An Evaluation Approach That Is Invitational

• In Event: Invitational Learning in Multiple Contexts

Abstract

An inviting educational environment seems at odds with the design of randomized control trials (RCTs) for evaluation, as a group of students (the control group) is intentionally disinvited to participate. We have developed and tested an inviting evaluation procedure that ensures equivalent comparison groups. After a project has been implemented for an appropriate length of time, we find a comparison student for each project student by first locating all nonproject students with similar demographic and other background variables (e.g., ethnicity, gender, special education status, birthdate [within one month]). To control for school differences, we also ensure that the project student and comparison counterpart attend schools with similar levels of poverty and ethnic distribution of students.

Authors

• Susan E. York, University of Hawaii - Manoa

• Susan M. Saka, University of Hawaii

• Morris K. Lai, University of Hawaii