Evaluation designs seek to provide evidence of impact and collect formative data to understand and improve programs and inform decisions. Formative data is commonly used at the onset of developing a new program to modify and improve before full implementation. However, formative data is often collected throughout the life of the program to shape…

This article discusses how the design of research should follow the questions the study seeks to address. The article provides practical and diverse examples of broad research questions applicable to researchers or program architects and summarizes how different methods should be employed to respond.

The Cochrane Rapid Review Methods Group (RRMG) first released interim guidance in March 2020 to support authors in conducting rapid reviews (RRs). The objective of this mixed-methods study was to assess the adherence and investigate authors' understanding of the RRMG guidance. We identified all documents citing the Interim Cochrane RRMG guidance…

Introduction: Missing data are bound to occur in education intervention research. Reasons vary but always have the consequence of reducing sample sizes and can, under certain conditions, seriously bias estimated intervention effects. A wide array of methods have been developed for handling missing data (Enders, 2023). Whereas older approaches…

Mediation analysis in Single Case Experimental Designs (SCEDs) evaluates intervention mechanisms for individuals. Despite recent methodological developments, no clear guidelines exist for maximizing power to detect the indirect effect in SCEDs. This study compares frequentist and Bayesian methods, determining (1) minimum required sample size to…

When designing cluster-randomized trials (CRTs), one important consideration is determining the proper sample sizes across levels and treatment conditions to cost-efficiently achieve adequate statistical power. This consideration is usually addressed in an optimal design framework by leveraging the cost structures of sampling and optimizing the…

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is a hot topic in educational research. Keeping abreast of its latest developments and frontiers can provide new perspectives for future study. Using CiteSpace software, 1086 publications included in the Web of Science core collection from 2000 to 2020 were analysed to create knowledge maps of DI research. The…

Though previously unacknowledged, a SMART (Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial) design uses both regression discontinuity (RD) and randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs. This combination structure creates a conceptual symbiosis between the two designs that enables both RCT- and previously unrecognized, RD-based inferential claims.…

This paper addresses the current debates, anxieties, and perceptions around the idea of scholarly artistic research within doctoral studies, internationally and in South Africa. A common point of contention, both in South Africa and in the international arena, is the reluctance within institutional structures and external bodies to accept…

This paper scrutinizes the increasing trend of using international large-scale assessment (ILSA) data for causal inferences in educational research, arguing that such inferences are often tenuous. We explore the complexities of causality within ILSAs, highlighting the methodological constraints that challenge the validity of causal claims derived…

Social network research often depends on the willingness of respondents to provide personal information about themselves and alters. Survey design strategies that increase willingness to share this information are necessary for social network research to be feasible, especially when name generators are used for sampling because rosters are…

Qualitative thematic analysis is a commonly used and widely applicable form of qualitative analysis, though it can be challenging to implement. Due to its use across research questions, qualitative traditions, and fields, thematic analysis is also prevalent in mixed methods studies. Despite its widespread use, the term "thematic…

Single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) may offer a reliable and internally valid way to evaluate technology-enhanced learning (TEL). A systematic review was conducted to provide an overview of what, why and how SCEDs are used to evaluate TEL. Accordingly, 136 studies from nine databases fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included. The…

We consider a class of multiple-group individually-randomized group trials (IRGTs) that introduces a (partially) cross-classified structure in the treatment condition (only). The novel feature of this design is that the nature of the treatment induces a clustering structure that involves two or more non-nested groups among individuals in the…

Differences in effect sizes between researcher developed (RD) and independently developed (ID) outcome measures are widely documented but poorly understood in education research. We conduct a meta-analysis using item-level outcome data to test potential mechanisms that explain differences in effects by RD or ID outcome type. Our analysis of 45…