A systematic review of educational equity in Iran: Conceptualization, Challenges, and Indicators

Document Type : research article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Educational Methods and Programs, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 M.A. in Educational Planning, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran,Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The present research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of educational equity in Iran through a systematic review, focusing on three fundamental aspects. The first facet delves into the conceptualization of educational equity, the second reviews the challenges and proposed solutions within this domain, and the third categorizes indicators that can be used to assess equality or inequality in education in Iran. In the process of selecting research articles and composing this report, the study drew upon the principles and the framework proposed by the PRISMA and the McDermott model. Care was taken to choose research studies that provided the necessary data to address the research questions. Ultimately, 23 studies were selected for this purpose. The overall research methodology relies on qualitative methods such as qualitative content analysis and document analysis. The review of these studies reveals that the indicators employed in the research can be categorized into five broad groups. Additionally, challenges surrounding educational equity in Iran can be classified based on four key dimensions: availability, accessibility, adaptability, and acceptability of education. The investigation conducted in this study indicated that there has been limited in-depth conceptualization of educational equity and the majority of inferences are based upon the distributive justice. Therefore, it is believed that by integrating relevant theories such as critical race theory, social capital theory, capability approach, and human capital theory, a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of educational equity can be formulated.

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