Bias in Arts HE

UAL Creative Mindsets (developed from the OfS-funded, Catalyst research intervention Changing Mindsets piloted in 2017) aims to close attainment differentials by developing growth mindsets (Dweck, 2000) in both students and staff and reducing stereotype threat (Steele & Aronson, 1995) and implicit bias (Staats, 2014) as barriers to learning. Avoiding a student deficit model (Solorzano & Yosso, 2001); UAL Creative Mindsets consists of 2 workshops – one that focuses on mindsets, failure and challenge and the other on implicit bias and stereotype threat. In the bias workshops, we draw upon Devine’s (2012) bias habit-breaking strategies and apply these to different contexts, such as curriculum design, creative practice and inclusive pedagogy. From October to December 2019, over 2,100 Year 1 students and 40 staff attended a workshop and we are working to embed this across the university within the curriculum and attainment-focused staff development offers. We have positioned this work as trans-disciplinary drawing upon educational theory and psychology, but contextualizing it within the wider, social science discourse of structural and systemic inequality including decolonizing, social justice and anti-racist approaches. Furthermore, the sessions we have delivered are bespoke to the creative discipline – such as Illustration; Media and Communications; Costume for Performance, Graphic Design and Fine Art.