Bridging the gap: Using cyber partnerships to connect with distant schools

Abstract

Despite challenges of geographical distance, university‐school partnerships can flourish at a rural Research I institution through utilization of adapted traditional partnership activities and innovative video conference technologies. The 5‐year Collaborative Teacher Education Accountable to Children with High‐needs (CO‐TEACH) Project at Washington State University (WSU) contains many aspects, but at its center are partnerships with 31 high‐need schools. The distance between CO‐TEACH partner schools and WSU, however, requires using creative research and development approaches in order to augment, or at times bypass, traditional on‐site models. This article focuses on the development of an award‐winning cyber (video and e‐mail connections) mentoring project to carry out meaningful university/K‐12 collaborations at a distance. The article considers four critical factors that make the project a success, six barriers to effective implementation, and nine recommendations for project adaptation or replication.