Researchers at the LKL use participatory design methods to inform the development of technology-rich learning activities to better meet the needs of learners and teachers. Paying close attention to context is important because it can be thought of as the circumstances in which people learn. These circumstances impact upon both what people learn and how they learn it. Context is, however, complex and understanding it requires a participatory design approach to ensure that the complexity and subtlety of each learnerís circumstances can be taken into account in the design process.