Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice in K–12 Education
A long-standing challenge in education and the learning sciences is connecting the distinct yet complementary knowledge of researchers and educators. Our project addresses this gap by building meaningful, sustained collaboration between STEM coaches, and researchers, empowering each group to learn from the other.
At the heart of this effort are Research-Practice Briefs (RPBs), short, practical documents that translate research into usable strategies for teaching and learning.
What Are RPBs?
Research-Practice Briefs (RPBs) are designed to directly support K–12 educators in addressing real-world challenges in the classroom. Each brief distills rigorous research into:
- Practical context relevant to everyday teaching
- Actionable strategies that can be adapted and applied
- Tools and guidance to enhance instructional practice
Developed with input from both researchers and practitioners, RPBs ensure that research-based practices are not only evidence-informed but also grounded in the realities of classroom life. They’re usable, useful, and immediately relevant.
Why It Matters
The ultimate goal is to make research more accessible and actionable for educators, so that research doesn’t stay in journals, but comes alive in classrooms. Through RPBs, and the collaborative learning community behind them, we’re building a new model for educational improvement rooted in shared knowledge, mutual respect, and practical innovation.
Available RPBs
Humburg, M., & Moore, A. (2024). AI Ethics Conversation.
Chandler, B., & Tofel-Grehl, C. (2024). A Scaffolded Model of Responsive Instructional Coaching for Managing Teacher Technological Instructional Overhead.
Jules, B., & Walker, J. (2024). Teachers Who Design for Possibility: A Practitioner Brief on Education Technology for Empowerment.
McGuinness, K., & Rutherford, T. (2025). Scaffolding Engagement for All Learners in Project-Based Learning.
Thompson, A., & Borge, M. (2025). From Teaching Digital Citizenship to Cultivating a Culture of Digital Literacy.
