Teaching Quantitative Methods From a Critical Lens: An Imperative for Equity

• In Event: Teaching Critical Quantitative Methods in Higher Education

Abstract

Statistical methods in the social sciences have been criticized for their “white methodology” (Zuberi, 2001) and are mainly taught from a positivistic, race-neutral, Eurocentric perspective (Tabron et al., 2021). Recently, critical quantitative education scholars have pushed back against the traditional positivistic approaches to using statistical methods in research, advancing methodological approaches that decenter dominant ideologies and advance goals of equity and justice (Rios-Aguilar, 2014). However, there has been less discussion about how to integrate critical quantitative perspectives into the work of teaching statistics (Tabron et al, 2021). The lack of more critical, race-conscious approaches to teaching statistical methods, creates an environment in which students of color and other minoritized students feel a lack of representation and alienation from the methods (Tabron et al., 2021)., leading many to abandon quantitative methods for more inclusive qualitative methods The disenfranchisement of students of color from statistical methods perpetuates a lack of diverse viewpoints in social science statistics and reinforces the historic dominance of whiteness. When students are presented with more critical and inclusive approaches to quantitative methods, many students who believe they would not be able to do quantitative research become more open to the idea. In my own teaching experience, students have shared how integrating critical quantitative approaches has made quantitative methods more accessible for them.

Specifically, I have found the following approaches helpful: (1) Starting the course with normalizing that struggling with statistics and math is normal and sharing my own struggles with the content and that I am still learning like them. (2) Acknowledging the problematic history of statistics and it’s roots in eugenics, as well as highlighting how statistics has been used to reinforce racial hierarchy and white power structures. (3) Providing readings and examples that center critical quantitative perspectives and authors with diverse identities. (5) Having an assignment that asks students to reflect on and articulate their positionalities (4) Discussing the collection and usage of demographic variables. (5) Teaching effect coding alongside dummy coding as a more equitable analytical technique. (6) Requiring students to critique research articles for their focus on equity and justice, as well as articulate those considerations in their own work. While these approaches have been well received by students, they still feel insufficient, and it remains a challenge to center critical quantitative methods throughout all the courses. Part of this challenge stems from the lack of resources and supports available to teach from this perspective. As critical quantitative researchers and instructors we need more conversations regarding what it truly looks like to teach critical quantitative methods to expand this lens to future researchers, as well as be more inclusive within our classrooms.

Author

• Amanda J. Davis Simpfenderfer, College of William & Mary