[quoting Hedden, 19 Mar 97] A significant difference between what geologists do and what human subject researchers do is to be found in the sophistication of the instrumentation and the theory that supports and is supported by that instrumentation. I suggest that we need more sophisticated instruments--if not like the remote sensors used to sample the depths of the earth or the surfaces of distant planets, then perhaps more like those employed in biomedical research. And we need to build new theory that is based on measurement, observation, and modeling of subjective experience within complex social, political, and technological environments.
Kurt Van Lehn, in his AI-Ed (93, Edinburgh) keynote, talked about a methodology that included:
Given a domain and activity...
His claim was that this was the way to develop effective interventions. He has done this with Micki Chi, et al's, self-explanation effect and Kate Bialecyzk (sp) and others have found instructional improvements therefrom.