UKAT’s Evaluation Special Interest Group. Overview AdvanceHE define evaluation as “the means by which a course or a curriculum change can be monitored to see if, in fact, it is what it claims to be and if it achieves, in students, the intended outcomes. For an evaluation to take place in any measured way, the purposes of a teaching innovation and the expected outcomes in terms ...
Reimagining Personal Tutoring and Academic Advising to Narrow the Awarding Gap
In recent years, closing the awarding gap in higher education has become a primary focus for UK higher education institutions (HEIs). Arguably, the increasing scrutiny from the Office for Students (OfS) has prompted HEIs to confront the persistent attainment gap, particularly between White and Black students. While data reveals that Black students are less likely to achieve an upper-second or first-class degree, the OfS mandate aims to "eliminate the unexplained gap in non-continuation between the most and least represented groups of students by 2024-25 and eliminate the absolute gap by 2030-31" (OfS, 2022, p. 24). Accordingly, many HEIs are making asserted efforts to implement systemic and pedagogical reforms to reduce disparities in student outcomes.
A recent online panel discussion, hosted by United Kingdom Advising and Tutoring (UKAT), explored the urgent need to address the awarding gap. Chaired by Denise Miller, and attended by 154 participants, the panel discussion featured contributions from nationwide experts, including Eleanor St Hilaire, Claire Brown, and Josephine Gabi. The discussion focused on reimagining personal tutoring and academic advising to reduce the awarding gap.
Leveraging Analytics to Enhance Personal Tutoring Outcomes: Opportunities and Challenges
Aniekan Essien explores how integrating student data from learning analytics can transform the way that personal tutors approach their role and support their students.