A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

M. Implications for Needed Research

There is a need to develop both formative evaluation procedures and instruments to assist partnerships in evaluating and monitoring their progress toward achieving their goals, and to inform future planning. An evaluation model must take into account the creation of new organizational arrangements that are attempting to bring about simultaneous renewal in at least two institutions. Developing guidelines for long-term documentation and evaluation delineating needed data sources, and indicators of development and achievement would not only serve the ongoing planning and development of these ventures, but would also assist in developing comparable data to enhance our understanding of the limits and potential of school-university partnerships, and the cost-effectiveness of various strategies. These data are also necessary to secure consistent funding to support these efforts.

The belief that professional development of teachers is critical for improving our schools has led to significant amounts of research on teacher development. Much less is known about the professional development needs of university faculty. To achieve the goal of simultaneous renewal of schools and teacher education, much more study is needed of not only the challenges of overcoming the traditions and bureaucracy within higher education, but also of effective professional development for university faculty.

Further research is also needed to examine the real costs of education reforms. Identification of costs in each sector is needed to explore the reallocation of existing resources from each organization, and to identify alternative funding sources. Identifying the types and amounts of resources necessary to support school-university partnerships is important for both planning and accountability purposes.

Given the importance of leadership in the success of these endeavors, additional research is needed to understand the development of leadership skills, and strategies for doing so. When a study finds leadership to be a critical variable, it presents a dilemma for policymakers. Can such leaders be selected and/or trained, or do we have to wait for them to emerge? How much of leadership is dependent on charisma and individual personality, and how much is dependent on energy and commitment? The spread of leadership among several sectors suggests that leadership can be developed. More research on the specific qualities of educational entrepreneurship is needed, particularly with a focus on how such individuals can be trained to lead collaborative efforts.
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[Implications for Policy and Practice]

[References]