SRHE Newer Researchers Conference

1. Embedding Quantitative Methods by Stealth
Experiences of an undergraduate learning and teaching enhancement project Andrew Gunn
Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law
Andrew Gunn  SRHE Newer Researchers Conference  Celtic Manor  December 2014  a.s.gunn@leeds.ac.uk
The research underpinning these new initiatives identifies the most significant problem being how students feel alienated by the lack of clear connections between quantitative approaches and the subject knowledge they encounter in the rest of their degree. This has resulted in a policy consensus that advocates that “quantitative methods are taught more effectively when embedded within the wider undergraduate degree course, allowing students to understand the context for, and application of, the methodology” (British Academy, 2012 p.4).
The attention paid towards quantitative methods in the social sciences has increased significantly in recent years. A wide range of reports and initiatives (Nuffield Foundation, 2013; British Academy, 2012; MacInnes, 2010) identify the urgent need to address the low level of quantitative skills among UK graduates and the unpopularity of quantitative methods teaching in UK universities. The priority placed on this issue by the government can be seen in the allocation of £19.5 million of public money over a five-year period from 2013 to develop solutions to this problem.
The project adopted a ‘quantitative methods by stealth’ approach, as the analysis of data was surreptitiously submerged into discussions based on subject knowledge.
New learning materials were developed based on the UK 2010 General Election. Content was sourced from both polling and electoral datasets and some analysis undertaken in published academic British Politics scholarship. A series of questions and activities were devised, involving hands- on data handling, to structure learning. These showed a strong and succinct connection to subject knowledge.
References
British Academy (2012) Society counts.
MacInnes, J. (2010) Proposals to support and improve the teaching of quantitative research methods at undergraduate level in the UK. Swindon: ESRC.
Nuffield Foundation (2013) Programme Background: Promoting a step- change in the quantitative skills of social science undergraduates. Nuffield Foundation, the ESRC and HEFCE.
A proposal was submitted to the HEA for a project to develop basic introductory level skills and create a positive ‘first impression’ of quantitative methods among first year Political science undergraduates. The project sought to communicate the value of quantitative analysis by showing the potential of these methods, thus stimulating interest and demonstrating their relevance. The funded project involved designing and piloting new teaching materials using active learning pedagogies to embed quantitative methods. Although the project was based on a study of psephology (electoral and polling data), many of the curriculum design issues identified have applicability to other social science subjects.
New funding streams include the Q-Step programme designed to promote a renewal in quantitative social science training.
Context
Embedding quantitative methods
Why embed quantitative methods?
The Project
The activities involved interpreting, handling, analysing and presenting data. For example:
reading data in tables with rows and columns or presented in graphs and maps; understanding data analysis as it appears in published articles; investigating if theory can be found in practice; exploring how powerful certain variables (age, gender, etc.) are in explaining voting behaviour, assessing historical trends and making a judgement and writing a statement based on data.
The new learning activities complemented existing approaches as the most effective ways to coherently embed quantitative methods into an individual class and across a modular programme were considered.
Lecture
Private time reading
Seminar
Academic
Literature
Psephology
Theory and Concepts
Large group teaching to introduce topic and equip students with relevant theories and concepts. Tutor-led didactic approaches work well for this purpose
Where to situate the active learning pedagogies and embed the quantitative methods:
Reading select academic books and journal articles to deepen student knowledge
Active learning pedagogies students explore data and trends in practice – informed by knowledge theories and concepts. Provides a different ‘hands on’ learning experience and develops different skills
Holistic Curriculum Design
Student evaluation indicated that through this approach learners:
appreciated a wider range of British Politics literature- including the role of data analysis as found in existing publications.
were more confident and competent in reading tables, maps, graphs and charts.
had greater awareness of data sources, the organisations that collect data, how quantitative evidence is used by organisations and indirectly the graduate careers requiring quantitative skills.
perceived quantitative methods as being a more useful, relevant and central part of their studies.
To embed psephology, the whole learning process and the role of more interactive, and student-centred approaches were considered. Active learning pedagogies place the student at the centre of the learning process where they are ‘active’ - as opposed to ‘passive’ - learners. Student engagement and reflection characterise active learning, which may develop academic skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
Funded by the Higher Education Academy
Principal Investigator and Grant Holder: Andrew Gunn