ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that e-learning evaluation research is a fundamentally cyclical, design process, even though, in some cases, the evaluation-research cycle may start part-way through the design-and-development process, and may sometimes consist of only one cycle. It argues that learning environments are designed for a particular context to include e-learning artefacts and learning tasks to facilitate particular learning processes in learners and the achievement of desired learning outcomes. The research aspect focuses on explaining how learners use the learning environment, investigating their learning processes and, to some extent, their achievement of learning outcomes. The paradigm of inquiry that an evaluation researcher adopts is relatively stable and reflects philosophical views about the nature of knowledge and what constitutes defensible evidence for judgements. Design-based research recognizes the difficulty in generalizing in theoretically immature fields such as education and e-learning, but seeks to work towards generalizability through its emphasis on relationships between researchers and practitioners.
