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A CASE FOR FIELD‐EXPERIMENTATION IN PROGRAM EVALUATION 1
Author(s) -
Beretta Alan
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
language learning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.882
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1467-9922
pISSN - 0023-8333
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-1770.1986.tb00557.x
Subject(s) - field (mathematics) , psychology , context (archaeology) , management science , mathematics education , engineering , paleontology , mathematics , pure mathematics , biology
This paper presents a case for the desirability of field‐experimentation in language teaching program evaluation. The limitations of laboratory research are considered from the perspectives of internal and external validity, overall strategy, and an uncertain relationship with what happens in a classroom context. It is argued that laboratory research is not carried out with the aim of providing direct feedback to instructors, while field research is intended to have implications for teaching behavior, that is, to be useful in the short term. A procedure is outlined whereby a preoccupation with the effect of complete programs over time takes priority over dissection and analysis. This encourages an initial concern with what works in practice, which is the primary goal of the applied discipline of program evaluation.