Research on the home learning environment has been developed in relationship to early years development and primary – secondary education (Sutton Trust 2010), particularly in relation to inequalities around cognitive development and attainment level. Less attention has been paid on the relationship between the home learning environment and Higher Education (HE). In our last #CreativeHECovid zoom café which focused on coursework and assessment, the impact of the home learning environment for HE students was raised as an issue that the switch to online current assessment criteria has not yet taken into account.
In the discussion on younger children’s home learning environment data has exposed how C-19 has exacerbated the social inequalities within education (Sutton Trust report April 2020). There is a noted concern that C-19 will widen the attainment gap through unequal access to technology, support and space within the home learning environment, having a potential long term impact on social mobility. The report considers the impact of the home learning environment in relation to HE but acknowledges that there insufficient knowledge and evidence on the variable ability for students in HE to continue with their studies. It acknowledges that issues relating to space, resources including internet connection and other technological platforms plus caring responsibilities for family members will create barriers for certain students across their circumstances, making standardised online assessment frameworks problematic.
In our zoom café hosted last Wednesday on learning and assessment within Creative HE, the complexity of this shift, in relation to creative subjects was highlighted. Unlike other subjects, whereby essays or other forms of written work could be uploaded online (although acknowledging that there will still be variance across accessibility to online platforms) the shift to online assessment linked to creative subjects necessitated skills not necessarily linked to the curriculum – filming, editing and then uploading performances for example or creating a blog or online platform for a visual arts presentation. Access to the skills and resources to share coursework was therefore not equal and not part of the original learning outcomes. Participants spoke of the radical shift from group-based to individual assignments within certain subjects, particularly those in relation to the performing arts following C-19, and the loss of the collaborative thought-processes and development that emerged from group-based work. There was an acknowledgement of the difficulty in re-producing the studio-based environment within the home, and how artists, craftworkers, media practitioners would be able to access the material resources necessary for their assignments. Childcare came up as a particular impact on those students who could no longer concentrate on their coursework whilst managing home learning for their children. Although it was acknowledged that there were development opportunities in relation to innovation, planning, development and individual responsibility, participants in our discussion were mindful that there was an inequality of access to the resources, space and time needed for the online creative HE learning assessments which would be likely to create further divisions across gender, socio-economic status that are already problematic in both the creative HE sector and the creative economy more broadly.
You can access the forum discussion on learning and assessment through the creativeHEcovid  padlet by registering to take part in the project. 

DISCE researchers Roberta Comunian, Tamsyn Dent, Bridget Conor and Chiara Burlina have published this week a new report on “Creative Higher Education in Europe Statistics”. The report – a core part of the research of WP3 (Creative workforce, skills and education) – reviews current data and knowledge in relation to the provision of creative subjects at Higher Education (HE) level across Europe.
The report firstly presents key literature from the field, unpacking some of the main academic contributions to the topic and some of the challenges and limits of current academic research and knowledge. The second part, reports on the main organisations that are currently bringing together providers engaging with creative subjects taught at HE level. Thirdly, it acknowledges how the current framework for Higher Education (HE) provision and monitoring linked to creative subjects across Europe level is captured by some nations (in Europe and beyond) to cover questions in relation to: monitoring data on student population, reflecting on access and participation as well as forms of specialisation and geographical distribution. Furthermore, it considers graduates’ outcomes and creative careers though an examination of relevant alumni research. In the conclusion, the researchers offer some recommendations to highlight what are the key challenges and questions that need to be addressed by future research and policy.
The report was written in early March 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic has taken hold of much of Europe. However, the researchers acknowledge that the recent crisis has also a profound impact on HE provision across Europe. For this reason, researchers within King’s College London (Dr Roberta Comunian, Dr Tamsyn Dent and Dr Lauren England) have launched this week a new website and research project – in collaboration with DISCE. The project entitled ‘Creative Higher Education and the impact of Covid-19’ aims to collect reflections, experiences and perspective from academics and technical staff involved in teaching creative subjects at Higher Education level. The website includes a blog that will host opinion pieces and interventions on key topics. It includes already a reflection on the impact of Covid-19 on teaching practices and one on the potential financial uncertainty of creative higher education.
This project – that has only just started – calls for the involvement of academics and technical staff, that can participate in online discussion or undertake online interviews to feedback on the recent changes and challenges faced by the sector. To get involved, potential participants are asked to complete a brief online form and register.

Written by Dr Roberta Comunian, King's College London

While health and safety issues emerging in response to Covid-19 are rightly getting the full attention of media and researchers, others are starting to reflect on its future impact on national and global economies (McKibbin and Fernando 2020). Like every other sector, Higher Education (HE) will be heavily affected by the changes brought by Covid-19 globally and as Connors (2020) while the immediate impact was not so drastic,  the long-term economic impact of this 'perfect storm' might be more significant. 
Student numbers might not be the main concern. Hillman (2020) from the pages of Times Higher Education suggests that “recessions tend to mean that people want more education because the alternatives – underemployment or unemployment – are worse, and having more skills can protect you against the economic chill winds”. So while the numbers of international students moving globally will certainly lower, the trends discussed also in Australia might suggest there will be more home students “Sitting out the recession at university: postgraduate courses”.  However, the different patterns highlighted above will also have very important economic outcomes. This follows the recent criticisms of the sector made in the Augar review suggesting that students’ fees in UK should be reduced as a degree does not offer the expected economic returns to students after graduation. The same review raised questions more specifically around the economic value of creative arts degrees.
We also acknowledge in this debate that the position of creative (arts and design) degrees always seems to be more precarious than that of other subjects. Philipps (2019) from Royal Academic Magazine discuss the threats that arts schools have experienced in the last year, even before the Covid-19 crisis. This vulnerability might increase both in reference to future students’ intake as well as the employability outcomes of recent graduates in this crisis. 

​We also acknowledge in this debate that the position of creative (arts and design) degrees always seems to be more precarious than that of other subjects. Philipps (2019) from Royal Academic Magazine discuss the threats that arts schools have experienced in the last year, even before the Covid-19 crisis. This vulnerability might increase both in reference to future students’ intake as well as the employability outcomes of recent graduates in this crisis.
From the intake perspective, the negative publicity might lead to less enrolment in creative degrees. Similarly, during 2017 the drop in enrolment was discussed in relation to the impact of tuition fees but also of uncertain career outcomes. Furthermore, the impact of Brexit might have affected enrolments from European students too. We can argue that – based on previous fluctuation in student enrolments during the recession and with the introduction of full-fees – creative degrees might expect a drop in demand. From the employability perspective, there is already great fear around the impact the Covid-19 pandemic is having on creative and cultural workers and industries. Creative graduates have already been found to face more challenging and unstable working conditions when entering the labour market in non-crisis situations. Greater effect will probably be felt by students who have just graduated from creative degrees.
Beyond the general uncertainty projected for the HE sector, the economic impact will surely be felt more by creative degrees* and the institutions offering them (partially or exclusively) might be more vulnerable at this time. Covid-19 might be to blame, but we can certainly acknowledge a lot of other structural conditions and policy discourses that have recently weakened the value and position of these disciplines in our society and economy.