What can we learn from RCTs in education? A meta-analysis of the RCTs commissioned by the EEF and the IES

In the last 10 years, there have been many more RCTs in education than there were previously. Considering the large cost (> £400,000) of running these trials, it is important to reflect on how successful this dramatic change of approach has been.

In the talk, I present the findings from a meta-analysis in which we compiled the effect sizes of all the RCTs commissioned by the EEF (UK) and by the IES (US), to document their success rate and to identify correlates of success. We compiled a total of 415 distinct effect sizes and tested whether their magnitude was influenced by the characteristics of the intervention (topic, cost per pupils), characteristics of the participants (age) and characteristics of the RCT (cost, sample size, year of publication).

Measuring success rate of RCTs and identifying the factors associated with larger effect sizes are important goals for researchers, funders, and policy-makers.