Theory and Methodology: The Interdisciplinary Nature of the Field
This chapter provides an overview of the theoretical perspectives and associated methodologies that underpin learning design. It argues that the research fields that technology-enhanced learning (TEL) researchers draw on have implications for both the met
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Theory and Methodology: The Interdisciplinary Nature of the Field
Introduction This chapter will provide an overview of the theoretical perspectives and associated methodologies that underpin learning design. In a discussion of learning technology as a field, Oliver et al. argue that the object of investigation is the knowledgetechnology-society nexus (Oliver et al. 2007b). They describe how the study of each of these, knowledge, technology and society, draws on a rich range of research fields across the social sciences, including instructional design, education, philosophy and sociology. Clearly which research fields are drawn on has implications for both the methodologies used and the theoretical perspectives chosen by the researchers. This chapter will locate learning design within the broader field of technologyenhanced learning (TEL)/e-learning. It will draw on the findings of a study which looked at the nature of interdisciplinarity in technology-enhanced learning (TEL) (Conole et al. 2010) and a Networked Learning Conference hot seat on theory and methodology (Conole 2010).
Definitions Research into the use of technology in an educational context had a long history with changing labels over the years, each indicating evolving trends in the field and emphasising different foci of inquiry (Conole and Oliver 2007, p. 4). Commonly used terms include educational technology, learning technology, e-learning, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), networked learning and, more recently, technology-enhanced learning (TEL). The focus of this chapter is on theories and methodologies used across these fields. Research on the use of technologies is located within the social sciences research domain and hence draws heavily on epistemologies and methodologies associated with the social sciences. Many books have been written on research methods in social G. Conole, Designing for Learning in an Open World, Explorations in the Learning Sciences, Instructional Systems and Performance Technologies 4, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-8517-0_2, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2013
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Theory and Methodology: The Interdisciplinary Nature of the Field
science. The work of Cohen et al. is one of the standard texts for educational research (Cohen et al. 2007). The Research Methods Knowledge Base1 covers the entire research process including: formulating research questions, sampling, measurement, research design, data analysis and writing research papers. It also addresses the major theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of research including the idea of validity in research and reliability of measures and ethics. The ESRC National Centre for Research Methods2 provides a comprehensive site for collating research activities across the social sciences, along with the latest in innovations in research methods. Early work carried out by the centre included a review of social science research methods and the generation of a typology of research methods (Beissel-Durrant 2004), which illustrates the rich variety of research
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