In Boundary Practices, Niek van den Berg refers to various ecosystems in the world of research and teacher education: that of the researcher, of the educator, of the student, of the profession and of science. In our view, divisions between these entities impede the ability to search for and find appropriate answers to current practical and research issues. Such issues are complex in nature, touching upon interests, as well as various domains of knowledge and disciplines. In our opinion, the sustainable resolution of these issues calls for ways of working other than those that have been customary to date. Are there lessons to be learned from ecology? Which changes does this require? Minor changes in nature can have major consequences (e.g. a pebble can cause an avalanche), and greater disturbances can transform it into another system. What does this mean for our practice of research on learning and development?