Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education
Higher education is in a moment of pause, facing an opportunity to transform or continue to perpetuate the status quo. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the recognition of racial violence, has created an opportunity for institutions to question their own policies and practices. The purpose of this...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/2/116 |
| _version_ | 1797480959086428160 |
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| author | Lucy Arellano |
| author_facet | Lucy Arellano |
| author_sort | Lucy Arellano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Higher education is in a moment of pause, facing an opportunity to transform or continue to perpetuate the status quo. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the recognition of racial violence, has created an opportunity for institutions to question their own policies and practices. The purpose of this inquiry is to question the science behind established statistical practices. Specifically, the question guiding this investigation is: How can higher education quantitative scholars (students and faculty) identify and be critical of statistical practices that perpetuate inequity, forms of oppression, and White supremacy? Using a QuantCrit framework, five examples are presented that illustrate multiple forms of oppression, subjectivity, and bias including: (a) comparing across groups, (b) eliminating outliers, (c) addressing non-response bias, (d) small sample sizes, and (e) theory development. Two recommendations are discussed that could help transform higher educational quantitative research and training into a more inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist educational environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:07:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9b6862b6a9b649ca9996a5262584562d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:07:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9b6862b6a9b649ca9996a5262584562d2023-11-23T19:37:36ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-02-0112211610.3390/educsci12020116Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher EducationLucy Arellano0College of Education, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USAHigher education is in a moment of pause, facing an opportunity to transform or continue to perpetuate the status quo. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the recognition of racial violence, has created an opportunity for institutions to question their own policies and practices. The purpose of this inquiry is to question the science behind established statistical practices. Specifically, the question guiding this investigation is: How can higher education quantitative scholars (students and faculty) identify and be critical of statistical practices that perpetuate inequity, forms of oppression, and White supremacy? Using a QuantCrit framework, five examples are presented that illustrate multiple forms of oppression, subjectivity, and bias including: (a) comparing across groups, (b) eliminating outliers, (c) addressing non-response bias, (d) small sample sizes, and (e) theory development. Two recommendations are discussed that could help transform higher educational quantitative research and training into a more inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist educational environment.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/2/116inequitysystems of oppressionWhite supremacyQuantCritcritical quantitative methodology |
| spellingShingle | Lucy Arellano Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education Education Sciences inequity systems of oppression White supremacy QuantCrit critical quantitative methodology |
| title | Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education |
| title_full | Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education |
| title_fullStr | Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education |
| title_full_unstemmed | Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education |
| title_short | Questioning the Science: How Quantitative Methodologies Perpetuate Inequity in Higher Education |
| title_sort | questioning the science how quantitative methodologies perpetuate inequity in higher education |
| topic | inequity systems of oppression White supremacy QuantCrit critical quantitative methodology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/2/116 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lucyarellano questioningthesciencehowquantitativemethodologiesperpetuateinequityinhighereducation |