Researchers at the university have been studying the pieces of the educational inequality puzzle for years. These studies are valuable, but we often overlook the importance of putting the puzzle together. By working together, the group created a platform that makes this possible. “We want to strengthen our own research and also contribute to a wider academic and social debate,” says van Hek. Together, they aim to become the primary point of contact that builds bridges towards equal opportunities in schools.
Example #1: Detracked classes: what happens in the classroom?
One clear example is the research on detracked first-year classrooms. Educational anthropologist Floris Burgers observes how schools organise these classes and what effects they have on equal opportunities. “Many schools struggle with this. They want to give detracked classrooms a chance, but don’t know what makes them successful,” says Burgers. As an anthropologist, he examines the dynamics of the classroom, paying close attention to the methods teachers use, the ways they group students, and the behind-the-scenes factors that contribute to inequality.
To understand if these observations apply more widely, Burgers works with sociologists. Van Hek uses her expertise to check if the patterns Burgers sees also appear on a larger scale. This way, they place the first two puzzle pieces. It also works the other way around: if van Hek identifies a significant issue in a large-scale study, for example, poor reading skills among students, Burgers can visit schools to determine what's going on. Then, education scientist Eddie Denessen can turn those findings into new school policy advice. This approach allows them to act quickly and make a real difference.
Example #2: Gender culture in schools
Another project focuses on gender culture in schools. Van Hek recently demonstrated that boys often perform worse than girls due to ‘bad’ friendships. She is now developing questionnaires to study how gender norms affect pupils’ behaviour and performance. Denessen’s input helps her a lot. “He knows exactly which school-level factors matter, like the role of teachers or how the school is organised. That helps me ask better questions as a sociologist,” says van Hek.
Their partnership with the 'Kenniscentrum Beroepsonderwijs Arbeidsmarkt' (KBA) is crucial. This institute gathers data and ensures the findings are valuable not just for sociologists but also for educators and policymakers alike. “That’s essential if we want to broaden the academic debate on educational inequality,” says van Hek. “They know what works, what doesn’t, and what unintended effects we can avoid.”
Discussions that drive deeper insights
The group's latest insight focuses on the impact of delayed educational selection. Marjolein Muskens, a colleague from KBA, highlighted a recent study indicating that students who struggle in mixed classes may experience a dip in confidence; however, they still manage to improve their performance. “That drove me to think,” says Burgers. “Mixed classes really do improve performance, but they might harm a child’s well-being.” Who knows how far that child could go if they also felt good about themselves? Without collaboration, we will continue to miss these details. And then we will never defeat that seven-headed dragon.
Want to work with the ‘Educational Inequality’ research group?
Contact Margriet, Floris, Eddie and Maarten at: onderwijsensocialeongelijkheid [at] ru.nl (onderwijsensocialeongelijkheid[at]ru[dot]nl)