Case Study: Investigating the effects of cumulative factors of disadvantage
Students experiencing multiple types of disadvantage face a combination of challenges that can undermine their Higher Education chances. Australian universities have known for a long time that specific population groups face barriers to obtaining degrees and the sector is now seeking better ways to understand how students who experience more than one type of disadvantage are affected.
This research project, led by Associate Professor Wojtek Tomaszewski, aims to design and test new statistical measures that can account for the compound effects of multidimensional disadvantage on Higher Education participation and attainment. The project will generate new knowledge about how experiencing multiple types of disadvantage impacts student outcomes. This knowledge will then be applied to equip Australian universities with the tools to capture multiple disadvantage so they can design policies and practices that better respond to the complex reality of educational disadvantage and monitor their effects. (November 2020)