Research design: necessary bricolage

Abstract

In this paper we suggest that in order to advance, the field of computer science education needs to craft its own research methods, to augment the borrowing of "traditional" methods such as semi-structured interviews and surveys from other research traditions. Two example instruments used in our recent research are discussed. We adopt the metaphor of "bricolage" to characterise not only what researchers do, but to argue that this may be a necessary step towards developing theory.