Collaborating with Teachers on Research: Pioneering Efforts at the Institute for Research on Teaching. Occasional Paper No. 105.

This paper reports on the characteristics of one specific form of collaborative research: that was developed by faculty from research institutions of higher education collaborating with teachers in K-12 schools on the conduct of research on teaching. Eighteen teachers have participated in this research with faculty from Michigan State University under the direction of the Institute for Research on Teaching (IRT). Typically, teachers teach in the morning and are with IRT in the afternoon. Research time is paid for by the IRT to the school district, including benefits. The contributions teachers make to a research program change and improve as they become familiar with research agendas and requirements. Teachers have defined research programs in the areas of: (1) classroom strategies; (2) integrating the teaching of language arts into the teaching of other subjects; (3) the design of empirical investigations; (4) the staying power of changes in teaching practice; and (5) replication of work across many school settings. A description is given of how the teachers and faculty members work together and their perceptions of the benefits of the work. The costs of collaborative research, both institutional and personal, are also discussed. Brief descriptions are given of alternative forms of collaborative arrangements to illustrate the concept's breadth and potential power. (JD)