Equity Gaps in Education: Nine Points toward More Transparency

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to increase transparency in the scientific analysis of equity gaps in education. This should be useful in avoiding common ambiguities and misunderstandings in the discourse and in presenting the analyses results in a constructive way. We focused on a very basic aspect of transparency: Information availability. We identified nine topics related to the constitutive terms: “equity”, “gap”, and “education”, topics for which information is often only implicitly or selectively transmitted or not transmitted at all. Regarding the constitutive term “equity”, and as the possible sources of transparency problems, we analyzed (1) the type of equity model, (2) the underlying distribution model, and (3) the group concept between which equity gaps exist. For the clarification of the constitutive term “gap”, we addressed (4) the applicability issue, (5) the indicator issue, (6) the reference issue, and (7) the significance issue. The last two sources of transparency problems were related to the constitutive term “education” and referred to (8) the location of the equity gap within or outside education and (9) the characterization of the equity gap within education. For each of the nine topics, we highlight the biggest problems of understanding and propose solutions.

Talent denied: Equity and excellence gaps in STEMM

“…This distinction takes into account both the point of origin of equity gaps and the causal contribution of the educational system, that is, whether it tolerates or does not tolerate externally generated equity gaps, or to what extent it (willfully) reinforces equity gaps in actiotopes. In fact, several researchers have implicitly expressed similar views without using the term talent denied 3,15,17,56 . However, our explicit use of the term talent denied should not obscure the fact that the four types of talent denied we proposed reflect a rather intuitive approach.…”

“…In fact, several researchers have implicitly expressed similar views without using the term talent denied. 3,15,17,56 However, our explicit use of the term talent denied should not obscure the fact that the four types of talent denied we proposed reflect a rather intuitive approach. In-depth conceptual analyses are still needed.…”

“…Moreover, group membership defines, to a considerable degree, the chances in life to set or achieve certain goals and to receive support and encouragement to achieve them. When these definitions violate our notions of equity, we refer to them as equity gaps 3 . Excellence gaps are, in turn, equity gaps in terms of opportunities and outcomes with regard to achieving excellence.…”

Improving Concentration and Academic Performance of a Mathematically Talented Student with ASD/ADHD: An Enrichment Program

“…These students may also experience discrimination or prejudice because of attributes related with their physical and mental differences [13]. Individuals may be disadvantaged in numerous respects and thus may be affected by multiple equity gaps [4].…”

“…Educational equity is a persistent societal concern [1][2][3][4]. According to Gonzalez (2001), "Education is the great equalizer in a democratic society, and if people are not given access to a quality education, then what we are doing is creating an underclass of people".…”