In this commentary, I summarize my own research with colleagues to affirm Dr. Gersten's call for considering design experiments prior to conducting intervention research. I describe how design experiments not only can inform teaching and the learning of innovative approaches, but also hold the promise of effectively bridging the…

Clinicians, researchers, educators, administrators, and policy makers, who represented stakeholders in the substance abuse treatment field, participated in 5 focus groups. Four general areas regarding integration of research and practice were investigated: definition of research, training/education, current integration, and future integration.…

Purpose: The persisting tension over the relative importance of theory and practice creates a crevasse between scholars and practitioners. The purpose here is to problematize divisions between cultural norms found among scholars and practitioners. Design/methodology/approach: Both authors, higher education scholars, experienced temporary…

What is Critical Race Theory (CRT) and what does it offer educational researchers and practitioners outside the US? This paper addresses these questions by examining the recent history of anti-racist research and policy in the UK. In particular, the paper argues that conventional forms of anti-racism have proven unable to keep pace with the…

Explores the different perspectives classroom teachers and researchers bring to any collaboration, noting that the relationship between the two should be symbiotic and that the problems of practice should inform the questions that researchers ask, while the issues addressed in research should help teachers obtain a clearer perspective on teaching.…

Claims that reading research and reading instruction have come no closer to each other than they ever were because the two sides have trouble communicating. Postulates that the work of teacher-researchers like Mary Heller might help link theory to practice. (SKC)

Describes a program that brought teacher researchers together to discuss their work and learn about each other's teaching techniques. Reflects on the purpose of the project, which was to provide professional development and a way for teachers to share information and enhance their own teaching. (SRT)

Reports findings of a survey designed to determine the most important changes that have taken place in reading education over the past 20 years and the people who have made the most significant contributions to the field. (FL)

This brief summarizes ideas generated at an invitational meeting in October 2000 to explore strategies for bridging gaps among child health researchers, practitioners, and policymakers and to move toward a more efficient, collaborative, child health research system. Following an introduction, the brief is presented in four sections. The first…

Discusses what individual schools and teachers can do to examine their practices systematically while linking improvements to school improvement efforts at district and state levels. Action research is a refinement of the process every teacher goes through while trying to improve. Improving the education process teacher by teacher seems society's…

A survey of 11 adult literacy practitioner research networks in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada indicated the following: primary purposes were professional development and outlet for practitioner voice; predominant methods were action and participatory research; 10 had government funding; and challenges included lack of…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of an audiotape continuing education program on how theory relates to research. Although the continuing education program increased knowledge, participation in the program did not significantly increase involvement in research-related behaviors. (JOW)

A discussion of the responsibility of the college teacher as researcher looks at the researcher's role in setting agendas that may be of national or international significance, effects of research on the lives of individuals and groups studied, possible consequences of the findings, and perceptions of "successful" research. More difficult debates…

Reviews a book, "Teachers' Voices for School Change" by Andrew Gitlin, on educative research and teacher voice, examining the educative research process which grounds reflection in the life histories of teacher researchers, presenting four case studies on educative research, and reflecting on the educative research process itself.…

A former classroom teacher studied the role of action research in restructuring schools. The article discusses the background information she collected on reasons for conducting action research (personal/professional growth, improved practice, advancing the profession, contributing to the professional literature, promoting collaboration, and…