A Comparative, Descriptive Study of Three Research-Practice Partnerships: Goals, Activities, and Influence on District Policy, Practice, and Decision Making. Technical Report No. 4

This study describes the activities and influence of three different types of research practice partnerships (RPPs) that shared a common focus on improving mathematics teaching and learning. The three types of RPPs were a networked improvement community (NIC), a design research partnership (DRP), and a research alliance (RA). These types differ in the kinds of roles researchers and practitioners typically play, as well as in their approaches to research. As such, a descriptive study has the potential to improve understanding of the relationship between the design of an RPP and its influence on the partner district policies and practices. Data collection for this study sought to elicit information about each partnership's goals, activities, and influence on district policies and practices. It focused on the work of each RPP between 2016 and 2018. The research questions were: (1) How did the RPPs differ with respect to their organization and major activities?; (2) What kinds of research products did the RPPs produce?; (3) What influence did the RPPs have on partner districts' decisions regarding policies, programs, and practices?; and (4) What influence did the RPPs have on sharing research-based ideas with their district-leader partners? In answering each of the questions related to products and influences, the authors consider how the organization of each RPP helps to account for variations observed across partnerships, as well as how local conditions that may be unique to a particular RPP might matter. For district leaders seeking to partner, answers to these questions can inform their thinking about who would make a good partner and how to organize the joint work, depending on the needs of that district. Similarly, they can also inform future research to test strategies for improving the effectiveness of partnerships.