Quasi-experiments and school-based research: The case for using a historical cohort comparison
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
Given current requirements under No Child Left Behind for the implementation of educational programs supported by scientifically based research, and the U.S. Department of Education’s related priority for experimental and quasi-experimental studies in federal grant competitions, it is important that education researchers (1) identify research designs that meet the needs of the current NCLB climate, (2) address evaluation questions of causal inference, and (3) are feasible and ethical for school-based research. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the use of a historical cohort comparison group as a viable option for meeting these needs; that is, the selection of a cohort comparison group from archival data matched to a group of students currently receiving an educational intervention. The presentation will include a description of the current context in education research regarding increased interest in and requirements for experiments and quasi-experiments; a description of the historical cohort comparison group research design as a viable quasi-experimental option in education research; and an example of a historical cohort comparison group research design currently being implemented to study the effectiveness of a reading program in nine elementary schools in southeastern North Carolina.
