The work-reflection-learning cycle - Department of Computer and ...

4 Research approach and research process
I write impressions during the research, after each interview, for example.
I generate more organized sets of themes and issues after a group of
interviews or a major field visit. I then try to think about what I have learnt
so far from my field data. If this sounds a rather subjective and relatively
unplanned process, well it is. I believe that the researcher‟s best tool for
analysis is his or her own mind, supplemented by the minds of others when
work and ideas are exposed to them.
(Walsham 2006)
Simply observing learning and cognition as they naturally occur in the
world is not adequate given that learning scientists frequently have
transformative agendas
(Barab and Squire 2004)
Design experiments are conducted to develop theories, not merely to
empirically tune „what works‟
(Cobb et al. 2003)
The research of this thesis combines the use of interpretive case studies (Klein and
Myers 1999; Walsham 2006) and design research (Kelly 2003). As research approaches,
they have in common a focus on trying to understand specific settings; in the case of
design research with explicit intent to make an improvement. Interpretive case studies
can be used to build a thorough understanding of the setting to be designed for.
The combination of interpretive and design research in the thesis reflects an intent to do
exploratory studies in an early phase of the work and, on the basis of relevant theory
and empirically identified challenges, try out possible solutions and use the results to
contribute to theory and practice.
29