Evidence-Based Education Policies: Transforming Educational Practice and Research

Abstract

At the dawn of the 21st century, educational research is finally entering the 20th century. The use of randomized experiments that transformed medicine, agriculture, and technology in the 20th century is now beginning to affect educational policy. This article discusses the promise and pitfalls of randomized and rigorously matched experiments as a basis for policy and practice in education. It concludes that a focus on rigorous experiments evaluating replicable programs and practices is essential to build confidence in educational research among policymakers and educators. However, new funding is needed for such experiments and there is still a need for correlational, descriptive, and other disciplined inquiry in education. Our children deserve the best educational programs, based on the most rigorous evidence we can provide.

Elements of a Science of E-Learning

“…This is an important question that warrants further investigation. For example, several educational researchers (Levin & O'Donnell, 1999;Slavin, 2002) argue for controlled experimental field tests similar to clinical trials used in medicine. In a controlled experimental field test (or clinical trial) some students in a natural setting would be randomly assigned to receive training based on the principles (experimental treatment) or equivalent training not based on the principles (control treatment).…”

Para que serve a pesquisa em educação?

“…Um de seus intérpretes e divulgadores é Robert Slavin (2002), da Universidade Johns Hopkins, de Baltimore. Sua argumentação é bastante enfática e ganha, até, um tom militante, como se essa abordagem fosse salvar a educação de uma estagnação secular, causada, segundo ele, pelo fato de essa área não se ter beneficiado dos frutos da pesquisa experimental da mesma forma que outras áreas, como a agricultura, a medicina e a tecnologia em geral.…”

Establishing an Evidence-based Adult Education System

“…For example, Slavin (2002) explains that research supports the use of mnemonic devices such as, "When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking," to teach a spelling rule. However, he points out that no one would suggest a program model that only employs mnemonic devices.…”