Overview
After reading this module’s background material, select an article from the “optional” reading list (or find an article of your own through a library search) and create a posting in which you describe how the authors translated research findings into practice. Specifically, discuss what they did and what lessons can be learned from their approach to translating research into practice. Additionally, examine how the authors addressed concepts of diversity in their work. If they didn’t address diversity, what advice would you offer them if you had the chance to discuss their work with them?
Module 8
In this final module, we focus on the very essence of the “Scholar-Practitioner”—the ability to translate research findings into practical applications. Before the advent of practice doctorates, there was a clear divide between researchers and academicians, who focused on theoretical research, and practitioners in the field, who applied their knowledge in real-world settings. This gap often resulted in a disconnect where research findings suggested one course of action while practitioners in the field were doing something entirely different. When this “divide” was pointed out, the common response was that researchers were “far removed from practice,” often described as being in an “ivory tower” with little understanding of the day-to-day realities faced by practitioners. To bridge this gap, the Scholar-Practitioner model was developed. A Scholar-Practitioner is someone who is not only well-versed in research but also in the practical application of that research within their discipline. This individual plays a crucial role in answering practical questions by linking research to real-world practice issues from a solution-oriented perspective. The Scholar-Practitioner approach ensures that research is not just theoretical but is directly applicable to solving problems in the field. This concept will be discussed in greater detail in this module’s background reading.
| Objectives |
- Examine essential features of an appropriately framed research question
- Identify situations in which non-parametric statistical methods should be used
- Explore the use and limitations of the t-test
- Discern between the use of ANOVA and MANOVA
- Apply principles of correlation and regression appropriately
- Discuss the use of advanced statistical techniques and their applicability to research methods
- Demonstrate the accurate interpretation of statistical test results
- Postulate ways of translating research findings into practice
Required Readings
Required Reading:
Connor, L., Dean, J., McNett, M., Tydings, D. M., Shrout, A., Gorsuch, P. F., Hole, A., Moore, L., Brown, R., Melnyk, B. M., & Gallagher-Ford, L. (2023). Evidence-based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 20(1), 6-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12621
Borsboom, D., van der Maas, H. L. J., Dalege, J., Kievit, R. A., & Haig, B. D. (2021). Theory Construction Methodology: A practical framework for building theories in Psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(4), 756-766. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620969647
Optional Materials
Richardson, D. S., Bledsoe, R. S., & Cortez, Z. (2020). Mindset, motivation, and teaching practice: Psychology applied to understanding teaching and learning in STEM disciplines. CBE life sciences education, 19(3), ar46. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-11-0238