"design research" explained...

I found a blog post today by Louise Sandhaus at CalArts where she attempts to define, or explain, the new buzzword "design research". While her description is rather specific to CalArts (making comes first in their thesis process), I found the post helpful. As an educator, I often wonder how other educators use the term design research in the classroom. I also wonder how current undergraduates and graduates understand the term.

"What is design research and what does it mean to design practitioners?"