This volume explores the theoretical, design, learning, and methodological questions relevant to designing for and researching web-based communities to support the learning process. Coming from diverse academic backgrounds, the authors examine what we do and do not know about the processes and practices of designing communities to support educational processes. Taken as a collection, the chapters point to the challenges and complex tensions that emerge when designing for a web-supported community, especially when the focal practice of the community is learning.

This volume explores the theoretical, design, learning, and methodological questions relevant to designing for and researching web-based communities to support the learning process. Coming from diverse academic backgrounds, the authors examine what we do and do not know about the processes and practices of designing communities to support educational processes. Taken as a collection, the chapters point to the challenges and complex tensions that emerge when designing for a web-supported community, especially when the focal practice of the community is learning.

Over a decade ago the concept of "design experiments" was introduced because of the belief that many of questions could not be adequately addressed by laboratory-based experiments. Since then, design-based research as a term has grown in popularity and significance. The core manuscripts of this special issue respond to the questions: What constitutes design-based research? Why is it important? What are the methods to carry it out? At the end of this issue, two strong commentaries situate this work and challenge the community with new questions and issues that must be answered if design-based...