ClosingtheGap:ResearchandPracticeonBlackandMinorityEthnicStudentAttainmentin

HigherEducation

ABSTRACTS

GrimondBuilding,UniversityofKentCanterburyCampus

27thJune2016

Organisedby:

LissaDavies/ElizabethBuswellconferenceinfo@kent.ac.uk(01227)816194.

SessionAEnhancingBMEStudentSkillsandEmployability

Discussant:DunaSabri

MorningPresentations11:50–13.15

ExploringethnicinequalitiesinuniversitygraduatedestinationsLaurenceLessard-Phillips,UniversityofBirmingham,VikiBoliver,UniversityofDurham

andDanielSwain,UniversityofManchesterThe2015highereducationGreenPaperstressestheimportanceofincreasingaccessforethnicminoritiestotheUK'smostselectiveuniversitiesasameansofincreasingsocialmobility.However,recentstudieshaveshownthatuniversitygraduates

fromethnicminoritybackgroundsarelesslikelythanotherwisecomparablewhitegraduatestoprogresstopostgraduatestudyortogainemploymentinahighersalary,graduate-leveljobaftertheirdegree(Lessard-Phillipsetal2014;HEFCE2015;ZwysenandLonghi2016).Aseparatesetofstudieshasalsoshownthatgraduateoutcomesvarysignificantlydependingonsubject

studiedanduniversityattendedoverandabovetheimpactofstudents’priorattainmentandsocialbackgroundcharacteristics(PowerandWhitty,2008;Hussein,McNally,andTelhajgg,2009;WalkerandZhu,2013;Macmillan,Tyler,andVignoles,2013).However,nostudytodatehasexploredhowgraduates’labourmarketoutcomesareinfluencedbyethnicityininteractionwithotherindividual-,course-,andinstitutional-levelcharacteristicsinameaningfulmanner.Thepresentstudybringsthesetwostrandsofinquirytogethertoexplorehowgraduateoutcomesareinfluencedbyethnicityininteractionwithotherstudent,courseandinstitutioncharacteristics.WeanalysedataaboutrecentBritishgraduates(2009-2013)fromtheDestinationsof

LeaversfromHigherEducation(DLHE)surveyfromtheUK’sHigherEducationStatisticsAgency(HESA).Weuseacombinationoftruthtableanalysisandregressionmodelstoidentifywhichparticularconfigurationsofstudent,courseandinstitution

attributesareassociatedwithbetterandworsegraduateoutcomesforethnicminoritygraduatesrelativetotheirwhitepeers.Ourfindingschangeakeyassumptionofthegovernment'ssocialmobilitypolicyagendathatgraduatingwithagooddegree

fromahighlyselectiveuniversityguaranteessocialmobilityforstudentsfromethnicminoritybackgrounds.

Improvingtheemployabilityofblackandminorityethnicstudents:acomparativeinternationalresearchstudyAndrewHarvey,LaTrobeUniversity(Australia),JuliaClarke,ManchesterMetropolitanUniversity

andKimberleyReyes,UniversityofMichigan(US)Thispaperwillreportonaninternationalresearchprojectontheemployabilityofblackandminorityethnicstudentsacrossthreehighereducationsystems:theUnitedKingdom,UnitedStatesandAustralia.Theproject,fundedbyTheAustralian

GovernmentDepartmentofEducation,aimstopromotemoreequitableimplementationofuniversityemployabilitystrategiestopromoteacademicattainmentandgraduateoutcomesamongminoritystudents.Agrowingemphasisonemployabilityasbothapurposeandaresponsibilityofhighereducationisreflectedintheexplicitdevelopmentof‘work-ready’degrees;the

articulationofgraduatecapabilitiesrelatedtoemployability;agrowthinindustrycollaboration,andintheextentanddiversityofclinicalandotherplacements;andtheincreasinguseofgraduateoutcomedatatomeasureteachingquality,e.g.throughtheproposedTeachingExcellenceFramework,andinstitutionalreputation(Field,2013).Researchsuggeststhatblackandminorityethnicstudentsaremorelikelytobeunder-representedinwork-basedplacements,studyabroad(UniversitiesUK,2016)andoptionalcareerdevelopmentactivitiesandthatmanystudentgroupsfacedisproportionatelypoorgraduateoutcomes(Harvey&Reyes2015,Jackson,2013;Mestan&Harvey,2013).OurprojectexaminesliteratureandspecificgraduateoutcomedataforNon-Englishspeakingbackground(NESB)studentsinAustralia,BlackandLatina/ostudentsintheUnitedStates,andBlackand

MinorityEthnicstudentsintheUnitedKingdom.Wearguethatembeddingemployabilityinitiativeswithinmainstreamcurriculumwillrequireaddressingissuesofdiversityandthepublicgood,acknowledgingnon-traditionalconceptualizationsof

studentculturalcapital(Yosso,2005)andtheintersectionalitiesofclass,genderandethnicity(MoreauandLeathwood,2006).ThisisparticularlyimportantwithintheUKcontextwhereanunintendedconsequenceofthecurrentpoliticalfocusontheunder-attainmentofwhiteworking-classboys(Weale,2016)mayactuallybetheunderstatingofethnicityasapredictorof

graduateemployabilityoutcomes.

TheAccesstoHEdiploma:Asustainablemodelforpromotingblackandethnicminoritystudentparticipationinhighereducation.

JulieFarmerandJoannaParr,TheQualityAssuranceAgencyforHigherEducation(QAA)TheAccesstoHigherEducation(AccesstoHE)Diploma,regulatedbytheQualityAssuranceAgencyforHigherEducation(QAA),offersasecondchancetosecureprogressiontohighereducationforadultswholeftschoolwithoutthequalificationsneeded.SinceQAAstartedcollectingdatain1999,overaquarterofamillionstudentswithanAccesstoHEDiplomahaveprogressed

intohighereducation.Themajorityofthesestudentswereaged21andover.TheDiplomahasastrongtrackrecordinsupportingtheprogressionandattainmentofblackandethnicminoritystudentsinhighereducation.In2013-14,ofthe23,085AccesstoHEstudentsthatenteredhighereducationinstitutionsinEnglandandWales,31percentwerefromblackandethnicminoritybackgrounds(comparedwith20percentoftheirpeerswithotherqualifications).Thispaperwillbeginwithabrief

overviewoftheAccesstoHEDiplomaanditshistory.ItwillthenexploretheroleoftheAccesstoHEDiplomainpromotingblackandethnicminorityparticipationinhighereducation,presentingdataconcerningapplications,entrantsandattainment.AreallifeperspectivewillbeofferedthroughdiscussionofrecentcasestudiesofAccesstoHEstudentsandgraduatesfromblackandethnicminoritybackgrounds.Thefinalpartofthepaperwillbefromapractitionerstandpoint,consideringsomeofthewaysinwhichAccesstoHEtutorssupportblackandethnicminoritystudentsintheirAccesstoHEDiplomacourses,applicationsto

highereducationandbeyond.

Theroleandeffectivenessofcareercoachinginincreasingself-efficacy,outcomeexpectanciesandemployabilityeffortsofhighereducationstudents

JoannaMolyn,UniversityofGreenwichThestudyexaminestheabovefactorsinthecontextofthechangingroleofHigherEducation(HE)resultingfromthe

governmentpressuretoincreasingstudents’employabilityefforts(HEA,2012).ThisstudyproposesthattheroleofHEistofosterpersonaldevelopment,intellectualdebate,self-actualisationandtoofferopportunitiestodevelopstudents’fullpotential,regardlessoftheirbackgroundandwealth.Itarguesthatthisisevenmorerelevantforthepost-1992universitystudentsas,duetotheirsocioeconomicbackgroundandtheirlowersocialcapital,theydonothavethesamevocationalopportunitiesthatareavailabletotheeliteRussellGroupstudents.Thisresearchproposesthatthereisaneed,forthepost-1992Universitiesin

particular,toaddresstheissuesofgender,ethnicity,perceivedsocialsupport,socioeconomicstatus,culturalinfluencesandgenderrolemodelsinordertosupportstudents’employabilityefforts,theirself-efficacybeliefsandoutcomeexpectancies.Recognisingthesefactorsrequiresareassessmentofcurrentpracticesassociatedwithuniversities’effortsofincreasing

employabilityofHEinordertocreatecitizenswhocanthinkimaginatively,criticallyandindependentlyandwhoaredrivenbyintellectualcuriosityandpassionratherthanbeingcompliantaudiencedrivenbytheirfuturesalaries(Faulkner,2011;

Stevenson,2011).

SessionAEnhancingBMEStudentSkillsandEmployability

Discussant:DunaSabri

SessionBWhatworks:universityinterventionsA

Discussant:DeborahCureton

The‘wicked’problemofBAMEstudentattainment:acritiqueofattemptstoimplementcollaborativeapproachestolearning.LizAustenandCarolineHeaton,SheffieldHallamUniversity

InrecognitionoftheassertionbyMountford-Zimdarsetal(2015)thatstudentbelongingandconfidencearekeyfactorsinencouragingstudentengagement,weareundertakingananalysiswhichexaminestheextenttowhichco-designandpeer-

learningapproachesenhanceconfidence,belongingandengagementinstudentsfromBAMEgroups.ThroughourparticipationintheREACTprogramme(RealisingEngagementthroughActiveCulturalTransformation),weaimtoraiseawarenessoftheneedtothinkdifferentlyaboutexplanationsforourattainmentgap.AsynthesisofUSliteraturebyStevensonandWhelan(2013)confirmsthattheanalysisofBAMEfactorsinstudentachievementisoftenoversimplified.Richardson(2015)notesthat

attainmentlevelscanonlybepartlyexplainedbyentryqualifications.Thissuggeststhatarangeoffacetsneedtobeexplored.Attemptstodefineandoperationaliseanyissuesinattainment(forexample,byanalysingstudentengagement)become

challengingandcanbealignedtothenotionofa'wickedproblem'(Conkin2015).Such'problems'areentrenchedinsocialcomplexity,whichincreaseinlinewiththediversityoftheassociatedstakeholders.Theseproblemshavetheabilitytodivideopinion,providelimitedsolutionsandtolayblameforlackofresults.TheBAMEattainmentgapcanbecritiquedusingthisnotionofa'wickedproblem'notingthat,withoutrecognition,thisissuehaspotentialtobecomeubiquitousandalmost

unsolvable.Thispaperusesthenotionofa'wickedproblem'to:exploretheBAMEattainmentgapusinginstitutionaldata;discussessocialcomplexitiessurroundingtheattainmentgap;outlinesactionswehaveinitiatedtoimpactonstudent

engagement;highlightssomeofthechallengesfacedwithstaffengagementintheprogramme;discussesethicalconsiderationsinexploringtheimpactofinitiativesonspecificstudentgroups;sharesobservationsonourfindingssofar;andinvitesdiscussion

onthepotentialefficacyofourapproach.

SharedThinkingasasocial-belongingintervention

NicholasBowskill,UniversityofDerbyRace,ethnicity,gender,religionarejustafewexamplesofmanydifferentsocialidentities.Accordingtotheoryinsocial

psychology,wemayfeelpsychologicallythreatenedifwefeelwearebeingjudgednegatively,incertainsocialsettings,basedononeofoursocialidentities.ThisisknownasStereotypeThreat(Steele).Suchaconditioncangiverisetochronicfeelingsof

stressandanxiety.Itmayresultinunder-performanceonacademictests(Walton)oritmayinfluencedecisionstoleaveacourseearlybeforecompletion.SharedThinkingisasocial-belongingintervention.Theaimistoreplaceanybeliefthatwemaynotfitinaparticularsettingwithasenseofbelonging.ItwasdevelopedasanoutgrowthfromdoctoralresearchatUniversityofGlasgow.

Thisemergingpractice:

1. Organiseslearningandteachingbasedonthegroup-levelratherthantheindividuallevel.2. Specifiesasenseofbelongingasapedagogicalgoal3. Emphasisestheideaoflearningandteachingbasedonthewayothersthinkasakeyresource.4. Establishesthenormalisationofconcernscommonwithinthegroup5. Buildsandutilisesgroupidentitywithinandacrossdifferentcohorts

Wecallthisshift‘pedagogyforsocial-belonging.’Theoryandpracticewillbedescribedanddatafromearlyworkwillbeprovided.

SessionBWhatworks:universityinterventionsA

Discussant:DeborahCureton

InitiatingtheconversationAnjumAnwar,GaiMurphyandPradeepPassi,UniversityofCentralLancashire

Observingclasseshasprovidedkeyinsightintostudentengagementandbehavioursinclassandtheopportunities/barriersthatcurrentteachingstylespromote.InclusionisakeyfactorinpromulgatingactiveengagementandobservationsfoundthatBMEStudentparticipationinclassroomdiscussionswaslackingattimes.Thisposesakeyquestionregardingculturalvaluesof‘not

speakingup’inthefaceof‘authority’isabarrier,whichneedsfurtherinvestigation.Examplesof‘bankinginformation’(Pedagogy,Freire)intheearlyyearsduringmosqueeducationmayhavesensitizedyoungMuslimstoaccepttheauthorityofthe

‘teacher’muchmorethanotherBMEstudentsalthoughthisneedstobefurtherevaluated.Inclusiveteachingwasmostapparentinsmallergroups,butengagementbetweenthetutorandtheBMEstudentswaslowinlargergroups,particularlyingroupswherethereweresmallnumbersofBMEstudentsintheclassroom.Ourinterventionsarefocusedonfourmainareas:

• AwarenessTrainingforTutorsofBMEstudents’background,learningstyles,barriersfortutors• WorkingwithparentsofBMEstudentsandexploringtheirexpectationsofwhat/howUniversitiescaterforstudentsofBMEbackground• Workingwiththosestudentswhoneedmoreone-to-onework(shortterm)• Workwith6thformcollegestoascertainwhatisexpectedfromUniversitylifeandhowtomanagetransition.

BME mentor's experience of mentoring. Louise Frith University of Kent

TheStudentLearningAdvisoryServicehascoordinatedtheuniversity’speermentoringschemeforthepasteightyears.Thisyearitisoperatingin14schoolsandthereareatotalof337studentmentors.PeermentoringisbeingusedasacoreinterventionformanyoftheStudentSuccessProjectsincluding;MusicandFineArt,KBSMedway,Pharmacy,EDA,Anthropology,Architecture,PsychologyandSMSAS.Peermentorsplayacrucialroleinsupportingnewerstudents’transitionintoandsuccessatuniversity.Theyarealsoimportantrolemodelsfornewstudents.Thispresentationwilllookindetailattheprofileofpeermentorsandreportontheirrepresentativenessofthestudentbodyasawhole.Itwillpresentdataonthenumbersofmenteesandtheir

profile.TherewillalsobequalitativedataonBMEstudentmentors’experienceofmentoring.ThiswillfocusspecificallyontherolemodelingthatmentorsdoandallowthemtogiveinsightsintoissuesthattheyfaceasBMEstudentsandhowtheysupportnewerstudents.ThispresentationwillgiveparticipantsaninsightintotherolementoringplaysintheuniversityinaddressingtheattainmentgapanditmayalsoprovokediscussionabouthowtheuniversitycanfurthersupportBMEmentorssothatthey

canbeevenmoreeffectiveintheirrole.

SessionCResearchandRaceinHigherEducationA

Discussant:RobbieShilliam

ChallengingdeficittheoriesofblackstudentsinHigherEducation

MaryAndall-Stanberry,CanterburyChristchurchUniversityDeficittheorycanstillhaunttheacademy,andnowhereisthismoreprolificthaninrhetoricusedtoexplainthepositionandoverallexperience,ofBlackStudentsinHigherEducation.TheadoptionofaCriticalRaceTheory(CRT)approachishelpfulinilluminatinghowandwhythishappens,especiallyifcombinedwithauto/biographicalnarrativeenquiry.Andhow,inthoughtandpractice,theacademycanbemademoreinclusive.Thestudyilluminatessomethingmorecomplexandhumanthantheory

aloneinthatthelivesofthreewomen(Zara,Gailandtheresearcher),areredolentwiththeimprintsoffamily,gender,generationalchange,migrationandculturalrichnessattesting“communityculturalwealth”andachallengeto“culturalcapital”

narrowlydefined.Tounderstandusandournarratives,requiresanauto/biographicalimaginationwherethereisaninquisitivenesstofindouttheindividual’shistoricalandsocialaswellasintimateexperiencesinsocietyandtogivemeaningtothese.Ratherthanadeficitmodel,theargumentisthatblackstudentsdemonstrateformsofresilience,andthattheacademy

needstolearn,intheoryandpractice,fromwhatwehavetooffer.

SessionCResearchandRaceinHigherEducationA

Discussant:RobbieShilliam

Challengingexclusionandcreatingasenseofbelongingforblackandethnicminoritypostgraduatestudents

AkhilAhmetandCarolineHowarth,LondonSchoolofEconomicsAmidstincreasingpublicdiscussionofracialisedinequalitiesintheuniversitysector,littleischanging.Inthispaperwearguethatweneedtomoveawayfromthe‘deficit-model’whichseesethnicminoritystudentsaslackinginabilityoraspiration,andouruniversitiesas‘already’inclusive.Instead,wearguethatuniversitiesneedtoseethebarrierstofullandequalparticipationinuniversitylifeassomethingtobedismantledratherthanovercome;thatis,weneedtochallengetheprocessesandpracticesthatupholdtraditionsofprivilege,inclusionanddiscriminationinuniversitycontexts.WeillustratethisargumentwithearlyfindingsfromacasestudyprojectbasedattheLondonSchoolofEconomicsandPoliticalScience.DrawingoninterviewswithacademicstaffandphotovoicematerialcollectedwithblackPhDstudents,weexplorewhytheLSEhasfailedtoattractandretainblackandethnicminoritystaffandPhDstudents.Weexaminewrittenandvisualnarrativesoftheirexperiencesofinstitutionaldynamicsand‘micro-aggressions’withinthecurrentSchoolenvironment.Weconcludewithsomeinitial

considerationsaboutwhatconcretechangesareneededtochallengeexclusionandcreateasenseofbelongingforblackandethnicminoritypostgraduatestudents.

IamnotWhite,willImakeit?StudyingtheUniversityGapatBirminghamCityUniversity.TiyannahAlexander,AliciaDonaldson,DanielJones,JamesMaidment,MoniquePrice,LatifaShtta–Undergraduatesat

BirminghamCityUniversityBirminghamCityUniversitysuffersfromthesametrendasotheruniversitiesinthatasignificantdisparityexistsbetweentheachievementofafirstor2(i)betweenwhiteandstudentsofcolour.In2014/1575%ofwhitestudentsachievedagooddegree,comparedtoonly60%ofstudentsofcolour.TheattainmentgapexistedacrossdegreeprogrammerandalsowhencontrollingforUCAStariffpointsonentry.Itappearsasthoughthereissomethingabouttheuniversity,ratherthanculturaldeprivationofthestudents,thatisleadingtothissignificantinequality.Wereceivedfundingfromtheuniversitytosetup10focusgroupswithstudentsacrossthefacultyofBusiness,LawandSocialSciencestoaskstudentsofcolourtheirexperiencesoftheuniversitythatcouldimpactonsuchfigures.Basedonthepreviousliteratureweanticipatethattheenvironment;curriculum;lackofdiversityintheteachingstaffand;experiencesofracismallcontributetothesefigures.Thispaperwillpresentpreliminaryfindingsfromthefocusgroups,givingvoicetothestudentswhotookpartinthestudy.Theaimistotakethestudentresponsestothestaff

teamsinordertofindwaystoaddresstheissuesandthisinitialstudyisanimportantfirststep.

The endurance of academic capital in higher education: how cultural and institutional factors maintain the white BME attainment gap.

Alexander Hensby and Lavinia Mitton, University of Kent

SincetheGovernmentintroducedchangestothecostandtermsoftuitionfees,Englishuniversitieshavefacedrenewedchallengestounderstandtherelationshipbetweenstudents’learnercharacteristicsanddifferentialsinacademicattainment.OfparticularconcernistheattainmentgapbetweenwhiteandBMEstudents,withstatisticsfromHESA(2013)showingthattheformerareconsistentlymorelikelytoconverttheirentryqualificationsintoa2:1orabove.Thistrend,whichisreproduced

throughoutthesector,indicatesthatthisgapisnotonlymaintainedbutexacerbatedatHElevel.

Drawingonoriginalsurveyandinterviewdata,thispaperexaminesdifferencesinthestudentexperienceforwhiteandBMEundergraduatesatanEnglishuniversity.Althoughthereisnosingleexplanationfortheattainmentgap,resultssuggestthatBME

studentshavehigherexpectationsoftheiracademicsuccessthantheirwhitecounterparts,adifferencethatispartlyattributabletodifferencesinfamilybackground.Incaseswheretheseexpectationsarenotinitiallymet,ourresearchfindsthatstudentstypicallydisplaygreaterconfidenceinusingtheuniversity’ssupportsystemstotheiradvantage.FollowingtheworkofWatson(2013),thepaperconcludesbyhighlightingtheenduranceofacademiccapitalinhighereducation,andhowuniversitiesneedtopaycloserattentiontoensuringthatuniversitiesavoidprivilegingtheeducationaldevelopmentofpredominantlywhite,

middle-classstudents.

Lunchwillbeavailableafterthemorningpresentations

AfternoonPresentations14:30–15.15

SessionATheattainmentgap:re-thinkinguniversitypolicy

Discussant: Miri Song

HowcanRaceEqualityCharterimpactondegreeawardingrates?

ClaireHerbert,ECURaceEqualityCharterECUlauncheditsRaceEqualityCharter(REC)inJanuary2016,followingatrialwithover30highereducationinstitutionsin

2014/15.Theaimofthecharteristoimprovetherepresentation,progressionandsuccessofminorityethnicstaffandstudentswithinhighereducationandthereforeithasadirectcorrelationwithminorityethnicdegreeawardingrates.ThispresentationwilloutlinethemainrequirementsforRECwithparticularfocusontheteachingandlearningaspectsoftheframework.WewilloutlinetheinstitutionaldriversforengagingwithREC,anddegreeattainmentworkmoregenerally,andprovidefeedbackfrom

thoseinstitutionswhichtookpartinthetrial,highlightingwhattheyfoundusefulabouttheprocess.

DelegateswillleavethesessionwithaclearideaofwhatRECinvolves,andhowitcanbeusedtotackleracialinequalitieswithininstitutions.DelegateswillbeprovidedwithavarietyofleaversforpromotingRECinvolvementwithintheirinstitutions,

includinghowitlinksexplicitlywiththeteachingexcellenceframework,universityaccessagreements,andinternationalisationstrategies.

Thenegotiationofethicsandcommunicationininstitutionalresearchaboutinequalityinstudents’outcomes.DunaSabri,,KingsCollegeLondon

ThereiswidespreadconcernacrosstheUKHEsectoraboutunequalattainmentbetweenwhiteandblackandminorityethnicstudents.Inadditiontoarangeofnationalstudiesandreviewsoftheliteratureovermorethanadecade,manyuniversitieshaveinitiatedtheirownresearchwhichhassoughttoconfirmthisinequalitywithintheirowninstitutionsandexploreitscauses.AmongthefindingsofarecentlycompletedHEFCE-commissionedreview,ofthecausesofinequalityinstudents'

outcomesinHE(Mountford-Zimdars,Sabrietal:2015),wasthatmanyinstitutionsconcentratetheirresourcesonresearchandinquiryandcanbeslowtocommunicatetheirfindingsandformulateinterventionsthatmayinduecoursereducetheinequality.Thispaperwillfirstexplorewhyinstitutionsundertake(orcommission)researchaboutinequalityandwillidentitysomeofthemostcommonlychosenmethodologicalfeatures.Itwillofferananalysisoftheassumptionsthatdifferentresearchstrategiesmake–explicitlyorinadvertently-aboutcausality.Theseassumptionsareconstantlyformed,remade,andsometimesadjustedintheformationoftheresearchandthedevelopingunderstandingsofthoseinvolvedinit:fromitscommissioningthroughtofieldwork,analysisandinterimreportingandevaluation.Thenatureoftheseassumptions,itwillbeargued,canbothhamper

andsustainthewidercommunicationoffindingsamongstaffandstudents.Thepaperwillconcludewithsomeproposedprinciplesforcommunicatingwithininstitutionsaboutinternallygeneratedsocialinequalities.Finally,itwillquestionwheretheparametersofresponsibilityshouldlieforthequalityoftheresearch,andforensuringthat,ultimately,theresearchhelpsto

reduceunequalattainmentbetweenwhiteandblackandminorityethnicstudents.

Whyeducationwon'tsolvetheBMEgapuntilitcatchesupwithitssisterdisciplines.Andhowitcoulddoboth.TheoGilbert,HertfordshireUniversity

Introduction:Compassionisthenoticingofdisadvantage/distresstoothersandcommitmenttoreduceorremoveit.Howcompassionenhancescriticalthinkingintaskfocusedgroups/communitiesandwhatthismeansforbuildingmoreintegrated,

collaborativelocalandglobalsocietiesisbeingresearchedbyneuroscience,anthropology,psychology/grouppsychotherapy.Foranumberofreasons-whichhelpconstructandsustaintheBMEattainmentgap-education’scontributiontothisresearchis

limitedanddisappointing.ThestudyIwillpresent,respondedtotheNUS’scall(RaceforEquality,2009)(forbetterintegrationofFEandHEstudentsinsideclassrooms)byapplyingtheaboveresearchintheHEseminarroom.Actionresearchwasusedtosupportstudentsintheircompassionatemanagementoftheirweekly,smallgroupseminardiscussions.AUKuniversityprovidedarangeofmodulestoparticipate.Studentparticipantswerelocalwhite,localblack,localethnicminorityand

international.Overall,250studentsand10seminartutorsintwodepartmentstookpart.Methods:Sevendatacollectiontoolswereusedincluding:ethnographicfieldnotesofhumaninteractionalprocessesin

seminars;interviews,focusgroups(students,tutors,externalexaminers);filmof‘end-of-module’assessmentsofsmallgroupseminardiscussions;marksandwrittenfeedbackgiventoeachindividualstudentfora)criticalthinkingperformanceandb)compassionatemovestokeepthegroupsociallyandintellectuallycohesiveintheseassessments.Templateanalysiswasthe

mainmeansofdataanalysis.Findings:Onamoduleof41ethnicallydiversestudents,statisticaltests(onallindividualstudentscores)showednoBME

attainmentgap,specifically,forcriticalthinkingperformanceasanindicatorofacademicachievement.Thestudy’squalitativefindingsacrossallethnicgroups,inthisandothermodulessuggestedhowandwhythishadhappened.

SessionA

Theattainmentgap:re-thinkinguniversitypolicyDiscussant: Miri Song

TheLeedsBeckettDeepDiveProject:actionstoaddresshomeBMEundergraduatestudents’degreeattainment.

SusanSmith,LeedsBeckettUniversityThispresentationwilloutlinetheprocess,initialfindingsandactionsfromthecurrentDeepDiveprojectwhichisexploringhomeBMEundergraduatestudents’attainmentandhowtheUniversitycansupportthemeffectivelytogetmore2:1and1stclass

degrees.DespitenumbersofBMEstudentsbeingrelativelysmallatLBU(12%),thereisaclearattainmentgap.BMEstudentsacrossthesectoraremorelikelythantheirwhitepeerstogetaThirdor2:2.(BroecheandNicholls,2007;Richardson,2008).AtLBU,49.8%BMEstudentsgetgooddegreescomparedto64.5%ofwhitestudents.Nationally73%ofwhitestudentsget1stand2:1sbut58.5%ofBMEstudentsnationallyget1stsand2:1s.OurUniversityisbelowaverageforattainmentforwhiteandBMEstudentsbothinourownUniversityandcomparedtothesectorandthegapinwhiteandBMEattainmentremainssignificant.Abroadlyinterpretiveapproachwasadoptedforthisproject.Detailedanalysisofquantitativedatarelatingto5largeUGcourses,analysisofcoursedocumentationandofqualitativedatafromstaffandstudentfocusgroupswasundertaken.Sixactions(listedbelow)wereidentifiedfromtheemergentfindingsandwillbediscussed.Thesearepartofamoreinclusiveapproachtopractice

catalysedbyourRaceEqualityCharterMarkActionPlanandaparallelprojectaboutsupportingdisabledstudents.

1. theidentificationoftwoInclusivityChampionsperSchoolandService2. establishingapan-Universitygrouptoaddressinclusiveassessmentpractice;3. establishingaworkgroupexploringBMEstudentuptakeofplacementopportunities;4. “unconsciousbias”trainingforallstaff5. establishingaprojecttoreview“whitecurricula”whichwouldmirrortheexistingNUScampaign“Whyismycurriculumwhite?6. workingwiththeSUtoencouragemoreBMEstudentstostandasstudentcourserepresentatives.

SessionBWhatworks:universityinterventionsB

Discussant:UvanneyMaylor

Whycreatinganinclusiveenvironment,curriculumandapproachtolearningandteachingwillimprovetheperformanceofBAMEstudentsandclosetheattainmentgap.WinstonMorgan,UniversityofEastLondon

Thepersistenceoftheattainmentgap(16-18%)betweenBAMEstudentsandtheirwhitecounterpartscanbeattributedtothefailureofthesectortounderstandthefactorswhichcauseandsustainthegap.Weknowthecausesaremultifactorial,butregardlessofthecause,bothhistoricallyandcurrentlytheprimaryinterventionshaveallassumedaBAMEstudentdeficitmodel.Thismisconceptionhasunderpinnedthecontinuedfocuson“fixing”theBAMEstudents,withlittlesuccess.In2016thestudentbodyisincreasinglydiversewith20%comingfromBAMEbackgrounds.Bycontrasttheprofileofacademicstaffintermsofethnicityandeducationalbackgroundisrelativelynarrow.WithoutappropriatetrainingtheenvironmentandL&Texperiencesdeliveredbysuchstaffcannoteffectivelyrespondtotheneedsandrequirementsofadiversestudentbody.InthisenvironmentmanystudentsfromwideningparticipationandBAMEbackgroundsfeelexcludedandthisisreflectedin;poorretention,progression,completion,misconduct,attainmentandemployability.Myresearchhasidentifiedover40factorswhicheithercauseorsustaintheattainmentgap,thevastmajorityaretheresultofuniversitypolicies,practices,staffattitudesandbehaviour.Basedonthesefactors,IdevelopedaToolkit(IncludeBAMe)toprovideclearguidanceonhowtoimprovetheperformanceofBAMEstudentsandtherebyreducetheattainmentgap.Akeyactiondemandedbythetoolkitistherequirementthatuniversitystaffmustexamineandreflectontheirprofessionalpracticeinrelationto:

• Creatinganinclusiveenvironmentoncampus.• Makingthecurriculummoreinclusive.• AdoptinganinclusiveapproachtoL&T.

Alltheseactionschallengetheconventionalthinkingandbehavioursofuniversitystaff.Theresultwillbeastudentbodythatfeelstheybelongoncampus,theyhaveapurposeforbeingatuniversityandcanachieveatthehighestlevel.

SessionBWhatworks:universityinterventionsB

Discussant:UvanneyMaylor

Profilingprogressandnavigatinguniversityresources:thedevelopmentandoptimizationofasuccinctacademicprogressionmanagementsystemandresourcefinder.

DavidAtkins,UniversityofKentTwoproblems,reasonablyrelatedtothedegreeattainmentgapbetweendifferentgroups,arefacingsome

universities.Consequently,twopilotinitiativesarecurrentlybeingdevelopedandevaluated;theProgressProfilesandtheVirtualStudentAdviser.Firstly,ineffectivemonitoringofstudents’academicprogressislikelytoundermineaUniversity’sabilitytotargetandprompttheindividualsmostinneed,regardlessofthestudent’sbackground.TheProgressProfilesaimtoenable

staffandstudentstoquicklyassessanindividual’sacademicprogress.Current,theprogressprofilessuccinctlyoutlineastudent’sacademicprogressusingatrafficlightsystem,andbygraphingbothstudents’attendanceandcourseworkprogress;thisenablesrapid,andyetanefficientunderstandingofstudents’academicprogress.Secondly,anydisorganizedprocessesforstudentstonavigatetothemostsuitableresourcestomeettheiridiosyncraticneedsislikelytounderminethatindividual’s

abilitytodeterminetheoptimumcoursetoenhancetheiracademicexperience.Universitiestypicallyhaveabundantresourcestomeetstudents’academicandwellbeingneeds.Consequently,theoverwhelmingnumberofresourcesavailableresultsin

difficultiesinnavigatingtothemostappropriateresource.TheVirtualStudentAdviser(VSA)aimstoenablestudents(andstaff)tofindthemostappropriateresourceforastudent’sindividualneedswithinapproximately10seconds.Functionally,theVSAposesaseriesofquestionstotheuserandusesadecisiontreeformatinwhichtodrillintotheuser’sacademicorwellbeing

issuesthathaverecentlyarisen.Subsequently,usersarepresentedwiththemostrelevantUniversityresourcetoovercometheidentifiedissue.Findingsfrombothinitiativeswillbediscussed.However,preliminaryfindingsoftheProgressProfiles

demonstratethatthereiswidespreadinterestinthenotionofaprofilingsystemamongstthestudentcommunity.Inaddition,studentfeedbackhighlightsspecificamendmentsthatneedaddressinginfutureiterations,andnewfeaturestoexplore.

Wideningparticipationwhilstclosingattainmentgapsbetweenstudentgroups:arealisticobjectiveforhighereducation?RichardMcManusandMoiraMitchell,CanterburyChristchurchUniversity

Thisstudyoffersanumberofcontextualperspectivesonnationallyreportedattainmentdifferentialsandexaminesthemwithinthelearningandteachingenvironment.InsteadofusingHESAdegreeclassificationdata,itmeasuresthedifferenceinthe

averagemarkofvariousdemographicgroupsacrossspecificassessmentsinarangeofmoduleswithinaprogrammeofstudy.Thedemographicgroupsareanalysedsimultaneously,sothatwhileeachisconsideredtheothersarecontrolledfor.Aswellasinformationaboutstudentdemographics,thestudyanalysesinformationaboutspecificassessments(typeofassessment,timingandweighting)andinformationaboutthestudentcohorts.Thestudyincorporates1,291studentsand179assessments(thedatasetincludesover23,000individualassessmentgrades)andidentifies(i)theprevalenceandextentofattainmentgaps

betweendemographicgroups(gender,ethnicity,nationalityanddisability)[Footnote]and(ii)thepotentialcontributoryfactorsorunderlyingcausesfortheattainmentgaps.Inthissecondstage,thestudymeasuredthespecificimpactofmodule,

assessment,timingandcohorteffectsonthegapsinattainmentbetweenthedemographicgroups.Thisallowedtheresearcherstoidentifyacademicsituationsinwhichattainmentdifferentialsincreaseordecrease.Findingsfromthisanalysiscontributeto

theevidencebaseabouthowuniversitiescanadapttheirteachingandassessmentstrategiestominimisedisparitiesinattainmentandtosupportthemostvulnerablestudents.Moreover,thisresearchproposesamethodologywhichcouldbe

replicatedtocomparetheresultswithdifferentgroupsinvariousinstitutions.

The'Just-ness'ofourteachingpractice:issuesofnormativepractice,socialjusticeandinclusionAnnieHuhesandNonaMcDuff,KingstonUniversity

TheHEsectorisrecognisingtheneedtomovebeyondafocusonequalityofaccesstoaddressequalityofeducationaloutcomesacrossthediversityofourstudentbody.Thisbodyofworkhasidentifiedpersistentdifferentialsineducationalattainmentwhich,whilstcomplexintheircomposition(HEFCE,2015)mustbeaddressedinpartthroughacriticalreflectionofacademic

culturesandpractices(Archer,2007).Thisworkshopwillexaminethesectordriversrelatingtoequality,diversityandinclusioninHigherEducation.Itthenexploresthepotentialofinclusiveapproachesasmechanismstoimprovetheeducationaloutcomesfor

allstudentgroups.Inclusivelearningandteachinginhighereducationreferstothewaysinwhichwedesignanddeliverourcurriculatoengageallourstudentsinlearningwhichisappropriate,accessibleandmeaningfultoall(Hocking,2010).Wediscussthekeyprinciplesofaninclusiveapproachandoutlineaframeworkwhich,wesuggest,canguideandsupportacademicstaffin

embeddingthekeyprinciplesofinclusivityintotheirlearningandteaching.

Bytheendoftheworkshopyouwillbeableto:Recognisetheconnectionbetweenlearningandteachingpraxisandthedebatesaroundinclusivityandequalityofopportunityineducation;Reflectonhowpedagogicpracticescancontributetovariable

educationalexperiencesandattainmentamongstdifferentstudentgroups;Recognisethewaysinwhichimplicitassumptionsandnormativepracticescaninfluenceyourteachingandlearningpractices;Engagewiththeprinciplesofaninclusivecurriculum

andactioninyourownteachinginSTEMthroughtheFrameworkforExcellenceinanInclusiveCurriculum.

SessionCResearchandraceandcultureinhighereducationB

Discussant:KehindeAndrews

ExplorationofcurrentIAGpracticestowardsimprovedstudentoutcomesforstudentsfromBAMEGraemeAthertonandAlexHall,AccessHE

Onentrytohighereducation(HE),whitestudentsaremorelikelytoachieveafirstoruppersecondclassdegreethanstudentsfromBAMEgroupswhoachievedthesameentrygrades.ThisgappersistsevenamongstudentswithoutstandingA-levels.

‘PreparetoSucceed’asaprojectfocusesonthequalityofpre-entryinformation,adviceandguidancereceivedbystudentsfromBAMEgroupsinordertobetterunderstandwhethercurrentpracticesinthedeliveryofIAGarehavinganaffectonBAMEstudents’abilitiestomakedecisionsaboutHEandontheirfuturesuccess.Theneedtobetterunderstandtherelationship

betweenpre-entryIAGandstudentaccessandsuccessforstudentsfromBAMEgroupsisheightenedinLondonwherethereareover50ethniccommunitieswithover10,000members.Moreover,overhalfoftheBAMEpopulationoftheUKliveinLondon

andthereforetheparticipatingHEIshavestudentbodiesconsistingofhighnumbersoflearnersfromdiverseBAMEbackgrounds.Thispaperwillexplorethefindingsofextensivefocusgroupworkwithapproximately400studentsfromBAMEbackgroundscurrentlystudyingat8diversehighereducationinstitutions(HEIs)inLondon.Thispaperwillpresentfindings

aroundtheextenttowhichstudentsreceivedqualityIAGpriortoenteringHEandtheroleofformalandinformalinformationsources.Usingthisinformation,thispaperwillestablishwhetherthesestudentswereabletomakepositive,knowledge-baseddecisions.Wewilldiscusswhethertheexpectationsofhighereducationgeneratedthroughpre-entryIAGforthesestudents

wererealisedorwhethertherealityofHEdifferedfromtheimagecraftedthroughearlierguidance.Onthisbasis,thispaperwillestablishwhetherthestudentsfeltpreparedforHEstudyorwhetherthereareadditionalpiecesofinformationwhichshouldhavebeencommunicated.Overall,thispaperwillshowwhat,whenandhowstudentsreceivedIAG,whethertheIAGwas

sufficientandhowIAGcouldbeimprovedinthefutureforstudentsfromBAMEgroups.

ExploringtheexperiencesofBMEstudentsonundergraduateSocialworkandadultnursingprogrammesDaveMarland,GloriaLikupe,SarahDonkin,GraceNambozi,UniversityofHull

ThispresentationwilldiscussasmallqualitativestudywhichisexploringtheexperiencesofBlackandMinorityEthnic(BME)undergraduatestudentsonnursingandsocialworkprofessionalprogrammesinanorthernUniversity.Theexperienceof

studentsinthelearningenvironmentisoneofthedeterminants’forachievementinhighereducationanditplaysakeyroleinstudents’academicperformance.ThereisagrowingbodyofknowledgeabouttheattainmentgapbetweenBMEandwhitecounterpartsinhighereducationingeneral.However,thereiscomparativelylittleknownabouttheexperiencesandthe

attainmentofBMEstudentsonprogrammesthatincludeaprofessionalplacement(work-based)element.Thisparticularstudyfocusesontwosuchprogrammes.Aspectsofthestudentjourneybeingexaminedincluderelationshipswithstudentpeers;

relationshipswithprofessionalmentorsandacademicsupervisorsandrelationshipwithpatientsandserviceusers.Inaddition,thestudyisexploringdimensionsofthelearningenvironmentandcurriculumcontent.Thestudyisemployingestablishedqualitativemethodstoengageparticipants.Thisincludesinterviewsandfocusgroupswithcurrentstudentsfromboth

programmes.Inaddition,weareundertakinginterviewswithpaststudentswhohavequalifiedandmovedintopracticewithinthelast3years.Further,weareundertakingastructuredcurriculumanalysis,examiningsubjectmodulesusingasimplecontentframeworktool,developedforthestudy.Thepresentationwillhighlightourapproachandrationaleanddiscusssomeoftheinterestingchallengeswehaveexperiencedinundertakingthisresearch.Inaddition,wewillpresentemergingfindingsand

highlightsomeofthepotentialimplicationsforsocialworkandnursingprogrammes.

Race inequality in HE: complexities of researching educational debtManny Madriaga, Sheffield Hallam University

Withthetenetsofcriticalracetheoryinmind(Matsudaetal.1993;Solórzano1998),thispapersharesastoryofsomeoftheethicalandepistemologicalissuesinconductingresearchonpersistentracialinequality,particularlydegreeoutcomes,inUnited

Kingdom(UK)highereducation.Itisaresearcher'sstoryofhavingtonegotiateauniversity'scommitmentof'keepingupappearances'withperformativitymeasuresalongsideapromisetostudentstowardsachievingsocialjusticeandrecognitionof

theirdifferencesoncampusandinourclassrooms.ThispaperexploresthisuncomfortablenegotiationastheseinterestsconvergeinaddressingracialinequalityintheUKacademy.Fanon’s(1967)blackskinsandwhitemasks,aswellasDuBois

(1903)’double-consciousness,areforegroundedhereindescribingthisuncomfortablenegotiation,this'greyzone'(Back2002),whileresearchinginstitutionalracisminhighereducation.

Thisstoryisbasedonethnographicresearch,entailinginterviewswithstaffandstudents,conductedatoneUKuniversitytoacquireteachingstaffandstudentperceptionsonpossiblesolutionstoaddresswhatLadson-Billings(2006)terms‘educationaldebt’.Evidencefromthisresearchsuggestsauniversityoccupationalcultureinwhichmisrecognitionofstudents’racialandethnicdifferencesisnormal(TateIV1997).Normalcy,asunderstoodhere,iswhitenessbeingtaken-for-grantedandleftunmarked.Thepaperconcludesinadvocatingforsocially-justpedagogiesthatnotonlymarkswhitenessandresiststhis

normalcy,butseeksandworkstowardshopes,possibilitiesandbecomingsinourveryownuniversities.

SessionC

ResearchandraceandcultureinhighereducationBDiscussant:KehindeAndrews

RomaStudents'ExperiencesinEuropeanHigherEducation:Exploringgender,identityandmarginalisationTamsinHinton-Smith,UniversityofSussex

ThispaperdrawsoninsightsfromHigherEducationInternationalisationandMobility:Inclusions,EqualitiesandInnovations(HEIM),anongoing3-yearHorizon2020,MarieSkłodowska-CuriefundedprojectexploringRomastudents’experiencesof

participatinginEuropeanhighereducation.FindingsfromboththedatacollectedsofarandexperiencesofworkingtogetherontheprojectaspartofaninternationalteammadeupofRomaandnon-Roma,haveidentifiedimportanttransferableinsights

aroundissuesofidentity,intersectionalityandbelonginginhighereducation,andinparticulartensionsbetweenassumptionsofindividualandcollectiveresponsibilityforethnicinequalitiesinparticipationandoutcomes.Whilewideningparticipationdiscoursehasrightlycritiquednarrativesofpersonalresponsibilityforsuccessandfailurethatblameminoritiesinhigher

educationfortheirownmarginalisation,revisitingofthejuncturebetweenstructureandagencybyparticipantsinthisresearchassertsanimportantspaceforthepotentialofindividualdeterminationinresponseto,ratherthanundermining,recognitionofpervasiveinequality.Participantsfurtherassertedtheirrighttoequalparticipationinhighereducationfortheirownselves,

ratherthanasrepresentativesofincreasingparticipationfortheirethnicgroup,withtheassociatedburdensofthisintermsofusingtheirdegreetoworktowardsthegoodoftheirwiderethnic‘community.’

nsightsfromRomawomenstudentsandrecentgraduatesparticularlyidentifiedastronglygendereddimensiontothesymbolic

bordercrossingsbetweenbackgroundoforiginandtheprocessofbecominganHEstudentwithinanarrativethattacitlypositionsthosewhodeviatefromnarrownotionsofthe‘typical’(orIdeal)HEstudent,asother,inferioranddeficit.ThispaperhencedrawsinparticularoninsightsfromfiveRomawomenintervieweeswhosecontributionsparticularlyengagewiththeseissues.ThroughhoninginonthelensofEurope’slargestandmostmarginalisedminority,thisstudyofferswidermessagesintothecomplexmechanismsofpersistentexperiencesofmarginalisationandunbelonginginHE,despiteattentiontoaddressing

ethnicinequalitiesintermsofincreasingnumbers.

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