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The use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), most commonly a medical sciences research tool, is a hotly debated topic in Education. This book examines the controversial aspects of RCTs in Education and sets out the potential and pitfalls of the method.
Drawing on their own extensive experience of running RCTs, and their work at the Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation (CESI) at Queen s University, Belfast, the authors provide a thorough practical introduction to the use of randomised controlled trials in education. Using real data sets, chapters equip the reader with all of the key knowledge and skills required to design, run, analyse and report an RCT.
Coverage includes:
· Step-by-step guidance on analysing data
· How to assess the reliability and validity of results
· Advice on balancing the demands of various stakeholders
Essential reading for postgraduate and more experienced researchers, as well as teachers and educationalists seeking to increase their knowledge and understanding of the use of such methods in education.
List of contents
Introduction
1 What RCTs Can and Cannot Tell Us
2 Logic Models and Outcome Measures
3 Research Designs for RCTs
4 The Fundamentals of Analysing RCT Data
5 Dealing with the Analysis of More Complex RCT Designs
6 How to Report RCTs and Synthesise Evidence from Different Trials
About the author
Paul Connolly is an award-winning journalist and author whose work has appeared in the Monthly, Guardian Australia, the Age, and the Sydney Morning Herald. The author of the weekly flash fiction column 'Kitchen Sink Drama' in Good Weekend magazine, he has written and edited a number of books. These include Kitchen Sink Drama, Father Figures, Sucking the Marrow Out of Life, and The World's Weirdest Sports. He lives in Brunswick, Melbourne, with his partner and their two daughters. He played football throughout his youth and the older he gets, the better he was.
Summary
Drawing on their own extensive experience of running RCTs, this book provides a thorough, practical introduction to the use of RCTs in education. It also examines the controversial aspects of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT) in education and sets out the potential and pitfalls of the method.
Report
This is essential reading for anyone getting to grips with running an RCT in schools. It demystifies the statistical analysis of trials data. Coverage of the historical controversy surrounding the method, in conjunction with guidance on reporting, provides a measured view of the role of experiments in education research.
Ben Styles 20170530
