Project Activities
During the project, the SERA research team (a) developed infrastructure supports for SERA, (b) conducted a pilot test of SERA and analyzed the data, and (c) assessed the feasibility and usability of SERA. First, the research team developed resources for training and technical assistance for research partners; a website that houses training materials, detailed protocols and materials for implementation and data collection procedures, the SERA Data Portal, and real-time communication channels with SERA personnel; and workflows for systematically recruiting study participants, implementing study procedures, and collecting data across multiple research sites. Next, the research team developed and conducted a preliminary pilot test of the procedures for conducting the study online. They then conducted a pilot study of SERA with seven research-partner teams from across the U.S. to conceptually replicate a previous study that examined the effects of interrogative elaboration (students generating explanations of facts) on the short-term and delayed recall of facts among third and fourth grade students with high-incidence disabilities. The SERA research team trained research partners on the intervention and study procedures. After training, the research-partner teams recruited students, implemented study control and treatment conditions to which students were randomly assigned, and collected outcome data. The SERA research team analyzed the data to determine whether certain assumptions required for replication of results were met, estimated site effects and the pooled effect across sites on learner outcomes, evaluated replication success, and described the quality of the data from research partners and the technical assistance provided by the research team. Finally, the SERA research team solicited feedback from research partners, key SERA personnel, and external consultants regarding SERA processes, procedures, materials, and data to evaluate the feasibility and usability of SERA and inform future iterations of the platform.
Key outcomes
The main findings of this project, as reported by the principal investigator, are as follows:
- The special education research community appears enthusiastic about engaging in crowdsourced research studies. Research partners expressed support for involvement in future SERA projects using open-source protocol materials and a data collection platform for systematically conducting studies across multiple research teams.
- Internal (with research partners and SERA personnel) and external (with external consultants) evaluations using qualitative and quantitative methods indicated SERA infrastructure and tools were generally effective, feasible, and usable. Recommendations for refining SERA infrastructure and supports were generated, which will be applied in future projects.
- Preliminary evidence from the pilot RCT study did not find student-generated explanations improved students’ short-term or delayed recall of facts and therefore did not replicate findings from the original study. However, there were large and statistically significant effects on the proximal outcome of explanation of the facts, indicating that treatment participants received the intervention as intended.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Project contributors
Products and publications
Project website:
Publications:
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Additional project information
Pre-registration Site: Science Instruction for Students with Disabilities (#6760) on the Registry of Efficacy and Effectiveness Studies (REES)
Additional resource: Developing and Piloting the Special Education Research Accelerator (Inside IES Research Blog)
Related projects
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
