ADDRESSING THE QUANTITATIVE METHODS SKILLS DEFICIT

Michael Bright, ESRC

Summary

The need

Building a world-class social science research base – a national strategy

A strategy across the educational life-course

Next steps

Delivering change

Why important

The problem is well documented

Smith Inquiry of Post 14 Mathematics – fewer students seeking qualifications in maths related subjects in schools

The Royal Society Study – Degrees of Concern – highlights how between 1992 and 2005 the number of A-level entries in mathematics dropped by almost 20%.

Subject specific studies such as BSA study highlights problems in breadth, depth and uptake of quantitative methods teaching at undergraduate level.

ESRC and Funding Council scoping studies and reviews of Vulnerable Subjects illustrate weaknesses at postgraduate level. Mirrored by subsequent analysis conducted by National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM).

Problems extend across academic base where there is a ‘critical deficit in quantitative skills within the UK’ - Commission on the Social Sciences

Similar shortages across government research sector as identified in the Adding UP study.

Building a World-Class Social Science Research Base – A National StrategyThree key aims:

create a comprehensive and co-ordinated training framework in quantitative methods at each level of the educational life course.

integrate training across each level to create a coherent multi layered national training infrastructure which builds quantitative skills development at each subsequent stage of the educational life course.

create a framework which is flexible enough to meet the particular skill requirements of individual researchers.

ESRC working in partnership with the Funding Councils, and Others.

A strategy across the ‘educational’ life course

Schools – co-ordinate lobbying activities alongside a range of other interested

parties including Royal Statistical Society and Learned Societies

Undergraduate level – enhance teaching to improve the supply of quantitatively

literate students for postgraduate studies

Postgraduate – strengthen training and enhance incentives to extend the uptake

and application of quantitative tools and techniques

Mid-career – encourage researchers to deepen or refresh their quantitative skills

and apply new skills in the teaching of undergraduate and the supervision of

postgraduate students (‘training the trainers’)

Undergraduate Support Commissioning of five pilot studies aimed at exploring innovative ways of

enhancing the teaching of quantitative methods through problem focussed curricula development.

Commissioning of an International Benchmarking Review to establish how quantitative methods in the social sciences are taught at undergraduate level in other countries.

Scoping of other projects that might be used as innovative platforms for the delivery of undergraduate teaching of quantitative methods.

Workshop to assess emerging evidence and advise on ways forward.

Going Forward:

£2m provisionally allocated to support further commissioning.

Plans to appoint a Strategic Advisor.

Undergraduate Pilot Projects

Increasing the use of Large Scale Social Surveys in Undergraduate

Dissertations in the Social Sciences. A Pilot Project. Professor Angela Dale,

University of Manchester.

The Development of Undergraduate Curricula in Quantitative Methods. Dr Sean

Carey, University of Sheffield.

SIMPLE: Statistics Instruction with Purposeful Learning Emphasis. Dr Catherine

Fritz, Lancaster University.

Enhancing the Integration of Quantitative Methods Skills in Undergraduate

Social Sciences Curricula. Professor Jane Falkingham, University of Southampton.

Increasing the Use of Quantitative Methods in Social Science Undergraduate

Dissertations. Professor Jane Falkingham, University of Southampton.

Postgraduate: current strategies

Strengthen the generic requirements for training in quantitative methods, as

specified in the Postgraduate Training Guidelines.

Increase the volume studentships whose doctoral research is focussed on

quantitative methods. This has doubled since 2005.

Enhance the stipend for students who undertake doctoral research centred on the

use of quantitative tools and techniques. This is £3K above the standard stipend.

Currently this enhancement means a annual stipend of £15.5K. By 2010-11 this

will represent an annual additional investment of £1.5m

Interim evaluation of the impact of the introduction of the enhanced stipends on the

uptake of advanced quantitative methods.

Mid-career re-skilling: current strategies

Researcher Development Initiative: Includes 14 generic and subject specific projects focussed on advanced training in quantitative methods. E.g. Longitudinal data analysis, multi-level modelling, micro-economic forecasting.

National Centre for Research Methods: training programme e.g. Bayesian methods, statistical modelling, survey design and analysis.

Research Methods Programme: 39 projects disseminating new methods through workshops and events e.g. Event history analysis.

Early discussions with Scottish Funding Council about possible co-funding of a Scottish Quantitative Methods Network.

Total investment in advanced training between 2002 – 2008 around £4.1m.

Next steps

Build a more coherent strategy at undergraduate level. Incentive structures? Selective

investment versus general development. Institutional champions/regional incubators v general

institutional roll out. Accreditation frameworks?

Deepen generic quantitative methods requirements at postgraduate level, whilst simplifying

subject specific requirements. Build a coherent network of students currently in receipt of

enhanced stipends. Foster this group through targeted advanced training.

Develop a more coherent portfolio of advanced training opportunities in quantitative methods.

Integrate these into an accredited qualification recognised by the ESRC and Government

research functions. Modularise the course so it is flexible and can be delivered through CPD

for contract researchers, government researchers and mid-career academics.

Concentrate capacity building (studentships, Postdoctoral Fellowships) and training around

known centres of excellence and build these into a co-ordinated national network. Grow base

from these known centres of strength.

Delivering change: national and regional networks

Backbone for co-ordinating change: National Centre for Research Methods. National network

of research and capacity building ‘nodes’ and linked centres of excellence.

Deeper integration of RDI training projects with work of NCRM to create co-ordinated advanced

training infrastructure. Further consultation required to identify gaps in provision and how these

will be filled.

Delivery of training arising from NCRM network and RDI supported by UK wide Regional

Training Centres. These can facilitate national and regional training events.

NCRM nodes act as regional incubators supporting capacity building in local research

environment.

On-line delivery: roll out of current pilot work to sustain the development and use of high quality

training resources and support distance learning.

The strategy will help to ensure that the UK:

commands a world class social science research base in advanced quantitative

methods.

sustains its top 2 international ranking in social scientific research.

strengthens its position as a global leader in such areas as e-social science and

research methods, building on previous SR investments.

commands an in depth research base to meet the national and regional demands of

the wide range of policy makers.