The Application of a Design-Based Research Framework for Simulation-Based Education

In research, the adoption of a framework is essential. It enables researchers to operate with specified parameters and provides structure and assistance with research projects, programs, and technologies. The incorporation of a framework also facilitates the organizing and planning of our research efforts with respect to the breadth and depth of what we want to discover. Frameworks are equally important in research focused on simulation-based education. Simulation-based education is a form of experiential learning that provides participants with the opportunity to acquire or improve real-world-like knowledge and skills in a simulated environment. The Medical Research Council framework, historically developed to guide clinical research, has been proposed as a framework to guide simulation research as well. However, because simulation-based education is positioned at the intersection of clinical and educational sciences, certain questions cannot be addressed using a clinical research framework. Thus, in this paper, we introduce an alternative framework, derived from educational sciences, to be considered and possibly adapted into simulation research. The design-based research (DBR) framework consists of four stages centered on design, testing, evaluation, and reflection. This editorial asserts that the DBR is an excellent framework for projects and programs of research in simulation.