NCJ Number
50708
Date Published
1971
Length
23 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICE-ORIENTED RESEARCH PROGRAMS WITHIN UNIVERSITIES IS PROPOSED AS A MEANS OF INTEGRATING SOCIAL THEORY AND SOCIAL PRACTICE. FIRM LINKS BETWEEN WORK ORGANIZATIONS AND THE UNIVERSITY WOULD BE NECESSARY.
Abstract
THE INTEGRATED METHOD OF RESEARCH SHOULD MEET ALL SCHOLARLY STANDARDS TO BE ACADEMICALLY RESPECTABLE AND USABLE FOR PRACTITIONERS IN THE FIELD. IT SHOULD BE DONE BY FULLY QUALIFIED ACADEMICS WHO ARE PRACTITIONERS MEETING ALL LEGAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND BUREAUCRATIC CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT WITHIN THE WORK ORGANIZATION. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE PRACTITIONER AND ACADEMIC CULTURE PRODUCES STRAIN FOR THE PRACTITIONER-RESEARCHER ROLE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE TWO CULTURES, ARISING FROM A DIVISION OF LABOR, ARE ESSENTIAL; THE PROBLEM LIES IN INTEGRATING THE TWO. PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY ARE SUGGESTED AS A POINT OF TRANSITION, AND THE PRACTITIONER-RESEARCHER ROLE COULD BE A BLENDING OF THE BASIC SCIENTIST AND THE PRACTITIONER. OTHER INTEGRATION APPROACHES DISCUSSED ARE TEACHING BASIC SCIENCE IN PRACTITIONER EDUCATION, THE USE OF ACADEMIC CONSULTANTS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM, OR RECRUITMENT OF SCIENTISTS TO DO RESEARCH RELEVANT TO PROFESSIONAL PROBLEMS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRACTITIONER-RESEARCHER CATEGORY INSIDE UNIVERSITY SETTINGS IS PREFERRED. THE CONTENTS OF PRACTICE-ORIENTED THEORY IS CONSIDERED. IT IS SCIENTIFIC THEORY, BUT THE EFFECTS RESULTING FROM RESEARCH SHOULD INCREASE ATTAINMENT OF PRACTITIONER'S CAREER GOALS. THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAY TO INTEGRATE BASIC SCIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IS THROUGH PRACTICE-ORIENTED BASIC, CLINICAL RESEARCH. THE PRACTITIONER-RESEARCHER WOULD POSSESS THE NECESSARY COMBINATION OF SKILLS AND LEGAL STATUS FOR SUCH RESEARCH. (DAG)