Aisha Richards and Terry Finnigan

 Gaps and areas for future research

‘There are a number of gaps within this research which warrant further development. Going forward there needs to be :

a further review of the raw data of students by ethnicity in Art and Design subjects to understand more about the differentials;

Joint research with NUS at a subject discipline level focusing on the experience of students of colour in Art and Design;’

As I sit on the FEQOMG (Further Education Quality Operational Management Group) I am acutely aware of several attainment gaps, and a very notable one has existed particularly for students of colour in relation to distinctions but also at the other end, referrals. 

Where this paper acknowledges some gaps and areas for future research, it makes me wonder what more I could do to raise this to colleagues, particularly in reference to getting more data and having a dialogue with the NUS, or perhaps more closely, the SU.

Part of my role involves the dissemination and planning of student surveys. I am unaware of a survey in the past which has directly asked students questions around the topics from which our data comes. Would it help us to help the students if the university communicated more clearly that there are attainment gaps and that we are working to solve them, and that potentially students could be involved to help make this happen? 

“They perceive that some tutors’ preferences have a large role to play when it comes to

getting a good grade. According to Sabri (2015) if they are at odds with the tutor’s aesthetic they often leave their own ideas and follow the guidance of the tutor.”

This issue is made far worse by the widespread lack of diversity of teaching staff which leads to subject specialists, being unable to provide references or further reading for students of colour, which don’t stem from a white male western perspective. It’s positive that the small and simple changes proposed by this paper have seen an increase in the percentage of BAME staff in the following year, although I have seen recently that this progress has plateaued. The future success of our students and graduates relies on making this progress so it is frustrating to see the university dragging its heels in the much needed changes.