What sounded like a very dry session turned out to be one of the most enjoyable, but also controversial. Jheni Arboine, Educational Developer: Academic Enhancement and Siobhan Clay: Educational Developer: Student Experience introduced us to how “data” can mean anything from complex statistical information of the type used to measure student attainment levels at UAL to games like Wordsearch.
We were asked to write limericks and haikus in groups on the theme of data: it was interesting to observe how some students seemed nonplussed by this, perhaps because they had no prior understanding or experience of either form, or of writing them. The collective results expressed a certain wariness of the way data can be used.
This exercise demonstrated how serious topics can be approached in a light-hearted, engaging way.
We were then showed a graph charting attainment levels between different ethnic groups at UAL over a six year period.
While overall it suggests improved results among all groups, it does reflect the current debate about whether attainment levels are in fact improving or this is a sign of “grade inflation”.
“….the pressure being placed on academics by senior managers at universities to lower their standards is also strongly implicated in grade inflation. Some academics have chosen to express their concerns publicly, even though this has on occasion put their own career at risk. One cited the “intolerable pressures on academic staff to pass students who should rightfully fail and to award higher classes of degrees to the undeserving”, while another complained that they had routinely awarded essays low grades “but have been brought under pressure, internally and externally, to provide higher grades.” The sheer volume of similar reports, documented over many years, is concerning and its potential impact on grade inflation is obvious enough.” (Reform: 2018)
The graph produced a fierce backlash from some ethnic minority students, focussing on how Home White Students consistently out perform others. This reaction was understandable, but closer scrutiny shows that the attainment gap for this metric has narrowed considerably. For example, between Home Black students and Home White students it has narrowed from 27 percentage points, ie 47:74% in 2015/2016, to 16 percentage points, ie 73:89%, in 2020/21. The data, could in fact also be interpreted positively.
This nuance was overlooked however in the ensuing debate about what policy or interventions could address the attainment gap, which became quite angry and personal. The session ended on a sour note, which was a shame as at the outset it had been playful.
The whole session did demonstrate however, that how data is collected, expressed and interpreted is a minefield. On reflection, Group 13’s haiku had anticipated this this elegantly:
References
https://reform.uk/research/degree-uncertainty-investigation-grade-inflation-universities