07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education
Research Workshop
Tackling Diversity in Education Research: what works and what doesn’t.
Feyisa Demie1, Sean Hayes2, Richard Race3
1Durham University; 2University of Oxford; 3Sapienza University
Presenting Author: Demie, Feyisa;
Hayes, Sean;
Race, Richard
Three papers:
Paper 1: Tackling education inequality: what works in London schools
Paper 2: How the British Educational Research Association (BERA) is addressing issues of equality and diversity in its governance structures.
Paper 3: Challenges and Opportunities for Diversity within Education Research.
In Paper 1, the challenges that face educational policymakers today, are not how to raise achievement, but how to tackle educational inequality and diversity. A body of research evidence shows that inequality in educational outcomes has grown, and a large number of children are underachieving at school (Hutchinson et al, 2019; Demie, 2019). There are longstanding achievement gaps in England associated with socioeconomic status and ethnic background. Although overall educational attainment for Black minorities increased steadily between 2004 and 2011 during the London challenge period, this trend is reversing in more recent time, and Black Caribbean and Pakistani pupils are still at the bottom of the league when compared to white British and their peers. This research paper explores the lessons from London schools in driving school improvement and addressing inequalities. Three research questions guided this research: firstly, what does the data tell us about the performance of London schools by ethnic background over the period?, secondly, what were the strategies for tackling inequality and driving school improvement of ethnic minorities pupils?, and thirdly, what are the lessons for tackling inequality?
Paper 2 analyses challenges facing many organisations today and the need for their leaders and people in their governance structures to reflect the profile of their members and potentially society at large, in relation to factors such as gender, ethnicity and disability. This is the express desire of the British Educational Research Association (BERA), which would hope that the diversity profile of its governing bodies, including its council and committees, is broadly reflective of the wider membership of the association. The leadership committee of BERA and its professional staff chose to explore whether or not the equality and diversity profile of the people in its governance structures was reflective of its wider membership. This involved a quantitative analysis of the profile of the people in governance roles within the association and how that profile compared to the wider membership. This resulted in BERA producing its own Race Equality Policy (2021; 2023), in which BERA affirms its commitment to the equitable treatment of all people. The policy acknowledges, seeks to better understand and intends to change the structural and institutional inequities and unjust power imbalances that affect its members and the wider research community.
Paper 3 begins with the hypothesis: Cultural diversity is our greatest strength. When evaluating that idea, how do we apply education diversity within teaching and learning? Do we do it enough or are we give opportunities to Pedagogical practice is inclusive within national Programmes of Study but how do we teach diverse content to increase understandings of ethnic majority and minority issues (Vertovec, 2023)? The need to empower teachers through change and transformative practice is one way to address the complex issues that concern diversity. However, diversity training has to be lifelong and not only teaching the background and present applications of Windrush and Partition (Miah et al, 2020). Providing reflective spaces for education practitioners but informing teachers and lecturers of the possibilities and challenges of multicultural education and anti-racist pedagogy are also ways to do this. (Baptiste and Writer, 2021; Haise, in Haise and Kennedy, 2021). One of the key findings of my empirical research is awareness training within continuing professional development (Race, in Production). We need to move beyond simply promoting diversity and inclusion (Dobbin and Kalev, 2022).
(Dobbin and Kalev, 2022).
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedPaper 1 draws upon trend attainment data by ethnic background in London. Ofsted reports, the London Challenge and Local Authority good practice publications, case studies of schools, and past research, within suggested regions are examined to see what Local Authorities and Districts can do to be effective in school improvement (Demie and Mclean 2015, Wood et al 2013, Zadvadsky 2009). This study examines the factors behind the success story of the transformation of schools in London.
Paper 2 examines secondary documents, including BERA’s Race Equality Policy and Action Plan. For BERA to realise its objectives, the association has developed the action plan that contains specific targets and the means to achieve them. An analysis of the AGM documents helps us understand how well BERA is doing in relation to meeting those targets. The final methodological dimension will be a secondary analysis of five research projects commissioned through BERA’s Small Grants Fund (SGF), that have investigated empirical aspects of race and ethnicity across the education sector. These reports and subsequent virtual seminar series support BERA’s commitment to address the structural and institutional inequities and unjust power imbalances that affect the association’s members and the wider research community.
Paper 3 also examines empirical data the author’s research of interviews and questionnaires (Race, in Production). The method and theory that are applied to this work is critical race theory. The opportunity to provide Black, Asian and Mixed-Race colleagues the opportunity to reflect, talk and disseminate their experiences is important within the wider discussion on education diversity (Rollock, 2022). This is highlighted in the case studies explored in this paper. As Warner (2022) underlines, the critical race theory concept of ‘counter story’ is used to analyse the stories and make visible the way that hidden racisms can silence and disempower.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsPaper 1 shows that attainment at GCSE has risen much faster in London than nationally. There are several reasons for this, including effective school leadership, quality of teaching and learning, use of data, employment of a multi-ethnic workforce, support for ethnic minorities and EAL pupils and use of national funding. These factors and how London schools tackled inequality are discussed critically. The improvement in London is an exceptional achievement and offers a worthwhile example that policymakers nationally and internationally can learn from.
Paper 2 shows BERA as making progress towards its equality and diversity targets. BERA operates a transparent election process which achieves that balance of electing people on merit, while ensuring that the diversity profile of those elected adds to the overall profile of its governance structures. The gender profile of the people in governance roles is in a good place while the ethnic profile is improving. There is always more to do and challenges remain, as do opportunities to make BERA more truly representative of its membership.
Paper 3 concludes with what has and has not worked within diversity and professional practice. One case study reflects on opportunities through a staff support group to publish using a critical race theory methodology. The group highlighted issues of racism and professional practice and the need to find solutions to them. This led to a project, ‘Toxicity in Higher Education,’ whereby Black female academics were interviewed to allow them to reflect upon their experiences through a critical race theory lens. The work answers the questions: how can we change and transform professional practice to make it more culturally diverse within education? How can critical race theory be applied to increase understanding of educationally diverse issues? What are the future education research agendas which will promote diversity issues?
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