Considerations for Conducting Research in Digital Learning Platforms

The five SEERNet digital learning platforms (DLPs) present unique opportunities for researchers by offering tools, processes, and infrastructure to make research more efficient, scalable, and relevant. However, conducting research within a DLP may require a shift in a researcher’s orientation or mindset in how they think about potential research questions, study samples, available data, and planning study logistics. We encourage researchers to think flexibly about how they might adapt their ideas to the specific learning platform and consider iterating toward a more comprehensive understanding of their hypotheses. We illustrate some of the potential mindset shifts and offer key considerations at stages of the research process.