SCHOLARSHIP, STUDENTS, AND PRACTITIONERS: BRINGING SCHOLARSHIP INTO THE EXPECTATIONS OF PRACTITIONERS

ABSTRACT

Increased attention is being given to bridging the gap separating thanatology researchers and practitioners. College undergraduates studying to be human service professionals represent a cohort with a significant stake in bridging this gap. Inculcating in college students expectations as well as expertise to use research as practitioners not only makes sense but also is an ethical obligation for college faculty. Two noteworthy models of academic practice—Boyer's vision of scholarship and Schon's idea of reflective practice—provide a conceptual framework for faculty engaging practitioners-in-the-making in the use of research. An example of one effort to engage students in such learning is offered, along with discussion of some implications and alternatives.

Thanks to Gail Gates, Catherine Johnson, Jeffrey Kauffman, Bob Neimeyer, Carol Wogrin, and two anonymous reviewers whose suggestions helped me recast an earlier version of this article.

Notes

¹A colleague with extensive clinical experience wrote that “so far as I may speak for practice, maybe the whole paradigm is upside down, and practice should be the measure of truth of empirical research” (Jeffrey Kauffman, personal communication, July 20, 2004).

²Students in this course have interests that extend beyond thanatology. However, a thanatology-relevant topic could be used where appropriate, such as, “The Dean of Student Life wants to know the incidence and prevalence of suicide risk among the students at her university.”

³Exhibit 10.2 contains questions for an overall assessment of a research article, for instance, “What is the basic question being posed?”, and questions for a detailed assessment of the article, such as, “Are the measurements valid?” (Chambliss & Schutt, 2003, 249).