Education Research by RAND Europe

RAND Europe's research in education helps inform the making of more effective educational policies, programmes and practices that are inclusive and equitable for all.

Our interdisciplinary and international research examines the evidence behind how policies and practices can support learning: from building strong foundations in the early years, to improving school effectiveness and ensuring that young people have the right skills in preparation for the future.

One of the biggest areas of our current education work is in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The benefit of using RCTs is well known and we are excited to be using this methodology to generate robust, objective evidence on the impact of different educational practices, spanning a range of ages and subjects

Featured Research

  • Shoes and arrows pointing in different directions on asphalt floor, photo by Delphine Poggianti/Adobe Stock

    Scenarios help explore the future of education and youth in the EU

    Researchers developed a set of scenarios to explore the future of education and youth in the EU, and found that personalised learning policies could be helpful across all scenarios if funded sufficiently and targeted appropriately. Supporting and reinforcing the teaching profession is also key.

Methods

Our education research benefits from a wide range of multi-disciplinary expertise and capabilities across the organisation and our large network of collaborators.

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Randomised controlled trials

We have a growing portfolio of projects using rigourous experimental (randomised controlled trials) and quasi-experimental designs to evaluate complex education interventions.

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Survey design & analysis

We bring methodological expertise to design high-quality surveys and conduct complex analyses with large scale administrative data.

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Literature reviews

We conduct robust systematic reviews of evidence using the global resources available in RAND's professional library.

Policy analysis

We are experienced in providing education policy advice based on the best international evidence available.

Selected Research

  • Preschool teacher and student in classroom

    Developing the OECD TALIS Starting Strong Survey

    RAND Europe led the development of a survey for the OECD which aimed to fill key international and national data gaps on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) staff, their professional development, pedagogical practices, the ECEC environment and the impact that staff can have on children in their care.

  • Careers advisor meeting female university student, photo by Monkey Business Images/Adobe Stock

    Examining the quality of career guidance in Cambridgeshire

    Through an online survey of all secondary schools and colleges in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, interviews with providers of careers advice services, and cross-analysis, researchers are aiming to gain a better understanding of the current landscape of career guidance provision

  • Young school girls studying the heart using tablet computers

    Evaluating Digital Feedback in Primary Maths

    A partnership of primary schools in Lincolnshire developed an intervention that seeks to maximise the impact of teachers’ feedback on pupils’ outcome through the use of video. However, an efficacy trial and associated process evaluation of the intervention found that it does not improve pupil outcomes.

  • Elementary school children reading a book, photo by Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock

    Understanding the impact of peer-assisted learning strategies

    RAND Europe is evaluating the impacts of peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS) in England. The evaluation will seek to understand the impact of PALS on reading attainment for both strong and weak readers and will assess how effectively the intervention is implemented.