Design-Based Research-Practice Partnerships to Advance Equity in Local Schools

• In Event: Research-Practice Partnerships for Educational Transformation: Methodologies for Systemic Educational Transformation: Building Infrastructures for Educational Transformation Through Research-Practice Partnerships

Abstract

Objectives and Frameworks

Design-based research (DBR) offers a unique opportunity for researchers to construct studies that are directly connected to the contexts that researchers hope to impact (Edelson, 2002). Design-based research breaks from linear understandings of research design as a step that precedes the research. Instead, DBR situates research as an iterative process that accounts for challenges and constraints in the settings that the research aims to impact (Anderson and Shattuck, 2012; Edelson, 2002). Methodologically, DBR offers a bridge between research and practice through close collaborations with stakeholders in all facets of the research process and through intentional consideration of meaningful questions to stakeholders (Design-Based Research Collective, 2003). Authentic collaborations with stakeholders to investigate problems situated in their contexts increase the likelihood that the research results will reflect context-relevant solutions (Anderson and Shattuck, 2012; Design-Based Research Collective, 2003).
This proposal focuses on an innovative use of DBR in a research-practice partnership between UCSD’s Education Studies Department and a local school. DBR serves as a methodological lever to bring university assets to bear on local school reform. Through an undergraduate UCSD course on design-based educational research, undergraduates engage in equity-oriented, applied educational research through assisting a local school in furthering its equity-driven school transformation. Undergraduates collaborate closely with local school leaders to design and conduct a qualitative study to answer leaders’ pressing equity questions about current problems of practice. The use of DBR in this context has two goals – design locally situated research as part of a school-university partnership to assist the school in its equity-oriented reform and inspire undergraduates to view context-situated research as a powerful tool to advance equity in education.
Methods
The course has partnered with Vista High School each year (2017-2019) to help school leaders assess the progress of its multi-million-dollar XQ grant to transform the school, particularly for its large population of low-income, homeless, and Latinx students. The grant aims to personalize the education of every student by redesigning classroom curricula, engaging teachers in professional learning about pedagogy, and offering students new social-emotional supports. Each year the undergraduates designed the study in collaboration with Vista High leaders. The undergraduates have collected and analyzed survey data from over 1100 9th graders and almost 600 10th graders, and they have interviewed almost 150 freshmen and sophomores. These substantial data sets offer Vista High leaders and the school district consistent real-time data about the progress of Vista High in meeting its equity goals.
Results and Significance
Vista High and district leaders value the partnership for several reasons. The undergraduates’ research provides real-time data that can be used immediately. Vista High has used the results in teacher professional development and work with support staff and counselors. The research captures nuanced contextual issues operating in the larger school that influence the progress of reform. Lastly, the undergraduates’ collaboration with school leaders gave them insights into the challenges the leaders faced around implementing aspects of the reform. These insights enabled the undergraduates to offer Vista High leaders concrete recommendations to address the challenges.

Authors

• Makeba Jones, University of California - San Diego

• Craig Gastauer, Vista High School