Which attitudes, mindsets, and personal qualities do scholars deem crucial for inter- and transdisciplinary (ITD) research? And how has this changed over time? In this article, we answer these questions by looking at foundational texts on inter- and transdisciplinarity published between the 1970s and the early 2000s. We show that virtues such as…

In this article, we describe a researcher-practitioner partnership (RPP) that used a networked improvement community (NIC) approach to translate social-psychological interventions into educational practices to enhance student motivation and learning. Specifically, we highlight one of our first collaborative projects to develop and scale up an…

This paper explores the methodological and epistemological implications of the relationships between R&D, policy and practice. The proposals towards "evidence-based policy and practice" are analysed with respect to this triangle from three angles: (1) meaning; (2) production; and (3) use of evidence. A comprehensive model of the…

In a series of well-known papers, Chi and Slotta (M. T. H. Chi, 1992, 2005; M. T. H. Chi & J. D. Slotta, 1993; M. T. H. Chi, J. D. Slotta, & N. de Leeuw, 1994; J. Slotta & M. T. H. Chi, 2006; J. D. Slotta, M. T. H. Chi, & E. Joram, 1995) have contended that a reason for students' difficulties in learning physics is that students…

This article explores theoretical and methodological issues associated with task-based interviews conducted with pairs of children. We explore different approaches to interviews from sociological, psychological and subject-based perspectives. Our interviews, concerning mathematical questions and carried out with pairs of 10 and 11-year-olds, are…

Data from written correspondence and conversations gathered from the authors' study on knowledge construction was used to examine the process of interpretation, or how researchers construct 'knowledge about knowledge construction.' The notion of 'working in the interpretive zone' was used to conceptualize interpretation among researchers as a…

Institutional researchers can extend their dexterity in assessing the decision-making process at a university by developing a more robust array of organizational frames. The application of four organizational frames (structural frame, human resource frame, political frame, and symbolic frame) "deepens one's appreciation and understanding of…

This reflective essay describes the author's experiences as an observer in a behaviorist infant classroom. The author developed four categories of practice to describe what happened in the behaviorist infant room: (1) curricular focus on training typically developing infants to meet typical developmental milestones, (2) the use of highly…

This study examines the development of nanoscience/nanotechnology over a 35 year period (1970-2004) by mapping its social and cognitive structures using social network analysis, bibliometrics and document analysis, and following their changes in time. Mapping is performed based on 580,000 journal articles, 240,000 patents and 53,000 research…

This paper outlines one researcher's reflections on the development and use of a conceptual framework as a research tool. Firstly, it discusses the conditions upon which a conceptual framework was devised and used in a major research study. Secondly, it provides evidence concerning the efficacy of the conceptual framework for its purpose in that…

Like Norman Denzin and Yvonna Lincoln, and many others, the author "wants a social science that is committed up front to issues of social justice, equity, non-violence, peace, and universal human rights" (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Educational research, as she and the three authors whose papers make up this symposium of…

Emphasizes the benefits of cooperation between researchers in developing a comprehensive model of cognitive development that considers the constraints of human brain structures and the interplay of general laws of development and individual differences in developmental pathways within the context of social and cultural environments. (Author)

New perspectives on social science research suggest five propositions: studies in higher education must not be value-singular; higher education researchers must not ignore "harbingers of the paradigm revolution"; they must take into account new interpretations of knowledge acquisition; they must not depend on prescriptive models; and they must…

A conceptual framework is presented for organizing and relating terms pertaining to select knowledge constructs. In constructing this framework, definitions are derived for 27 basic terms essential for understanding literature on learning and literacy. Implications of this terminology for research and instructional practice are discussed. (SLD)

This paper presents background information about the development and functions of hypertext and predicts future changes in converting text into hypertext. The paper describes hypertext as a computer system that allows the interconnection of information in a way that is "transparent" (does not intrude on or interfere with the reader's…