Understanding Design Research–Practice Partnerships in Context and Time: Why Learning Sciences Scholars Should Learn From Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approaches to Design-Based Research

Abstract

Several points of contrast are highlighted between design-based research (DBR) as often practiced within the learning sciences and design partnerships inspired by cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT). It is argued that learning scientists can improve their work by learning from CHAT-inspired DBR in 4 particular ways: (a) by recognizing the oversimplification involved in the notion that classroom learning environments can be engineered; (b) by embracing open-ended partnerships driven more by long-term social aims than short-term funding opportunities; (c) by dispelling the myth of the heroic designer from our literature; and (d) by carefully examining and publishing about projects and partnerships that prove unsuccessful, or studying how successful projects fade and degrade over time.