Understanding inequalities in education using large datasets

10th June 2019 : 12:45 - 14:00

Category: Seminar

Research Group: Quantitative Methods Hub

Speaker: Nadia Siddiqui, School of Education, Durham University

Location: Seminar Room D, Department of Education

This seminar will present findings of a project in which three large scale datasets (Higher Education Statistical Agency Data, National Pupil Database and Cohort data – Next Steps) were combined to understand the patterns of poverty and access to higher education.

The findings have implications for provisions and interventions which are context dependent for targeting the disadvantaged groups. The findings have shown that the disadvantage is a combination of multiple contexts therefore selection needs to be based on accurate measures and identification process which is unbiased in selection. However, there are limitations in measures which are widely used for selecting disadvantaged groups. In addition, the measures such as household income, which can closely identify the socioeconomically disadvantaged, has the problems of access to complete information and levels of accuracy. Of the three above mentioned datasets which were assessed for research feasibility, access to decision makers, completeness and reliability of information, indicator from National Pupil Database were found most promising. Can you guess what that indicator could be? We will also discuss educational achievement and its association with poverty and what more could be done to understand socioeconomic disadvantaged using official datasets and cohort study data..

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

In 2019, the University of Oxford’s Department of Education celebrates the 100th year since the passing of a statute creating what was known in 1919 as the University Department for the Training of Teachers. To celebrate our centenary a year-long series of activities will be delivered to address some of the department’s top initiatives for 2019, answer some of the big questions facing education today and to reveal the advancements the department has made to the study of and research in the field of education. Join us as we mark our 100th year and discover more about our anniversary here.

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