Uncovering the complexities of educational disadvantage: Refining the Equity Raw‐Score Matrix

Abstract

Educational disadvantage is a complex issue. Many argue that the identification of broad equity (underrepresented student) categories do not capture the true nature of disadvantage in education. Beyond this, there have been calls for the creation of measures that will more accurately capture the nature of social determinants of disadvantage, and the role that these play in participation in, and completion of, higher education. The Equity Raw-Score Matrix (Willems, 2009; Willems, forthcoming) has been proposed as one means to more clearly identify the complex and multidimensional nature of educational disadvantage from an individual student's perspective. This information can help supply institutions, governments, policy creators, and funding bodies with detailed (cross-sectoral) data on student inclusion in higher education and help devise strategies to better support participation. This paper further develops the matrix for the purposes of an intended pilot study.