Earlier this year Leeds Arts University began working with UAL (University of the Arts London) and The Glasgow School of Art on a collaborative project designed to enhance equity in student outcomes, known as QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project 2021.
The project, which is funded by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is founded on the idea that a sense of belonging is considered one of the most important needs of students in their learning, and highlights how the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities.
Professor Sam Broadhead, Head of Research, Leeds Arts University explained at the launch of the project:
‘We will instigate a range of activities including a blog and a symposium to explore how student belonging in arts’ assessments practices can address issues of social justice linked to the awarding differentials that exist between white students and students of colour.’
The symposium forms part of the QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project 2021 and the latest episode of the recently launched ‘Interrogating Spaces’ podcast features a discussion held in October 2021 examining the potential of ‘pass /fail’ as a humanising, compassionate form of assessment.
The discussion, which you can listen to here, took place within the online symposium ‘Belonging through Assessment: Pipelines of Compassion’ between invited speakers Professor Sam Broadhead (LAU), Dr Neil Currant, (UAL) and Peter Hughes, (LAU) it was facilitated by Dr Kate Mori (Academic Engagement Manager, QAA).
In this conversation the speakers explored the potential of pass/fail as a compassionate approach to assessment and identified the challenges in changing practice and policies from the perspective of staff, students and the wider institution. This was a fascinating conversation that explored the complexities of feedback and assessment and implications for student belonging.
For more information please contact project lead, Vikki Hill at v.hill@arts.ac.uk or visit: https://belongingthroughassessment.myblog.arts.ac.uk/
