Experimental research on multiple measurements based on secondary result analysis

Experimental research in education is applied when the researcher is asked to conduct an educational experiment and at the same time to check its success. Typically, experimental patterns refer to the comparison of measurements either between different research groups or the measurements of the same research group at different times, but in many cases the research patterns are applied in combination, comparing multiple measurements of different research groups at different stages of the experiment. In the case of multiple measurements, the existing statistical criteria can actually inform the researcher about the statistical significance of the overall progress of the experiment, but they do not provide data on how specific groups of participants behaved in the experiment. When applying the experimental multivariate research method, it is possible with the use of statistical analysis to find out whether the group involved responded positively by improving its average performance or on the contrary if its performance has deteriorated. But there could be no knowledge as to whether this average success or failure is due to the participants as a whole or to specific subgroups. The purpose of the present study is to propose an innovative method of secondary analysis of the multiple measurements of experimental educational research, which enables the researcher to draw conclusions not only about the overall course of the experiment, but also about the participants’ performance i.e. the degree to which individual subgroups of participants, for example participants of different potential, contributed to the success or failure of it . This proposal is developed in two stages, using a chart to identify current trends and a secondary analysis of data with statistical criteria in order to control the significance of these trends, thus providing the researcher with all the necessary data regarding the outcome of the experiment and in particular regarding the behavior and the degree to which all subgroups involved in the experimental process responded. With the implementation of this proposed secondary analysis method it is possible to detect if a mobilization of potential participants as in the case of marginalized groups occurred or did not in the experimental groups involved, which in the typical educational reality would remain indifferent, inert. The present proposal provides researchers of educational research with the potential that is not offered by the application of classical statistical criteria, which are limited to providing information on the overall outcome of the experiment. This proposed method concerns all teachers who apply an experimental approach and wish to further analyze the results of their measurements in depth for example the contribution of each subgroup of the participants to the final outcome of the experiment.