöneborn, IU International University of Applied Sciences

• Timo Ehmke, Leuphana University - Lueneburg