Constructing a design framework and design methodology from educational design research on real-world educational technology development

Educational design research (EDR) seeks to contribute to both practice and theory by developing solutions that improve educational practice and generating usable and generalisable knowledge. Most EDR researchers tend to focus on reporting their research contributions to educational practice. Therefore, there is a need for disseminating research that pays more attention to the theoretical contributions of EDR so that those outside a particular EDR project can benefit. This paper focuses on the theoretical contributions, particularly the design framework and design methodological knowledge, of a 6-year EDR enquiry that aimed to develop educational technologies that promote primary school mathematics learning and classroom practice. Informed by the literature and direct experiences of working in collaboration with teachers and various disciplines during this iterative study, a design framework for developing real-world educational technologies and guidelines for conducting EDR are proposed. The design framework highlights four essential aspects—content, pedagogy, practice, and technology—that should be considered when developing educational technologies to ensure their educational benefits, feasibility, and successful real-world utilisation and adoption. The proposed guidelines for conducting EDR, such as exploring design alternatives and employing appropriate design construction and evaluation methods, can assist other researchers, including a single doctoral student, in embracing opportunities and overcoming the challenges that may emerge.