Dimension 4:
Engage with the broader field to improve educational practices, systems, and inquiry
DIMENSION DESCRIPTION
In addition to supporting the goals of practice or community organizations, RPPs can have a commitment to supporting broader efforts to improve education. In this vein, RPPs can contribute to the cutting-edge knowledge base on educational change and transformation in ways that elevate, honor, and give voice to insights from community and practice partners.
This dimension uses the word “engage” in addition to “share” to indicate that this aspect of the work is not just a one-way sharing of knowledge but instead bi-directional learning opportunities. Engaging with others outside of the partnership provides opportunities to learn and listen to others and make sense of how educational strategies can be adapted and adjusted in different contexts.
This knowledge takes various forms, including research-based findings, theories, practices, strategies, frameworks, and tools. Knowledge about partnership dynamics and research methods can also be valuable for external audiences. Partners engage others in this knowledge through different channels and formats, including research-oriented, policy/practice-oriented, and broader/public contexts.
Partners across roles and organizations engage in the sharing process as they want and are able. RPPs strategize about the different audiences that might benefit from sharing or engagement, including those typically excluded from educational change initiatives.
Decisions about sharing locally developed knowledge externally involve input from all partners, addressing aspects like what to share, how to share, the content shared, and the timing and audiences for sharing, with considerations for power and privilege dynamics. Partners acknowledge that the knowledge they produce and share externally has been collaboratively created.
DIMENSION INDICATORS
In this project, partners…
4A
INCLUDE RELEVANT PERSPECTIVES IN DECISIONS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE: Decisions to share knowledge from the partnership externally involve the input of all partners. These discussions can focus on the decision to share, methods of sharing, content shared, and timing and audiences for sharing.
4B
IDENTIFY WHAT IS USEFUL TO SHARE AND WITH WHOM: Partners identify diverse types of knowledge to share (e.g., findings, tools, methodologies, practices, theories, routines) and the multiple audiences that would find their work relevant.
4C
DESIGN AND FACILITATE SHARING COLLABORATIVELY: Partners representing different roles and organizations participate in developing what is shared and/or engaging others in the sharing process to the extent that they are willing and able.
4D
ENGAGE DIVERSE AUDIENCES TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE: Partners use both one-way and two-way approaches to engage with diverse audiences. Audiences include practice-, community-, and research-side groups and often overlooked groups like students, educators, and historically marginalized communities. RPPs establish and nurture connections with broader networks.
4E
RECOGNIZE PARTNERSHIP KNOWLEDGE AS CO-CREATED: Partners acknowledge that the findings, knowledge, tools, or practices they develop and share have been created collaboratively. This acknowledgment might come in the form of co-authorship, shared facilitation during presentation or meeting sessions, or public recognition, as appropriate.
DIMENSION TOOLS
Dimension 1 Tools
Great if you want to…
Minimum Time Needed
further make sense of the Dimensions and Indicators and build a sense of how they are brought to life
5-10 minutes reading
reflect together about one or more indicators
20-30 minutes
dig deeper as an RPP into a particular indicator
20-30 minutes
try a short conversation that can be built into existing meetings or work processes
5 minutes
elicit further insight into some of the indicators using scales of 4-10 survey items
variable
elicit further insight into the indicators through short prompts that can be used to design interviews, discussions, or surveys
variable
The RPP Effectiveness and Health Tool Kit is a collaboration between the National Center for Research in Policy & Practice (NCRPP) and NNERPP
