On Formative and Design Experiments: Approaches to Language and Literacy Research

Formative and design experiments represent a methodology uniquely suited for educational research. Providing a practical overview of this emerging approach, the authors address the following questions: What is the origin of formative and design experiments and how do they compare to other approaches to investigating interventions in classrooms? How do you conceptualize, plan, conduct, and report formative and design experiments? What practical, ethical, and methodological issues might be encountered? What is the future potential of this promising approach?

David Reinking is the Eugene T. Moore Professor of Teacher Education in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson University. Barbara A. Bradley is an Assistant Professor of Reading Education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at the University of Kansas.