Representation In Higher Education Research Articles

EMANCIPATORY PEDAGOGY IN GERONTOLOGICAL SPACES

Abstract Awareness of the field of gerontology has been bolstered by increased training and education programs and other critical pedagogies in several disciplines in higher education. Public and philanthropic initiatives have also supported the development of scholars and researchers in this field (Gross & Eshbaugh, 2011; Merz et al., 2017; Snyder, Wesley, Lin & May, 2008; Wesley, 2005). Furthermore, research notes that incorporating experiences of LGBTQ+ older adults in gerontological spaces can help to address a lack of representation in higher education and provide critical training to support LGBTQ+ older adults (Lipinski, Wilson, Kortes-Miller & Stinchcombe, 2022; Smith, Altman, Meeks & Hinrichs, 2019). This symposium aims to discuss critical pedagogies and emancipatory gerontology in higher education through an intersectional lens. We aim to address the question, where do critical pedagogies flourish, where are they needed, and in what ways? Presenters discuss multiple aspects of this question, describing the ways in which access is a critical component of emancipatory pedagogies, including 1) how we learn and teach abolitionist gerontology in interdisciplinary spaces 2) confronting ableism and ageism in gerontological spaces as part of intergenerational pedagogical praxis and 3) highlighting the need for LGBTQ+ aging education in curricula by discussing a student-led “queering gerontology” campaign with tangible outcomes.

Representation in Higher Education: Diversity, Evenness and Inequality among Communities of Scheduled Castes of Selected States in India

The present research attempts to understand the fair representation of communities in scheduled castes (SCs) with educational achievement graduates and above in selected states of India. Diversity, Evenness and Inequality are examined by applying the indices Shannon-Weinner diversity, Buzas and Gibson evenness, and Theil inequality. We analysed census 2011 data comprising all graduates in the age group 20–24 years of age. Analysis of the Shannon diversity index affirms that not all the communities of SCs are equitably represented with education level graduation and above. The study illustrates that only a few communities with huge populations have education level attainment of graduates and above. Whereas the communities with smaller populations are underrepresented, and in some communities, the representation is nil. This corroborates the importance of identifying communities that are still underrepresented even after implementing affirmative action. The Shannon-winner index assessment indicates that the level of diversification across the communities within SCs of selected states does not differ. Further comparison of the quintessential value of and the perfect value of diversification by community’s attainment in education level graduates and above reveals discrepancy and was the highest in the state of Tamil Nadu, with a differing value of 2.5, and the least in the state of Punjab, with a value of 1.6. The first step of the investigation identified the least diversification, lack of evenness, and inequalities between the communities of SCs by representation in education level graduate and above in the selected states of India. Hence, prioritizing rarely represented communities needs immediate attention.

Столкновение традиционного и нового: гендерное равенство в системе высшего образования Южной Кореи

This study examined the idea of gender equality in higher education in non-Western countries using the example of South Korea. As a result of globalization, there is a conflict of traditional values and Western ideas (for example gender equality issues), even in countries with stable cultural traditions. The main purpose of this study is to identify the gender-related challenges in higher education that are relevant to Korean society. Moreover, it is important to find out the ways how Korean society meet the challenge. In order to achieve this goal, the discourse analysis was chosen in poststructuralist interpretation. The authors also use gender stereotyping analysis in advertising to assess the situation of women representation in higher education in the Republic of Korea. The reason of this analysis is the fact that in advertising there is the most common and recognizable view on representation of women in different spheres and on traditional “female” gender role which do not include the necessity of higher education and career success. The achievement of gender equality in higher education in South Korea has been an important part of public policy over the past 30 years. The article addresses issues such as accessibility of higher education for men and women, the women’s realization of their education in the labor market and the professional employment of women in higher education.

Exploring interest intermediation in Central and Eastern Europe: is higher education different?

Higher education interest groups remain somewhat understudied from a comparative theory-driven perspective. This is surprising because political decisions regarding higher education must increasingly be legitimized to students, taxpayers, the academic community and society. This article aims to advance our understanding of higher education stakeholders in post-communist Europe. In our view, the region deserves more attention, not least because students and academics were very instrumental in bringing down communism and institutionalizing democracy. First, we draw on Klemenčič’s (EJHE 2(1): 2–19, 2012; SHE 39(3):396–411, 2014) distinction between corporatist and pluralist as well as formalized and informal systems of representation in higher education. Looking at survey data from four countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia—we examine to what extent post-communist democracies have established corporatist institutions to facilitate the formal participation of various crucial stakeholder organizations, e.g. students’ unions, academic unions, rectors’ conferences, etc. Then we address whether higher education organizations enjoy privileged access to policy-makers compared to those from other policy areas, while engaging with the argument that higher education is a particular case of “stakeholder democracy” in a region otherwise characterized by weak civic participation and corporatism. To wrap up, we discuss different “mutations of higher education corporatism” in each country.

On the front foot: Indigenous leadership in Aotearoa/New Zealand higher education

ABSTRACT Despite increasing representation in higher education, Māori leaders are still seeking to overcome historical inequities and racial discrimination. This study investigates the circumstances of Māori leadership in higher education from a strength-based standpoint, highlighting the critical role Māori academics fulfil in senior leadership positions in Aotearoa/New Zealand universities by exploring Māori perceptions of the scope, influence and challenges of their senior leadership roles. These perceptions are described by five participants in the study and supported by literature predominantly authored by Māori academics. The qualitative study is underpinned by Political Race Theory, linking race and power at the individual level as well as at the institutional level. Findings give voice to senior leaders’ answers to the critical question: how can Indigenous leadership secure sustainable, transformative change in Aotearoa/New Zealand universities. The response to this question is underscored by the notion of shifting leadership positioning from the back-foot reactive politics to a front-foot status of strategic and transformative leadership. Reporting on Stage Five of an Australian project – Walan Mayiny: Indigenous Leadership in Higher Education, this study is the second in a series of three international case studies investigating Indigenous leadership in higher education.

Intersectionality and equity: Dynamic bureaucratic representation in higher education

AbstractRepresentative bureaucracy scholarship has yet to address two interrelated phenomena: intersectionality and changes in relative disadvantage over time. This manuscript addresses these gaps by assessing representation effects at the intersection of race/ethnicity and sex and in previously, but no longer, disadvantaged client groups. It also argues that if bureaucratic representation is viewed as a quest for equity, then representation will decline as disadvantaged client groups approach equity in policy outcomes. Using panel data for US higher education, this study highlights the importance of intersectional representation in bureaucratic organizations. In three of the four race/ethnic/sex combinations, students perform better in the presence of faculty who match them intersectionally (in the fourth case, race but not sex matters). The empirical results also find that as a formerly disadvantaged client group (women) becomes successful within an organization, the active representation relationship declines. These implications inform future representative bureaucracy scholarship examining intersectional groups.

Partisanship, White Racial Resentment, and State Support for Higher Education

ABSTRACT Dominant explanations of state higher education policy tend to emphasize economic models that foreground the business cycle or political approaches that cast ideology as fairly fixed. We instead foreground changing social context to conceptualize state appropriations as predicted not only by these classic explanations, but also by the interplay of racial representation and political party control. Drawing on the racial backlash hypothesis and quantitative analyses, we show that party control of state government and racial representation in higher education jointly explain state appropriations. Unified Republican governments spent more than Democratic or divided governments when White students were overrepresented. Republicans spent less otherwise. These results suggest that partisan attitudes toward racial representation in higher education may shape state government support for colleges and universities.

Gender Disparities at Higher Education in Kenya: A Case of Moi University

The purpose of this study was to understand the gender representation in higher education in Kenya, particularly at the Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya. The study was carried out in the 1995/96 academic year and focused on selected faculties and schools in regard to gender disparities in University enrolment at undergraduate level. Proportionate random sampling technique was employed in identifying the respondents to this study. The questionnaire and document analysis guide were the key instruments used in this study. For secondary data, the study used Document Analysis Guide which was used to collect data from the university authorities and the Ministry of Education Statistics Division and number of candidates who sat for Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education in the years 1990-93. Primary data was collected by questionnaires. The questionnaire return rate was 70%. This return rate was therefore considered sufficient to provide the required information. Data from the questionnaire and the Document Analysis Guide were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Gender representation data was analysed per faculty. Findings from the study indicated revealed that female student enrolment at Moi University is quite low compared to male enrolment. The most affected faculties are Wildlife Management and Technology and Forestry Resources represented by 6.38% and 13.4% respectively. Other Science based courses had at least more than 20% of the female student representation. Even in the arts based faculties, parity is far from being achieved. This calls for concerted efforts to increase the female student enrolment at the university level in Kenya particularly in the fields of Science and Technology.

Overeducation and the gender pay gap in Italy

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the pivotal role of overeducation in explaining the unexplained part of the gender pay gap (GPG), i.e. the component usually attributed to gender discrimination in the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a large Italian data set (ISFOL PLUS 2005–2014) to estimate the GPG among properly educated and overeducated workers. The model simultaneously accounts for both participation bias and endogeneity bias by applying an extension of the Heckman’s two-stage procedure.FindingsEstimates show that the GPG is significantly higher among overeducated than among properly educated workers because women’s unobservable characteristics driving female employment into overeducation also drag down female wages more than men’s unobservable characteristics drag down male wages. Correcting for the participation and overeducation decisions, the unexplained portion of the GPG disappears among overeducated workers, while it remains significant among properly educated individuals.Originality/valueThe authors draw the conclusion that overeducation is, first, a first-best matching for individuals (both men and women) compensating with more education for their lower productive characteristics. Second, it may be a signaling device for women spending their useless-for-the-job diploma to inform employers on their valuable though unobservable productive characteristics and fight gender wage discrimination. The results favor education as a tool of counteracting gender discrimination. Hence, as females are less overeducated than males despite their larger representation in higher education, there should not be concern that expanding higher education will disadvantage females.

The changing demography of academic staff at higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa

In this work, we contribute to the debate on the transformation of higher education institutions (HEIs) in post-apartheid South Africa by examining the changing demography of academic staff bodies at 25 South African HEIs from 2005 to 2015. We use empirical data to provide initial insights into the changing racial profiles of academic staff bodies across age, gender and rank and then summarise our findings into a transformation ‘scorecard’ which provides an indication of how all racial groups in the country are performing in terms of their representation in higher education. Initial results indicate that most academics in South Africa are middle-aged (between 35 and 54) but an ageing trend is evident, particularly among white academics. In terms of gender, males marginally outnumber females, although we estimate an equitable distribution to be attained within the next 5 years. Significantly, the data indicate that there is an upwards trajectory of black African academics across all rankings from 2005 to 2015 and a concomitant downward trajectory of white academics across all rankings. Both Indian and coloured academics most closely represent their national population representation. Our transformation ‘scorecard’ indicates that the demography of academic staff at higher education institutions in South Africa is changing and will continue to change in the future, particularly within the next 20 years if current trends continue.

Diversity Leadership in Higher Education

This paper discusses the issues and challenges associated with diversity leadership initiatives currently inplace within institutions of higher learning. The writer will address qualities associated with effectivetransformational leadership in higher education and how those abilities can positively affect an institution'sdesire to build a diverse faculty. Topics discussed include the debate over the lack of qualified doctoralcandidates of color for higher education employment and developing institutional strategic plans andinitiatives for diversity faculty leadership agendas. In addition, the writer will discuss faculty diversificationefforts that have been successful with Asian- Americans and Anglo- American women, yet, these sameinitiatives continue to underrepresent Hispanic, African- American, and Native American groups. Finally,the writer will analyze the lack of diversity representation in higher education and how institutions canfoster, develop, search, and hire accomplished women and individuals of color.

The River of Learning: building relationships in a university, school and community Indigenous widening participation collaboration

ABSTRACTIn this article, findings of a qualitative study of an Indigenous widening participation program are presented. The program, River of Learning, has been in existence since 2010 and represents a powerful collaboration between a rural high school in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, a metropolitan university, Indigenous Elders and non-Indigenous community members. An analysis of the narrative data generated through individual and group interviews with stakeholders provided findings with respect to the program including how it has contributed to the building and strengthening of university and community relationships and how important the interaction with Indigenous Elders and school and university staff is in development of confidence to engage in higher education in the Indigenous students. These findings are discussed and the article concludes with reflections on the learnings generated through such university, school and community collaborations and what these may mean in ensuring greater Indigenous representation in higher education in Australia in the future.

Teaching Australian Aboriginal higher education students: what should universities do?

This paper reports findings from a recent study of Australian Aboriginal higher education student experience. Reported here are extracts from a set of case studies of staff, specifically those working in Indigenous Centres, involved with these students in both teaching and support capacities. These participants provided a rich set of qualitative data regarding their own experiences in the learning and teaching of Australian Aboriginal students. The paper raises important issues for the improvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university student experience and for increasing their representation in higher education, a strategy strongly supported by several current government initiatives. Best practice in the context of this paper not only includes teaching and learning, which in turn has implications for raising the awareness of university teaching staff, but also applies more broadly at the level of university-wide responsibility including policy-making and future directions.

Gendered patterns in international research collaborations in academia

Although women's representation in higher education nears parity with men at the undergraduate level, this representation diminishes as one ascends the academic ranks. Because gender gaps in the ‘elite’ activity of international research collaborations might contribute to the underrepresentation of women in the upper ranks, we ask if gender differences exist in participation in international collaborations and if family responsibilities constitute a glass fence – a gendered obstacle that keeps women from this engagement. Using an international data set, we find that women engage less in international collaborations than men, and that complex gendered patterns exist regarding the impacts of partner employment status and children. Both men and women benefit from having an academic partner, although men benefit more. Partner employment status matters more than children in certain family arrangements, suggesting that the former constitutes a glass fence, potentially impacting women's access to cutting-edge international knowledge production and elite academic positions.

Trends in GRE scores and graduate enrollments by gender and ethnicity

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a cognitive abilities test that predicts success in graduate training (Kuncel & Hezlett, 2007; Kuncel, Hezlett, & Ones, 2001; Kuncel, Wee, Serafin, & Hezlett, 2010). Because of its reliability, validity, and predictive utility, it is used by many graduate schools to inform admissions decisions. However, some critics describe the GRE as a gatekeeper that limits equitable access across groups to higher education (Dutka, 1999; Pruitt, 1998; Toyama, 1999). We explored how scores on the GRE have fared over time as a function of test-taker gender and ethnicity, and we investigated whether enrollment patterns over time implicate the GRE as obstructing efforts toward increasing parity in higher education. First, we found that the gap between men's and women's GRE quantitative reasoning scores has changed little since the 1980s, although female representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduate programs has increased substantially. Second, ethnic gaps on the GRE persist, especially in quantitative reasoning, although representation of historically disadvantaged ethnic groups in graduate programs has increased. Enrollment gaps have narrowed despite ethnic and gender GRE gaps persisting, so it appears that continued use of the GRE for admissions decisions has not blocked efforts toward equalizing representation in higher education.

A measurement perspective on affirmative action in U.S. medical education

BackgroundThe U.S. Supreme Court has recently heard another affirmative action case, and similar programs to promote equitable representation in higher education are being debated and enacted around the world. Understanding the empirical and quantitative research conducted over the last 50 years is important in designing effective and fair initiatives related to affirmative action in medical education. Unfortunately, the quantitative measurement research relevant to affirmative action is poorly documented in the scholarly journals that serve medical education.MethodsThis research organizes and documents the measurement literature relevant to enacting affirmative action within the medical school environment, and should be valuable for informing future actions. It provides summaries of those areas where the research evidence is strong and highlights areas where more research evidence is needed. To structure the presentation, 10 topic areas are identified in the form of research questions.ResultsMeasurement evidence related to these questions is reviewed and summarized to provide evidence-based answers.ConclusionsThese answers should provide a useful foundation for making important decisions regarding the use of racial diversity initiatives in medical education.

Behind the veil: an exploratory study of the myths and realities of women in the Iranian workforce

Despite significant advancements, women executives and professionals have continued to complain about the existence of a glass ceiling in the UK, the USA, Canada and other countries that espouse equal employment opportunities. Little is known about the role and plight of women in the workforce in Islamic countries. In general, Western societies perceive the participation of women in the workforce and their upward career mobility as very limited in Islamic societies. This article seeks to address this limitation in the field by unravelling some of the myths and realities pertaining to women in the Iranian labour force. Based on interviews with 12 Iranians, reality checks were performed on five widely held perceptions of the status of women in Iran, including women's participation in the labour force, appointment to managerial/professional positions, representation in higher education, segregation in the workplace, and Islam's attitude towards non‐Muslims. These issues are discussed in the contexts of foreign direct investment in Iran and other Islamic countries. Implications for international human resource management, including the assignment of women expatriates to Iran and other Islamic nations, are also addressed.

Affirmative Action and Percent Plans as Alternatives for Increasing Successful Participation of Minorities in Higher Education

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grutter decision, universities must now make the judgment that student diversity is essential to their educational mission. This article examines the prospects for increasing Latino representation in higher education in this post- Grutter era. The article further explores the effect of affirmative action plans and the Top 10% plan in higher education admissions on Latino students.

Affirmative Action, Diversity, and the Politics of Representation in Higher Education

Affirmative Action, Diversity, and the Politics of Representation in Higher Education

Affirmative Action, Diversity, and the Politics of Representation in Higher Education

Affirmative Action, Diversity, and the Politics of Representation in Higher Education