Exploring the Evolution of Instructional Design and Technology: Disciplinary Knowledge through Citation Context Analysis

This chapter situates discourse and citation within the more extensive system of Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) disciplinary knowledge. It introduces a mixed-method approach called citation context analysis to explore content that is transferred from one document to another through citation. A better understanding of the application of concepts through citation will alert IDT researchers to concepts and arguments that may have become overlooked over time and the mix of those that have come in and out of favor. This provides an opportunity for researchers, experienced and novice alike, to reflect on their practice and consider how their efforts have influenced the direction of the discipline and what changes they can make going forward to benefit IDT research and practice. To achieve these objectives, this chapter provides an introduction to CCA, an overview of related research, and a seven-step framework to help researchers apply the method in their work.