A Meta-Review of Education Meta-Analyses: Relevance, Applicability, and Accessibility of Findings
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| Title: | A Meta-Review of Education Meta-Analyses: Relevance, Applicability, and Accessibility of Findings |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Marta Pellegrini (ORCID |
| Source: | AERA Open. 2025 11(1). |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 16 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Meta Analysis, Educational Research, Research Reports, Access to Information, Stakeholders, Participation, Elementary Secondary Education, Research Design, Research Opportunities, Research Utilization, Literature Reviews, Information Dissemination |
| ISSN: | 2332-8584 |
| Abstract: | One of the key goals of meta-analyses is to provide educators with relevant evidence to guide their decisions in practice. This meta-review examined the extent to which education meta-analysts have used strategies that likely increase the relevance, applicability, and accessibility of research to practitioners. We reviewed 103 meta-analyses of school-based academic interventions, coding for: (a) stakeholder engagement in review phases; (b) reporting of study population, setting, and intervention characteristics and testing them as moderators; and (c) accessibility of the findings to a wide audience using effect size metrics and visualizations. We found limited stakeholder involvement. Certain characteristics such as grade level were commonly reported and used to explored heterogeneity, while others, like material and training costs, were rarely considered. Effect size transformations were not common, and traditional forest plots were the most prevalent visualization method. We propose future research directions to improve the relevance, applicability, and accessibility of meta-analysis findings for educational practice. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://doi.org/10.3886/E237964V3 |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1494896 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | One of the key goals of meta-analyses is to provide educators with relevant evidence to guide their decisions in practice. This meta-review examined the extent to which education meta-analysts have used strategies that likely increase the relevance, applicability, and accessibility of research to practitioners. We reviewed 103 meta-analyses of school-based academic interventions, coding for: (a) stakeholder engagement in review phases; (b) reporting of study population, setting, and intervention characteristics and testing them as moderators; and (c) accessibility of the findings to a wide audience using effect size metrics and visualizations. We found limited stakeholder involvement. Certain characteristics such as grade level were commonly reported and used to explored heterogeneity, while others, like material and training costs, were rarely considered. Effect size transformations were not common, and traditional forest plots were the most prevalent visualization method. We propose future research directions to improve the relevance, applicability, and accessibility of meta-analysis findings for educational practice. |
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| ISSN: | 2332-8584 |
