eprintid: 10050305 rev_number: 19 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/10/05/03/05 datestamp: 2019-01-29 12:02:02 lastmod: 2020-04-05 17:58:54 status_changed: 2019-01-29 12:02:02 type: book_section metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Oketch, MO title: Randomized Control Trials: Limitations for Explaining and Improving Learning Outcomes ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: A01 divisions: B16 divisions: B14 divisions: J80 note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. abstract: Studies that use Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) to assess impact have been framed and sold to governments as the only reliable tool that allows for evidence-based decision-making. This chapter provides a critique of the claim that RCTs provide “gold standard” evidence for policymakers. The central argument is that RCTs frame out too much of what is important about, and for, education system-wide reforms and thus are of limited value for policy-making. Instead, there is a need to turn to political economy approaches that focus on institutions and political structures. date: 2019 date_type: published publisher: Routledge official_url: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315147338/chapters/10.4324/9781315147338-4 oa_status: green full_text_type: other language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1561835 isbn_13: 9781138550728 lyricists_name: Oketch, Moses lyricists_id: MOOKE71 actors_name: Oketch, Moses actors_id: MOOKE71 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public place_of_pub: Abingdon, Oxon pagerange: 35-52 book_title: World Yearbook of Education 2019 Comparative Methodology in an Era of Big Data and Global Networks edition: 2 editors_name: Gorur, R editors_name: Sellar, S editors_name: Steiner-Khamsi, G citation: Oketch, MO; (2019) Randomized Control Trials: Limitations for Explaining and Improving Learning Outcomes. In: Gorur, R and Sellar, S and Steiner-Khamsi, G, (eds.) World Yearbook of Education 2019 Comparative Methodology in an Era of Big Data and Global Networks. (pp. 35-52). Routledge: Abingdon, Oxon. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10050305/1/RCTs%20gsk%20book%20chapter.pdf