Conducting Educational Design Research

Abstract

Among the wide variety of backgrounds, many of those active in defining and applying educational design research appear to have arrived through an interest in psychology, the learning sciences or instructional design. Although most design studies are carried out in multi-disciplinary teams, participants need to conceptually understand the marriage between the design discipline and scientific research traditions.Conducting Educational Design Research emphasizes the application of design knowledge and skills in research programs, guiding readers through the various disciplinary backgrounds and scientific developments current today. Therefore, this book on design research will be especially useful for faculty and students in (a) graduate education programs where exposure to research methodologies is strong but exposure to design methodologies is limited; and (b) graduate programs in instructional design where participants have strong backgrounds in design, but may lack the scientific research orientation.In a time when design research is gaining momentum, it seems notable that educational research programs are being confronted with the randomized field trials movement; and educational design programs are at risk of diluting their design character as valuable curricular time is being usurped by more traditional research skills. This book not only offers an invaluable classroom resource, it also provides for the ongoing university dialogue on how to best prepare the next generation of educational researchers.Conducting Educational Design Research will be of special interest to graduate students, serving as a sourcebook for masters and doctoral courses in educational programs that are tied to design research agendas. Conducting Educational Design Research Running head T&F Proofs: Not for distributionEducational design research blends scientific investigation with systematic development and implementation of solutions to educational problems. Empirical investigation is conducted in real learning settings -not laboratoriesto craft usable and effective solutions. At the same time, the research is carefully structured to produce theoretical understanding that can serve the work of others. For decades, policies for educational research worldwide have swung back and forth between demanding rigor above all other concerns, and increasing emphasis on impact. These two qualities need not be mutually exclusive. This volume supports readers in grasping and realizing the potential of educational design research. It demonstrates how rigorous and relevant investigation can yield both theoretical understanding and solutions to urgent educational problems.

Professional development of teacher-educators towards transformative learning

“…In order to understand what TIPP means for professional development, we explored which interventions worked and how and why, and which parts of the interventions needed improvement (McKenney & Reeves, 2013;Swanborn, 2010). The main study phase contributed to answering both investigation questions.…”

“…Firstly, transformative learning is supported by 'trained facilitators' who co-designed, tested and improved TIPP as an expert group and who are prepared for their role of facilitator during two half-day trainings sessions (McKenney & Reeves, 2013;Van den Akker, et al, 2006). These facilitators practised offering feedback: "what progress is made towards the learning objective?"…”

“…In order to do this, a professional development programme was designed in collaboration with these educators (Biesta, 2007;McKenney & Reeves, 2013). The subject of this program was enhancing the inquiry-based attitude of their students.…”

“…The subject of this program was enhancing the inquiry-based attitude of their students. We used the 'Educational Design Research' method (McKenney & Reeves, 2013) in which a study is conducted in an authentic educational setting with practitioners to explore how and why which kinds of approach truly help solve 'real problems' (Van den Akker, Gravemeijer, McKenney, & Nieveen, 2006). This collaboration of researchers with practitioners is also referred to as 'engaged scholarship' (Van de Ven, 2007) and according to Kessels (2012) and Martens (2009) this approach supports innovation processes in teaching practice, whilst simultaneously contributing to professional development.…”

Educational Design and Construction: Processes and Technologies

“…In agreement with the publisher, portions of this contribution are based on previously published work (McKenney & Reeves, 2012).…”