Work

Unpacking Relational Trust Mechanisms in Teacher-Researcher Co-Design Partnerships: Insights from a Case Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Research-practice partnerships (RPPs) rely on trust, yet prior work rarely specifies how trust becomes observable in routine interactions. This single-case study explores how trust manifests and is facilitated in a teacher-researcher co-design partnership within a five-year NSF-funded bioinformatics project. Participants included three high school teachers and three university researchers. Using a qualitative approach, we analyzed recordings from a three‑day co-design workshop to examine trust enactment; implementation observation notes and debrief transcripts to trace trust-facilitating practices; and six semi-structured interviews to capture partners’ interpretations across contexts. Guided by a cyclical, multidimensional trust framework, we found that co-design trust was enacted through authority sharing, commitment to shared goals, and transparent, constructive dialogue. Across the broader partnership, trust was sustained through routines, norms, and strategies spanning five trust dimensions, including classroom visits, nonjudgmental communication, and tailored support. Findings offer actionable indicators for designing trust-supporting infrastructures in co-design RPPs.

Source: AERA Open

DOI: 10.1177/23328584261448146

Authors: Tugce Aldemir, Susan A. Yoon, Jooeun Shim, Katherine M. Miller

Institutions: Texas A&M University, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Concord Consortium

Language: English

Topic: Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,000