Experiments, Experiments Everywhere!

Monday, February 16, 2009
As you know, the only serious education research going on these days involves randomly assigning kids or classrooms to interventions. Anything else is bogus. Ok, I'm KIDDING folks-- laugh a little!

While I totally do NOT believe that's the case, I must admit I get a little tingle when I discover that experiments are happening that I didn't know about. Probably because I'm just a sucker for the promise of new knowledge, fast.

So here's my tingly-discovery of the day:
The Experimental Sites Initiative of the U.S. Department of Education.

As reported in today's Chronicle of Higher Ed this program involved 100 colleges across the country in an effort to figure out how to make the process of delivering financial aid to students easier. Of course...drumroll please...the Bushies shut it down! Shocking, I know.

I need some more time to dig into this, learn more about what the experimenting has shown, etc.-- and I promise to report back. In the meantime, if you or someone you know has any results or details to share, please please send them my way. Inquiring minds want to know....