ABSTRACT
The first chapter of a book on research methods used in the learning sciences intended for teachers. It takes a dialogical approach to educational improvement, in which teaching and findings from research are conversational partners that work to advance education as a field. The chapter sets the stage for this conversation. Topics include research and Pasteur’s quadrant, the rationale for a dialogical approach, characteristics of a twenty-first century teacher, characteristics of the learning sciences as a field of research, and a brief overview of the state of theoretical development in this field.
