Learning sciences research in Asia Pacific countries from 1997 to 2010: A content analysis of publications in selected journals

Learning sciences, as an interdisciplinary field of research, refers to adoption of theories from multiple disciplines to gain understanding of the conditions and processes that lead to effective learning. This paper examines learning sciences research in the Asia Pacific region by means of content analysis of research papers published in three major journals: Journal of the Learning Sciences, International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, and Instructional Science. A total of 24 research papers contributed by authors affiliated to six Asia Pacific countries from 1997 to 2010 were found and analyzed. The main findings suggested that Hong Kong and Australian researchers are pioneers in learning sciences research, while Singaporean researchers have had significant contributions to this field after 2007. In addition, empirical studies were favoured over positional and theoretical papers. It is found that the theoretical frameworks underpinning these empirical studies were strongly influenced by Western research philosophies, including knowledge building pedagogy and learning study theories. Moreover, nearly half of the empirical studies involved the use of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) technologies. The findings of this study may provide insights to promote learning sciences research in the Asia-Pacific region.