Research and Practice in Education Building Alliances, Bridging the Divide

The divide between research and practice is commonly lamented across policy-oriented disciplines, and education is no exception. Rhetoric abounds about how research should influence practice, but few people have studied the relationship empirically. This book presents findings from a series of ten interlocking case studies of nationally visible RD projects, with a unique focus on how researchers and practitioners actually work together, and the policy, social, and institutional processes that either enable or hinder their work. The lessons from these cases have powerful implications for designers, funders, school and district leaders, and universities seeking to develop such collaborations in the future. Book jacket.

Cynthia E. Coburn is associate professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California at Berkeley, where she specializes in organizational studies and policy implementation. Mary Kay Stein holds a joint appointment at the University of Pittsburgh as professor of learning sciences and policy and senior scientist at the Learning Research and Development Center. She is also the founding director of the Learning Policy Center.