Providence, R.I. [Brown University] – PSTC Associate and Associate Professor of Education and Economics Matthew Kraft co-authored “Balancing Rigor, Replication, and Relevance: A Case for Multiple-Cohort, Longitudinal Experiments,” an article published in the American Educational Research Association Open.

Kraft argues that the multiple-cohort, longitudinal experiment (MCLE) research design has the unique ability to balance the three Rs of research: rigor, replication, and relevance.  MCLE’s provide more generalizable results and support causal inferences, while adequately informing local programs and policies. Kraft and his team illustrate the efficacy of the MCLE approach as part of an evaluation of a teacher coaching program, and found the design to meet rigorous research standards, be easily replicable in different contexts, and to maintain relevancy to local organizations and decision makers.  

“As researchers, we are always striving to produce research that is both rigorous and replicable, but also relevant to our research partners and practitioners on the ground.  I believe MCLEs provide a new tool for research to achieve these goal simultaneously,” says Kraft.