The first three presentations, while drawing upon the same core of classroom data, report independently valuable findings that share the aspiration to inform the practices of the science classroom, are somewhat disjoint in their foci. Synthesis remains a challenge for educational research. Since a key motivation for educational research is to understand and inform educational practice, strategies are required for the synthesis of the findings of different research studies. Attempts at synthesising research findings have largely focused on a well-defined educational question or issue (for example, the instructional value and optimised use of different types of student group work), disconnected from other aspects of educational settings, and debate has focused on the methodological criteria by which contributory findings might be selected for inclusion in the synthesis process and on the techniques by which the synthesis is conducted. Suri and Clarke (2009) have advocated methodologically inclusive research synthesis and elaborated the criteria by which such synthesis might be undertaken. There is a comparable need for theoretically inclusive research synthesis and this presentation addresses some of the associated issues. Reference Suri, H. & Clarke, D.J. (2009). Advancements in Research Synthesis Methods: From a Methodologically Inclusive Perspective. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 395-430.