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Articles I
–
III
. The logical design of suitable measuring tools was based on 
the extensive review of previous interventions found in the theoretical framework (see 
Juntunen, 2013). Qualitative and quantitative approaches were applied to answer the 
explorative research questions 
RQ1–3
. The review process and a consultation with the author 
who had developed the quantitative instrument (Yavez et al., 2009) formed the basis for 
framing the design process and choosing a reliable assessment method for the case studies. In 
the quantitative epistemic analysis conducted in 
RQ2
, the statistical factor analysis focused on 
the significance of the change in students’ thoughts. In the structural analysis of qualitative 
tools in 
RQ1–3
, reliability was assured as the method was based on exact counting of defined 
structural elements.
The guidelines for conducting educational design research by McKenney, Nieeven and Van 
den Akker (2006) were considered in this dissertation when addressing the reliability of the 
selected research tools and the gained results: 
i) Systematic documentation of the design was carried out throughout the project. 
ii) Contextual frameworks were based on the extensive review of literature.
iii) Previous interventions were used in the design of the project. 
iv) Triangulation of data sources and data collection methods were used, as well as 
member checks. 
v) Full, context-rich descriptions of the context, design process and research results 
were provided. 
One of the weaknesses of the case study method is often the subjectivity of the results (Cohen 
et al., 2007). The potential challenges or biases associated with design research may stem 
from the dual roles of the authors as implementers and evaluators. In order to improve the 
inter-rater reliability of the results, researcher triangulation was used. Another researcher 
independently conducted a similar analysis of all of the data in order to validate the results. 

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Then, a more objective consensus of the results was gained. The triangulations supported the 
validity and consistency of the results.
To test the stability of the results, the attitudinal and behavioural changes should be monitored 
in the long-term. That was not a point of focus in this thesis. Instead, the analysis focused on 
the teachers’ current concepts of teaching life-cycle analysis in schools and the students’ 
views and argumentation skills related to life-cycle thinking. Synthesising the reviewed 
research literature was also important. It seems that the qualitatively saturated results reliably 
and logically illustrate effectiveness (desired outcomes) and practicality (usability of the 
intervention in the design context). The utilisation of the results is a fundamental test of the 
quality of the conclusions of the thesis.
On the basis of these notions about validity and reliability, it is concluded that the question of 
used methods is adequately resolved, at least to the extent that the most important conclusions 
are supported by the data. 

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