Empirical Methods for Evaluating Educational Interventions

Everyone wants effective educational programs, but until the "No Child Left Behind Act", effectiveness was often in the eye of the beholder. Now, for the first time, proof of effectiveness is required to receive federal funding: both accountability (yearly progress), and impact data showing that educational interventions caused the improvement. This book demystifies what makes for credible research in proving effectiveness. It discusses the different purposes and limitations of laboratory vs. classroom research, the reliability and validity of learning outcome measures, how and when results can be scaled up to apply to larger groups in different settings, understanding causal relationships, and taking into account individual and group differences in students, classrooms, districts, and policies. Empirical Methods for Evaluating Educational Interventions provides a blueprint towards effective research design. It underscores the importance of randomized classroom trials, reviews micro and macro data analysis techniques, and explores the obstacles in applying research findings to real world settings. Suitable for use by educational researchers, educators, administrators, and policy-makers, this resource will guide readers how to design, interpret, and apply educational research into practice. Key Features: * Provides an overview to interpreting empirical data in education * Reviews data analysis techniques: use and interpretation * Discusses research on learning, instruction, and curriculum * Explores importance of showing progress as well as cause and effect * Identifies obstacles to applying research into practice *Examines policy development for states, nations, and countriesPhye, Gary D. is the author of 'Empirical Methods for Evaluating Educational Interventions ', published 2005 under ISBN 9780125542579 and ISBN 0125542577.