What role does experimentation play in education? Many countries are adopting the concept ofevidence-based education, i.e. choosing educational policies based on sound scientific data. But what kind of data is best able to help teachers understand learning processes and choose the best educational practices, for the greatest benefit of students? In this lecture, we will discuss the potential and limits of using the experimental method to evaluate and improve educational choices. We'll be looking at a number of different approaches:
- Randomized controlled trials(RCTs), which enable rigorous comparison of the progress of two groups of children according to the educational strategy employed.
- Large-scale national and international statistical studies, which provide a detailed picture of the performance of thousands of children, analyzed using methods similar to those used in epidemiology and sociology.
- The combined use of experimental psychology and brain imaging methods to understand learning mechanisms and measure children's progress.
- The role of software such as Graphogame or La course aux nombres, both to diagnose the various sources of difficulties in reading or mathematics and to propose remedial measures in the form of games.
The aim is to facilitate the sharing within the French educational community of as many ideas and tools as possible that have proved their worth in France or abroad, and to promote the notion of evidence-based education.