Section introduction: Paradigms for researching information technology in education

Research and development of IT in educational settings is intertwined with the design of the IT tools themselves and influenced by policy makers and other stakeholders. This section presents the key paradigms for researching information technology (IT) in education, taking account of the challenges which need to be addressed while the teaching and learning environment is forever evolving and expanding because of the increasingly diverse IT tools and resources. Each chapter addresses different research methods and approaches, all of which have implications for designing effective research investigations, which will help to inform and shape the policies and practices of stakeholders in education.