Design-Based Research as a Methodological Framework in Educational Research (DBR Network)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Gabi Reinmann
• Subject Area: General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452077361

Educational research faces expectations to generate fundamental knowledge and at the same time inform effective and sustainable educational practice. From a methodological point of view, these demands appear to be contradictory, as conventional research designs either aim at delivering generalizable but context-independent insights or practical but context-bound results. This challenge leads to a frequently observed gap between research and educational practice. Often, research findings take a long time to become effective in practice or research-based practice does not meet the expected results. Design-based research (DBR) is a methodological framework that integrates the generation of fundamental knowledge and practical interventions through research. Briefly, DBR can be characterized as intervention-oriented, cyclical, iterative, contextualised and based on the principle of “research through design”. The network "Design-Based Research as a Methodological Framework in Educational Research (DBR Network)" uses the expertise of researchers from different fields of educational research, particularly teacher training in different subjects, vocational education and training and higher education teaching and learning, to strengthen DBR within the German educational research landscape and to develop the epistemological foundation of DBR. Linking, discussing and developing existing approaches, the network will advance DBR as a comprehensive methodology. By providing standards and references for DBR research designs, the network will support both the methodical quality as well as the theoretical contributions of future DBR studies. With regard to concrete outputs, the network will deliver scholarly publications in open access outlets and establish a community of scholars who will engage in future collaboration such as research proposals, studies and publications. The network centres on three main topics: (1) the current state and research practice of DBR in educational research, (2) the epistemological foundations of DBR, and (3) the methodological and practical feasibility and communicability of DBR. By integrating young researchers and establishing a continuous exchange even beyond the duration of the funding, the network will act as a starting point for a long-term research community.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Tobias Jenert