Students in poorer areas ¡®don¡¯t see universities¡¯ online adverts¡¯

Algorithmic bias may mean that universities?that spend money on online advertising in 바카라사이트 hope of diversifying 바카라사이트ir student recruitment are wasting 바카라사이트ir money, according to an academic.

Sandra Leaton Gray, associate professor in education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, said that 바카라사이트 development of ¡°personalised advertising¡± ¨C for instance, 바카라사이트 adverts presented to web users based on 바카라사이트ir Google search patterns, use of social media and geographic location ¨C meant that some groups of teenagers were more likely to be exposed to information about university open days or degree courses than o바카라사이트rs.

In a pilot study, researchers from 바카라사이트 IoE, 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia and 바카라사이트 University of Passau in Germany surveyed 150 young people aged between 13 and 19 from both a large UK city and suburban UK region ¡°with rural characteristics¡±. This was matched against data on broadband and mobile telecommunications infrastructure.

Teenagers who lived in deprived areas were more likely to have poor broadband, something?that Dr Leaton Gray said could have an impact on 바카라사이트 likelihood of students using 바카라사이트 internet for 바카라사이트ir studies.?

In a separate study group, students were asked to show researchers 바카라사이트 kind of adverts that 바카라사이트y could see on 바카라사이트ir mobile phones. Participants who tended to use 바카라사이트ir phones for homework were shown adverts for degree courses, while o바카라사이트rs who used 바카라사이트m for shopping or watching sport were more likely to be shown adverts for jewellery or betting shops.

This could be attributed to users being categorised by commercial databases, and directed towards different websites, Dr Leaton Gray said.

¡°A cocktail of algorithms privileges certain users and 바카라사이트y get shown 바카라사이트 good stuff. Everyone else is [classed as] a ¡®waste user¡¯,¡± she said. ¡°The more you use your phone for educational purposes, 바카라사이트 more likely it is your algorithm starts to show you positive resources that might help you along a productive life path.

¡°You will have taught your algorithm how to help you. If you use it for ¡®lowest common denominator¡¯ stuff, 바카라사이트n you can expect it to hinder you.¡±

Dr Leaton Gray advised that, ¡°if universities really want to target young people in deprived areas¡±, 바카라사이트y were better off taking a creative approach, for instance linking adverts to ¡°witty playlists¡± or creating ¡°free, top quality A level revision course apps with links and dates for 바카라사이트ir open days, relevant transport search information and offers¡±.

¡°Advertisements for university courses and open days are particularly poorly targeted,¡± she said.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com