Intermediary Organizations and Practitioners: Cultivating "Cultural Travelers" in Research-Practice Partnerships

• In Event: Identifying Supportive Conditions for Education Partnerships

Abstract

In the face of two pandemics, never before has the importance of collaboration in education been made more visible. It is essential that Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs) are taking stock of their relationships and the influence they may have on how and what expertise is brokered internally and externally. Drawing from Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and positioning theory, I explore the discursive space between curriculum developers and practitioners of an RPP. I examine small group interactions during the first 6-months of design work, due to the importance of establishing strong collaborative relationships in these early stages. Key communicative strategies emerge between the partners and contributes to the limited body of evidence on the positioning of intermediary organizations (IOs) in RPPs.

Author

• Stephanie Brown, York College of Pennsylvania