The Role of Brokers in Fostering Research Use Through RPPs : A Case Study from France (Poster 9)

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

Abstract

Objectives/purpose
In recent years, research-practice partnerships (RPPs) in education have emerged as a promising strategy for integrating research in practice (Coburn et al., 2013; Coburn et al., 2021). However, establishing successful RPPs to foster research use in practice involve significant challenges, especially in the French education system which is not designed to encourage collaboration between educational researchers and practitioners. Also, the goal of this study was to explore the role of Brokers to address this challenge in this context.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
Brokers in education RPPs are “professionals who serve as the bridge between researchers and practitioners in partnerships working to improve education organizations” (Wentworth et al., 2023, xi). This role is understood as key in the research literature to create successful RPPs to foster research use (Davidson & Penuel, 2020; Farrell et al., 2019; Hartmann & Decristan, 2018; Hopkins et al., 2018). Wentworth and collaborators developed a context-based framework to examine research about brokering in RPPs and knowledge brokering in education more broadly (Wentworth et al. 2023). This study is grounded within this framework.

Methods and Data Sources
We conducted a case study (Yin, 2017) with Author, the first Broker involved in RPPs in France. Data included RPPs meeting documents, emails exchanges and semi-structured interviews. These data were analyzed by the first author using MaxqDa software. Then, emerging themes were discussed with other authors. Finally, data were presented and discussed with the broker in order to get a full understanding of its brokering activities.

Results
Results confirmed brokering activities within Wentworth and colleagues framework including (1) developing the partnership, (2) designing social structures and routines, (3) supporting research use and production, (4) building relationships to weather challenges and, (5) building individuals' knowledge and skills. Results revealed that, within these activities, building trust and sharing power are key in the French context.

Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work
This study is a contribution to RPPs literature research in investigating the specific role of brokers within RPPs. To our knowledge, it is the first one to investigate brokering activities within RPPs outside the US context in a centralized country.

Authors

• Denis Pasco, University of Franche-Comté

• Christine Bolou-Chiàravalli, University of Franche-Comté

• Charlotte Capocci, University of Franche-Comté

• Branka Rupic, University of Franche-Comté