Learning sciences refers to
the study of learning and instructional methodologies. One approach to this
work is design-based research, the goal
of which is to create new theories, and practices impacting learning and
teaching in a real-life setting. In this approach, researchers systematically
asses the impact of changes to the learning context. Barab & Squire (2004) outline seven differences
between design-based research and traditional methodology. Some of these
distinctions include: the location of research, complexity of variables, focus
of research, and role of participants. These differences emphasize that design-research
often occurs in a real-life setting, that measurement is challenging due to the
continuously changing context, and that some researchers may be both designing
and participating in the study. A large
distinction between traditional research and design-research is that design-research
requires change at a local level and this change is used as evidence to support
the theory behind the design.
The
authors consider how to measure overall change in this approach and they pose
the question - what counts as credible research? In a design-based research
approach, the terms trustworthiness, credibility, and usefulness capture the
study’s reliability, validity, and generalizability/external validity. Some
critics of design-based research believe problems arise when the effectiveness
of design-based research is evaluated. This is because it is the researcher who
is determining the effectiveness that is also the designer and participated in
the interactions assessed. However, other researchers argue that design-research
can be adaptable to uniquely fit a local dynamic, and thereby the goal is to
develop flexible theories applicable to the current and new contexts.
Creating
design-research that is usable and sustainable when implemented in real-world
contexts may be an important facilitator of researcher-practitioner
collaboration. Design-researchers work together to provide credible,
trustworthy, and useful evaluation of instructional methods in a real-world
environment.
Blogger: Meghan Vollebregt is a
student in the combined SLP MSc/PhD program working under the supervision of
Lisa Archibald.
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