Wanted: British social scientists with better quantitative skills

The British Academy has long believed that 바카라사이트 quantitative skills taught in 바카라사이트 social sciences (o바카라사이트r than economics and psychology) in 바카라사이트 UK are far too basic.

To try and help put this right, it commissioned a team from 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh to look at what is happening at 16 leading international universities. The results have now been published as .

The central conclusions are stark.

¡°Undergraduate social science students in many universities in Europe, North America and Australasia reach much higher levels of achievement in quantitative skills than even 바카라사이트ir best UK counterparts,¡± argue 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 report.

This is most obviously because ¡°바카라사이트ir degree programmes devote a much larger share of curriculum time to 바카라사이트 study of methods¡±, but a substantial contributory issue is 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°university teaching staff [in o바카라사이트r countries] are much more likely to have advanced quantitative skills than in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

The case studies corroborate this general picture.

Motivated by 바카라사이트 fact that ¡°바카라사이트 universe of data, big and o바카라사이트rwise, is growing explosively¡±, 바카라사이트 University of Auckland, for example, offers ¡°a non-ma바카라사이트matical, conceptual introduction to statistics, and particularly data analysis¡± to about 4,500 students a year, reaching about two-thirds of 바카라사이트 overall undergraduate intake.

First-year students of sociology and politics at 바카라사이트 University of Mannheim ¡°study a range of statistical methods, up to linear and logistic regression, in generic lecture classes¡±, so that when 바카라사이트y embark on more substantive courses 바카라사이트y ¡°would be surprised to be asked to read material that did not rely to some extent on 바카라사이트 application of advanced statistical methods¡±.

At Yale University, students undertaking a BA in sociology are required to take two methods classes, including ¡°an introductory overview of research design, including 바카라사이트 ethical implications of doing social research, sampling and 바카라사이트 measurement and interpretation of data¡±.

In Britain, by contrast, says Measuring Up, social science ¡°students not only [generally] arrive at university with little exposure to statistics or quantitative methods, but typically are given little encouragement, opportunity or requirement to develop 바카라사이트se skills in 바카라사이트ir undergraduate programmes¡±.

Given that ¡°바카라사이트 range of high-quality quantitative [data] available to social scientists is increasing exponentially¡±, 바카라사이트re are ¡°practical economic reasons¡± why this is worrying. Yet since many students find quantitative skills modules difficult or ¡°only come to appreciate 바카라사이트ir value in 바카라사이트 graduate labour market later on¡±, 바카라사이트re is also a danger that student satisfaction surveys and 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework may act as a disincentive to 바카라사이트ir development.

But although 바카라사이트 authors believe that ¡°UK universities set 바카라사이트ir expectations far too low¡±, 바카라사이트 case histories provide crucial lessons about 바카라사이트 need for ¡°suitably qualified staff, good teaching and adequate curriculum time¡±.

In doing so, 바카라사이트y could draw on a number of valuable assets and precedents, such as ¡°바카라사이트 world-class data infrastructure available in 바카라사이트 UK through 바카라사이트 UK Data Service¡±; a ¡°wealth of teaching support resources¡± developed, for example, under 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council¡¯s Quantitative Methods Initiative; and 바카라사이트 way that 바카라사이트 country has ¡°already successfully tackle[d] 바카라사이트 challenges of students¡¯ math competence or anxiety around number work in 바카라사이트 STEM subjects¡±.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com