Research-practice partnership: Definition, models, and merit

There is an increased interest in and a growing commitment to strengthening connections between educational research, practice, and policy. Against this backdrop, research-practice partnerships (RPPs) have been proliferating in the field of education. This chapter provides an overview of the most referenced literature in the field, beginning with the definition of an RPP, its five core principles, and the three key models: research alliances, design-based research, and networked improvement communities. It then turns to models in which practitioners engage in research activities. This is followed by a brief overview of the research on RPPs, a list of the influential forces that prompted the shift from traditional research paradigms to more collaborative models, and a summary of the value of engaging in RPPs for both practitioners and researchers. This chapter concludes with a review of efforts to realize RPPs in the Israeli context, leading into the next chapter’s description of the RPP initiative that is at the heart of this book.