Cards for Alternative Research Design (CARD): Refining and Evolving a Research Knowledge Development Activity for Computer Science Education

One of the most important choices a researcher makes is selecting a research paradigm and methodology, without which they will be hampered in their search for knowledge and answers. Ideally, researchers consider all possible approaches and select the most appropriate one, but several factors constrain this: Time, familiarity with certain approaches, and the uncertainty of the benefit of change. \Cer draws from many research disciplines, exposing new possibilities that may not be seized due to these limitations. The Cards for Alternative Research Design (CARD) deck is designed to expand researchers awareness of different research approaches through a card-based prototyping exercise. This serious card-based game approach could be used by graduate students, early-career researchers, research course instructors, research mentors, and even experienced researchers. CARD games are intended to reduce the formality and potentially confrontational aspects of being asked to consider new approaches, allowing participants to examine their current research and plans through different paradigms, methodologies, and constraints, without it being a direct criticism of their current choices. This can increase the level of understanding of research framing and practice, strengthening the arguments for using a given approach and introducing valid arguments to adopt different approaches, with low time investment. This report summarizes the current evolution of the CARD deck, including an accompanying glossary and multiple games that can be played with the cards.