%0 Journal Article %1 Brown92 %A Brown, Ann L. %D 1992 %J The Journal Of the Learing Sciences %K CERME-6-patterns CnE07 ERC-CSL design designapproaches designresearch eLPBookMor foundational hawthorne jls10 mathgamespatterns mythesis postdocproposal research seminal %P 141--178 %T Design Experiments: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges in Creating Complex Interventions in Classroom Settings %U http://depts.washington.edu/edtech/brown.pdf %V 2 %X The lion's share of my current research program is devoted to the study of learning in the blooming, buzzing confusion of inner-city classrooms. My high-level goal is to transform grade-school classrooms from work sites where students perform assigned tasks under the management of teachers into communities of learning (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1989; Brown & Campione, 1990) and interpretation (Fish, 1980), where students are given significant opportunity to take charge of their own learning. In my current work, I conduct what Collins (in press) refers to as design experiments, modeled on the procedures of design sciences such as aeronautics and artificial intelligence. As a design scientist in my field, I attempt to engineer innovative educational environments and simultaneously conduct experimental studies of those innovations. This involves orchestrating all aspects of a period of daily life in classrooms, a research activity for which I was not trained. My training was that of a classic learning theorist prepared to work with "subjects" (rats, children, sophomores), in strictly controlled laboratory settings.

@article{Brown92, abstract = {The lion's share of my current research program is devoted to the study of learning in the blooming, buzzing confusion of inner-city classrooms. My high-level goal is to transform grade-school classrooms from work sites where students perform assigned tasks under the management of teachers into communities of learning (Bereiter \& Scardamalia, 1989; Brown \& Campione, 1990) and interpretation (Fish, 1980), where students are given significant opportunity to take charge of their own learning. In my current work, I conduct what Collins (in press) refers to as design experiments, modeled on the procedures of design sciences such as aeronautics and artificial intelligence. As a design scientist in my field, I attempt to engineer innovative educational environments and simultaneously conduct experimental studies of those innovations. This involves orchestrating all aspects of a period of daily life in classrooms, a research activity for which I was not trained. My training was that of a classic learning theorist prepared to work with "subjects" (rats, children, sophomores), in strictly controlled laboratory settings.}, added-at = {2007-06-06T17:00:53.000+0200}, author = {Brown, Ann L.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2843507a4e3e7225d106aa938ac04a18d/yish}, citeulike-article-id = {478624}, comment = {Ann Brown (1992) puts forth the two main arguments in favour of design-based educational research. The first argument is methodological. The complexity of classroom situations does not lend itself to the procedures of laboratory research. Strict control of experiments and isolated variables are unattainable. Under these circumstances, Brown (1992) suggests we adopt the procedures of design sciences such as aeronautics and artificial intelligence. The second argument is ideological, perhaps even ethical. It questions the fundamental goals of educational research. To what extent are we driven by a pure quest for knowledge, and to what extent are we committed to influencing educational practice? If we see contribution to good practice as a primary goal, then the outputs of our research should have direct bearing on it. Critics of this approach would argue mainly with the first, questioning the scientific value and lack of “evidence” of inherently irreproducible experiments. The response to this critique is twofold: first, we must modestly accept the limitations of our approach. But then, it is debateable whether seemingly scientific methods can offer any greater validity. At the same time, we need to be as stringent and self-critical when analysing our data – precisely because we do not enjoy the protection of standardized statistical tests. A more subtle criticism of the design-based approach scrutinizes it on its own turf: does this approach live up to its commitment to offer a contribution to educational practice? On one hand, the conditions of most design experiments do not resemble those of a normal classroom, if only due to the presence of a dedicated, highly informed researcher in the class. On the other hand, the reported data and analysis typical includes case-studies and theoretical generalizations derived from them. The former are too specific to inform practicing teachers, whereas the later are too abstract. --- We claim that the construct of design patterns, described below, offers a potential for filling this gap. Such patterns encapsulate the researchers’ knowledge is a form that is transferable and applicable to classroom situations, and is accessible to practitioners as a pragmatic resource. --- Hawthorne effect A more subtle criticism of the design-based approach scrutinizes it on its own turf: does this approach live up to its commitment to offer a contribution to educational practice? On one hand, the conditions of most design experiments do not resemble those of a normal classroom, if only due to the presence of a dedicated, highly informed researcher in the class. On the other hand, the reported data and analysis typical includes case-studies and theoretical generalizations derived from them. The former are too specific to inform practicing teachers, whereas the later are too abstract. Furthermore, there is a fundamental difference in the nature of knowledge produced by design experiments. Whereas traditional methods of social science strive to establish beyond doubt the existence of phenomena, design research aims to explain phenomena, while maintaining a cautious stance on the determinism of their appearance. In the words of Ann Brown “a ‘Hawthorne effect’ is what I want: improved cognitive productivity under the control of the learners, eventually with minimal expense, and with a theoretical rationale for why things work” (Brown, 1992, p 167).}, interhash = {48e0a07257fe7e369346dddade1f1479}, intrahash = {843507a4e3e7225d106aa938ac04a18d}, journal = {The Journal Of the Learing Sciences}, keywords = {CERME-6-patterns CnE07 ERC-CSL design designapproaches designresearch eLPBookMor foundational hawthorne jls10 mathgamespatterns mythesis postdocproposal research seminal}, pages = {141--178}, priority = {2}, timestamp = {2015-10-14T00:07:45.000+0200}, title = {Design Experiments: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges in Creating Complex Interventions in Classroom Settings}, url = {http://depts.washington.edu/edtech/brown.pdf}, volume = 2, year = 1992 }