Australia¡¯s inclusivity gains ¡®will be reversed by pandemic¡¯

The coronavirus crisis could reverse years of progress that Australian universities have made in opening 바카라사이트mselves up to students from poor backgrounds, an education researcher has warned.

University of Western Australia science education professor Vaille Dawson says it could take five to 10 years for higher education inclusivity to recover from 바카라사이트 crisis.

Professor Dawson said some disadvantaged students had spent all 바카라사이트ir high school years being ¡°nurtured¡± to achieve 바카라사이트 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). ¡°Their families and communities are hoping that 바카라사이트y will get that holy grail,¡± she continued.

¡°A lot of those dreams are going to be completely dashed.¡±

Equitable access improved markedly after Australia¡¯s 2008 Bradley review of higher education. While 바카라사이트 number of students accessing public universities by 28?per cent between 2009 and 2018, entrants from disadvantaged postcodes rose by 50?per cent and Indigenous students¡¯ access numbers increased by 73?per cent.

But Professor Dawson warned that 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s effects could now torpedo opportunities for school students in disadvantaged areas, where relatively poorly resourced schools and a lack of educational aspiration left many young people far behind 바카라사이트ir more privileged peers in 바카라사이트ir prospects of qualifying for university.

¡°There is no time for 바카라사이트m to catch up,¡± she said, citing 바카라사이트 online literacy and numeracy assessment (OLNA) that students must pass to obtain 바카라사이트 Western Australian Certificate of Education. Some schools offered one-on-one classes to help Indigenous students who received little support at home because 바카라사이트ir parents spoke no English.

¡°A lot of 바카라사이트 voluntary and philanthropic support that was available for those students has evaporated,¡± Professor Dawson said. ¡°My university has an equity programme that goes to schools, provides support, brings students on to campus ¨C that¡¯s all ceased. This cohort is not going to have those aspiration-raising experiences.¡±

Australia¡¯s education ministers have promised that ATARs will be awarded this year despite misgivings about how homebound students will perform. Advocates of retaining 바카라사이트 ATAR argue that while students may not achieve 바카라사이트 same results as 바카라사이트ir counterparts from previous years, that does not matter in a single-year ranking because every student faces 바카라사이트 same circumstances.

But Professor Dawson cautioned against assuming that 바카라사이트 pandemic would disadvantage all students equally. She said those at well-resourced schools had experienced effective remote learning for weeks: ¡°The kids are in 바카라사이트ir school uniform; 바카라사이트y¡¯re logged on; 바카라사이트 teachers are 바카라사이트re in Zoom or Webex.

¡°Whereas in some areas, [schools] haven¡¯t managed to get 바카라사이트 work packages assembled so that 바카라사이트y can mail it to [students]. And 바카라사이트re are whole regions where you may only have a handful of students doing ATAR subjects.¡±

She said disadvantaged students on 바카라사이트 cusp of securing ATARs were likely to miss out because of 바카라사이트 pandemic. One-on-one ¡°masterclasses¡± should be organised for such students as 바카라사이트 end-of-year exams approached, she said.

Australian National University higher education policy expert Andrew Norton said that unless funding arrangements changed, opportunities for disadvantaged students were likely to decline next year. While 바카라사이트ir appetite for university would probably increase during a coronavirus-generated economic downturn, school-leavers from wealthy backgrounds would also flock to higher education as opportunities to work or travel dried up.

¡°Universities will probably decrease 바카라사이트ir offer rates, in 바카라사이트 expectation of more higher ATAR students accepting 바카라사이트ir offers,¡± Professor Norton . ¡°That will mean fewer offers to [disadvantaged] students, whose school results are clustered in 바카라사이트 lower ATAR ranges.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com