ABSTRACT Experimental studies are often employed to test the effectiveness of teaching innovations such as new pedagogy, curriculum, or learning resources. This article offers guidance on good practice in developing research designs, and in drawing conclusions from published reports. Random control trials potentially support the use of statistical inference, but face a number of potential threats to validity. Research in educational contexts often employs quasi-experiments or natural experiments rather than true experiments, and these types of designs raise additional questions about the equivalence between experimental and control groups and the potential influence of confounding variables. Where it is impractical for experimental studies to employ samples that fully reflect diverse populations, generalisation is limited. Series of small-scale replication studies may be useful here, especially if these are conceptualised as being akin to multiple case studies, and complemented by qualitative studies. Control conditions for experimental studies need to be carefully selected to provide the most appropriate test for a particular intervention, and considering the interests of all participants. Control groups in studies that replicate innovations that have been widely shown to be effective in other settings should experience teaching conditions that reflect good practice and meet expected teaching standards in the research context.

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教学创新的实验研究：应对方法论和伦理挑战

摘要 实验研究通常用于测试教学创新的有效性，例如新的教学法、课程或学习资源。本文提供了有关开发研究设计和从已发表报告得出结论的良好实践的指导。随机对照试验可能支持使用统计推断，但在有效性方面面临许多潜在威胁。教育背景下的研究通常采用准实验或自然实验，而不是真正的实验，这些类型的设计引发了关于实验组和对照组之间的等效性以及混杂变量的潜在影响的额外问题。如果实验研究采用完全反映不同人群的样本是不切实际的，则泛化是有限的。一系列小规模复制研究在这里可能有用，特别是如果这些被概念化为类似于多个案例研究，并辅以定性研究。需要仔细选择实验研究的控制条件，以便为特定干预提供最合适的测试，并考虑所有参与者的利益。复制在其他环境中被广泛证明有效的创新的研究中的对照组应该体验反映良好实践的教学条件，并满足研究背景下的预期教学标准。需要仔细选择实验研究的控制条件，以便为特定干预提供最合适的测试，并考虑所有参与者的利益。复制在其他环境中被广泛证明有效的创新的研究中的对照组应该体验反映良好实践的教学条件，并满足研究背景下的预期教学标准。需要仔细选择实验研究的控制条件，以便为特定干预提供最合适的测试，并考虑所有参与者的利益。复制在其他环境中被广泛证明有效的创新的研究中的对照组应该体验反映良好实践的教学条件，并满足研究背景下的预期教学标准。