TY - GEN
T1 - “It Takes Two to Tango”: Power Dynamics in Researcher-Coach Collaborations
AU - McClain, Jessica
AU - Victor, Linette
AU - Miller, Jerika
AU - Danish, Joshua
AU - Fusco, Judi
AU - Hmelo-Silver, Cindy E.
AU - Walter, Wendy
AU - Buli, Tarik
AU - Dragnić-Cindrić, Dalila
AU - Glazewski, Krista
AU - Walker, Justice T.
AU - Bae, Haesol
PY - 2025/6/10
Y1 - 2025/6/10
N2 - Effective researcher-coach relationships need reciprocal learning, which allows practitioners to share valuable contextual knowledge while researchers share evidence-based ideas. Nevertheless, these collaborations encounter obstacles due to power imbalances, which frequently establish researchers as authorities and reduce the role of practitioners as co-creators. Therefore, this study examines power dynamics in researcher-coach partnerships within educational contexts, emphasizing equitable collaboration strategies. Using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a framework, this study analyzes video data from a writing intensive to explore interactions between two participants, Ashley and Russell. Findings reveal that initial tensions foster deeper understanding through negotiated power exchanges. The study underscores that openness, mutual trust, and reflective dialogue are essential for sustainable partnerships, advancing the understanding of power dynamics in researcher-coach collaborations.
AB - Effective researcher-coach relationships need reciprocal learning, which allows practitioners to share valuable contextual knowledge while researchers share evidence-based ideas. Nevertheless, these collaborations encounter obstacles due to power imbalances, which frequently establish researchers as authorities and reduce the role of practitioners as co-creators. Therefore, this study examines power dynamics in researcher-coach partnerships within educational contexts, emphasizing equitable collaboration strategies. Using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a framework, this study analyzes video data from a writing intensive to explore interactions between two participants, Ashley and Russell. Findings reveal that initial tensions foster deeper understanding through negotiated power exchanges. The study underscores that openness, mutual trust, and reflective dialogue are essential for sustainable partnerships, advancing the understanding of power dynamics in researcher-coach collaborations.
U2 - 10.22318/icls2025.891198
DO - 10.22318/icls2025.891198
M3 - Conference contribution
SP - 1589
EP - 1593
BT - Proceedings of the 19th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2025
PB - International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS)
ER -