ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we articulate a methodology for design experiments and situate it within the larger cycle of design in educational settings, beginning with the initial conceptualization of design problems to the dissemination of educational products; hence, the impetus for the second part of our title: From Soup to Nuts. The term design is used by a variety of fields, ranging from art to engineering. In education, the type of research associated with the development of curricular products, intervention strategies, or software tools has been designated “design research” (e.g., Brown, 1992; Collins, 1992). In recent years, the number of investigators associating their work with this genre has become more prevalent in the literature and the focus of special issues in prominent journals about education, among them Educational Researcher (Kelly, 2003) and Journal of the Learning Sciences (Barab and Squire, 2004). This chapter contributes to the collective attempt of the field of education to clarify further methods of and perspectives on design research. Evidenced by the diversity of views incorporated in this book, ranging from product development to children as designers, it is clear that design research is a complex endeavor.
