Final published version
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Creation and Confidence
T2 - BME students as academic partners….but where were the staff?
AU - Jones-Devitt, Stella
AU - Austen, Liz
AU - Chitwood, Liz
AU - Donnelly, Alan
AU - Fearn, Carolyn
AU - Heaton, Caroline
AU - Latham, Gabrielle
AU - LeBihan, Jill
AU - Middleton, Andrew
AU - Morgan, Matt
AU - Parkin, Helen
AU - Pickering, Nathaniel
PY - 2017/9/18
Y1 - 2017/9/18
N2 - This Case Study documents the REACT project 'Creation and Confidence' based at Sheffield Hallam University, which has a larger-than-expected Black Minority and Ethnic (BME) attainment gap; hence, this student group has been constructed as 'hard to reach'. The project team consisted of a range of academic and professional services staff alongside three dedicated student researchers. The project set out to achieve: gaining evidence-based insights into the use of co-design and peer-learning as conduits of confidence-building for and belonging of BME students; developing a scalable approach to building confidence for and fostering belonging of all students; raising awareness of the need to think differently about explanations for BME underachievement. In reality, the team found that staff engagement constituted the biggest barrier, as - no matter how much incontrovertible evidence was presented - other facets of institutional provision were always identified as having priority, which resulted in inertia. This study documents the emotional labour of trying to effect change within a resistant culture. Whilst some of the aims remain unachieved – and, arguably, were always going to be unachievable - there have been some very positive developments and enlightening lessons.
AB - This Case Study documents the REACT project 'Creation and Confidence' based at Sheffield Hallam University, which has a larger-than-expected Black Minority and Ethnic (BME) attainment gap; hence, this student group has been constructed as 'hard to reach'. The project team consisted of a range of academic and professional services staff alongside three dedicated student researchers. The project set out to achieve: gaining evidence-based insights into the use of co-design and peer-learning as conduits of confidence-building for and belonging of BME students; developing a scalable approach to building confidence for and fostering belonging of all students; raising awareness of the need to think differently about explanations for BME underachievement. In reality, the team found that staff engagement constituted the biggest barrier, as - no matter how much incontrovertible evidence was presented - other facets of institutional provision were always identified as having priority, which resulted in inertia. This study documents the emotional labour of trying to effect change within a resistant culture. Whilst some of the aims remain unachieved – and, arguably, were always going to be unachievable - there have been some very positive developments and enlightening lessons.
U2 - 10.21100/jeipc.v3i1.580
DO - 10.21100/jeipc.v3i1.580
M3 - Journal article
VL - 3
SP - 278
EP - 285
JO - The Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change
JF - The Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change
SN - 2055-4990
IS - 1
ER -