Research based collaboration practice between researchers and school leaders
Since 2010, all education in Sweden should be based on a scientific foundation and proven experience according to the Education Act (SFS 2010:800). To promote this, the Swedish government has initiated different projects to increase close-to-practice research and to develop sustainable collaboration between researchers and practitioners. This research project focuses on the collaboration practice between researchers and school leaders while initiating and following through school development research projects or advanced training for school leaders with action research approaches aiming to develop schools at local level as well as school leaders’ pedagogical leadership.
Collaboration practice while initiating school development research
This study was conducted within a ULF-project, which is initiated and funded by the Swedish government to promote close-to-practice research. The overall project had an action research approach and was conducted 2019 –2020. Data are based on field notes and audio recordings from meetings between researchers and school leaders. The outline of the study is that ULF-projects aim to develop sustainable collaboration between researchers and practitioners, as equal partners. The study relies on previous research on equal partnership. The aim of the study is to describe the collaboration practice between researchers and school leaders, how the collaboration practice emerge and what constrains as well as enables collaboration based on the idea of equival partnership. Data is analysed through the framework of practice architectures.