| Session Title: Evaluation and Research-Practice Integration: What are Our Roles and How Can We Play Them Better? |
| Think Tank Session 480 to be held in Laguna A on Thursday, Nov 3, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Sponsored by the Research on Evaluation |
| Presenter(s): |
| Thomas Archibald, Cornell University, tga4@cornell.edu |
| Discussant(s): |
| Marissa Burgermaster, Montclair State University, burgermaster@gmail.com |
| Monica Hargraves, Cornell University, mjh51@cornell.edu |
| Abstract: The need to effectively and efficiently integrate research and practice is a daunting problem facing most, if not all, scientific endeavors. This is especially true in social scientific inquiry. Traditionally, practitioners focus on particular contexts whereas researchers focus on the production of generalizable knowledge. The fields of biomedicine, education and other social domains have attempted to bridge the research-practice gap (e.g., evidence-based practice and translational research.) Often, these efforts have been criticized for their top-down nature. On the other hand, practitioner resistance to research often stymies the impact of research findings. Yet both researchers and practitioners want to focus on "what works" (especially in resource-constrained times.) We posit that evaluation can play a crucial role in research-practice integration, but that currently it is insufficiently clear how. In this session we will briefly present the issue and then facilitate brainstorm sessions to generate dialogue among our peers on this topic. |