Educational Disparities Research Articles

Future of Undergraduate Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Impact of Perceived Flexibility and Attitudes on Self-Regulated Online Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning, particularly in higher education institutions. This shift underscores the importance of sustainable education practices aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 4 emphasizes inclusive and equitable quality education, highlighting how online learning environments can enhance accessibility and flexibility for students worldwide. SDG 9 underscores the role of technological advancements in education. SDG 10 focuses on reducing inequality within and among countries, and online education can bridge educational disparities by offering flexible learning options to diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. SDG 17 emphasizes the importance of partnerships, which have been crucial in developing effective online learning solutions. This study investigates the relationship between undergraduate students’ self-regulated online learning, perceived flexibility, and attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments at a state university in İzmir, Türkiye. Utilizing a survey-type correlational research model, data were collected from 300 undergraduate students. The results indicate that undergraduate students exhibit high-level self-regulation, perceive moderate flexibility, and hold positive attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments. The analysis showed that self-regulated online learning is moderately correlated with perceived flexibility and strongly correlated with attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments. These findings suggest that both perceived flexibility and positive attitudes towards the use of distance learning environments play important roles in predicting self-regulated online learning. This research provides valuable insights for educators and institutions aiming to enhance the online learning experience by promoting self-regulated learning behaviors and flexible learning environments.

Leveraging Patient Education to Amplify Colorectal Cancer Screening in the United States: Strategies and Implications.

Despite several available screening modalities, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer deaths, especially among populations with lower screening rates. Barriers to screening include cost, access, awareness, and education disparities, with interventions such as patient education programs and mailed screening kits showing promise in increasing participation rates. The current review elucidates the correlation between patient awareness/knowledge and screening rates in the United States, highlighting the pivotal role of education in mitigating these deficiencies. Different educational models, including online resources, mailed information, community programs, direct provider-based interventions, and narratives, are explored in terms of their effectiveness and limitations. We also offer a blueprint for primary care providers (PCPs) that highlights the importance of tailored education, barrier identification, and utilization of available resources to enhance CRC screening uptake. Large-scale adoption of educational strategies has the potential to significantly increase CRC screening rates and consequently reduce mortality associated with this preventable malignancy.

BRIDGING THE GAP: EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE EDUCATION GAPS THROUGH INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN RURAL AREAS

This study intends to explore the efforts to minimize the education gap between urban and rural areas through the implementation of inclusive education. This research uses qualitative methods with an oncoming literature study which is carried out to gain information from various literature sources that are relevant to the issue of inclusive education and educational disparity. The results show that inclusive education has the potential to address existing educational disparities between urban and rural areas. Inclusive education, by prioritizing the accessibility and participation of students with diverse backgrounds and needs, is an approach that promotes equity in education. Collaboration of various stakeholders such as the government, educational institutions, and local communities is important to support the implementation of inclusive education and overcome obstacles faced by students in rural areas. This research offers a foundation for policy recommendations and obvious actions to optimize the implementation of inclusive education as a concrete effort to bridge the education gap.

Minority language use in teaching: ethnic minority teachers’ perspectives in Southwest China

ABSTRACT While previous research has emphasised the crucial role of multilingualism in supporting language minority students’ schooling experiences, little is known about the perspectives of teachers from minoritised backgrounds regarding their encounters with and responses to linguistic diversity in education. This article employs in-depth interviews to investigate ethnic minority teachers’ perceptions regarding minority language use in their multicultural and multilingual educational settings in southwest China. Thematic analysis was applied to identify the main themes across the narratives from 12 ethnic minority teacher participants. The findings show that teachers believed ethnic minority language use contributes to teaching ethnic minority students and interacting with ethnic minority parents. However, teachers held a deficit thinking of minority languages when it came to improving students’ Chinese proficiency and school success. Moreover, teachers believed their ethnic minority status does not necessarily play a role in teaching. Instead, sharing the same languages with ethnic minority students could benefit teaching, which is different from the prior studies concluding that sharing the same ethnic background as the students contributes to the reduction of ethnic disparities in education.

Removing barriers to registration for early childhood development centres

Background: Early childhood development (ECD) centres play a crucial role in children’s well-being. Multifaceted obstacles hinder ECD centres registration. Overcoming these challenges demands a multisectoral approach to ensure quality education for all children.Aim: This study provides an overview of the quality of ECD centres in South Africa, and then focusses on the specific obstacles ECD centres face in registering their centres with the Department of Social Development (DSD).Setting: An ECD census was conducted in nine South African provinces.Methods: This study analysed data from the South Africa ECD Census (2021). The sample size was 42 420; however, this study analysed data for 39 375 for centres who responded to whether they were registered with the DSD across all South Africa’s nine provinces. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Only 16% of ECD centres were in the formal registration process, while 43% were not registered. Barriers included no bank account, a lack of separate classes, and insufficient staff. In multivariate analysis, the absence of a bank account strongly predicted registration barriers (RRR 4.21; CI 6.37–7.62, p 0.05).Conclusion: This study underscores the critical role of ECD centres in shaping the foundational aspects of children’s lives. There is an urgent need to streamline the ECD registration process.Contribution: The study finds 43% of childcare centres were unregistered, supporting the call for simplified registration to improve access to quality education and reduce educational disparities in South Africa.

Exploring the factors informing educational inequality in higher education: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT This systematic literature review explores the factors influencing educational inequality in higher education across diverse global contexts. The study reveals the systemic nature of disparities rooted in the cyclical relationship between poverty and educational inequalities, particularly in relation to access to higher education. Six key factors – socioeconomic status, parental education, ethnicity, previous schooling experiences, gender, and geographical location – constitute an intricate web of intersecting influences. These factors necessitate adaptive policy solutions to address the multifaceted challenges. The review underscores the cultural and societal impact on educational disparities in accessing further study, emphasising the need for policies that challenge ingrained prejudices and foster inclusivity. The analysis highlights the global nature of disparities while emphasising the importance of locally informed and contextual specific solutions. In conclusion, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the nuanced dynamics of educational inequality in accessing higher education, offering insights for researchers and policymakers alike.

How Integrating the 5 Pillars of Community Practice Can Transform Physical Therapist Education and Reduce Health Disparities.

Patient history assists clinicians in determining the most appropriate tests to identify the symptoms' source and select appropriate interventions. Therefore, a subjective history is an essential component of patient management. When physical therapist practitioners transition into academia, they must understand how the history of the education system may affect learners. Health disparities are related to the lack of workforce diversity and skills in cultural responsiveness, and the education system is critical in addressing the impact of future providers on health disparities. Developing a doctor of physical therapy program to address health disparities requires an analysis of the historical context of the US educational and health care systems, along with traditional components of physical therapist education. This country's education system was built upon a 2-tiered system, where minoritized individuals struggled to overcome barriers imposed by legislation and societal beliefs. Jim Crow laws continued this unequal access to education, and the recent Supreme Court ruling to deny race-based affirmative action continues these inequities. This historical context informed the construction of the College of Saint Mary Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. The program's mission led to using less traditional educational approaches; thus, the pillars of practice took form. The 5 pillars evolved to include social determinants, inclusive faculty and student recruitment and retention practices, equitable grading, culturally responsive pedagogy, and community development. The purpose of this paper is to present a historical overview of the US education system and its influence on physical therapist education. Furthermore, it will illustrate how this historical context inspired the 5 Pillars of Community Practice from College of Saint Mary and discuss the challenges and interventions related to these pillars. There are tremendous disparities in educational outcomes and patient services in the United States. Disparities are most significant in those with historically marginalized identities. If those disparities are to improve, a change is required in the people providing care to patients. The best way to accomplish this is by transforming how future providers are educated.

What causes social class disparities in education? The role of the mismatches between academic contexts and working-class socialization contexts and how the effects of these mismatches are explained.

Within psychology, the underachievement of students from working-class backgrounds has often been explained as a product of individual characteristics such as a lack of intelligence or motivation. Here, we propose an integrated model illustrating how educational contexts contribute to social class disparities in education over and beyond individual characteristics. According to this new Social Class-Academic Contexts Mismatch model, social class disparities in education are due to several mismatches between the experiences that students from working-class backgrounds bring with them to the classroom and those valued in academic contexts-specifically, mismatches between (a) academic contexts' culture of independence and the working-class orientation to interdependence, (b) academic contexts' culture of competition and the working-class orientation toward cooperation, (c) the knowledge valued in academic contexts and the knowledge developed through working-class socialization, and (d) the social identities valued in academic contexts and the negatively stereotyped social identities of students from working-class backgrounds. Because of these mismatches, students from working-class backgrounds are likely to experience discomfort and difficulty in the classroom. We further propose that, when attempting to make sense of these first-order effects, students and teachers rely on inherent characteristics (e.g., ability, motivation) more often than warranted; conversely, they overlook extrinsic, contextual factors. In turn, this explanatory bias toward inherent features leads (a) students from working-class backgrounds to experience self-threat and (b) their teachers to treat them unfairly. These second-order effects magnify social class disparities in education. This integrated model has the potential to reshape research and discourse on social class and education. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Severity of child neglect among acutely poisoned children in Egypt.

Child abuse and neglect pose significant public health challenges, contributing to compromised development and adverse health outcomes. Neglect is the most frequent type of child abuse, presenting substantial challenges for paediatricians. To identify types of neglect associated with poisoned children, analyse potential risk factors and develop a novel severity scoring system to assess child neglect in Alexandria, Egypt. Using a simple random sampling technique, with an observational checklist we collected data on children aged 2 months to 17 years admitted for poisoning at the poison centre of Alexandria Main University Hospital from October to December 2022. We analysed the data using SPSS version 20.0 and tested the associations between neglect score and child data, current condition and carer data using the χ2 test, the Monte Carlo simulation and Fisher's exact P. The study enrolled 147 children, male-to-female ratio 1:1.17. Pesticides were the most common cause of poisoning. Lack of supervision was noted in 83% of cases and the neglect severity score showed that 27.9% of the children experienced severe neglect. There was significant association between severity of neglect and caregiver's education level and between severity of neglect and child's residence; severe neglect cases were significantly higher among children whose caregivers had no formal education (70.7%) and among those from rural areas (61%). These findings highlight the critical need to address educational disparities among caregivers and improve supervision for children, especially in rural areas.

Artificial Intelligence in Education World: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Research Recommendations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various aspects of life, including education. AI in education (AIEd) fosters teachers' understanding of students' learning processes, offers personalized and adaptive learning, and provides instantaneous feedback. It has the potential to improve academic performance and reduce educational disparities. This study aims to engage researchers, policymakers, teachers, students, and engineers in a dialogue about AIEd. It provides an overview of studies on opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for future research, focusing on specific educational outcomes. A comprehensive perspective is needed to understand the function of AIEd. This research utilizes bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review to analyze AIEd, presenting results as a specific bibliometric network using the VOSviewer tool. Research findings that AIEd-based environments are enhancing student learning, but their personalized learning is still in its experimental stage. Challenges include a lack of resources and ethical concerns. AI chatbots and interactive books aid language learning, but they also have advantages and disadvantages. The humanities must balance these advantages and disadvantages.

Unravelling colonial education: from Dazzling White to Deliberately Decolonised and supporting the case for Indigenous universities

ABSTRACT Western universities continue to produce ethnic inequities in educational outcomes within settler colonial contexts. Juxtaposed are Indigenous and tribal universities, producing thousands of graduates despite a challenging environment. This conceptual paper critically examines teaching practices to encourage reflection and action from white and/or racialised teachers. Drawing on the lived experiences of Indigenous and non-Indigenous teachers from Aotearoa, Australia, and the United States, this paper articulates a double spiral of teaching practice drawing on anecdotal and research evidence. The spiral spins, forward and back, from Dazzling White to Off-White Aspirations, Culturally Safe, Intentionally Anti-Racist to Deliberately Decolonised. We use the holistic measurement of what one may feel, hear, and see in these classrooms to illustrate the dimensions. To address educational disparities in Western academia, we encourage non-Indigenous educators to develop their racial literacy. Furthermore, we support the recognition and investment in Indigenous universities where Indigenous peoples are more likely to thrive.

Critical school finance: special volume commentary

ABSTRACT This collection of papers in this special volume explains how school funding policies and community policies perpetuate racial and socioeconomic inequities in the United States, Canada, and Australia. These papers highlight two important research themes in school finance that have been missing: (a) the role that race plays in creating enduring educational funding disparities and by extension school facilities; and (b) the danger that privatisation poses for meeting the resource needs of less affluent and minoritised communities. This commentary explains how these papers contribute to the burgeoning field of critical school finance.

Co‐creating an equality diversity and inclusion learning analytics dashboard for addressing awarding gaps in higher education

AbstractEducational outcomes from traditionally underrepresented groups are generally worse than for their more advantaged peers. This problem is typically known as the awarding gap (we use the term awarding gap over ‘attainment gap’ as attainment places the responsibility on students to attain at equal levels) and continues to pose a challenge for educational systems across the world. While Learning Analytics (LA) dashboards help identify patterns contributing to the awarding gap, they often lack stakeholder involvement, offering very little support to institutional Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) leads or educators to pinpoint and address these gaps. This paper introduces an innovative EDI LA dashboard, co‐created with diverse stakeholders. Rigorously evaluated, the dashboard provides fine‐grained insights and course‐level analysis, empowering institutions to effectively address awarding gaps and contribute to a diverse and inclusive higher education landscape. Practitioners notesWhat is already known about this topic Traditionally underrepresented groups face educational disparities, commonly known as the awarding gap. Underachievement is a complex multi‐dimensional problem and cannot be solely attributable to individual student deficiencies. LA dashboards targeting this specific problem are often not public, there is little research about them, and are frequently designed with little involvement of educational stakeholders. What this paper adds Pioneers the introduction of a dashboard specifically designed to address the awarding gap problem. Emphasises the significant data needs of educational stakeholders in tackling awarding gaps. Expands the design dimensions of Learning Analytics (LA) by introducing a specific design approach rooted in established user experience (UX) design methods. Implications for practice and/or policy Insights from this study will guide practitioners, designers, and developers in creating AI‐based educational systems to effectively target the awarding gap problem.

Inequality in the shadow: The role of private tutoring in SES achievement gaps

Despite the rapid growth of private tutoring, previous studies have not systematically addressed its implications for socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in education, as they have only separately examined differential access to and the effects of private tutoring. This study directly estimates the causal contribution of private tutoring to SES disparities in educational achievement and cognitive ability among Chinese middle school students. Using nationally representative longitudinal data and a novel gap-closing approach, we find that unequal access to private tutoring does not uniformally result in significant learning gaps between high- and low-SES students. When comparing disadvantaged students with their most socioeconomically advantaged peers, we find that the proportions of SES disparities attributed to differences in participation in and intensity of private tutoring increase with these differences. These findings have important policy implications for reducing SES disparities in learning outcomes.

Gender disparities in rural teacher education and empowerment in Western China

Gender disparities in rural teacher education and empowerment in Western China

Assessing Emotional Intelligence among Dental Undergraduate Students: An Institutional Insight from Western India in the Postpandemic Context

Abstract Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a pivotal role in academic success, especially in challenging fields such as dentistry. The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized education, necessitating a fresh examination of EI among dental students in the postpandemic era. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved undergraduate dental students and employed a structured questionnaire comprising 21 questions to assess EI, gather demographic data, and explore learning behaviors. The gathered data underwent rigorous statistical analysis using SPSS, including Chi-square tests. Results: Among the 525 students, 168 participated, representing a 32% response rate. Notably, the majority of respondents were female (67%) and exhibited EI scores predominantly in the moderate range. Significantly, the study revealed noteworthy correlations between EI and family income (P = 0.03*) and study hours (P = 0.00*). However, no substantial link was identified between EI and work completion behavior. Discussion: This study illuminates the intricate relationship between EI, socioeconomic factors, and study habits within the context of dental education. It implies that greater family income and increased study hours positively influence EI. The practical implications extend to tailored EI programs and addressing educational disparities. Conclusion: This study significantly advances our comprehension of EI among dental students. It underscores the relevance of EI in dental education and advocates for equitable educational strategies in a post-COVID landscape.

A systematic review of artificial intelligence in mathematics education: The emergence of 4IR

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in mathematics education, focusing on its implications in the 4<sup>th</sup> Industrial Revolution (4IR) era. Through a comprehensive analysis of 10 relevant studies in Scopus and Google Scholar from 2015 to 2023, this review identifies the research methods, research instruments, participants, and AI tools used in mathematics education. Some key ideas include using AI-driven personalized learning and enhanced mathematics instruction, real-time assessment and feedback, curriculum development, and empowering educators, which were highlighted. The study aligns with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Based on the analysis, most studies reviewed utilized qualitative research methods. The study indicates that questionnaires were mainly used to gather data from students and teachers who were the most significant participants in the reviewed papers. Further results revealed that ChatGPT were the primary AI tool used in mathematics education, among other AI tools, as identified in this review. Additionally, this review discusses the transformative potential of AI in addressing educational disparities and preparing learners for the demands of 4IR.

The American Dream, the Dream of America

The American Dream has long been a symbol of hope and opportunity for individuals seeking a better life in the United States. This dream encompasses the belief that anyone, regardless of their background or social status, can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. It is a driving force behind the founding principles of the nation and has inspired generations of immigrants and citizens alike. Through The Dream of America anyone can achieve their goals and create a better future for themselves and their loved ones. Throughout history, the American Dream has been a central theme in literature, art, and popular culture. It has been depicted as the ultimate goal to strive for, the beacon of hope in times of hardship, and the driving force behind countless success stories. The Dream of America has been a source of inspiration for millions of people around the world, who see the United States as a land of opportunity and a place where dreams can become reality. However, the American Dream is not without its critics. Many argue that it is an unattainable ideal that perpetuates inequality and social division. They point to the disparities in wealth, education, and opportunity that exist in American society and argue that the Dream of America is nothing more than a myth designed to keep people striving for an unattainable goal.

Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection among People Living with HIV/AIDS Attending Specialist Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria

Study’s Novelty/Excerpt This study assesses HIV/HCV coinfection and associated risk factors among patients at Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, highlighting the seroprevalence of HCV among HIV/AIDS reactive individuals. The novelty lies in its detailed demographic analysis, revealing significant age, gender, tribal, educational, and occupational disparities, with a notably high seropositivity among people who inject drugs. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted HCV screening and intervention strategies in HIV/AIDS patients, particularly in demographic subgroups identified as having higher seroprevalence, to improve early diagnosis and management. Full Abstract The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a large healthcare burden. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and HCV coinfection are major global health concerns worldwide. This study aimed to assess the HIV/HCV coinfection and the potential risk factors among people attending Specialist Hospital, Sokoto. A cross-sectional seroprevalence survey of HCV infection was carried out on 77 HIV/AIDS reactive subjects attending Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, from 30th March 2021 to 4th May 2021. Serum samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies using immunochromatographic test. Of the 77 study participants, the overall anti-HCV antibody prevalence was 5.2%. The 36-40 age group revealed the highest seropositivity of 18.18%, followed by 51-55 years (14.29%) and the least (11.11%) among 26-30 years. Females had the highest seropositivity of 6.25% and males least (3.45%). The highest seropositivity was seen among the Hausa tribe (7.14%), while the least in Fulani (5.56%). The highest seropositivity was recorded among people with no formal education (6.82%), while people with formal education had the least (5.88%). The highest seropositivity was seen in self-employed individuals (6.52%) regarding occupational status, while employed individuals had the least (4.17%). Married individuals had the highest seropositivity of 7.69%, while the divorced and widow/widower had 5.26% and 4.76% respectively. People who injected drugs recorded the highest seropositivity of 33.33%, with multiple sex partners at 6.90%, while people who shared sharp objects had the least (6.67%). There were no significant differences statistically in HCV seroprevalence among the different age categories, gender, tribe, education, occupation, marital and risk factors (p>0.05). The HCV prevalence rate (5.8%) observed in this study underscored the need to intensify HCV screening among people living with HIV/AIDS for early diagnosis and management of cases.

Bibliometric Analysis of Key Findings in Studies on Gender Disparities in Education and Employment

This study employs bibliometric analysis to explore the evolving landscape of research on gender disparities in education and employment from 1985 to 2024. Utilizing VOSviewer for data visualization, we identified key thematic clusters, analyzed trends over years, and pinpointed less-researched areas that present opportunities for further inquiry. Our findings revealed that while traditional topics like wage disparities and labor market participation continue to dominate the research, newer areas such as the impact of global events (e.g., COVID-19) and intersectional identities on gender inequalities are gaining prominence. Notably, the analysis highlighted significant gaps in research related to poverty, household dynamics, and health care's role in gender disparities. These findings suggest a need for a more nuanced exploration of how gender disparities affect various socioeconomic outcomes and call for targeted research efforts in underexplored areas to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.