The question to be answered for the first portion:
True experiments are often considered the gold standard of research, mainly because it is the only way to truly show cause and effect. However, true experiments are costly and lengthy to conduct, and in many way infeasible to conduct in an educational setting. Some have argued then “Why bother?” If experiments are so difficult to conduct, and often times can’t be conducted in educational settings, then why are they considered the gold standard? Should we just do away with experimental research or, at least, do away with the notion that they are the gold standard?
