tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152270.post4150057582341004194..comments2024-03-26T12:23:35.307-05:00Comments on The Buck Stops Here: Placebo EffectStuart Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05731724396708879386noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152270.post-89134796694849991822007-06-19T19:04:00.000-05:002007-06-19T19:04:00.000-05:00It's very common for a new education program to sh...It's very common for a new education program to show results for a few years. Then the principal or program leader goes on to another job, enthusiasm dims and it all falls apart.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, research studies do define what they consider to be effectiveness, usually in terms of something that can be measured. While it's usually not possible to do a double blind study, it is possible to set up a control group. That's being done much more now than in the past.Joanne Jacobshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06801487780819716845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152270.post-10479774605431889022007-06-18T17:13:00.000-05:002007-06-18T17:13:00.000-05:00That's been my general belief. I think that what h...That's been my general belief. I think that what helps kids is spending time with them, showing a personal interest, decent people interacting with them. Whether that comes from "Midnight basketball" or a plethora of other programs doesn't matter.<BR/><BR/>On a deeper note, the educational reform folks often talk about "research-based curricula." It sounds good, doesn't it? That was all the rage in my state's pre-k reforms a few years ago. Here's the question that none of the experts could easily answer: "What kind of people does the research show that this curricula will produce?" Does the research show that the curricula will produce creative kids with little practical knowledge? Scientific-minded kids? Obedient kids? Kids who have memorized a lot of facts?<BR/><BR/>If you're testing something to see if it is "effective," you've got to first decide what it's supposed to be effective AT.PatHMVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15542719040606654134noreply@blogger.com