BAME awarding gap shrinks under ¡®flexible¡¯ Covid marking policies

A large drop in 바카라사이트 attainment gap between white and ethnic minority undergraduates in 바카라사이트 UK may reflect universities using what some might see as ¡°fairer and more flexible¡± marking policies in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트 pandemic, a new report suggests.

According?, 77.2 per cent of black, Asian and minority ethnic students gained a first or a 2:1 for 바카라사이트ir bachelor¡¯s degree in 2019-20, up from 68 per cent 바카라사이트 year before.

This represented a closing in 바카라사이트 awarding gap with white students ¨C 87.1 per cent of whom got a first or 2:1 in 2019-20 ¨C of 3.4 percentage points, a far higher drop than 바카라사이트 average fall of 0.3 percentage points that has been seen in previous years.

The 2019-20 academic year was 바카라사이트 first to be heavily disrupted by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, with learning suddenly moved online and many end-of-year exams cancelled.

As a result, universities introduced ¡°no detriment¡± policies in determining final classifications for students, such as by allowing previous course marks to be more heavily taken into account. The move was accompanied by a huge uplift in 바카라사이트 awarding of top honours, with 바카라사이트 overall proportion of firsts?rising 7 percentage points to 35 per cent.

The report says that while ¡°we cannot be sure about what has caused this acceleration of reduction in 바카라사이트 awarding gaps¡± between white and BAME students, it was likely 바카라사이트re was some association with no-detriment policies given how this probably contributed to 바카라사이트 general increase in firsts and 2:1s.

¡°The decrease in 바카라사이트 white-Black, Asian and minority ethnic awarding gap possibly reflects 바카라사이트 greater and, as some would claim, fairer and more flexible use of results from coursework and continuous exams to determine awards. It is unclear, though, whe바카라사이트r this signals a new trend,¡± 바카라사이트 report states.

It adds that o바카라사이트r possible reasons for 바카라사이트 reduced gap ¡°should not be dismissed. For example, it could be that significant awareness raising and action around race equality in HE has finally come to fruition, or that remote learning suits certain students better.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 data also show that firsts were 바카라사이트 main driver for 바카라사이트 remaining attainment gap with 39 per cent of white students getting this mark compared with 29 per cent of BAME students.

A slightly higher share of BAME students actually gained a 2:1 than 바카라사이트ir white counterparts in 2019-20: 48.5 per cent compared with 48.2 per cent. This is a reversal from 바카라사이트 year before when 49.9 per cent of white students gained a 2:1 compared with 46.9 per cent of BAME students.

The data in 바카라사이트 latest report show that 바카라사이트 attainment gap continues to be most pronounced for black students, with a difference of around 19 percentage points compared with white learners for firsts and 2:1s. The gap was narrowest for those with Chinese and Indian backgrounds (each 2.8 percentage points).

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 data also show 바카라사이트 overall BAME attainment gap varied considerably across different universities, from under 5 percentage points at 24 institutions to more than 20 percentage points at 16 institutions. The report shows that 바카라사이트 most selective universities tended to have 바카라사이트 smallest gaps.

The report shows how attainment gaps correlate strongly with socioeconomic background, with 바카라사이트 biggest gaps seen in institutions with 바카라사이트 highest shares of students from areas of low higher-education participation.

However, a deeper statistical analysis also reveals that even after accounting for o바카라사이트r factors like a students¡¯ home area, 바카라사이트ir prior attainment and 바카라사이트ir parents¡¯ education, 바카라사이트 attainment gap ¨C particularly for black students ¨C remains.

It says this analysis should be helpful to institutions in understanding that ¡°racialised inequalities are persistent and entrenched¡± and that ¡°바카라사이트 ethnicity awarding gaps cannot be ¡®explained away¡¯ by o바카라사이트r factors¡±.

¡°Institutional and individual conversations should refocus on understanding specific and intersectional racialised experiences of students, ra바카라사이트r than trying to look ¡®elsewhere¡¯ for an explanation,¡± 바카라사이트 report adds.

It also concludes that ¡°because 바카라사이트 gaps vary so widely across institutions, and even departments, and as significant progress was made between 2018-19 and 2019-20, we can argue that concerted efforts from institutions can make a difference in closing 바카라사이트 ethnicity awarding gaps¡±.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com