Racial and Social Justice Collaborative

The RPP Exchange: Equity through Research-Practice Partnerships

Listen to conversations from folks engaged in Research-Practice Partnerships.  

Here, they discuss their challenges, successes, and how RPPs are addressing issues of equity in education. 

SEASON TWO

Episode 1 (5.31.24)

Teachers Talk: The Disconnect Between Research and Practice

In this episode Jenni Eaton (Doctoral Student-UMD; 9th grade English teacher) talks with four public school teachers about the disconnect between research and practice and how we can begin to address the gap. Our guests are Chanelle Cohen, Carolyn Martinez-Ross, Dr. Heidi Temple, and Elizabeth Vogel.  

Episode 2 (6.14.24)

Teachers Talk: Centering Teachers and Students in Education Research 

In this episode Jenni Eaton (Doctoral Student-UMD; 9th grade English teacher) and four public school teachers offer their thoughts on how education research can be centered on teachers and students. Our guests are Chanelle Cohen, Carolyn Martinez-Ross, Dr. Heidi Temple, and Elizabeth Vogel.  

Episode 3 (6.28.24)

Teachers Talk: What Schools Need Now 

We conclude our conversation with four public school educators who share their thoughts on education research, outdated systems, and the modern needs of students and teachers. Jenni Eaton, a 9th-grade English teacher and doctoral student at the University of Maryland, hosts. Our guests are Chanelle Cohen, Carolyn Martinez-Ross, Dr. Heidi Temple, and Elizabeth Vogel.  

Chanelle Cohen has been teaching grades 5-12 for almost twenty years and currently teaches in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Her areas of expertise are educational policy, teacher mentorship, and curriculum design & instruction. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership and organizational innovation at Marymount University. In her free time, she enjoys writing and traveling to any location with plenty of sunshine. 

Carolyn Martinez-Ross has been an English teacher for grades 6–12 and certified school librarian for 18 years. She has taught in Texas, Maryland, Georgia, and Utah.



Dr Heidi A Temple currently teaches Theatre at Bladensburg HS in Prince George’s County Maryland. Her 27 years of teaching experience include middle school and high school English and Theatre, as well as undergraduate and graduate university instruction in American Studies, Women’s Studies, and Education. Life-long learning has led to a BS in Education (English and Communications), a MA in Theatre Studies, and a PhD in American Studies. Mental health and wellness have become a priority in her last decade of teaching, leading her to yoga, pottery, crochet, and gardening :)



Elizabeth Vogel currently teaches Spanish 1 and 2 at the middle school level. With over 20 years of experience, she has taught English Language Arts, Reading and Spanish. While her expertise lies in language acquisition, her interests also include brain research revolving around ADHD and language based learning disabilities. 



SEASON ONE

Episode 1 (3.22.24)

Scratch Encore: An RPP Meets Challenge with Innovation

Listen to this conversation between David Weintrop, PhD. and Kris Beck, Director of the Office of Computer Science for Chicago Public Schools where they discuss how they created a Research-Practice Partnership that resulted in a successful intermediate computer science curriculum that gives equal value to improving equity and student learning outcomes. 

Episode 2 (3.29.24)

Scratch Encore: An RPP Meets Challenge with Innovation

Listen to this conversation between David Weintrop, PhD. and Kris Beck, Director of the Office of Computer Science for Chicago Public Schools where they discuss how they created a Research-Practice Partnership that resulted in a successful intermediate computer science curriculum that gives equal value to improving equity and student learning outcomes. 

Episode 3 (4.5.24)

Scratch Encore: Authentic Engagement and Transparency

Listen to this conversation between David Weintrop, PhD. and Kris Beck, Director of the Office of Computer Science for Chicago Public Schools where they discuss how they created a Research-Practice Partnership that resulted in a successful intermediate computer science curriculum that gives equal value to improving equity and student learning outcomes. 

Episodes 1-3: Links to learn more.....

Learn more about Scratch Encore

Learn more about Participatory Design

Coenraad, M., Palmer, J., Eatinger, D., Weintrop, D. & Franklin, D. (2022) Using Participatory Design to Integrate Stakeholder Voices in the Creation of a Culturally Relevant Computing Curriculum. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 31, 100353. 

Franklin, D., Weintrop, D., Palmer, J., Coenraad, M.*, Cobian, M.#, Beck, K.#, Rasmussen, A.#, Krause, S., White, M.*, Anaya, M.*, & Crenshaw, Z#. (2020). Scratch Encore: The Design and Pilot of a Culturally-Relevant Intermediate Scratch Curriculum. Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 794–800. 

Learn more about the Office of Computer Science 

(Chicago Public Schools) 

Dr. David Weintrop

Associate Professor 

University of Maryland- College Park

Director of Computer Science

Chicago Public Schools

Episode 4 (4.10.24)

Commitment to Impact: RPPs as Scholarly & Professional Identity  

Dr. Laura Wentworth (California Education Partners) and Dr. Jing Liu (University of Maryland - College Park) discuss how involvement in RPP work as a graduate student impacts one's career forever, the creation and impact of California Education Partners, and scalability through work with district leaders. 

Episode 5 (4.19.24)

Commitment to Impact: An RPPs Influence on District, State, and National Policy

Dr. Laura Wentworth (California Education Partners) and Dr. Jing Liu (University of Maryland - College Park) discuss the impact of RPP work on many levels , the nuances of district data, and how RPP work is publishable and generalizable. 

Episode 6 (4.26.24)

Commitment to Impact: Routines and "Brokering" in RPP Work

Dr. Laura Wentworth (California Education Partners) and Dr. Jing Liu (University of Maryland - College Park) discuss the importance of routines in moving RPP work forward and how all RPP partners can act as "brokers" across institutional and community spaces. 

Episode 7 (5.3.24)

A Conversation with Dr. Bill Penuel 

This episode was prerecorded in the Fall of 2023. Dr. Bill Penuel, an RPP expert and scholar, spoke at the launch event for the Racial and Social Justice Collaborative on October 11, 2023. Dr. Christine Neumerski joins Dr. Penuel to discuss how RPPs can address many of the challenges in public education in our time. 

Episode 8 (5.9.24)

Commitment to Impact: Researcher Agency and the Many Benefits to Universities Who Embrace RPP Work

Dr. Laura Wentworth (California Education Partners) and Dr. Jing Liu (University of Maryland - College Park) discuss nonprofit stakeholders as "brokers", researcher agency in RPP work, and the many rewards and benefits to universities who embrace RPPs in their graduate and research programs. 

Dr. Jing Liu

Assistant Professor

Department of Teaching and Learning,     Policy and Leadership

University of Maryland- College Park

Dr. Laura Wentworth

Director of Research-Practice Partnership Program

California Education Partners