Zuchao "William" Shen

Experimental studies investigating moderation and main effects provide the source material for improving the quality of and equity in education by delineating the impact of an intervention, and the contexts, conditions, and sub-populations for which it is most effective. Despite sustained interest in experimental studies, the literature has not developed accessible optimal sampling strategies to help plan powerful and efficient designs to detect these effects. This project, sponsored by the Spencer Foundation, aims to develop a flexible optimal design framework so that we can design well-powered studies with minimal financial resources. Specifically, this project will (a) incorporate flexible costs structures of sampling, (b) cover single-level experiments, two-, and three-level cluster-randomized trials and multisite-randomized trials with moderators at different levels, (c) identify samples that are jointly optimal for main and moderation effects, and (d) implement the methods in the R package odr and a Shiny app. Preliminary results show that the proposed framework can identify much more efficient or powerful designs when contrasted with conventional design frameworks. This project has the potential for broad impacts because it facilitates a fundamental shift in the principles and strategies of study design.