Creating Meaningful Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in College Access Research

1. Creating Meaningful Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in College Access Research September 13, 2004 Council for Opportunity in Education Session #32

2. Outline of Session • Overview of key questions • Research and curriculum design • Research and program design- SummerTIME • Research and product design- CHEC-List • Options for creating partnerships • Question and Answer Session

3. Key questions: • What does it mean to do research? • How do findings inform curriculum and program design?

4. SummerTIME Seminar(Tools Information Motivation Education) • How did the research process lead to the creation of SummerTIME? • U.S. DOE study designed to determine what makes an effective college preparation program • Collaboration with 12 high schools, multiple stakeholders

5. Major findings • Preparing for College text (researchers) • Case studies (practitioners, students & families) • Monograph [available on website] (researchers and practitioners)

6. How findings informed curriculum • Year 1: Writing the personal statement (academic rigor) • Year 2: Articulating a college plan (guidance) • Year 3: Building your college network (social support networks)

7. Lessons learned re: collaboration • Intended goal: to give back –but we learned so much at the same time • Insight into how complicated application process is • Insight into challenges practitioners face (follow-up, programming, family involvement) • Good PR for future research • Increased visibility on campuses -reciprocity

8. The CHEPA CHEC-list(Creating Helpful Environments for College-going) • How did the research process come together to create a “practical” use product? • Our research context • Previous and on-going research in large, urban high schools serving mainly students of color • A university level research center with project team members • Established contacts with local practitioners

9. Useful Collaborations • Collaborating with researchers • Creating a writing group • Discussing our visions • Collaborating with practitioners • Organizing focus groups • Integrating new ideas • Working with multiple stakeholders

10. Creating the CHEPA CHEC-list The CHEPA CHEC-list is a booklet that includes research based practical suggestions for counselors as they work on issues of access with three key stakeholders: Students Families Other counselors

11. Creating the CHEPA CHEC-List • Results of the collaboration • A document that intersects research, practice, and the voices of those involved in college access • Continued and new partnerships with a number of key constituents • View the CHEC-List at: http://www.usc.edu/dept/chepa • Challenges and opportunities • Locating informed collaborators who could participate over time • Finding a time for all collaborators to work together • Sorting through multiple options for translating research to practice

12. Creating Partnerships • University research centers • Practitioner organizations • Useful texts

13. Facilitator Information Dr. Myron Pope, Assistant Vice President of Student Services, University of Central Oklahoma, Mpope5@ucok.edu Zoë Blumberg Corwin, Research Assistant, Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, University of Southern California, zcorwin@usc.edu Kristan M. Venegas, Research Assistant, Research Assistant, Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, University of Southern California, kristanv@usc.edu