Chapter 13: Exploring the Need For Research–Practitioner Partnerships

How do we build professional capacity in the field, establish a feedback loop, and bridge the gap between research and practice? Research–practitioner partnerships (RPPs) show promise not only from the bridging standpoint, but also from a field-building perspective. Over the past decade, research studies have validated the importance of the work of out-of-school (OST) practitioners. However, there is a disconnect between researchers and practitioners and a need for bridging this research to practice. Increasingly, scholars such as Hamilton (2015) and Coburn, Peneul, and Geil (2013) are examining this bridging phenomenon to include practitioners’ voices in a relevant research agenda. Too often, research is conducted, findings are presented at conferences, and information is translated to line staff by someone from the afterschool program who attended. They see big ideas that may not be reflective of their programs. Connections are lost-in-translation from the researcher to the practitioner, causing a gap.