ArticlePDF Available

Closing the Achievement Gap: An Analysis of Equity-Based Educational Interventions

Authors:
Zairika Haxhiu
Zairika Haxhiu
Zairika Haxhiu
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation

Abstract

The ongoing differences in academic performance and outcomes between student groups represents a significant problem for educators worldwide. As a possible remedy, equity-based educational interventions have been receiving more and more attention for their focus on removing the structural impediments that contribute to the achievement gap. The purpose of this research is to analyze how well equity-based educational interventions reduce the gap in academic performance. The research technique included both a literature review and case studies of three schools that had already implemented equity-based educational interventions. Schools were chosen as case studies because of their track records of success in reducing the achievement gap through the implementation of various equity-based initiatives. When implemented with fidelity and supported by good leadership and a positive school culture, the results of this study demonstrate that equity-based educational interventions can be beneficial in reducing the achievement gap. Significant gains in student achievement and school atmosphere, as well as improved participation and engagement from traditionally underrepresented student populations, were observed in the case study schools. A lack of resources and support, resistance to change, and the complexity of tackling structural disparities were all highlighted as obstacles to the successful implementation of equity-based interventions in the study. These results stress the importance of continuing to work for equity-based interventions and to guarantee that all children have access to the tools and opportunity they need to achieve.
Available via license: CC BY-SA 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
Copyright © 2022, Journal of Education Review Provision, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 32!!
!
Closing! the! Achievement! Gap:! An! Analysis! of!
Equity-Based!Educational!Interventions!!
Zairika Haxhiu1
1Qiriazi!University!College,!Albania!!
!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Received:!June!21,!2022!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Revised:!July!16,!2022!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Accepted:!August!28,!2022
!
INTRODUCTION!
The! term! "achievement! gap"! is! used! to! describe! the! ongoing! differences! in! academic!
performance!and!outcomes!between!student!populations!defined!by!demographic!characteristics!
such!as!race,!ethnicity,!socioeconomic!status,!and!other!characteristics!(Pearman!et! al.,! 2019).!
Access!to!high-quality!education,!insufficient!resources!and!support,!and!unwelcoming!learning!
environments! are! just! a! few! examples! of! the! structural! inequalities! and! impediments! that!
disproportionately! affect! some! student! groups! and! contribute! to! these! gaps! (Sultana,! 2021).!!
Traditional!measures!like!tutoring!and!extra!instruction,!as!well!as!more!systemic!interventions!
that!try!to!address!the!core!causes!of!the!achievement!gap,!have!been!at!the!center!of!efforts!to!
close!the!gap!(Parker!&!Grote,!2022).!The!achievement!gap!can!be!narrowed!through!the!use!of!
several! methods,! one! of! which! is! equity-based! educational! interventions.! Culturally! relevant!
instruction,!restorative!justice!methods,!and!trauma-informed!care!are!just!a!few!examples!of!the!
types!of!treatments!that!may!be!used!(Lambert!et!al.,!2019).!!
There!is!some!evidence!that!equity-based!interventions!can!help!reduce!the!achievement!
gap,!but!more!research!is!needed!to!determine!their!precise!effect!and!optimal!implementation!
(Noyes!et!al.,!2021).!The! purpose!of!this!research!is!to!investigate!whether!or!not!equity-based!
educational!interventions!are!helpful!in!reducing!the!achievement!gap,!and!if!so,!to!what!extent,!
Journal of Education Review Provision
Vol. 2, Issue 2, 2022
Page 32-35
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55885/jerp.v2i2.154
Abstract.! The$ ongoing$ differences$ in$ academic$ performance$ and$ outcomes$ between$ student$
groups$represents$a$significant$problem$for$educators$worldwide.$As$a$possible$remedy,$equity-
based$educational$interventions$have$been$receiving$more$and$more$attention$for$their$focus$on$
removing$the$structural$impediments$that$ contribute$ to$ the$ achievement$ gap.$ The$ purpose$of$
this$research$is$to$ analyze$ how$well$equity-based$educational$interventions$reduce$the$ gap$ in$
academic$ performance.$ The$ research$ technique$ included$ both$ a$ literature$ review$ and$ case$
studies$of$ three$schools$that$ had$already$implemented$equity-based$educational$ interventions.$
Schools$were$ chosen$ as$ case$ studies$ because$ of$ their$ track$records$ of$ success$ in$ reducing$ the$
achievement$ gap$ through$ the$ implementation$ of$ various$ equity-based$ initiatives.$ When$
implemented$with$ fidelity$and$supported$ by$good$leadership$ and$a$positive$ school$culture,$the$
results$of$this$study$demonstrate$that$equity-based$educational$interventions$can$ be$beneficial$
in$ reducing$ the$ achievement$ gap.$ Significant$ gains$ in$ student$ achievement$ and$ school$
atmosphere,$ as$ well$ as$ improved$ participation$ and$ engagement$ from$ traditionally$
underrepresented$ student$ populations,$ were$ observed$ in$ the$ case$ study$ schools.$ A$ lack$ of$
resources$and$support,$resistance$to$change,$and$the$complexity$of$tackling$structural$disparities$
were$all$highlighted$as$obstacles$to$the$successful$implementation$of$equity-based$interventions$
in$ the$ study.$ These$ results$ stress$ the$ importance$ of$ continuing$ to$ work$ for$ equity-based$
interventions$and$ to$guarantee$that$ all$children$have$access$to$the$ tools$and$opportunity$ they$
need$to$achieve.$
Keywords:!Interventions,$Achievement$Gap,$Educational!
Copyright © 2022, Journal of Education Review Provision, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 33!!
and! what! kinds! of! obstacles! and! benefits! schools! may! face! when! trying! to! implement! such!
programs!(Wald!et!al.,!2019).!The!purpose!of!this!research!is! to! aid! in! the! ongoing! discussion!
about!how! to! reduce! educational! inequality! by!offering! useful! information! and! suggestions! to!
teachers! and! policymakers! who! are! working! to! advance! educational! fairness! and! reduce! the!
achievement! gap! (Kim! &! Asbury,! 2020).! !The! term! "achievement! gap"! is! used! to! describe! the!
persistent! differences! in! student! academic! performance! and! outcomes! between! demographic!
subgroups.! Systemic! inequities! and! impediments,! such! as! limited! access! to! quality! education,!
inadequate! resources! and! support,! and! unfavorable! school! climates,! often! contribute! to! these!
gaps!(Celeste!et!al.,!2019).!!
Traditional! methods! like! tutoring! and! supplementary! instruction,! as! well! as! more!
systemic!interventions!that!seek!to!address!the!core!causes!of!the!achievement!gap,!have!been!at!
the!center!of!efforts!to!close!the!gap.!One!such!strategy!is!equity-based!educational!interventions,!
which!work!to!close!the!achievement!gap!by!eliminating!structural!and!institutional!factors!that!
keep! some! students! from! succeeding! (Buttazzoni! et! al.,! 2020).! Included! in! this! category! of!
measures! are! topics! like! "culturally! responsive! teaching,"! "restorative! justice,"! and! "trauma-
informed!care"!(Abacioglu!et!al.,!2020).!There!is!some!evidence!that!equity-based!interventions!
can!help!reduce!the!achievement!gap,!but!more!research!is!needed!to!determine!their!precise!
effect!and!the!best!way!to!apply!them.!!The!purpose!of!this!research!is!to!determine!whether!or!if!
equity-based!educational!interventions!are!helpful!in!reducing!the!achievement!gap!and,!if!so,!
under!what!conditions!they!can!be!most!successfully!implemented!in!schools.!(Sagynbekova,!et!
al.,! 2021).! This! study! hopes! to! provide! insights! and! recommendations! for! educators! and!
policymakers!by!adding!to!the!ongoing!conversation!about!how!to!solve!the!continuing!inequities!
in!education!(Breuer!et!al.,!2019).!
METHODS!
!To! gain! a! more! complete! picture! of! the! topic! under! study,! researchers! doing! mixed-
methods! research! combine! qualitative! and! quantitative! techniques! in! a! single! study.! To!
determine!if!equity-based!educational!interventions!are!successful!in!reducing!the!achievement!
gap,!a!mixed-methods!approach!could!combine!qualitative!and!quantitative!data.!The!study!could,!
for! instance,! conduct! a! literature! review! to! collect! quantitative! data! on! the! effects! of! these!
interventions!on!student!outcomes!and!conduct!case!studies!of! schools!that!have!implemented!
equity-based! interventions! to! collect! more! in-depth,! qualitative! data! on! the! experiences! and!
perspectives! of! educators! and! students.! The! study! uses! a! mixed-methods! approach! to! better!
understand! the! effects! and! difficulties! of! equity-based! interventions! by! triangulating! findings.!
This! can! aid! in! pinpointing! the! precise! causes! of! these! interventions'! positive! outcomes! and!
making!suggestions!on!how!to!best!apply!them!in!classrooms.!
RESULTS!AND!DISCUSSION!
!When! implemented! with! fidelity! and! backed! by! good! leadership ! and! a! positive! school!
culture,!the!findings!of!this!study!demonstrate! that!equity-based!educational! interventions!can!
be!beneficial!in!reducing!the!achievement!gap!(Wang!et!al.,!2021).!Academic!success!and!school!
atmosphere! improved! dramatically! at! the! case! study! schools,! and! historically! underserved!
student!groups!participated!more!actively!and!contributed!more!to!school!life.!!While!the!study!
found!that! equity-based!interventions!can!be!effective,!it!also!found!that!there!are!a!number! of!
obstacles! in! the! way,! such! as! a! lack! of! resources! and! support,! opposition! to! change,! and! the!
complexity!of!tackling!structural!disparities!(Zhang!et!al.,!2019).!These!results!point!to!the!need!
for! continuous! support! and! maintenance! of! equity-based! interventions,! indicating! that! their!
implementation!can!be!a!lengthy!and!difficult!process!(Coley!et!al.,!2022).!!
Taken! together,! these! results! stress! the! importance! of! equity-based! educational!
initiatives!in!reducing!the!achievement!gap!and!fostering!educational!fairness.!They!also!highlight!
the! continuous! efforts! needed! to! support! and! sustain! these! treatments! and! to! address! the!
constraints! and! problems! that! can! reduce! their! efficacy! (Smith! et! al.,! 2020).! !Targeted!
expenditures!in!professional!development!and!resources!are!one!approach!to!overcoming!these!
Copyright © 2022, Journal of Education Review Provision, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 34!!
obstacles!and!increasing!the!effectiveness!of!equity-based!initiatives!(Cronin!et!al.,!2021).!Schools!
may! improve! their! odds! of! success! and! ensure! the! good! effects! of! these ! interventions! last! by!
offering!ongoing!training!and!assistance!to!teachers!on!how!to!execute!them!faithfully!(Caena!&!
Redecker,! 2019).! Some! of! the! obstacles! to! the! successful! implementation! of! equity-based!
interventions!can!be!removed!by!equipping!schools!with!the!resources!and!support!they!need!to!
carry!them!out!(Wang!et!al.,!2020).!!
Having!an!open!line!of!communication!and!working!together!with!students,!parents,!and!
the!community!is! another! option.! It! is! possible! to! create!a!more!positive! and! inclusive! school!
climate! and! increase! support! for! equity-based! initiatives! if! students! feel! they! have! a! stake! in!
reducing!the!achievement!gap! (Fritze! et!al.,!2020).!!In!sum,! these!results!support!the! idea!that!
equity-based! educational! interventions! may! help! reduce! the! achievement! gap! and! boost!
educational!fairness!(Raley!et!al.,!2021).!There!is!a!need!for!more!study!to!better!understand!the!
unique!opportunities!and!obstacles!associated!with!these!interventions,!as!well!as!to!discover!
efficient!methods!for!increasing!their!effectiveness!
CONCLUSIONS!!
Significant!gains!were!seen!in!both!academic!performance!and!school!climate!at!the!case!
study! schools.! On! the! other! hand,! the! research! uncovered! a! number! of! obstacles! that! could!
prevent!a!smooth!rollout.!Among!these!include!the!difficulty!of!tackling!systemic!disparities,!the!
resistance!to!change,!and!the! scarcity! of! available!resources.! The! specific!difficulties!and!gains!
that!can!be!made!through!equity-based!educational!interventions!need!more!study.!
REFERENCES!
Abacioglu,! C.! S.,! Volman,! M.,! &! Fischer,! A.! H.! (2020).! Teachers’! multicultural! attitudes! and!
perspective!taking!abilities!as!factors!in!culturally!responsive!teaching.!British$Journal$of$
Educational$Psychology,!90(3),!736–752.!https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12328!
Breuer,!A.,!Janetschek,!H.,!&!Malerba,!D.!(2019).!Translating!Sustainable!Development!Goal!(SDG)!
Interdependencies! into! Policy! Advice.! Sustainability,! 11(7),! 2092.!
https://doi.org/10.3390/su11072092!
Buttazzoni,!A.,!Veenhof,! M.,!&!Minaker,! L.!(2020).!Smart!city! and!high-tech!urban! interventions!
targeting!human! health:!An!equity-focused!systematic!review.! In!International$Journal$
of$ Environmental$ Research$ and$ Public$ Health!(Vol.! 17,! Issue! 7).! MDPI! AG.!
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072325!
Caena,! F.,! &! Redecker,! C.! (2019).! Aligning! teacher! competence! frameworks! to! 21st! century!
challenges:! The! case! for! the! European! Digital! Competence! Framework! for! Educators!
(Digcompedu).! European$ Journal$ of$ Education,! 54(3),! 356–369.!
https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12345!
Celeste,!L.,!Baysu,!G.,!Phalet,! K.,! Meeussen,! L.,! &!Kende,!J.!(2019).!Can!School!Diversity!Policies!
Reduce! Belonging! and! Achievement! Gaps! Between! Minority! and! Majority! Youth?!
Multiculturalism,!Colorblindness,!and!Assimilationism!Assessed.!Personality$and$Social$
Psychology$Bulletin,!45(11),!1603–1618.!https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167219838577!
Coley,!R.!Y.,!Duan,!K.!I.,!Hoopes,!A.!J.,!Lapham,!G.!T.,!Liljenquist,!K.,!Marcotte,!L.!M.,!Ramirez,!M.,!&!
Schuttner,! L.! (2022).! A! call! to! integrate! health! equity! into! learning! health! system!
research!training.!In!Learning$Health$Systems!(Vol.!6,!Issue!4).!John!Wiley!and!Sons!Inc.!
https://doi.org/10.1002/lrh2.10330!
Cronin,!M.!R.,!Alonzo,!S.!H.,!Adamczak,!S.!K.,!Baker,!D.!N.,!Beltran,!R.!S.,!Borker,!A.!L.,!Favilla,!A.!B.,!
Gatins,!R.,!Goetz,!L.!C.,!Hack,!N.,!Harenčár,!J.!G.,!Howard,!E.!A.,!Kustra,!M.!C.,!Maguiña,!R.,!
Martinez-Estevez,!L.,!Mehta,!R.!S.,!Parker,!I.!M.,!Reid,!K.,!Roberts,!M.!B.,!…!Zavaleta,!E.!S.!
(2021).! Anti-racist! interventions! to! transform! ecology,! evolution! and! conservation!
biology!departments.!In!Nature$Ecology$and$Evolution!(Vol.!5,!Issue!9,!pp.!1213–1223).!
Nature!Research.!https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-021-01522-z!
Copyright © 2022, Journal of Education Review Provision, Under the license CC BY-SA 4.0 | 35!!
Fritze,!M.!P.,!Marchand,!A.,!Eisingerich,!A.!B.,!&!Benkenstein,!M.!(2020).!Access-Based!Services!as!
Substitutes!for!Material!Possessions:!The!Role! of! Psychological! Ownership.! Journal$ of$
Service$Research,!23(3),!368–385.!https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670520907691!
Kim,!L.!E.,!&!Asbury,!K.!(2020).!‘Like!a!rug!had!been!pulled!from!under!you’:!The!impact!of!COVID-
19!on!teachers!in!England!during!the!first!six!weeks!of!the!UK!lockdown.!British$Journal$
of$Educational$Psychology,!90(4),!1062–1083.!https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12381!
Lambert,!L.,!Passmore,!H.!A.,!&!Joshanloo,!M.!(2019).!A!Positive!Psychology!Intervention!Program!
in! a! Culturally-Diverse! University:! Boosting! Happiness! and! Reducing! Fear.! Journal$ of$
Happiness$Studies,!20(4),!1141–1162.!https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9993-z!
Noyes,!E.!A.,!Burks,!C.!A.,!Larson,!A.!R.,!&!Deschler,!D.!G.!(2021).!An!equity-based!narrative!review!
of!barriers!to!timely!postoperative!radiation! therapy! for! patients! with! head! and!neck!
squamous!cell!carcinoma.!In!Laryngoscope$Investigative$Otolaryngology!(Vol.!6,!Issue!6,!
pp.!1358–1366).!John!Wiley!and!Sons!Inc.!https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.692!
Parker,!S.!K.,!&!Grote,!G.!(2022).!Automation,!Algorithms,!and!Beyond:!Why!Work!Design!Matters!
More! Than! Ever! in! a! Digital! World.! Applied$ Psychology,! 71(4),! 1171–1204.!
https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12241!
Pearman,!F.!A.,!Curran,!F.! C.,! Fisher,! B.,! &!Gardella,!J.!(2019).!Are!Achievement!Gaps! Related! to!
Discipline! Gaps?! Evidence! From! National! Data.! AERA$ Open,! 5(4).!
https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419875440!
Raley,!S.!K.,!Shogren,!K.!A.,!Rifenbark,!G.!G.,!Lane,!K.!L.,!&!Pace,!J.!R.!(2021).!The!Impact!of!the!Self-
Determined!Learning!Model! of!Instruction!on!Student!Self-Determination!in!Inclusive,!
Secondary! Classrooms.! Remedial$ and$ Special$ Education,! 42(6),! 363–373.!
https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932520984842!
Sagynbekova,! S.,! Ince,! E.,! Ogunmokun,! O.! A.,! Olaoke,! R.! O.,! &! Ukeje,! U.! E.! (2021).! Social! media!
communication! and! higher! education! brand! equity:! The! mediating! role! of! eWOM.!
Journal$of$Public$Affairs,!21(1).!https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2112!
Smith,!C.! E.,! Hill,! S.! E.,! &!Amos,!A.! (2020).! Impact! of! specialist! and! primary! care! stop! smoking!
support!on!socio-economic!inequalities!in!cessation!in!the!United!Kingdom:!a!systematic!
review! and! national! equity! initial! review! completed! 22! January! 2019;! final! version!
accepted!19!July! 2019! analysis.! In! Addiction!(Vol.! 115,!Issue!1,!pp.! 34–46).! Blackwell!
Publishing!Ltd.!https://doi.org/10.1111/add.14760!
Sultana,! F.! (2021).! Climate! change,! COVID-19,! and! the! co-production! of! injustices:! a! feminist!
reading! of! overlapping! crises.! Social$ and$ Cultural$ Geography,! 22(4),! 447–460.!
https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2021.1910994!
Wald,! A.,! Holmesland,! M.,! &! Efrat,! K.! (2019).! It! Is! Not! All! About! Money:! Obtaining! Additional!
Benefits! Through! Equity! Crowdfunding.! Journal$ of$ Entrepreneurship,! 28(2),! 270–294.!
https://doi.org/10.1177/0971355719851899!
Wang,! C.,! Cheng,! Z.,! Yue,! X.-G.,! &! McAleer,! M.! (2020).! Risk! Management! of! COVID-19! by!
Universities! in! China.! Journal$ of$ Risk$ and$ Financial$ Management,! 13(2),! 36.!
https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13020036!
Wang,!Y.,!Liu,!Y.,!Xing,!L.,!&!Zhang,!Z.!(2021).!An!improved!accessibility-based!model!to!evaluate!
educational!equity:!A!case!study!in!the!city!of!wuhan.!ISPRS$International$Journal$of$Geo-
Information,!10(7).!https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10070458!
Zhang,!A.,!Venkatesh,!V.!G.,!Liu,!Y.,!Wan,!M.,!Qu,!T.,!&!Huisingh,!D.!(2019).!Barriers!to!smart!waste!
management! for! a! circular! economy! in! China.! Journal$ of$ Cleaner$ Production,! 240.!
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118198!
... Hoang (2019) contributes a model for classifying inequity and inequality, emphasizing the need to consider the individual and group/subgroup levels. Haxhiu (2022) underscores the potential of equity-based educational interventions, mainly when implemented with fidelity and supported by good leadership and a positive school culture. Bandyopadhyay and Subrahmanian (2008) highlight the need for enabling policies to improve the quality of schools and ensure better opportunities for girls at higher levels of education. ...
... AI encourages independent learning among students, as Haxhiu (2022) and Garcia and Lee (2020) noted. Furthermore, the study found that AI helps bridge the equity gap in educational access by providing university learners with personal learning. ...
Assessing the role of AI technology in mitigating the equity gap in educational access in Zimbabwe: Barriers and implications
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2025
This study investigates the role of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in mitigating the equity gap in educational access in Zimbabwe. By exploring the potential benefits, limitations, and best practices of using AI technology, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how AI can address the complex issue of equity in higher education. Data was collected from lecturers and students through interviews, revealing that AI technology offers affordable, independent, personalized learning experiences and student support, enabling vulnerable learners to access educational resources. However, challenges such as the high cost of premium AI platforms, internet accessibility issues, and potential social skills deficits were identified as limitations to widespread implementation. The study recommends developing AI policies, university subscriptions to premium AI technologies, and the rollout of AI chatbots to ensure equitable and accessible learning opportunities for all students. This research sheds light on the importance of leveraging AI technology to promote inclusive education systems and close the equity gap in educational access, offering valuable insights for educational institutions in Zimbabwe and beyond.
View
A call to integrate health equity into learning health system research training
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2022
In 2016, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) recommended seven domains for training and mentoring researchers in learning health systems (LHS) science. Health equity was not included as a competency domain. This commentary from scholars in the Consortium for Applied Training to Advance the Learning health system with Scholars/Trainees (CATALyST) K12 program recommends that competency domains be extended to reflect growing demands for evidence on health inequities and interventions to alleviate them. We present real‐life case studies from scholars in an LHS research training program that illustrate facilitators, challenges, and potential solutions at the program, funder, and research community‐level to receiving training and mentorship in health equity‐focused LHS science. We recommend actions in four areas for LHS research training programs: (a) integrate health equity throughout the current LHS domains; (b) develop training and mentoring in health equity; (c) establish program evaluation standards for consideration of health equity; and (d) bring forth relevant, extant expertise from the areas of health disparities research, community‐based participatory research, and community‐engaged health services research. We emphasize that LHS research must acknowledge and build on the substantial existing contributions, mainly by scholars of color, in the health equity field.
View
An equity‐based narrative review of barriers to timely postoperative radiation therapy for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2021
Objectives The majority of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) do not commence postoperative radiation treatment (PORT) within the recommended 6 weeks. We explore how delayed PORT affects survival outcomes, what factors are associated with delayed PORT initiation, and what interventions exist to reduce delays in PORT initiation. Methods We conducted a PubMed search to identify articles discussing timely PORT for HNSCC. We performed a narrative review to assess survival outcomes of delayed PORT as well as social determinants of health (SDOH) and clinical factors associated with delayed PORT, using the PROGRESS‐Plus health equity framework to guide our analysis. We reviewed interventions designed to reduce delays in PORT. Results Delayed PORT is associated with reduced overall survival. Delays in PORT disproportionately burden patients of racial/ethnic minority backgrounds, Medicaid or no insurance, low socioeconomic status, limited access to care, more comorbidities, presentation at advanced stages, and those who experience postoperative complications. Delays in PORT initiation tend to occur during transitions in head and neck cancer care. Delays in PORT may be reduced by interventions that identify patients who are most likely to experience delayed PORT, support patients according to their specific needs and barriers to care, and streamline care and referral processes. Conclusions Both SDOH and clinical factors are associated with delays in timely PORT. Structural change is needed to reduce health disparities and promote equitable access to care for all. When planning care, providers must consider not only biological factors but also SDOH to maximize care outcomes.
View
Anti-racist interventions to transform ecology, evolution and conservation biology departments
Article
Full-text available
  • Aug 2021
  • Nat. Ecol. Evol.
Racial and ethnic discrimination persist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, including ecology, evolution and conservation biology (EECB) and related disciplines. Marginalization and oppression as a result of institutional and structural racism continue to create barriers to inclusion for Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour (BIPOC), and remnants of historic racist policies and pseudoscientific theories continue to plague these fields. Many academic EECB departments seek concrete ways to improve the climate and implement anti-racist policies in their teaching, training and research activities. We present a toolkit of evidence-based interventions for academic EECB departments to foster anti-racism in three areas: in the classroom; within research laboratories; and department wide. To spark restorative discussion and action in these areas, we summarize EECB’s racist and ethnocentric histories, as well as current systemic problems that marginalize non-white groups. Finally, we present ways that EECB departments can collectively address shortcomings in equity and inclusion by implementing anti-racism, and provide a positive model for other departments and disciplines. This Perspective presents a toolkit of evidence-based interventions to foster anti-racism in ecology, evolution and conservation biology in the classroom, within research laboratories and department wide.
View
An Improved Accessibility-Based Model to Evaluate Educational Equity: A Case Study in the City of Wuhan
Article
Full-text available
Limited studies focus on educational equity from the spatial accessibility perspective. This study combines survey data and big data and proposes a multi-mode Huff two-step floating catchment area (MMH2SFCA) method to calculate accessibility while considering multiple travel modes and school attractiveness. This method can also calculate education quality by extending the accessibility in each community. Results show that our proposed method can reliably identify the accessibility differences of schools across communities. The case study indicates an inequitable distribution of educational accessibility and quality. The communities with high accessibility are concentrated in the urban center and exurban zones surrounding schools, whereas high-quality areas are mainly concentrated in the urban center. Correlation analysis suggests that the educational quality of communities with high accessibility is not always high. The findings of this study can provide improvement for accessibility measurements and help explore a new research perspective for educational equity research.
View
Climate change, COVID-19, and the co-production of injustices: a feminist reading of overlapping crises
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2021
The overlapping global socio-ecological crises of climate change and COVID-19 pandemic have simultaneously dominated discussions since 2020. The connections between them expose underbellies of structural inequities and systemic marginalizations across scales and sites. While ongoing climate change amplifies, compounds, and creates new forms of injustices and stresses, all of which are interlinked and interconnected, the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic has also co-created new challenges, vulnerabilities, and burdens, as well as reinforcing old ones. An intersectional analysis of these overlapping but uneven global crises demonstrates the importance of investigating and addressing them simultaneously through a feminist lens. This allows for a more nuanced understanding of the co-production of injustices structurally, materially, and discursively.
View
'Like a rug had been pulled from under you': The impact of COVID-19 on teachers in England during the first six weeks of the UK lockdown
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2020
  • BRIT J EDUC PSYCHOL
Background: On 20 March 2020, in response to COVID-19, UK schools were closed to most pupils. Teachers were required to put remote teaching and learning in place with only two days' notice from the government. Aims: The current study explores teachers' experiences of this abrupt change to their working practices, and during the 5-6 weeks that followed. Sample: Twenty-four teachers from English state schools were interviewed, representing mainstream primary and secondary schools and a range of years of experience and seniority. Methods: Participants were asked to tell stories of three key scenes during the first 5-6 weeks of lockdown: a low point, a high point, and a turning point. A reflexive thematic analysis of their narratives was conducted. Results and conclusions: Six themes were identified: uncertainty, finding a way, worry for the vulnerable, importance of relationships, teacher identity, and reflections. Teachers' narratives suggest that, after an initial period of uncertainty they settled into the situation and found a way forward, supported by strong relationships. However, they remain extremely worried about the most vulnerable pupils and want more joined-up thinking from the government on how to support them effectively, along with clarity from policymakers to enable planning ahead. Teachers reflected on how to use their learning during this period to improve pupils' experiences of education post-COVID-19, and on how aspects of shared teacher identity have worked as stressors and coping mechanisms. These initial interviews form the baseline for a longitudinal interview study of teachers' experiences of COVID-19 in England.
View
Social media communication and higher education brand equity: The mediating role of eWOM
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2020
Beyond its ability to enhance the generation of goals and objectives, understanding an organization's brand equity is a key driver in communicating values to consumers and end‐users. In a very competitive marketplace, it is high time universities ditched the traditional means of communication and comply with the trending social media communication forms so as to better capture both the virtual as well as the real social space of their students who, in turn, are ambassadors of the institutions. Using data solicited from 317 university students, this study found that universities can better position themselves to compete when they employ both user‐generated and firm‐generated social media communication in building their brand equity. Our study also validates electronic word of mouth as a mediator of the relationship between social media communication and higher education brand equity. Recommendations for practice were also suggested.
View
Smart City and High-Tech Urban Interventions Targeting Human Health: An Equity-Focused Systematic Review
Article
Full-text available
Urban infrastructure systems responsible for the provision of energy, transportation, shelter, and communication to populations are important determinants of health and health equity. The term “smart city” has been used synonymously with other terms, such as “digital city”, “sustainable city”, and “information city”, even though definitional distinctions exist between terms. In this review, we use “smart cities” as a catch-all term to refer to an emerging concept in urban governance practice and scholarship that has been increasingly applied to achieve public health aims. The objective of this systematic review was to document and analyze the inclusion of equity considerations and dimensions (i.e., a measurement, analytical, or dialectical focus on systematic disparities in health between groups) in smart city interventions aimed to improve human health and well-being. Systematic searches were carried out in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Psychological Information Database (PsycINFO), the PubMed database from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Elsevier’s database Scopus, and Web of Science, returning 3219 titles. Ultimately, 28 articles were retained, assessed, and coded for their inclusion of equity characteristics using the Cochrane PROGRESS-Plus tool (referring to (P) place of residence, (R) race, (O) occupation, (G) gender, (R) religion, (E) education, (S) socio-economic status (SES), and (S) social capital). The most frequently included equity considerations in smart city health interventions were place of residence, SES, social capital, and personal characteristics; conversely, occupation, gender or sex, religion, race, ethnicity, culture, language, and education characteristics were comparatively less featured in such interventions. Overall, it appears that most of intervention evaluations assessed in this review are still in the early testing phases, and thus did not include or feature robust evaluative designs or commercially available technologies
View
The Impact of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction on Student Self-Determination in Inclusive, Secondary Classrooms
Article
  • Jan 2021
Previous research reported differences in student self-determination based on disability status. Specifically, students without disabilities consistently self-report higher self-determination compared with their peers with disabilities, suggesting differential opportunities and supports for self-determination exist within school contexts. To further examine potential differences in student self-determination, the present study examined the impact of an evidence-based practice designed to promote student self-determination, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), on student self-determination outcomes when implemented in inclusive, secondary core content classrooms as a universal (i.e., Tier 1) support across an academic year. Findings suggested a relatively small change in overall self-determination during the first year of a multiyear study, but consistent patterns across students with and without disabilities. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
View
Access-Based Services as Substitutes for Material Possessions: The Role of Psychological Ownership
Article
  • Mar 2020
  • J SERV RES-US
Access-based services (ABS)—in which consumers do not physically own material goods but gain access to services by registering with the provider—have risen in popularity as an alternative to individual ownership and conventional consumption. Yet companies still face key challenges in promoting these services. Prior research indicates that consumers assign significant importance to their material possessions; the current study investigates how psychological ownership, the mental state of perceiving something as one’s own, attained through ABS might lead customers to increase their service use and forgo material ownership. With four studies, using cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental data, as well as combined self-reports with usage data, we theorize and demonstrate this effect. Firms that offer ABS can increase customers’ service psychological ownership, which acts as a psychological substitute for physical ownership and increases ABS use. The results suggest ways managers can leverage the psychological power of ownership feelings, rather than try to fight the lack of actual ownership, in access-based consumption contexts.
View