ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the issues surrounding a collaborative research project that was implemented to facilitate the development of research expertise. To systematically document the challenges and opportunities that occurred throughout the collaborative project, another layer was added – a meta-research project – in which another researcher studied the collaborative process and collected data through participant observation and interviews. Team members also turned to published studies, not just as sources of new findings but also as models of how other researchers responded to methodological issues similar to the ones they themselves were facing. In short, the doctoral students were learning how to learn – as collaborative contributors in the community of practice. This collaborative project not only helped the graduate students develop as researchers but also as potential mentors. The chapter concludes by discussing issues involved with designing complex collaborative research-learning projects.
