WP2 – Literature Review
WP2 addresses the need to understand what previous research says about inequalities in basic education and how they have been studied through longitudinal designs in Northern and Central European countries. The tasks of WP2 include:
- Initial literature search
- Development of the analytical framework for literature analysis
- Screening and reviewing the literature
- A technical report of the systematic review, a policy brief, and 1-2 scientific publications
- Implications for the data mapping framework
This work package is led by Prof. Rolf V. Olsen and Dr. Diego G. Campos
from UiO in collaboration with all partners.
University of Oslo
University of Oslo
Longitudinal Research on Educational Inequalities in Europe: A Scoping Review of Trends, Gaps, and Methodological Approaches
This scoping literature review provides a comprehensive analysis of quantitative longitudinal studies examining educational inequalities among K–12 students in Europe. It maps the geographic and thematic distribution of these studies, identifies methodological approaches used, and highlights critical gaps in the research. The review analyzes 161 studies, focusing on how educational outcomes—academic achievement, socio-emotional skills, and attainment—are influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, migration background, and geography. It finds that most studies come from Western and Northern Europe, rely heavily on panel designs and regression analyses, and primarily address academic outcomes and socioeconomic disparities.
Please, cite this report as follows:
Campos, D., Ding, Y., Goian, A., Koskinen, A., Lokken, J., Mannsaaker, T., Munkácsy, B.,
Papadopoulos, D., Patsis, P., Rolfe, V., Tóth, E., Scherer, R., & Olsen, R. V. (2025).
Longitudinal Research on Educational Inequalities in Europe: A Scoping Review of
Trends, Gaps, and Methodological Approaches. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/m4r6x_v1
Policy Brief
We have also prepared a policy brief where we summarize and visualize the results of the MapIE Literature Review in a shorter format.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.