[Simtrainer-l] Huffington Post: The Rapid Advance of Rigorous Research

[Graner, Patricia Sampson]

Hello Colleagues,
We were pleased to read this article/blog from Dr. Robert Slavin (Johns Hopkins). He makes several key points about rigorous research and effect sizes; he addresses Striving Reader studies, and the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM). Here are some points I found of interest:

  1.  Drs. Slavin and Cheung are reviewing the research that meets ESSA evidence standards for future publication. This should prove to be a great resource for you.
  2.  A number of recent reports have appeared and some of this is due to the federally funded Striving Readers studies as well as the Investing in Innovation (i3) program. England has also been investing in studies of secondary reading.
  3.  Unsurprisingly, large scale, randomized assignment studies, such as these, result in modes effect sizes. Such studies had must smaller effect sizes than smaller studies or quasi-experimental studies.
  4.  "However, unlike small and quasi-experimental studies, rigorous experiments using standardized outcome measures replicate. These effect sizes may not be enormous, but you can take them to the bank....In our secondary reading review, we found an extraordinary example of this. The University of Kansas has an array of programs for struggling readers in middle and high schools, collectively called the Strategic Instruction Model, or SIM."
  5.  Do not be discouraged by small effect sizes! The effect sizes from the KUCRL varied but mostly cluttered around the weighted mean of +0.09, but given the considerable varied contexts, the consistency is remarkable.
     *   The varied contexts were middle schools and/or high schools.
     *    Some students received an extra period of reading but others did not.
     *   Some studies were conducted for multiple years, and others did not.
     *   The schools settings ranged from inner-city to rural and all across the U.S.
  6.  Researchers can learn from zero impact work how to alter their product to arrive at different outcomes.
  7.  The authors' reviews have surfaced programs for every subject and grade level that meet high evidence standard that can be implemented to improve outcomes for American schools.
  8.  Bipartisan support exists for schools to evidence to enhance outcomes.
  9.  The authors are continuing their work to gather the evidence.

Read the blog here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-rapid-advance-of-rigorous-research_us_5880cfb3e4b0fb40bf6c470e

Take care,
Patty

Patricia Sampson Graner, PhD
University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning
Director of Professional Development; Associate Researcher
SIM® Professional Developer
1122 West Campus Rd  ::  JRP, 708
Lawrence, KS 66045
pgraner at ku.edu
O: 785.864.0622 :: F: 785.864.5728
"Teachers make every other profession"
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