How to close awarding gaps
Closing awarding gaps requires a collective commitment that combines institution-level strategy with a variety of bespoke solutions.
How is the University of Reading closing its gaps?
The University has progressed several initiatives aimed at closing awarding gaps, which include:
- Developing targets and key performance indicators and integrating them into our governance structure.
- Creating robust evaluation plans for the intervention strategies pertaining to targeted student groups.
- Disseminating awarding gap data to key individuals. The Access and Participation data dashboard is available to Awarding Gap Representatives.
- Providing opportunities for affected students to share experiences and co-produce solutions through the Inclusion Consultants and Student Partners schemes.
The full range of activities designed to address outcome gaps are detailed in the Access and Participation Plan (see the visual summary).
‘School Teaching Enhancement Action Plans’ demonstrate inclusive practice across the university at school and department level. Systemic, curricular enhancements are recommended over deficit model approaches (what is the deficit model?) as they allow staff to ‘do things differently’ rather than ‘do more’.
The importance of teaching, learning and assessment design
The link between awarding gaps and inclusive teaching lies in how teaching methods, assessments, and support systems impact students differently. By adopting inclusive teaching practices (see the Decolonising the Curriculum toolkit resources and Curriculum Framework) we can strive towards learning environments which do not inadvertently disadvantage certain student populations. A systematic review of studies involving nearly two million university students finds that academic attainment is strongly related to the choice of teaching methods and that inclusive curricula benefit all learners (Schneider, M. & Preckel, F., 2017, p.592).
The Portfolio Review Pathway (PRP) is a strategic project aimed at evaluating and reimagining the design of the programmes, modules and processes that shape student experience. Through PRP, the University aims to address barriers to learning that may disproportionately affect underrepresented groups, by providing:
- clearer and more equitable expectations;
- realistic choice;
- reduced exams;
- effective, engaging assessment that is proportionate and more evenly distributed across programmes, and;
- blended and flexible learning approaches which are truly student centric and inclusive.
Below, you can find information on how PRP’s key principles offer practical solutions to possible causes of awarding gaps.
| Known causes of awarding gaps | Portfolio Review Pathway (PRP) principles |
| Curriculum design and delivery | Module shape and size and student effort (study hours) will be standardised within programmes, ensuring transparency and greater consistency of the student experience in and across programmes. Digitally enabled learning: technology and digital learning elements will be meaningfully integrated throughout all programmes, ensuring consistency of student experience, greater flexibility in how students approach their course, and threshold standards for accessibility. Volume and distribution of assessment: at the programme level, there will a strategy/roadmap for assessment and feedback that will be shared with students. At the module level, there will be parity of student workload and standard assessment load between modules of the same credit weighting. These changes will ensure assessment feedback shape learning and provide regular, timely opportunities for feedback and reflection, and that workload is proportionate and distributed effectively to support learning and wellbeing of students and staff. Type and variety of assessment: schools are being encouraged to increase the use of authentic assessment which has application beyond the classroom and should appeal to students’ varied interests, backgrounds and needs. Formative assessment is also being encouraged; this form of assessment will scaffold skills and knowledge, increasing opportunities for students to reach their learning goals. |
| Information, advice and guidance | PRP will result in a more coherent and less complex programme portfolio to prospective students, including basketing of optional modules. These changes will make programme structures and pathways clearer for learners. |
| Belonging; prior attainment | Compulsory Part 1, Semester 1 programmes (foundation, undergraduate part 1 and most of postgraduate courses) should be structured around a compulsory first semester, with greater optionality in later parts of the degree. This change should help build more cohesive cohorts (increasing belonging) and will enable scaffolding throughout the degree, so student support is not only enhanced at critical stages but also learners will have more freedom to pursue their interests as they move their course, and their confidence grows. |
| Financial considerations | Expectations and costs associated with modules, field trips and placements will be communicated up-front and made clear in programme and module documentation. Additionally, where fieldwork takes place on optional modules, there should be an appropriate portfolio of optional modules that offer students choice. |
Practical steps to close awarding gaps
N.B. (This section is adapted from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Addressing Awarding Gaps web resource)
Beyond the broad whole institution benefits PRP will bring, below is a list of practical teaching and learning approaches you can implement to start closing awarding gaps right now. These are listed under three broad categories: language, classroom activities and assessments.
Language
- Avoid colloquialisms, jargon or sarcasm, using plain English.
- Consider integrating international examples into activities and decolonise your reading lists. You can start this by co-creating with students.
- Unpack ‘British-isms’ and discipline terminology.
- Consider if your module needs a glossary.
- Repeat and/or paraphrase questions before responding to ensure everyone is following.
- This is especially essential for classroom capture as microphones often only pick up the educator.
- Consider implications of language we take for granted at Reading or in UK universities e.g. ‘office hours’ versus ‘student hours’, distinction between lecture and seminar.
Activities
- Digitally enabled learning: Provide structured independent study activities outside face-to-face teaching and opportunities for students to revise e.g. classroom capture recordings (YuJa)
- For advice, see CQSD’s Digitally Enabled Learning guide
- Materials: Incorporate a wide range of social and cultural perspectives to provide opportunities for authentic engagement.
- “It’s more digestible if you feel you can relate to the course content. It improves my learning and creates a sense of community” – Inclusion Consultant
- For advice, see UoR’s DtC Resources
- Skills: Give students the opportunity to practice the skills that will be needed in practical activities and assessments.
- “The other students already knew from sixth form how to use the equipment, but I was clueless. It felt embarrassing” – Inclusion Consultant
- For advice, see CQSD’s Integrating Skills Development into Your Modules guide
- Community building: Don’t overlook the value of icebreakers and group work exercises. They’re opportunities to help students relate to one another.
- For advice, see CQSD’s Effective Group Work guide
Assessments
- Instruction: Standardised assessment briefs, unambiguous instructions and rubrics remove barriers to understanding.
- Work with students to unpack what a good assessment looks like by taking time in class to work through assignment materials and expectations. Even better, collaborate with students to create marking criteria.
- For further advice, see CQSD’s Inclusive and Accessible Assignment Briefs guide
- Diversification: Provide flexibility and choice in the subject matter and form for the assignment so that it becomes engaging. This will provide different ways to express knowledge, so students can leverage their strengths.
- Academic integrity: Minority ethnic students are overrepresented in academic misconduct cases. Clearly establish norms and attitudes regarding collaboration and citation. Signpost academic support services to increase academic integrity skills.
- For advice on generative AI and academic integrity, see CQSD’s advice on artificial intelligence.
Self-assessing the inclusivity of your module or programme
Don’t know which of the above interventions to prioritise or where to begin to ensure your module or programme is inclusive and representative as it can be? Consider using this self-assessment checklist to get started. It features thirty-three questions across the three key domains of learning design, teaching and learning activities and assessment. Note: some of the items might not be relevant to your role.
CQSD’s Teaching and Learning Resources guides
CQSD offers a suite of guidance and resources to support the design, delivery and enhancement of teaching, learning and assessment. This is to be used by individuals and programme teams in the enhancement of new and existing programmes and modules. This guidance is vital for closing awarding gaps. You can find the guides here on the CQSD-ADE website.
These resources are informed by engagement with up-to-date scholarship in teaching and learning and alignment with the University’s Curriculum Framework. This framework is central to achieving our education and student experience priorities. The resources also reflect the University’s clear commitment to creating genuinely supportive and inclusive learning environments.
External resources
- The Office for Students-funded ‘Student Attainment Project’ by the University of Derby, Solent University and the University of West London has a set of practical resources for supporting students’ attainment.
- University College London’s ‘BAME Awarding Gap Project’ has published extensive toolkits and case studies for staff in higher education.
Please contact Student Outcomes to share activity and practice within your school, department or function which could be showcased to the wider university.