{"id":398,"date":"2024-01-16T18:34:30","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T18:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sitesd.reading.ac.uk\/inclusive-teaching-and-learning\/?page_id=398"},"modified":"2025-05-30T15:54:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T15:54:24","slug":"frequently-asked-questions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sitesd.reading.ac.uk\/inclusive-teaching-and-learning\/awarding-gap-toolkit\/frequently-asked-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Frequently Asked Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How do I know if my department has awarding gaps?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

<\/strong>Each school has an Awarding Gap Representative with privileged access to Access and Participation performance data. Contacting your representative<\/a> is a recommended means of understanding your local data context.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Is this a question of capability and attitudes?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

<\/strong>Awarding gaps are the result of structural inequalities which requires us to reconsider our understanding of \u2018ability\u2019 and challenge the deficit model. The \u2018hidden curriculum\u2019, demands on time and a lack of belonging are all examples of structural factors which affect student attainment irrespective of attitudes and academic ability.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

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What are other universities doing about their awarding gaps?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

<\/strong>The ‘Access and Participation Plan’ (APP) is a regulatory document which all universities are required to publish, setting out targets and action plans for reducing awarding gaps.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most APPs appear to show a combination of curricular enhancements (example<\/a>), amendments to institution-level through bursaries (such as bursary support<\/a>) and co-curricular interventions (example<\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How could teaching strategies be solutions to systemic problems?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

<\/strong>Structural inequalities manifest in university life as symptoms which can be proactively addressed. Consider, for example, a student with limited ability to attend in-person classes due to caring responsibilities. Online, recorded lecture materials provide an accessible way to remain engaged.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Are these recommendations ‘inclusion for some’?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

<\/strong>By recognising the diverse needs of learners through inclusive teaching we can eliminate barriers to success for all student groups (Schneider and Preckel, 2017<\/a>). Effective teaching and learning solutions often result in narrowing awarding gaps while raising attainment for both the target and comparison groups.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

What if the recommended practices do not apply to my subject area?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

The evidence-based curriculum design principles are considered transferrable across all subject areas. For support with adapting the recommendations to your work context please contact CQSD<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Where is a good place to start? <\/strong><\/summary>\n

Searching for awarding gap training via UoRLearn<\/a> or contacting your school’s Awarding Gap Representative<\/a> are two recommended actions for any academic colleague.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

How do I gain recognition for my good practice?<\/strong><\/summary>\n

Please reach out to us at outcomes@reading.ac.uk<\/a><\/strong> to share your practice or receive support with evaluating impact.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Up next:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Get Involved<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Go back:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Close Awarding Gaps<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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