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TRANSFORMING EDUCATION THROUGH EVIDENCE.
The Centre for
Effective Education
SCHOOL OF
Education
Conducting Educational Randomised Control
Trials in Disadvantaged Community Settings
Andy Biggart & Liam O’Hare
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Presentation Overview
1. Introduction to research context and
programmes
2. Overview of Key Results
3. Conextualising Results in Wider Literature
4. Some methodological and ethical reflections of
conducting RCT’s in community settings
The Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Research Context• Educational Research & Randomised Control
Trials
• The Atlantic Philanthropies
• Some of first contemporary trials in UK and
Ireland
• The two progammes grew out of a consultation
with the local community in Tallaght (Dublin)
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Two After-schools Programmes• Doodle Den
• Newly developed after-schools programme
• Aimed at 5 and 6 year olds identified as struggling readers
• Adopted a balanced literacy framework
• Delivered by teacher and youth worker/child care assistant
• Ran throughout the school year
• 3 days a week for 1.5 hours afterschool
• Highly structured programme with strong emphasis on
professional development
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Two After-schools Programmes• Mate Tricks
• Very similar in delivery to Doodle Den
• Hybrid Pro-social Behaviour Programme: Coping Power and
Strengthening Families Program
• Aimed at 9 and 10 year olds
• Universally applied in schools in Tallaght
• Parental Components
• Designed to enhance children’s pro-social development,
reduce anti-social behaviour, improve parenting skills and
parent/child interactions
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Common Methodology• Individually randomised trials
• Qualitative Process Evaluation
• Children recruited on basis of teacher referrals
• 3 year rolling cohort design
• Over 600 children allocated to either
intervention or to control: ‘business as usual’
• Child, parent and teacher measures
• Outcomes measured according to pre-
validated measures where possible.
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Summary Outcome Results – Doodle Den
• Primary Outcomes:
– Statistically significant effects on both direct child and teacher assessed measures of literacy
(d=0.17-0.3)
• Secondary Outcomes:
– Statistically significant effect on children’s behaviour in regular school class (d=0.18)
– No impact on attendance rates at school
• Exploratory Analysis
– No significant differences in terms of literacy
– Boys behaviour improved relative to control group
– Greater attendance at the programme led to more positive outcomes
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Summary Outcome Results – Mate Tricks
• Primary Outcomes:
– No statistically significant effects on pro-social behaviour
– Two significant negative effects on anti-social behaviour (d=0.18; 0.20)
• Secondary Outcomes:
– No statistically significant positive effects on wide range of secondary measures
– Some significant negative effects in relation to child reported parenting practices
• Exploratory Analysis
– Child programme attendance not related to outcomes
– Parental engagement with the programme significant predictor of a range of positive
outcomes
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Conextualising Results – Doodle Den
• First randomised trial of an after-school program in UK or Ireland focused on
academic outcomes
• Mixed results of previous trials of the effectiveness on academic outcomes
– e.g. 21st Century schools U.S. national evaluation
• Reviews of evidence highlight complexity of the field
• Recent promising practice guides have concluded a need for much more
research on what works in after-school settings
• Potential features driving positive outcomes:
– Age of children; targeted at those most in need, well structured clearly defined curriculum,
qualified staff with focus on professional development and fun engaging activities
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Conextualising Results – Mate Tricks
• Hybrid programme with some evidence of effectiveness behind the two
programmes
• No evidence of effectiveness of Mate Tricks in improving behavioural outcomes
and some negative effects apparent
• Some evidence of in-school programmes focusing on social and emotional
learning having promising effects e.g. Incredible years
• However, previous reviews have also highlighted null or adverse effects in after-
school contexts
• The current study adds to existing evidence that behavioural programmes have
the potential to cause adverse effects as well as benefits
• r
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Some Lessons Learned: Methodological Issues
Despite the critics, it is possible to implement RCTs in real world community settings.
Making key stakeholders aware of key principle’s of RCT evaluation designs A willingness to be flexible, without undermining the core of the study and randomisation process
Developing and maintaining good relationships
Keeping attrition to a minimum without overburdening participants
Importance of measurement and agreeing analysis plan in advance
RCT’s good at assessing intended outcomes but good process data should not be neglected
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
Ethical Issues and RCT’s
Equipose
Randomisation perceived as a fair way of allocation
Ethical Issues may arise at any stage
Potential for burden
Dissemination and not spoiling the field, especially when faced with null or negative findings
SCHOOL OF Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical SciencesThe Centre for Effective Education | SCHOOL OF Education
EVIDENCE MATTERS!!!
We intervene in children’s lives on a regular basis!
We may also do damage when we intend to do good!
Interventions often driven by fashion rather than sound evidence!
Do we owe it to children to try and ensure that the policies they are subjected to are effective in improving their life chances?
Both reports available on CEE website: www.qub.ac.uk/cee