Tella
POC stands for Person of colour , a term covering diverse ethnic and racial groups. During this essay the term POCs will be specifically referring to individuals who identify as Black British,Black Caribbean,, Black African , mixed race or Asian. In the UK this group is sometimes referred to as BAME (Black ,Asian and Minority Ethnic) in this essay I will be using both terms interchangeably.
There are multiple factors that are involved in creating a positive learning environment for students. The quality of teaching , the structure of the curriculum and the students’ own approach to learning. However one underrated aspect in making a better learning environment is the classroom community.
If students feel a part of a community it affects the way they participate or contribute to the class or seminar. One study found that in classrooms where teachers had given more effective feedback to their students , the students were more likely to have better engagement in the class.[1]
The consequence is one that brings additional benefits especially for Poc students as with more students feeling confident to participate in seminar group discussions it is my view that this would allow for more natural bonds to form and thus creating a better classroom community. A Better learning environment also improves student wellbeing. During the pandemic, many students struggled to adjust to digital learning on platforms like microsoft teams and zoom. The lack of physical contact led to feelings of isolation from both lectures and students raising concerns about mental health.[2]
This is an example of a learning environment not being effective. Granted that isolation is contrary to community, it is key that to improve the learning experience there is more awareness on how we can avoid an inefficient learning environment in which POC students are more likely to be affected when such issues arise.
It is undisputed that a good learning environment helps to increase academic success. Although universities strive to achieve this it is not reflected equally in final grades. Recent data showed that in terms of the attainment of 1st class and 2:1 degrees , between non white students and poc students there was a huge gap. For Asian students they had a percentage point gap of 8.4 when compared to white students. The gap between Black students and white students was even greater with a 20 percentage points gap between white students achieving a 1st class or 2:1 and black students doing likewise.[3]
There was still hope that changes were happening as prior to the pandemic in 2020 the gap between minority students and white students obtaining a 1st class or a 2:1 was slowly decreasing.[4]
However, since 2020-2021 the difference has begun to increase again. Certainly this is reflective of how disruptions to the learning environment such as the COVID 19 Pandemic , can impact not just all students academically but it shows how poc students are additionally burdened when such disruptions happen. And in order to decrease this gap further it is important that universities explore ways in making the poc learning experience much more effective
Having explored degree attainment disparities I will now examine some potential challenges that Pocs students face in academic settings particularly in regards to the learning environment. It is my goal that this reflective project will influence future policy making in our university.
Why might POCS students not experience the best learning environment during their studies?
Disruptions are not the only thing that affect the learning environment; there are a range of minor or unnoticed disruptors that affect a better learning environment for POC STUDENTS. One major challenge is the paradox of hypervisibility and invisibility where Poc students feel that they are overlooked in academic settings but stand out due to their racial differences.
Since POC students often live in more diverse cities, arriving to less diverse cities for university makes them stand out more than their peers.[5] The differences combined with the racial stereotypes and unconscious biases creates a foundation for how Poc students can experience a slightly different learning experience than Non poc students. In one way, hypervisibility can lead to social exclusion. One academic discussing this topic when looking at Faculty of colour said “exclusion is a consequence of majority group members overestimating their similarity with each other and exaggerating their differences from minority group members.”[6] The contrast between poc students and non poc students can be even greater when you take into account different accents , class and regionally upbringing added onto the racial differences that they have. Furthermore for POC women this can be an even greater challenge as their gender differences are also at play.
How this challenges the learning environment for poc students is evident in group projects and assignments. Again considering the degree attainment gap this should not be overlooked.
Lecturers often leave the pairings up to individuals as they do not want to force people into groups, and some lecturers randomly allocate group partners if students are unable to do so themselves. In a novel setting such as a university class , it is likely that not all students know each other and are having to speak with different people each week. For poc students experiencing hyper visibility , when it is time to collaborate with other students they may find that they are isolated or undervalued because of their assumed differences. Poc students due to their visual differences, their participation ,their presence or absence is also more memorable than others in the room. This means that many poc students may struggle more than non Pocs students to fit into their class community. And as a consequence of this they are neglected in group assignments because non poc members are holding unconscious biases towards them and are hesitant to reach out to Poc Students. And the effect of this is that poc students may become socially invisible despite their hypervisibility.
Paradoxically this lack of assumed relatability added to unconscious biases held against poc students and the effect of hypervisibility then leads to poc students being socially excluded does have academic consequences. It is not my argument that all students hold a conscious bias against minority students but the reality is that unconscious biases can make it harder for POC students to find committed academic partners which can be detrimental to their academic achievement.
To highlight this more, In my own experience I have been put with students who don’t regularly attend class or who are not as committed in the past. I attribute this to my own personal hypervisibility. Despite my fervent attendance and participation in seminars, I have also had to do group projects alone. While my personal experiences are not necessarily reflective of all POC students, I firmly believe that a better optimised learning environment would have allowed me to find a group earlier, avoiding last minute preparation and consequently improving my academic performance. It is this rationale amongst other ideas that made me think about how we can improve the learning environment for POC students.
Building connections with peers should happen as organically as possible and it does not need to be forced. And at a minimum it should not be up to students to notice things and point it out. But at the very least the learning environment should be optimised to allow natural connections to form. With more opportunities to speak with other members of the class this can improve the learning experience for POC students who are often facing added pressure and resistance in these situations.
One solution to remedy this is to include more frequent icebreaker style seminars at the start of each term and throughout the course. Especially in the lead up to group projects or assignments , students should have a bigger opportunity to know their peers.
These structured interactions would help reintroduce the students together and allow for natural bonds to form and hopefully it can be a chance for any unconscious biases to be dispelled. Typically icebreaker segments are brief and happen once an academic year at the very beginning. Ironically some lecturers may express their disappointment in students’ reluctance to participate but in my view this is where they fail to recognize how the lack of icebreaker activities has led to low participation. My suggestion is that there should be more subject based icebreakers done at least once in academic term and in the lead up to group assignments or projects. Again this is by no means a suggestion that university seminars should be filled with entertainment and distractions.
Additionally seating arrangements should be experimented more often to encourage better participation. Lastly class activities should include an increased amount of peer discussions whether in groups or in pairs. Admittedly this is common in some seminars , making it a standard practice would drastically enhance the classroom experience for Poc students..If more students find groups with people that they are compatible with not just because they were assigned them , they are more likely to collaborate more effectively and consequently will achieve more whether that is in moots or presentations.
Another area that might not be contributing to a better learning environment is the type of names used in problem questions. The phrasing of some scenario questions can hinder the learning experience for Poc students by reinforcing negative stereotypes. Especially when non british names are used to portray something negative.
In general, even though not all POC students have non-british names, the inclusion of diverse names is a positive idea as it reflects the range of cultures in Britain and is inclusive. Additionally it can make POC students feel represented if the name resonates with their heritage or cultural background. Having said this , there were a few instances where the usage of ethnic names could be improved as they reaffirm a bad portrayal for people with similar backgrounds to the names used.
In my research I noticed a few cases where this occurred. For example, names like Kola (often short for names like Kolawole or Adekola) , Temi , Romesh , Abioye were all used in different problem questions. All of these names are non-British and they originate in West Africa or Asia. Kola was a case involving kola smoking weed and having a bike accident (tort law) , the name Temi and Romesh were used in examples where it could be suggested that they were negligent and did something unintelligent. And one problem question had a person named Abioye in a fictional case involving drug offences.
Whilst not explicitly stated in the scenario , the names are so unique to particular regions of the world that any student reading the question can infer that the person is a POC. This mental imagery is very important because this is how biases can form even on a subtle level even unconsciously.
The issue lies in the pattern of using names like Kola or Abioye names that are distinctively to Nigerian (a country in which many black British students get their heritage from ) or Romesh (south asian origin ) for cases involving drugs , smoking weed , or in scenarios where they are conducting themselves in a way that might suggest unintelligence. It reaffirms harmful stereotypes and suggests that POC are more likely to be perpetrators of criminal activity and illegal substance abuse.
And the danger is that particularly in law, many students will go on to practice as judges, lawyers , police officers and enter into the professional world with these biases ingrained in their subconscious. If these biases are being reinforced in their study material it can influence real world policy and decisions in future. Furthermore these negative stereotypes discourage unity amongst different people even in an academic setting by reaffirming any prejudices that the student may have about Bame people. In light of the stop and search statistics where POC are overrepresented it is evident how these biases can manifest beyond the fictional examples but into daily life.[7]
Critics may argue that there is a benefit that comes with including diverse names. And this is not what I am challenging , the dilemma is that if the usage of the names is used to reinforce a negative image of minorities , then any benefit that it was intended to achieve is now cancelled out by a negative portrayal of that community. It must be stated that it is likely the writers who included the names were not conspiring to create division or to worsen the learning environment for poc students. It may be the case that the writers themselves might be from the same background as the names that they include in the problem scenarios and did so innocently. But it is in my view that we should be aware of how these examples can have a negative impact particularly for POC students and avoid perpetuating them further which hinders the chemistry between students.
A possible solution is adding Neutralising Context. Neutralising context is simply adding extra context that displays a positive or balanced perspective when using poc names. If a problem questions using a name that suggests the person is a POC in a negative way. For example they are the guilty party. Rather than ending a problem question with “Advise the parties on xyz” a better approach would be to amend the context by adding a sentence. Such as “You have been given this case by (Insert POC name) Law Firm , advise the parties on xyz…”
In the Kola scenario where it involved drug use adding the neutralising context might resemble “Senior Barrister Adebayor a Poc Name from the same region as Kola has given you this case , advise the parties on xyz…”
As trivial as it may seem, this positive representation is important and serves to balance the portrayal of Poc individuals and avoid a one sided depiction therefore counteracting any negative stereotype as a result.
Alternativelyusing very popular cultural references such as Tom & Jerry , Ant and Dec with slight spelling variations might be a better solution. These suggestions are not a mandate for tokenism or excessive restrictions but it is a way of dispelling negative ideologies , whilst also balancing the scenario in a unique way.
In summary, these subtle changes in representation through problem questions combined with more natural icebreaker opportunities to fortify the classroom community can greatly improve the overall learning environment for Poc students. Moreover, by reducing the impact of hypervisibility and by proxy mitigating social exclusion and being mindful on how Poc Names are used in academic examples will help make a more inclusive and better learning environment. leading to better participation which is crucial for a higher academic performance. The methods suggested are not confrontational or excessive but they are moderate steps that can enhance overall academic performance within our university.
[1] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2021.661736/full
[2] https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/coronavirus-briefing-note-supporting-student-mental-health/
[3] https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/media/fa35219d-c363-40a9-9b85-d618ae27da1c/access-and-participation-data-findings-from-the-data.pdf page 25
[4] Ibid page 27
[5] https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/maps/choropleth/identity/ethnic-group/ethnic-group-tb-6a/black-black-british-black-welsh-caribbean-or-african?oa=E00176550
[6] https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/272611/1-s2.0-S0001879119X00056/1-s2.0-S000187911830068X/main.pdf? Page 71
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