Lessons learned from a practitioner-academician collaboration

The authors, a practitioner and an academician, report on their collaborati on over a 4-year period as opportunities arose in which it was important to draw from one author's vast practical experience and the other author's ac ademic expertise. Beginning with a historical view of collaboration grounde d in the literature, the authors focus on factors to consider in dealing wi th collaboration and models of collaboration. After describing three of the ir collaborative opportunities, they conclude that there are fundamental or ganizational and institutional issues that need to be considered, even in s uccessful collaborations in which personal and professional differences bet ween the practitioner and academician are not prominent.