2.4.1 Boundary crossing

Boundary crossing refers to the process by which actors from different domains, such as researchers, educators, software developers and instructional designers, jointly negotiate and integrate different forms of knowledge and practice (Akkerman & Bakker, 2011). Rather than being barriers, boundaries can become powerful ‘spaces’ for learning and innovation (Engeström et al., 1995; Wenger, 2000). Differences in expertise and objectives can lead to apparent discontinuities, but these points of friction often generate new perspectives and collaborative breakthroughs.

In the TransEET project, interdisciplinary boundary crossing is fostered through the co-creation of educational prototypes using emerging technologies. A central mechanism through which boundary crossing takes shape is the use of boundary objects, which are artefacts that are flexible enough to accommodate multiple perspectives while retaining a stable identity (Star & Griesemer, 1989). Such objects can be documents, digital platforms or prototypes that serve as ‘bridges’ between communities of practice. In the TransEET project, digital prototypes play this bridging role, allowing participants from different backgrounds – teachers, researchers, engineers and instructional designers – to come together around a tangible artefact. Because these prototypes are co-designed and iteratively refined, they encourage open dialogue and collaborative problem solving, reducing the risk of knowledge remaining confined within a single discipline.

Communities of Interest (CoIs), deliberately formed to include individuals with diverse disciplinary expertise (Fischer, 2001), form the structural cornerstone of TransEET’s boundary-crossing approach. By bringing together people who do not necessarily have the same professional background, but who share an interest in designing and testing innovative educational solutions, CoIs create an environment in which participants identify and integrate each other’s unique contributions.

This collaborative process often leads to what Akkerman and Bakker (2011) describe as ‘hybridisation’, meaning the emergence of a new cultural form or practice created by combining elements from different contexts. Such hybridisation may take the form of new tools, conceptual frameworks or entirely new ‘in-between’ practices that transcend the original boundaries. As CoI members adopt perspectives and methodologies that extend beyond their familiar domains, they experience boundary learning, broadening their disciplinary lenses and fostering more creative, impactful solutions to shared educational challenges.

An essential element that reinforces these interactions is the Flow of Rapid Prototyping (FRP), a cyclical process that ensures continuous refinement of boundary objects. In the design phase, team members contribute initial ideas that reflect their specific domain perspectives. In the review phase, each participant provides feedback based on their own expertise, be it pedagogical, technological or methodological. This feedback highlights not only the strengths and weaknesses of the prototype but also underlying assumptions that might otherwise go unchallenged. The refinement phase then allows these prototypes to be revised in the light of the collective input, leading to subsequent iterations that integrate a wider range of knowledge.

This cyclical rhythm invites repeated ‘boundary crossing’, ensuring that no single viewpoint dominates; at the same time, the development of the artefact becomes a dynamic site for collaborative learning, as participants negotiate and integrate new insights at the boundaries of their different practices.

A key benefit of boundary-crossing in the TransEET project is the transformation of professional identities. Researchers learn to translate theoretical knowledge into practice, developers become more sensitive to pedagogical imperatives, and educators become more adept at integrating new technologies into their practice. As these individuals operate outside their conventional disciplinary domains, they become, in effect, “boundary crossers” or “brokers” (Wenger, 2000), able to navigate and connect multiple contexts. This evolution into hybrid experts (Essonnier et al., 2023) illustrates the deeper potential of boundary crossing to reshape how professionals conceive of their roles and responsibilities. In addition, the international dimension of the TransEET project highlights how boundaries extend beyond disciplinary boundaries to include cultural and institutional differences.

By forming CoIs in different linguistic and cultural environments, participants also have to cross national, organisational or institutional boundaries. In doing so, they learn to adapt communication strategies, respect different educational traditions and align their work with different regulatory frameworks. Shared boundary objects, such as jointly developed prototypes and documentation, support coherence across geographically dispersed teams and maintain a sense of collective ownership.

In the TransEET project, we show that a conscious engagement with boundaries can be a powerful catalyst for innovation. Rather than treating disciplinary or cultural gaps as problems to be eliminated, you can treat them as invitations to explore how different ways of thinking can be woven into richer, more effective solutions. This constant crossing of boundaries is not without its challenges, requiring trust, openness to criticism and a sustained commitment to mutual learning. But the results – more nuanced prototypes, broader professional skills and a model of international partnership – underline the value of such an approach. By deliberately structuring CoIs, using boundary objects to anchor dialogue, and adopting the FRP cycle to refine ideas in iterative loops, you can experience how boundary crossing leads to tangible innovations in educational technology. This approach creates new professional identities that can more easily adapt to future challenges. Rather than acting solely as barriers, you can reimagine boundaries as constructive spaces in which knowledge converges and transforms, demonstrating how collaboration across disciplines, cultures and practices can bring significant benefits to educational research.