Educational design research as a form of teacher professional learning: a systematic review

Abstract This study examines teacher professional learning (PL) in Educational Design Research (EDR) through a systematic review, integrating bibliometric and thematic analysis of 168 peer-reviewed articles published between 2006 and 2024. The findings reveal a steady increase in research on teacher PL in EDR, with global contributions highlighting the field’s growing relevance and evolving methodologies. The study proposes a preliminary role–change model that theorises how EDR shapes teacher learning by tracing the roles teachers occupy, the practices through which they participate, and the changes that unfold. The review also identifies four co-existing layers of influence - personal, community, school, and external contextual factors - that simultaneously enable or constrain teacher learning. While offering valuable insights into key trends and themes, the study acknowledges the need for further empirical validation of the preliminary role-change model, particularly concerning the practitioner-researcher role.