Unveiling the Value of Exploration: Insights from NSF-Funded Research on Emerging Technologies for Teaching and Learning

Abstract

This report investigates how interdisciplinary, exploratory projects contribute to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) mission of building scientific knowledge and translating research into practice. The Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences (CIRCLS) examined the overall portfolio and interviewed PIs funded by NSF across five key topics: Artificial Intelligence, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Collaborative Learning, Accessibility and Learning, and Simulations. In total, 208 projects between 2017 and 2024 were analyzed to characterize the value of interdisciplinary, exploratory, research. Thematic analyses revealed that engaging in interdisciplinary, exploratory research enabled PIs to ask novel questions, combine different kinds of expertise, engage collaboratively with practitioners, and design equitable technology-enhanced learning experiences across three key themes: Exploration and Discovery Across New Frontiers, Equitable Co-Designed Learning and Practice, and Emerging Impact Through Networked Communities. Recommendations for field focused on: 1) creating opportunities for future-oriented, exploratory research; 2) nurturing interdisciplinary research identities and researcher-practitioner partnerships; 3) Uncovering processes uniquely important in exploratory, interdisciplinary research; and 4) Supporting researcher-practitioner networks to grow the field, synthesize outcomes, and amplify broader impacts.