Implementing Randomized Field Trials in Education

Implementing Randomized Field Trials in Education
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2004-04-21
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0309166330

The central idea of evidence-based education-that education policy and practice ought to be fashioned based on what is known from rigorous research-offers a compelling way to approach reform efforts. Recent federal trends reflect a growing enthusiasm for such change. Most visibly, the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act requires that "scientifically based [education] research" drive the use of federal education funds at the state and local levels. This emphasis is also reflected in a number of government and nongovernment initiatives across the country. As consensus builds around the goals of evidence-based education, consideration of what it will take to make it a reality becomes the crucial next step. In this context, the Center for Education of the National Research Council (NRC) has undertaken a series of activities to address issues related to the quality of scientific education research. In 2002, the NRC released Scientific Research in Education (National Research Council, 2002), a report designed to articulate the nature of scientific education research and to guide efforts aimed at improving its quality. Building on this work, the Committee on Research in Education was convened to advance an improved understanding of a scientific approach to addressing education problems; to engage the field of education research in action-oriented dialogue about how to further the accumulation of scientific knowledge; and to coordinate, support, and promote cross-fertilization among NRC efforts in education research. The main locus of activity undertaken to meet these objectives was a year-long series of workshops. This report is a summary of the third workshop in the series, on the implementation and implications of randomized field trials in education.

Quasi-Experimentation

Quasi-Experimentation
Author: Charles S. Reichardt
Publisher: Guilford Publications
Total Pages: 382
Release: 2019-09-02
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1462540201

Featuring engaging examples from diverse disciplines, this book explains how to use modern approaches to quasi-experimentation to derive credible estimates of treatment effects under the demanding constraints of field settings. Foremost expert Charles S. Reichardt provides an in-depth examination of the design and statistical analysis of pretest-posttest, nonequivalent groups, regression discontinuity, and interrupted time-series designs. He details their relative strengths and weaknesses and offers practical advice about their use. Reichardt compares quasi-experiments to randomized experiments and discusses when and why the former might be a better choice. Modern moethods for elaborating a research design to remove bias from estimates of treatment effects are described, as are tactics for dealing with missing data and noncompliance with treatment assignment. Throughout, mathematical equations are translated into words to enhance accessibility.

Curricular Program Implementation in the Context of Randomized Field Trials

Curricular Program Implementation in the Context of Randomized Field Trials
Author: Gloria Isabel Miller
Publisher: Stanford University
Total Pages: 403
Release: 2011
Genre:
ISBN:

Abstract curricular program implementation in the context of randomized field trials Gloria Isabel Miller This study examined three cases of commercially available curricular program implementations to determine if a unified approach to measuring the level of implementation was possible (proof of concept). Further, the study investigated whether the level of curriculum and implementation plan specificity made a difference to the strength of implementation achieved in classrooms; and described the implementation evolution in different contexts. The study sample consists of a total of 163 teachers in eight school districts across the United States. In each case teachers were randomly assigned to using the curricular innovation or their currently used materials and processes. The three cases, HS-Math, NewScience, and MathIntervention, were purposely chosen to represent three different points of curricular and implementation specificity and two different subject areas, math and science. Each case features a commercially available program that also had opportunities for teachers to use "electronic" technology to enhance their learning or to engage their students. The cases represent differing student grade levels. The cases are different enough to provide a range that exercises the measurement techniques introduced in this study so results can begin to generalize across curricular programs and grades. However, the cases are similar enough in research design, instrumentation, and data collection methods to make them comparable. A key contribution of this investigation is the creation of a framework to measure the level of implementation (the extent to which the teacher and students display the actions, behaviors, and interactions expected by using the innovation). The unified conceptual framework arrived at by using an Activity Theory perspective together with the analytical methods employed provide a way to view the rich complex interaction of implementation as a system with the larger system of the school organization. Data from the analysis revealed that variations in the level of implementation were no different regardless of the level of specificity. A strong finding of this work is that implementation evolves slowly even when the curricular program is scripted and coaching support is provided to teachers. The paper concludes with implications for policy and future research.

Experimental and Quasi-experimental Designs for Generalized Causal Inference

Experimental and Quasi-experimental Designs for Generalized Causal Inference
Author: William R. Shadish
Publisher: Cengage Learning
Total Pages: 664
Release: 2002
Genre: Education
ISBN:

Sections include: experiments and generalised causal inference; statistical conclusion validity and internal validity; construct validity and external validity; quasi-experimental designs that either lack a control group or lack pretest observations on the outcome; quasi-experimental designs that use both control groups and pretests; quasi-experiments: interrupted time-series designs; regresssion discontinuity designs; randomised experiments: rationale, designs, and conditions conducive to doing them; practical problems 1: ethics, participation recruitment and random assignment; practical problems 2: treatment implementation and attrition; generalised causal inference: a grounded theory; generalised causal inference: methods for single studies; generalised causal inference: methods for multiple studies; a critical assessment of our assumptions.

Introduction to Educational Research

Introduction to Educational Research
Author: W. Newton Suter
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 529
Release: 2012
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1412995736

W. Newton Suter argues that what is important in a changing education landscape is the ability to think clearly about research methods, reason through complex problems and evaluate published research. He explains how to evaluate data and establish its relevance.

Encyclopedia of Social Measurement

Encyclopedia of Social Measurement
Author: Kimberly Kempf-Leonard
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 1002
Release: 2005
Genre: Psychology
ISBN:

The Encyclopedia of Social Measurement captures the data, techniques, theories, designs, applications, histories, and implications of assigning numerical values to social phenomena. Responding to growing demands for transdisciplinary descriptions of quantitative and qualitative techniques, measurement, sampling, and statistical methods, it will increase the proficiency of everyone who gathers and analyzes data. Covering all core social science disciplines, the 300+ articles of the Encyclopedia of Social Measurement not only present a comprehensive summary of observational frameworks and mathematical models, but also offer tools, background information, qualitative methods, and guidelines for structuring the research process. Articles include examples and applications of research strategies and techniques, highlighting multidisciplinary options for observing social phenomena. The alphabetical arrangement of the articles, their glossaries and cross-references, and the volumes' detailed index will encourage exploration across the social sciences. Descriptions of important data sets and case studies will help readers understand resources they can often instantly access. Also available online via ScienceDirect - featuring extensive browsing, searching, and internal cross-referencing between articles in the work, plus dynamic linking to journal articles and abstract databases, making navigation flexible and easy. For more information, pricing options and availability visit www.info.sciencedirect.com. Introduces readers to the advantages and potential of specific techniques and suggests additional sources that readers can then consult to learn more Conveys a range of basic to complex research issues in sufficient detail to explain even the most complicated statistical technique. Readers are provided with references for further information Eleven substantive sections delineate social sciences and the research processes they follow to measure and provide new knowledge on a wide range of topics Authors are prominent scholars and methodologists from all social science fields Within each of the sections important components of quantitative and qualitative research methods are dissected and illustrated with examples from diverse fields of study Actual research experiences provide useful examples

Running Randomized Evaluations

Running Randomized Evaluations
Author: Rachel Glennerster
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 480
Release: 2013-11-24
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 140084844X

A comprehensive guide to running randomized impact evaluations of social programs in developing countries This book provides a comprehensive yet accessible guide to running randomized impact evaluations of social programs. Drawing on the experience of researchers at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which has run hundreds of such evaluations in dozens of countries throughout the world, it offers practical insights on how to use this powerful technique, especially in resource-poor environments. This step-by-step guide explains why and when randomized evaluations are useful, in what situations they should be used, and how to prioritize different evaluation opportunities. It shows how to design and analyze studies that answer important questions while respecting the constraints of those working on and benefiting from the program being evaluated. The book gives concrete tips on issues such as improving the quality of a study despite tight budget constraints, and demonstrates how the results of randomized impact evaluations can inform policy. With its self-contained modules, this one-of-a-kind guide is easy to navigate. It also includes invaluable references and a checklist of the common pitfalls to avoid. Provides the most up-to-date guide to running randomized evaluations of social programs, especially in developing countries Offers practical tips on how to complete high-quality studies in even the most challenging environments Self-contained modules allow for easy reference and flexible teaching and learning Comprehensive yet nontechnical

Snapshots of Research

Snapshots of Research
Author: Richard D. Hartley
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 465
Release: 2010-10-20
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1452238510

Immerse your students in contemporary and classic scholarly research and readings from the major branches of the criminal justice system This text/reader is a comprehensive, cutting-edge overview of the main research methods used in the fields of criminology and criminal justice. Snapshots of Research offers a wide range of modern research examples, as well as several classic articles, including a broad range of readings from the four major branches of the criminal justice system—policing, courts/law, juvenile justice, and corrections—that are relevant to career paths students may be interested in pursuing.

Evidence Matters

Evidence Matters
Author: Frederick F. Mosteller
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2004-05-13
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0815798180

Opinions about education programs and practices are offered frequently—by children, parents, teachers, and policymakers. Credible studies of the impact of programs on the performance of children are far less frequent. Researchers use a variety of tools to determine their impact and efficacy, including sample surveys, narrative studies, and exploratory research. However, randomized field trials, which are commonly used in other disciplines, are rarely employed to measure the impact of education practice. Evidence Matters explores the history and current status of research in education and encourages the more frequent use of such trials. Judith Gueron (Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation), discusses the challenges involved in randomized trials and offers practical advice drawn experience. Robert Boruch (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania), Dorothy de Moya (Campbell Collaboration Secretariat), and Brooke Snyder (University of Pennsylvania) explore the use of randomized field trials in education and other fields. David Cohen, Stephen Raudenbush, and Deborah Loewenberg Ball (all from the University of Michigan) review the history of progress in education over the past forty years and urge increased research on coherent instruction regimes. Maris Vinovskis (University of Michigan) examines the history and role of the U.S. Department of Education in developing rigorous evaluation of federal programs, and suggests a new National Center for Evaluation and Development. Thomas Cook and Monique Renee Payne (both from Northwestern University) take on the claim that randomized field trials are inappropriate in the U.S. education system. Gary Burtless (Brookings Institution) explores the political and professional factors that influence randomized field trials in economic programs, examining possible explanations for their lack of frequent use in education. Carol Weiss (Harvard University) provides a brief history of community studies in the