Introduction
TASO’s aim is to develop more robust, causal evidence about widening access and improving student outcomes in higher education. This means that we want to develop a better understanding of which activities cause better outcomes for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups.
While every higher education provider is unique, many face common goals or challenges in their work to reduce equality gaps.
The design of any research project will depend on a variety of factors, including the research question and theory of change. TASO’s focus on developing more causal evidence about what works to reduce equality gaps in higher education influences our choice of research methods:
- Randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
- Quasi-experimental designs (QEDs) – such as differences-in-differences
Impact evaluations using RCTs and QEDs are most meaningful when supplemented by an implementation and process evaluation (IPE).
How: a three-phase structure
TASO’s research and evaluation cycle for each of our themes follows a 3-phase structure.
- Phase 1: Gap analysis; assessing the application and quality of evaluation, and identifying interventions / approaches that show evidence of promise in improving student outcomes.
- Phase 2: Generation; conducting high-quality evaluation to fill gaps and build a richer picture of what works to improve student outcomes.
- Phase 3: Review and dissemination; sharing research, evidence, and evaluation guidance with the sector via our website, events, and stakeholder groups.