Interventions early in school as a means to improve higher education outcomes for disadvantaged (particularly low SES) students

A design and evaluation matrix for university outreach in schools

• Trevor Gale, and others
• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

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19 July 2010This document performs two functions. It provides a synopsis or abridged version of the research, Interventions early in school as a means to improve higher education outcomes for disadvantaged (particularly low SES) students, with emphasis on reviewing its major findings. It also provides an extension to the research, extrapolating from it through a meta‐analysis of the data to conceive of a matrix for designing and evaluating early interventions.

The research was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and undertaken from August 2008 to July 2009 by the Australian National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE). The research was prompted by concerns about the long‐term under‐representation of some population groups (particularly those of low socioeconomic status) within Australian higher education and by a growing conviction that, if they are to be successful, interventions to redress this situation need to be implemented earlier in schooling rather than later.

Authors: Trevor Gale, Sam Sellar, Stephen Parker, Robert Hattam, Barbara Comber, Deborah Tranter and Dianne Bills.

Image: woodleywonderworks / flickr