Frederick J Poole
Visiting China over the summer was very exciting and life giving for me. I had the opportunity to reconnect with many of my old friends and family and meet with some of my former Chinese teachers at Shanxi University. This was invaluable not only for developing my Chinese but also for strengthening professional relationships.
Figure 1. Shanxi University
One of my passions is finding ways to bridge the research-practice divide. I firmly believe that when teachers conduct research in their own classrooms, it can serve as one of the best professional development opportunities. By researching problems that are important to them, teachers can find research-based solutions tailored to their specific needs. However, a significant challenge is that language teachers often lack the time and expertise to conduct research independently.
Figure 2. Bridging Research Practice Divide *AI Generated
This is where Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs) come into play. RPPs involve collaboration between researchers and teachers, with researchers supporting teachers in conducting classroom-based research (Coburn & Penuel, 2016). This partnership allows teachers to engage in meaningful research without being overwhelmed by research technicalities, thus making the process more feasible and impactful.
During my visit this year, I discussed RPPs with my former Chinese teachers and shared how these partnerships could enhance their teaching practices. We are currently working establish a research lab in which Chinese language teachers at Shanxi University explore research questions in their classroom and I (and other colleagues) provide support in the form of research analysis, theory consultation, and writing support for those who want to share their results.
I am really excited about the future opportunities that may come out of this. If any of you are interested in similar projects please reach out to us. I will be providing updates on this project as it progresses.
References
Coburn, C. E., & Penuel, W. R. (2016). Research–practice partnerships in education: Outcomes, dynamics, and open questions. Educational researcher, 45(1), 48-54.