ADDRESSING THE QUANTITATIVE METHODS SKILLS DEFICIT Michael Bright, ESRC

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ADDRESSING THE QUANTITATIVE METHODS SKILLS
DEFICITMichael Bright, ESRC
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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

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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.

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Building a World-Class Social Science Research
Base A National Strategy

• Three 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.

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.