[Phys-L] Re: Should Randomized Control Trials Be the Gold Standard of Educational Research ?

[Savinainen Antti <antti.savinainen@KUOPIO.FI>]

Hello!

Mark Shapiro wrote:

"I think arguments could be made that it is difficult
to carry out true randomized control trials on teaching methods because it is difficult to control all the
variables.  However, I do think that randomized control
trials should be attempted on the various teaching
methods that we use, to see if any statistically valid
results can be obtained."

Yes, it would be good if there were randomized control trials investigating various teaching methods. However, they are not the only way to get reliable knowledge on teaching methods. One of the references given by Richard Hake in his recent posting argues (<http://interversity.org/lists/arn-l/archives/Nov2003/msg00309.html.org/lists/arnl/archives/Nov2003/msg00309.html>):

"1. First, as demonstrated below, randomized control group trials (RCTs), even when possible, are NOT always superior to other approaches (non-RCTs) in demonstrating causality.

2. Second, there are many issues of great importance in educational as well as in social or health research where it is ethically and/or practically IMPOSSIBLE TO USE RCTs,..."

I would highly recommend studying assessment expert Michael Schriven's arguments on this topic.


Best wishes,

Antti

Antti Savinainen, Ph.D., B.Ed.
Senior Lecturer in Physics and Mathematics
Kuopio Lyseo High School
Finland
E-mail: <antti.savinainen@kuopio.fi>
Website: <http://kotisivu.mtv3.fi/physics/>
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