BAME Awarding Gap Funded Project: Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

Implementing inclusive assessment practice and values affirmation intervention to reduce the BAME awarding gap in exams in cell biology and beyond

Mary Richardson and Louise Cramer, IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society and Faculty of Life Sciences 

Project dates: November 2021 – December 2024

Summary

A previous pilot study by co-applicant Cramer in 2018 and larger-scale three-year project (Cramer 2018-2021) identified that exams, not coursework, were the main origin of the BAME awarding gap in years 1, 2 and 3 cell biology undergraduate modules at UCL. Thus, there is a rich resource of prior evidence that suggests that different assessment of module components appears to impact the overall size of the award gap in cell biology.  These data provide a clear baseline for designing a new approach to assessment in these modules and support the impact monitoring of planned interventions.

The project aims to create a fresh and inclusive-focused assessment for cell biology, with the aim being that the model created is suitably flexible to adapt and use with other subjects. The project focuses on aspects such as the key topics of exam structure, preparedness, and values affirmation. 

References:

Cramer, L.P. 2021. Alternative strategies  for closing the award gap between white and minority ethnic students. eLife. 10:e58971:1-21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.58971:1-21.