ERIC Number: ED410290
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1997-Mar
Pages: 11
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Forms of Collaboration. The Flexible Role of the Researcher within the Changing Context of Practice.
Perez, A. I.; And Others
The changing role of the external researcher is explored in the context of two action research projects in Malaga (Spain). The first project was an evaluation of a trade school program for disadvantaged young people in a low-income rural area of Spain. Researchers began as friendly evaluators in a democratic evaluation of the program's first phase, which was not regarded as successful or very important by program developers and participants. As the program moved into its later phases and the trade school curriculum developed, evaluators were asked to take on the role of pedagogical advisors by the trade school staff. The researchers' role eventually became one of support without intervention. In the second project, which took place in an innovative rural elementary and secondary school, the role of the external evaluators was defined by their own expectations and by the teachers who felt themselves to be responsible for program evaluation. Reflection on both projects makes it apparent that the relationship between practitioners and outside researchers varies considerably in different cultural settings. For success in external evaluation, the roles of all partners need to be defined clearly. Collaboration must be understood as a process of building in a democratic way. Difficulties in educational change in the Spanish educational culture are discussed. (Contains 20 references.) (SLD)
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Spain
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A