Workshop: Advancing quantitative perspectives in education science

Education research lies at the intersection of different disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and economics, crossing their multiple theoretical and methodological perspectives, but proposing its own interdisciplinary angle. Indeed, quantitative educational scientists have been at the forefront of developing innovative statistical methods and techniques to deal with the methodological and substantial complexities of education research.

Despite this, interdisciplinary and international platforms that facilitate such theoretical and methodological development, particularly among early career researchers, are scarce. Bringing together junior researchers from multiple research groups and subfields at the University of Zurich and the University of Cambridge, this two-part workshop aims to:

1. advance participants’ knowledge and understanding of cutting-edge quantitative techniques and approaches in education research, and
2. promote and nurture academic interactions and collaborations among early career researchers in education science and related fields both within and across the University of Zurich and the University of Cambridge.

Part I – In-presence workshop held in Zürich December 5 and 6, 2022

During a two-day workshop and a number of interactive sessions, participants had the opportunity to learn about new methods from invited experts and peers, share their own methodological expertise with the other participants, discuss specific methodological questions and concerns (regarding their own research) in troubleshooting sessions, and connect with other scientists with similar substantive and quantitative research interests.

The workshop covered a wide range of topics such as interpretation of p-values, Bayesian approaches, longitudinal designs and measurement invariance, instrumental variables, machine learning methods, and difference-in-difference models, among others.

Photos of the past event can be found here.

Part II – Online seminar series in Fall 2023 (registration is closed!)

Part II will involve an online seminar series consisting of three talks that will cover a wide range of interdisciplinary methodological topics including missing data, data visualisation and counterfactual analysis. Please find the full provisional program here (PDF, 532 KB).

The talks will take place in the afternoon (around 4PM CET, tbc). Each talk will last 1-hour and will include time for Q&A.

The workshop targets early career researchers from multiple disciplines (e.g. Education Science, Sociology, Psychology, Economics), with different levels and types of expertise on quantitative methods, and with a strong interest in educational research and related fields.

Registration is closed!

Further details and links to join each talk will be sent to those who registered a few days prior to the talks.

(in alphabetic order):

• Francesca Mele (Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development/Department of Sociology, Zurich)
• Kevin Schönholzer (Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development/Department of Sociology, Zurich)
• Laura Bechtiger (Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development)
• Laura Cashman (Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge)
• Miriam Broeks (Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge)
• Rubaiya Murshed (Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge)

If you have any questions, please get in touch with:

• Francesca Mele (Zurich): francesca.mele@jacobscenter.uzh.ch

• Miriam Broeks (Cambridge): mglb3@cam.ac.uk

• Rubaiya Murshed (Cambridge): rm827@cam.ac.uk

We are grateful to the University of Zurich’s Graduate Campus and the Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development for their financial support.

jacobscenter.uzh.ch/zurich-cambridge-quantitative-methods-workshop