Peers4Practice – A Tandem approach for Early Career Teachers and Researchers

Project Description

Stakeholders in the fields of education research, practice, and policy have consistently emphasized the significance of fostering an intensive exchange between educational research and school practice. However, the question remains: How can we effectively achieve collaboration? How can we ensure that this collaboration brings about positive change, sustainable innovation, and is mutually enriching for researchers and practitioners alike? The BETTER center at the DIPF seeks to strengthen collaboration between research and school practice and develops models for sustainable Research-Practice Partnerships. The Peers4Practice initiative embodies an innovative model of such a partnership. We establish tandem teams, each composed of a researcher and a teacher, who work closely together and develop effective collaboration routines over a span of one and a half years. The inaugural cohort, consisting of approximately 10 tandem teams, will commence in late 2023 with a kickoff event at the DIPF in Frankfurt. During this event, the teams will be formed and familiarized with the program. Throughout the program, the tandem teams will regularly convene, engage in reciprocal classroom observations, and collaboratively develop innovative research projects that directly align with the classroom context. Additionally, resources for shared social activities will be provided to facilitate team bonding processes. Recognizing the significance of team-building processes such as establishing trust, working on eye-level, and engaging in perspective taking, Peers4Practice aims to provide deliberate support for these processes and meticulously monitor their impact on the partnership. In addition to the collaborative activities, the DIPF will offer specialized professional development opportunities throughout the program. A formative evaluation will monitor the program's quality and effectiveness, allowing us to refine the model for the second cohort, which will commence later in the program. Peers4Practice seeks to contribute to the development of new models for close Research-Practice Partnerships, ultimately fostering sustainable enhancement of evidence-based innovation within the classroom.

Project Objectives

The DIPF has set out to strengthen and further develop such partnerships. The Peers4Practice project develops and tests the collaborative model of tandem teams of a researchers and teachers. The long-term goal is to optimize the collaboration between education research and practice and to generate innovative approaches for Research-Practice Partnerships. The primary goal of Research-Practice Partnerships is to promote evidence-based innovations in education practice

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Project Details