Chapter 3: A Descriptive Case of the Relational Work of Developing and Sustaining a Research–Practice Partnership Focused on Improving PK–12 Science Instruction

This chapter describes the relational work of developing and sustaining a research-practice partnership focused on improving PK–12 science instruction in a large school district. Focusing on the relational aspects of this work highlights the ways in which boundary-spanning across traditional organizational borders is dependent on individuals’ formal roles, responsibilities, and relationships to their organizations. In this context, boundary-spanning is described as engagement in collaborative activities and development of professional relationships that cross organizational boundaries in ways that deepen understanding of research and practice. Implications for boundaryspanning work, particularly in the context of university–school partnerships, are discussed.