This book chapter has two purposes. The first part of the chapter adopts a narrative approach (Glibkowski et al., 2014) to review the "what," "why," and "who" of the persistent gap between HRD research and practice. The second part focuses on "how." We propose a strategy to bridge the research-practice gap by developing scholar- practitioners via curriculum development using four curriculum development approaches: 1) fostering grounded and relevant learning; 2) transforming the classroom into a safe lab for testing and applying HRD theories and research findings; 3) building an inclusive and interactive social learning community; and 4) redefining the roles of the instructor and students. These strategies draw upon the authors' academic backgrounds as faculty members in the Master of Human Resource Development Program at a Research 1 university in the United States, industry experience including as a corporate trainer, and practical experience with over 15 years of combined curriculum development expertise. Human Resource Development (HRD) is a multidisciplinary field that combines scholarly research and professional practice (Kormanik & Shindell, 2014; Swanson & Chermack, 2013). Despite various definitions, the field of HRD "encompasses processes, activities or interventions" which "enhance organizational and individual learning, develop human potential, improve or maximize effectiveness and performance at either the individual, group/team and/or organizational level, and/ or bring about effective, beneficial personal or organizational behavior change and improvement" (Hamlin & Stewart, 2011, p. 213). Traditionally, HRD's role centered on driving people-focused initiatives like learning and development, organization development, and career development within formal structures (Lundgren & Poell, 2022). However, more recent literature has emphasized a shared responsibility among HRD professionals, managers, and employees in promoting learning and development, reflecting a broader, more inclusive approach to HRD (e.g., Lundgren et al., 2024). Others have argued that the role of HRD has shifted from an operational and tactical focus to a more strategic one (Hamlin, 2019). This transition has expanded HRD's responsibilities beyond promoting learning and development to include aligning people, strategy, and performance. A prominent theme in HRD literature is the ongoing discussion of the research- practice gap, often depicted as a divide or tension between theoretical research and practical application (Lundgren et al., 2024; Short, 2006). This concern has been a recurring topic of debate since the early 1970s, with Campbell (1971) being among the first scholars to highlight the lack of sound theoretical application in training and development practices. Over time, observations of the HRD research-practice gap have extended and fueled broader concerns. Recent discussions on the HRD research-practice gap have focused on diverse aspects such as the causes and impact of this gap (e.g., Moats & McLean, 2009), maintaining rigor and relevance (e.g., Brown & Latham, 2018), the roles of different stakeholders (e.g., Jacobs, 2014), the notion of the gap as unbridgeable (e.g., Kieser & Leiner, 2009), and strategies to bridge the gap (e.g., Bartlett, 2003). From a practitioner's perspective, while academic research could potentially offer valuable insights, the difficulty in accessing and translating research into actionable strategies diminishes its utility in their day-to-day operations (Moore & Cho, 2024). This book chapter has two purposes. The first part of the chapter adopts a narrative approach (Glibkowski et al., 2014) to review the "what," "why," and "who" of the persistent gap between HRD research and practice. Echoing the editors' themes of discovery, translation, dissemination, and change, the first part of the chapter expands on the discussions of the knowledge divide, knowledge transfer, and knowledge production (Van de Ven & Johnson, 2006). The second part focuses on "how." We propose a strategy to bridge the rsearch-practice gap by developing scholar-practitioners via curriculum development using four curriculum development approaches: 1) fostering grounded and relevant learning; 2) transforming the classroom into a safe lab for testing and applying HRD theories and research findings; 3) building an inclusive and interactive social learning community; and 4) redefining the roles of the instructor and students. These strategies draw upon the authors' academic backgrounds as faculty members in the Master of Human Resource Development Program at a Research 1 university in the United States, industry experience including as a corporate trainer, and practical experience with over 15 years of combined curriculum development expertise. © 2025, IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.
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