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Summaries were generated from QDA Miner Software, which were analyzed for patterns and used for code mapping. Three iterations of coding, collaboration, and modifications reduced data to create categories for university and K-12 partnerships. Categories such as collaboration of teaching, perceptions and experience, and contribution to aspiring leaders were constructed. The researchers discussed commonalities and discrepancies from their interpretations in an effort to identify themes. Five themes emerged from the pattern variables and were used to establish the shared beliefs and principles of the practitioner partners, district leaders, and professors (see Table 2).

Note. Adapted from Anfara, V. A., Jr., Brown, K.,&Mangione, T. (2002). Qualitative analysis on stage: Making the research process more public. Educational Researcher, 31, 28-38.

Findings

University professors and personnel from K-12 institutions reported that collaboration was beneficial to the education of aspiring leaders and to their own institutions. Comments from those interviewed include the university professors (UP), the practitioner partner (PP), the superintendents or representatives of the superintendents who serve on the Steering Committee (SC), and the district leaders from the urban district (DL) whose employees made up the first Leadership Academy cohort. Respondents are identified by partnership group to which they belong and the respondent number.

Relationship of theory to practice

Professors and practitioners agreed that there is value in merging theory and practice. Respondents related that the most complex aspect of the partnership for both the professors and the practitioner partner was learning how to balance the class time devoted to theory and to practice as well as collaborating on planning and elements of class discussion. As one professor noted, class time must be planned so students can understand “real-life situations that allow students to apply in-class concepts and topics to work conditions they will face.” The practitioner partner can “apply stories of things that happened at his school about concepts we were learning” (UP 1).