Details
- Publication date
- 21 February 2012
- Authors
- Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture | European Expert Network on Economics of Education (EENEE)
- Geographical scope
- European Union
- Level of education focus
- Adult education
- Higher education
- School education
- Thematic areas covered
- Educational effectiveness and efficiency
- Governance of education
- Investment in education, economic impact of education
- Lifelong learning
- Monitoring and quality assurance
- Quality and inclusive education for all
- Teachers and trainers
- Whole-school and whole-system approaches and partnerships in education
Description
This report explores how randomized controlled trials (RCTs) can be applied to evaluate education policies in real-world European contexts. It outlines the principles of randomization, the importance of robust sample sizes, and the design variations suited to ethical and practical constraints. Case studies from France and other countries show RCTs’ value in assessing class size, parental involvement, teacher training, and financial incentives.
The report discusses challenges like long-term follow-up, external validity, and implementation across decentralized systems. It argues that despite complexity, RCTs generate uniquely credible evidence about what works. The authors propose EU-level support for transnational trials and replication efforts. Promoting RCTs would help disseminate innovation and improve education systems across the Union.
Authors
Adrien Bouguen & Marc Gurgand
Cite as
Bouguen A., Gurgand, M. (2012), Randomized Controlled Experiments in Education, EENEE report.
