Exploring research practice partnerships for use in K - 12 computer science education

Abstract

Since 2017, over $100 million in U.S. National Science Foundation grants have been awarded to establish new and extend existing Research Practice Partnerships (RPPs) focused on K-12 computer science (CS) education. Given this investment, what are RPPs and why is so much faith being placed in them? Their unique promise for CS K-12 education is, in part, their intentional design for bridging the gap between researchers and practitioners. In this article, we provide an overview of RPPs, their benefits and challenges, methods for assessing RPPs, and additional resources for those who want to dig deeper.