Barry J. Fishman

Reporting on two gameful courses that reimagined assessment to support autonomy and engagement, the authors outline principles of gameful design and present classroom studies showing positive relationships between gameful course features and students’ effort, sense of control, and engagement. The work informs design of assessment systems that foster intrinsic motivation in higher education.

This commentary argues for participatory approaches that explicitly include students in the design and development of educational interventions. It situates these arguments within design‑based implementation research (DBIR), emphasizing designing for usability in real contexts and attending to implementation from the outset so that interventions are more likely to be sustained and effective.

This chapter introduces design-based implementation research (DBIR) as an approach to overcome research–practice divides by co-designing effective, sustainable, and scalable interventions. It reviews antecedents (evaluation research, participatory research, design-based research, implementation research), delineates four core principles of DBIR (problems of practice, iterative collaborative design, theory related to learning and implementation, and capacity-building), and previews contributions in the DBIR yearbook.

A randomized experiment compared online versus face-to-face professional development (PD) tied to a common science curriculum. Both conditions produced significant gains in teacher knowledge/beliefs and student outcomes, with no significant differences between modalities. Findings suggest well-designed online PD can be as effective as face-to-face PD for supporting curriculum implementation.

Surveying middle‑school teachers a year after a randomized trial introducing SimCalc MathWorlds, the study found 52% sustained use. Sustained use was associated with student SES and prior math ability, teachers’ perceived coherence and utility of the intervention, and active professional development. Results highlight factors beyond initial efficacy that predict long‑term adoption of technology‑infused curricula.

The article articulates design-based implementation research (DBIR), expanding design research to include development and testing of innovations that coordinate supports for improving teaching and learning. Four elements distinguish DBIR: (a) focus on persistent problems of practice across stakeholders; (b) iterative, collaborative design; (c) theory-building about classroom learning and implementation; and (d) building capacity for sustaining change in systems.

In Detroit Public Schools, two cohorts of middle-grade students using highly specified, project-based inquiry science units outperformed peers on state science tests, with higher pass rates and gains that persisted up to 18 months. Effects were cumulative across grades, and the reform reduced the achievement gap for urban African American boys. Results show inquiry curricula aligned with PD and system supports can drive measurable achievement gains.

Using survey data from 454 teachers in an inquiry science program and hierarchical linear modeling, the study examines which professional development (PD) features support teacher learning and curriculum implementation. Teachers’ perceptions of PD coherence, time for planning, and provision of technical support significantly predicted implementation and teacher knowledge. Results highlight the importance of aligning PD with classroom enactment and providing sustained, context-specific supports for teachers implementing new curricula.

Across three years and nearly 8,000 students in Detroit, inquiry‑based, technology‑infused science units—co‑developed by district and university partners—produced significant gains on curriculum‑based assessments each year, with increasing effect sizes over time. Findings indicate that historically underserved students can succeed in standards‑based, inquiry science when curricula are carefully developed and aligned with PD and district policies.

The paper examines why cognitively oriented, technology-rich innovations have not spread widely in K–12 schools. The authors argue that design-based research often neglects systemic issues of usability, scalability, and sustainability. They propose expanding design-based research to include study of innovations in the context of systemic reform and outline questions arising from their own large-scale, technology-rich reform efforts in urban districts.

This article presents a model connecting professional development (PD) to both teacher learning and student learning in standards-based reform. The authors propose an analytic framework that begins with content standards and uses evidence of student performance to identify needs. PD is evaluated via teacher reflection, observations, and ongoing assessment of student performance. A case from an urban science reform illustrates how the framework guides design and evaluation of PD to improve practice and student outcomes.

The authors present a framework for scaling technology‑embedded, project‑based science within urban systemic reform. They distinguish scaling from scaling within systemic reform, propose assessing “fit” with school capabilities, policies, and culture, and discuss challenges to adoption, enactment, and maintenance. They call for new research and evaluation approaches suited to systemic innovation.