Nersessian, N. J., Kurz-Milcke, E., Newstetter, W. C., & Davies, J. (2003). Research laboratories as evolving distributed cognitive systems. In A. Markman and L. Barsalou (Eds.) Proceedings of The 25th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. 857--862. Erlbaum. Hillsdale, NJ.

BibTex Entry:

@InProceedings{NersessianKurzmilckeNewstetterDavies2003,
  author = 	 {Nersessian, Nancy J. and 
                  Kurz-Milcke, Elke and 
                  Newstetter, Wendy C. and 
                  Davies, Jim},
  title = 	 {Research laboratories as evolving distributed
  cognitive systems},
  booktitle = 	 {Proceedings of the 25th Annual Conference of the
  Cognitive Science Society},
  OPTpages = 	 {857--862},
  OPTyear = 	 {2003},
  OPTeditor = 	 {Markman, A. and Barsalou, L.},
  OPTpublisher = {Erlbaum},
  OPTnote = 	 {},
  OPTannote = 	 {}
}

Abstract:

We are carrying out a research project aimed at understanding reasoning and representational practices employed in problem solving in biomedical engineering (BME) laboratories. These laboratories are best construed as evolving distributed cognitive systems: the laboratory is not simply a physical space, but a problem space, the components of which change over time; cognition is distributed among people and artifacts; and the cognitive partnerships between the technological artifacts and the researchers in the system evolve. To investigate this evolving cognitive system we use both ethnography and cognitive-historical analysis. Understanding practices in innovative research laboratories requires in-depth observation of the lab as it presently exists, as well as research into the histories of the experimental devices used in it. We are aiming here for relational accounts (‘biographies’) of the distributed cognitive systems within the lab as they change in time. In this we find that one cannot divorce research from learning in the context of the laboratory, where learning involves building relationships with artifacts.

From the education research theme.