An opportunistic experiment is a type of randomized controlled trial that studies the effects of a planned intervention or policy change with minimal added disruption and cost. This guide defines opportunistic experiments and provides examples, discusses issues to consider when identifying potential opportunistic experiments, and outlines the…

In light of a slow economic recovery from the Great Recession, state and local governments are faced with the challenge of providing services to citizens amidst ongoing budgetary woes. For instance, although the most recent Indiana revenue collections for the month of August were above revised projections to help start fiscal year 2011 (which…

There are basically four dimensions to a systems analysis that we find in current educational research: (1) Collecting information, (2) analyzing input-output relationships, (3) deriving models built upon these relationships to evaluate alternatives and to derive feasible solutions, and (4) attempting to derive the best solution consistent with…

This paper describes a computer model that was developed for use to predict the effects of operating the universities in the province of Ontario on a year round basis. The apparent advantage in going to year round operation of universities is the saving in capital costs of buildings and other facilities. This can be achieved because the student…

The report describes activities conducted during a 12-month baseline period preceding a series of longitudinal studies of the costs and effects of various types of early intervention with handicapped children conducted by the Early Intervention Research Institute at Utah State University. A systems theory perspective forms the theoretical base for…

This paper tests the hypothesis that World Bank education projects have a higher likelihood of being successful if at the time of appraisal, they underwent good quality economic analysis. Analysis shows a strong relationship between the quality of cost-benefit analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis and the quality of project outcomes. Economic…

Possible educational uses of the proposed space-shuttle program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are outlined. Potential users of information developed by the project are identified and their characteristics analyzed. Other space-education programs operated by NASA are detailed. Proposals for a methodology for expanding…

The purpose of this research investigations was to determine whether a student daily schedule and school calendar could be designed to maximize the future utilization of existing facilities in the North Allegheny School District and to determine if the implementation of such designs would be financially feasible as an alternative to new…

A study examined the feasibility of performing a national cost-benefit analysis of secondary, postsecondary, and adult vocational education. The study involved three components: a survey of the state of the art of utilizing cost-benefit methodologies to evaluate the returns on investments in vocational education; an overview of the potential…

Technical and financial assessments were conducted of the Draft EUDISED Program 1976-78, which is to coordinate information exchange activities in educational documentation and information on a European level. Facilities and staff for various technical and organizational alternatives are described, costs of each alternative are estimated, and…

This report examines the state of the art of utilizing cost-benefit methodologies to evaluate the returns on investments in vocational education. The objectives and format of the report and the literature search methodology employed in it are outlined. Presented next is an overview of the diverse literature related to cost-benefit analysis,…

A study examined the feasibility of using case studies to convince enterprises to value training and learning. First, 10 Australian enterprises were studied in sufficient depth to construct a comprehensive picture of each enterprise, its culture, and the strategies it uses to develop the skills and knowledge of individual employees and the…