‘Systematic reviews and meta-analysis: a Campbell Collaboration online course’ is a self-paced, asynchronous course covering the entire process of systematic reviewing, from problem formulation to meta-analysis. It was designed with Campbell researchers in mind, but suitable for anyone interested in learning rigorous review methods for the social sciences.
Developed in collaboration with the Open Learning Initiative, the course covers all the steps involved in conducting a systematic review of results of multiple quantitative studies.
These steps include: problem formulation, searching for relevant literature, screening potentially eligible studies, coding and critically appraising studies, synthesizing results across studies using meta-analysis, reporting and disseminating results, and updating or re-analysis of data.
“When used together, systematic review methods and meta-analysis can produce comprehensive, accurate, and useful summaries of empirical evidence to answer questions that are relevant for policy, practice, and future research,” said lead editor Jeff Valentine.
“Systematic reviews and meta-analysis can also uncover previously-undetected patterns of results across multiple studies, leading to new discoveries.”
“The collaboration with the Open Learning Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University was a perfect match. Their data-driven and learning science approach to online course development, and invaluable support from learning engineer Greg Bunyea, helped us develop a course that actively engages learners”, said co-editor Sarah Young.
The platform provides feedback to instructors and course developers about student learning so the material can be continually improved.
Campbell is a social science research network that supports authors working on evidence syntheses reports such as systematic reviews through its Coordinating Groups, which serve as editorial teams. Other training resources offered to authors and potential authors include an annual webinar series, recorded workshops and the What Works Global Summit, which takes place in Ottawa, Canada in October this year.
“This open learning course provides a foundation on which we will continue to build global capacity in producing rigorous, relevant and reliable Campbell systematic reviews,” said Editor in Chief and interim CEO, Vivian Welch.
The project is co-edited and co-authored by Jeff Valentine, Professor at the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville, Julia Littell, Professor Emerita at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College and Sarah Young, Principal Librarian at Carnegie Mellon University. Terri Pigott, Professor in the School of Public Health and the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University, authored and tested much of the content on meta-analysis. Zahra Premji, Health Research Librarian at the University of Victoria, and Mark Engelbert of the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, contributed to the unit on searching the literature.
The course can be used as a textbook replacement for a graduate course in systematic reviews and meta-analysis or as a stand-alone introductory text for independent learners. It is open and free (available here), and learners may be asked for feedback.
Users who sign up to the course will receive an email invitation to a live webinar, where they can interact directly with the course development team to ask questions and share feedback.