CRITICAL REALISM AND THE RESEARCH-LED DESIGN EVALUATION AND OPTIMISATION OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Critical realism is a relatively new ontological stance that is increasingly utilized as useful and effective paradigm position within educational research. The research project described in this paper utilized critical realism underpinned by action research, comparative case studies, and a theorizing methodology to iteratively evaluate and enhance a learning environment – in this instance a design thinking course and collaborative project within first-year university programmes. This involved the identification of positive and problematic tenancies, and associated causal explanations (theory) for students' responses to the activation of the learning environment, which informed its continuing development and enhancement.

The research outcomes make a range of contributions related to scholarship and practice. This paper explores some of these contributions, including an overview of the rationale for utilizing critical realism and associated research approaches and methodologies, as well as the conceptualization of phenomena e.g. learning, learning environments and design thinking from a critical realist perspective. The theorizing methodology is then described, along with examples of causal explanations involving mechanisms and contextual factors that helped account for students' response to the successive activation of the learning environment. The implications of these explanations and factors for the design of a ‘signature’ learning environment for design thinking, are considered.