Consortium for PCET Annual Conference 2012 in association with HEA Seminar Series 2011-12

1. Grading, ethnicity and achievement_________________________________ Consortium for PCET Annual Conference 2012 in association withHEA Seminar Series 2011-12 University of Huddersfield 29 June 2012 Penny Noel

2. University of Bolton ITE provision The University works in partnership with four colleges and two training providers, delivering ITE leading to the PGDE (L6 or 7) and the PDE (L5) Of 510 trainees, about half are based at the University There are 150 on the f/t generic programme, 70 on the f/t SfL programme, 250 on the p/t generic programme and 40 on the p/t SfL programme F/t provision at the university is organised into three SfL and six subject specialist groups

3. University of Bolton: Ethnicity profile 2010/11 Statistics are based on HESA returns 2010/11

4. University of Bolton, BME trainees and ITE The resident population from a non-white background in the NW in 2009 was 8.4%; for Bolton it was 13.2% (ONS) Recruitment of BME trainees to University ITE provision is high; in 2010-11 27% of f/t trainees were from a minority ethnic background The 2002 report of the Commission for Black Staff in FE highlights ‘tackling the under-representation of Black staff in further education which is key to raising achievement for all learners’ (p. 50) A healthy representation of minority ethnic trainees intending to teach in the sector is crucial

5. University of Bolton, ITE, equality and diversity The University Race Advisory Group objectives include: • ‘Identify trends or barriers and recommend strategies in specific areas e.g. improving the success and attainment of black and minority ethnic (BME) students • Achieve student outcomes that are comparable across all students irrespectiveof their racial/ethnic backgrounds’ The ITE team at Bolton continue to interrogate their practice in relation to BME achievement, and work to identify strategies for improvement Promoting equalities and diversity was judged ‘outstanding’ (Grade 1) by Ofsted in 2009 and 2011

6. How fair is Britain? HE – key sources of info Equality, Human Rights and Good Relations in 2010 (EHRC) Equality in higher education: statistical report 2011 (ECU)

7. How fair is Britain? Higher Education Although the gap in attainment between ethnic groups has narrowed,‘Students from different ethnic minority groups have different outcomes when studying for their first degree, with students from some ethnic minority groups far less likely to leave university with a first or upper second class degree than others’(EHRC, 2010, p. 344) In 2009/10 there was a white/BME attainment gap of 18.6% (ECU, 2011, p.19) Similarly, a pattern of differential achievement has been found at Bolton in relation to University ITE provision

8. Initial research findings (2007-8) 1 • Overall pass rate for 1st ITE assignment submission for white trainees was 79%; for BME trainees 69% • Discrepancy in achievement between white and BME trainees was most marked where assessment involved submission of a written assignment/portfolio • No significant discrepancy in achievement when assessment related to practical teaching (WBE) • Most significant gap in achievement was in relation to the initial assignment • Discrepancy in proportionate achievement between the two groups remained through to course completion

9. Initial research findings (2007-8) 2 • Standard of written English required was a contributory factor in relative underachievement of some BME trainees • Easier to detect plagiarism in work of any student who requires support with written English – international, BME or white; nogreater use of plagiarism within BME group • SomeBME trainees were found to be reluctant to seek out support; there may be a perception of shame in doing so • Some minority ethnic women lacked support • BME trainees are not a homogenous group, including those from same communities and sharing same religion • ‘Voices’ of BME trainees were missing

10. Introduction of grading at Bolton The grading of teaching observations was piloted during 2010-11, based upon Ofsted criteria (2009) and involving the following four-point scale: Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate Only the last four assessed observations are graded, and trainees also receive a final overall grade Grading has enabled a more robust analysis of trainee progression generally and, specifically, more precise monitoring of achievement in relation to diversity

11. Progressive teaching observation grades achieved by University based generic trainees Ethnicity – white Ethnicity – BME

12. Interviews with teaching observation assessors • Four graded teaching observations, plus the overall grade, mean trainees received a total of five grades • 17 BME trainees received a majority of grades at 3 and/or (rarely) 4 • Assessors of these BME trainees were interviewed - involving assessors of 15 of the 17 trainees (7 assessors) • Assessors taught on the generic and SfL pathways at the University, and on partnership programmes • Interviewees asked to outline the reasons for a named BME trainee receiving grades at the lower end of the scale

13. Factors identified by assessors to account for lower grades of BME research trainees • Teacher-centred teaching 60% (n=9) • English not trainee’s first language 33% (n=5) • Health issues  27% (n=4) • Family commitments 20% (n=3) • Managing challenging behaviour 20% (n=3) • Teaching at an inappropriate level  20% (n=3) • Plagiarism  13% (n=2) • Other  47% (n=7) ___________________________________________________  There was no evidence to suggest that this was a factor of specific relevance in relation to BME differential achievement

14. Strategies to support attainment for all trainees (1) • Trainees to be provided with opportunity for discussion of different academic traditions and ways in which teaching and learning may be conceptualised differently in other cultures; course expectations about learner-centred approach made clear • WBE assessors to seek opportunities to make use of recordings of assessed teaching observations as a vehicle to encourage discussion and to provide focused feedback upon practice

15. Strategies to support attainment for all trainees (2) • Formal ‘twinning’ arrangement, where SfL trainees provide support with written English and/or ESOL for trainees who require this, immediately following the marking of PTLLS (SfL trainees to record this as WBE hours) • Course tutors to explore with their trainees differences in non-verbal communication across cultures • From the outset, all trainees continue to be enabled to develop (or recall, as appropriate) an unambiguousunderstanding of plagiarism

16. Project Implicit - https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/ Project Implicit was founded as a multi university research collaboration involving the universities of Washington, Harvard and Virginia • Project Implicit investigates thoughts and feelings that exist outside of conscious awareness or conscious control. Visit the research or demonstration websites to try out some tests and learn more about the research and yourself! • Tests relate to many aspects of diversity, including: age, race, gender, disability, religion, sexuality, weight …