Access to "pedagogic rights" in social science
teaching and learning: findings from a study of
English universities
The ‘Pedagogic quality and inequality in university
first degrees’ project: November 2008- January 2012
(ESRC: RES-062-23-1438)
Monica McLean, Andrea Abbas and Paul Ashwin
Funded by:
Presentation for the Centre for the Study of Higher
Education, University of Kent, February 7th, 2012
Pedagogic Quality and Inequality in University First
Degrees:
Origins: challenge to ‘quality’ and league tables
Aim: to theorise ‘just’ teaching and learning
Objectives:
(1) to explore the value for students of social science
degrees in different universities;
(2) to investigate (in)equities in curriculum and
pedagogy; and
(3) to contribute to debates about pedagogic quality.
The Universities
Social science degree courses in four universities:
Prestige and Selective regularly rated in the top third
of university league tables; Community and Diversity
regularly rated in the bottom third.
Is undergraduate social science knowledge
unequally distributed? Basil Bernstein’s
theory
1.
2.
3.
Knowledge creates relationships between
inner and outer worlds.
Education distributes knowledge unequally,
according to society’s hierarchies.
Knowledge is distribution by way of the
classification of curriculum; and the
framings of pedagogy= code.
Generating, analysing and interpreting data
sets
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C. 100 biographical and longitudinal student interviews;
Interviews with seminar tutors and lecturers (16);
12( 3x4) videos of seminars;
Survey of c. 750 students;
Students’ work each year (+focus group);
Analysis of curriculum, institutional and national data;
Field notes;
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Statistical data.
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‘languages of description’
Symposium questions

What is the value of undergraduate social
science education for individuals and
society?
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How can the value of undergraduate social
science be preserved and strengthened?
The formation of a specialised
disciplinary identity
Not everyone walks around and thinks
‘That’s an example of othering or
stigmatisation’. (Leanne, Diversity, 3rd year)
Distribution of transformative
knowledge: the survey
Scale
Ranking of universities*
Enhanced academic skills
Selective, Diversity, Community, Prestige
Enhanced employability skills
Diversity, Community, Selective, Prestige
Social Confidence
Prestige, Community, Selective, Diversity
A change in personal identity
and an intention to change
society for the better
Selective, Diversity, Prestige, Community
(*Institutions in Red have scores that are significantly higher than those in Blue)
The key to transformative knowledge: the
survey
Scale
Ranking of universities
Engagement with academic
knowledge
Selective, Diversity, Prestige, Community
(*Institutions in Red have scores that are significantly higher than those in Blue)
Access to Pedagogic Rights
Level
Individual
Social
Political
Right
The right to:
Capability
Enhancement ‘the means of critical
Confidence
understanding and to new
possibilities.’ (2000,p.xx)
Inclusion
‘be included socially,
Communitas
intellectually, culturally
and personally.’ (ibid)
Participation ‘to participate in the
Civic
construction,
discussion and
maintenance and
action
transformation of order’
(ibid. p.xxi)
Preserving and Strengthening Social
Science Teaching and Learning
–
Who do students need to become if they are to
access to pedagogic rights through social
sciences?
–
What can be done to increase students chances
of accessing pedagogic rights?
Specialised Pedagogic Identity

Disciplinary (‘retrospective pedagogic
identity’)
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Personal\Social (‘prospective pedagogic
identity’)
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Performative (‘generic mode’)
Supporting the Development of a
Specialised Pedagogic Identity
Survey Data:
•In all institutions rated teaching as good but not in
rank order would expect
Good
Teaching
Diversity, Community, Selective, Prestige
Good Teaching
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Coherent Course
Design
Interest\Relevance
Varied Teaching
Methods
Authentic and
Varied Assessment
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Lectures
Lecturers’ Qualities
Feedback for
improvement
Supportive and
accessible tutors
Inspire and control
Three Major Themes
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Relationships between tutors and students
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High Quality Discussion
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Challenging Students (Encouraging Hard
Work)
Conclusions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Social science knowledge has the potential to
personally transform students.
It can provide access to pedagogic rights, which is
important to democratic, civic and social life.
The outcomes of university education
conceptualised as pedagogic rights.
Hard work on both the part of tutor and students is
needed to develop specialised pedagogic identities.
Intellectualising teaching- it needs thought and
debate in the disciplines.