Education Research Meets the Gold Standard: Statistics and Mathematics Application in Science, Reading, and Research Methodology

Iowa State University, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

Education Research Meets the Gold Standard: Statistics and Mathematics Applications in Science, Reading, and Research Methodology We intend to conduct a major international conference addressing the articulation, or lack thereof, between the "gold standard" for federally-supported education research and research in science education and reading. Recent federal legislation places greater emphasis within education research on quantification, as well as the use of randomized trials and the selection of valid control groups. The fundamental issue for conference participants to address is the extent to which the canons of federal research connect with the current and likely future conduct of education research. We intend that this conference will sustain and expand the dialogue between the statistical community and those who implement the education research agenda, through a discussion of whether and how to implement the new standards for statistical work in the field of education research. The primary intellectual contribution of the conference is to provide the opportunity for an exchange of views among leading statisticians specializing in education issues, and education research specialists in science education and literacy. The products of the conference will be disseminated throughout the education research community, and should result in improved research methodology, more effective program evaluation and implementation, and more positive outcomes for students and for instructional and administrative education personnel. Among the topics and research methods we intend to cover are hierarchical linear models, structural equation models, geographic information systems, data mining, meta-analysis, neural networks, time series, decision trees/CART, and Bayesian data analysis. This conference is meant to help inform the national debate over the role of scientific standards for research in education, particularly as those research standards are influenced by statistical methods and theory. We wish to ensure that this conference gives rise to sustained dialogue regarding both established and innovative dimensions of the education research agenda. The conference will bring together researchers in statistics, education, and related disciplines to discuss the dramatically changing context of contemporary education research. Standards for acceptable research in this key area are affected greatly by the recent creation of the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education. The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Education Sciences Reform Act (H.R. 3801) reconstituted the standards for federal support for research and the dissemination of education research findings. This major legislation has established an approach to "scientifically valid education research," enshrined in what is referred to as the "gold standard." The chief societal impact of the conference is to provide stronger guidance for researchers and practitioners addressing critical aspects of national education policy.