Ako Aotearoa Funding Information Sessions 2015 Funding change projects in the tertiary education sector Facilitated by Rhonda Thomson, Project Funds Manager, Ako Aotearoa’s National Office Hosted by Ako Aotearoa's Regional Hubs

Plan

• Overview of our funding • Examples • Developing an application • Working with us and support available • Good Practice Publication Grants • Opportunity for one-on-one discussions • Evaluation April 2015

Funding overview

Ako Aotearoa funds change projects •

i.e.

we fund evidence-based change projects with a high potential to benefit learners • we do not fund research projects

per se

, although every project will have a strong research element in it.

April 2015

Funding overview

There is one overarching objective for our funding: • Enhanced educational outcomes for learners Our secondary objectives are that the work: • Contributes to a coherent knowledge base • Promotes collaboration • Builds research capability and capacity April 2015

Overarching principles of funding

1. Co-funding model – we fund up to 50% of the total value of the project 2. The work must be clearly beyond business as usual (BAU) 3. There is an organisational commitment to act on findings 4. Project teams commit to active dissemination 5. All projects will be involved in our Impact Evaluation Process April 2015

What we fund

We look to support projects that: • focus on learner outcomes • seek to achieve strategic organisational change for the benefit of learners • are evidence-based • are of high quality • provide value for money • build capability and capacity April 2015

(What we fund continued)

Two project approaches

Identify problem / need / opportunity Identify possible intervention Implement February 2015

(What we fund continued)

Two project approaches

Identify problem / need / opportunity Identify possible intervention Implement Identify success Understand why Share February 2015

What we don’t fund

We do not support projects that: • focus on business-as-usual (BAU) activities • do not have a clear demonstration of organisational commitment • are inconsistent with Ako Aotearoa’s strategic goals, values or principles (

e.g.

must be focussed on post-compulsory education) April 2015

Funding options for 2015

• Co-funding model; at least four projects of $300k-$450k, that is, a max of $150k contributed by Ako Aotearoa • For strategic initiatives; across the whole tertiary sector • 2-3 years in duration • As a guide, one project will be focused on Māori learners, one focused on Pacific learners, and two will be open in focus • A two stage process of application • Co-funding model; projects $20k-$30k, that is, a normal max of $10k from Ako Aotearoa • For exploratory or regionally focused projects • 8-14 months in duration • No closing dates

Also GPPG scheme – discussed at the end of this presentation

April 2015

Planning your project

Start with the end in mind – what legacy will your project leave?

Think about the full life-cycle of the project • • •

Initiation

– defining problem and looking for the solution

Implementation

– conducting the project

Institutionalisation

– adopting and embedding the work in ways that achieve sustainable enhancement of practice.

April 2015

Setting yourself up for success -

initiation

• Is this an issue of broad significance?

• Does my project involve the key people, with both project relevant skills and influence?

• What would success look like?

April 2015

Setting yourself up for success – “the elevator pitch”

Is your proposal a request for funding to do some work?

or Is it an exciting, irresistible offer about improving sector performance?

Does your project have a vision?

April 2015

Exemplar project: Pasifika learners and success in tertiary education

Project:

Investigated good organisational practice that supports Pacific learners to succeed in tertiary education http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/pasifika-learners-success

Vision:

To gather stories of success to inform theory and practice; to shift attention from deficit explanations of Pacific student achievement to a focus on exemplars of success April 2015

Continued

Pasifika learners and success in tertiary education

• • • •

What’s changed?

Reach:

Political, policy and tertiary sector interest

Practitioners:

Informing supervision, lecturers, tutors, learning asdvisors, pastoral care and more

Learners:

↑ success (A’s, honors)

Team:

Equity & diversity award, ↑ visibiltiy, ↑ morale

Key features

• Appreciative inquiry and strengths-based approaches • PD workshops April 2015

Exemplar project: Transforming Tertiary Science Education – Improving learning during large lectures

Project:

Transfer and adapt the successful North American Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative (CWSEI) model to the New Zealand tertiary system https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/projects/transforming tertiary-science-education

Vision:

Create a culture of decision making on teaching practices that is in line with best practices established in the scholarship of teaching and learning April 2015

Continued

Improving learning during large lectures

• • • •

What’s changed?

Reach:

High uptake of resources & PD workshops

Practitioners:

How staff talk about how teaching is totally different

Learners:

Failure rates ↓, At UoC & Massey learners large classes/large numbers are likely to have benefits

Team:

↑ visibiltiy in T&L in institution, further studies

Key features

• Large classes focus • PD workshops April 2015

Exemplar project: Graduate outcomes: Are they driving learning? And who knows about them?

Project:

Explored current policy and practice regarding graduate outcomes in higher education institutions in New Zealand http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/graduate-outcomes

Vision:

To instigate change by encouraging HE institutions to engage deeply with the graduate outcomes agenda April 2015

Continued

Graduate outcomes…

• • • •

What’s changed?

Reach:

Signs of a greater willingness to engage in GO agenda

Practitioner:

Signs of greater emphasis on GO policy, procedural enablers, workshops

Learners:

Signs of better awareness of GA for their programme

Project team:

↑ visibiltiy, benefits of collaborative work

Key features

• A range of practical resources developed • Highly collaborative team April 2015

Exemplar project: Success in Academia? The experiences of early career academics in New Zealand

Project:

Examined the experiences of early career academics in New Zealand http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/early-career-academics

Vision:

To identify factors for best supporting early career academics to nurture their aspirations, and their own and their students’ success April 2015

Continued

Success in Academia? …

• • • •

What’s changed?

Reach:

High uptake of outputs

Practitioner:

“Success” factors apart of induction programmes at VUW & UoC

Learners

:

Sustainable community of peers, appear to be ready earlier for voluntary work

Project team:

Positive impact on project leaders reputation

Key features

• A range of practical resources developed • High demand for outputs April 2015

Exemplar project: RHPF, northern hub

Teacher Effectiveness Training: Inducting Industry Trainers for Success Project:

Identified existing good induction practice in several PTEs, and combined into one pack https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako hub/ako-aotearoa-northern hub/resources/pages/teacher effectiveness-training-inducting industry-trainers-success

Vision:

To improve the way vocational education providers transition newly recruited teaching staff from different industries to teaching in a classroom environment April 2015

Continued Teacher Effectiveness Training: Inducting Industry Trainers for Success

• •

What’s changed?

Practitioners:

collaboration between teams, environment more supportive than directive

Learners:

improved attendance & increased engagement in classrooms

Key features

• 14 templates for use/adaptation in induction sessions with new teaching staff April 2015

Exemplar project: RHPF, northern hub

Developing the skills of Māori farm employees in Te Tai Tokerau

Project:

Focused on the assessment of workplace literacy (WPL) skills of Māori farm employees from 5 rurally isolated pastoral farms in Northland

Vision:

To lift WPL skills of the agriculture sector https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako-aotearoa-northern hub/resources/pages/developing-skills-maori-farm-employees-te-tai-tokerau April 2015

Continued Developing the skills of Māori farm employees in Te Tai Tokerau

What’s changed?

• Te Rarawa and Landcorp are talking about on-job training for employees • MPI are now working with Ngāpuhi and building capability with staff on those farms

Key features

• Workplace literacy assessment tools, templates, and process information April 2015

Exemplar project: RHPF, central hub

Evaluation of Pacific learner success in the trades

Vision:

to identify the ingredients that lead to success for Pacific students in the Pacific Trades Initiative at WelTec https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/successful-pre-trades-course Completed: December 2014 April 2015

Continued Evaluation of Pacific learner success in the trades

• • • •

What’s changed?

Reach:

all classes

Practitioners:

teachers, support staff, Pacific liaison, policy makers

Learners:

study and pastoral support

Team:

building on the identified success factors and disseminating them and the methods across other WelTec courses

Key features

• whole of institute approach • dedicated support venue for pacific students April 2015

Exemplar project: RHPF, central hub

RESIST- an earthquake design tool for architecture and civil engineering teachers and students

Vision:

in the light of the Christchurch earthquake and subsequent building code improvements, upgrade the related simulation software https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/resist Completed: October 2014 April 2015

Continued RESIST

• • •

What’s changed?

Reach:

architecture, civil engineering and construction teachers and students

Practitioners:

teachers can now show students the principles of structures and design and how those factors are affected by various seismic and wind forces

Learners:

updated software program

Key features:

• resource generation • wide teaching applications April 2015

Exemplar project: RHPF, southern hub

Assessment practices in university Project:

Examined the impact of high-stakes summative assessment on student learning and teaching

Vision:

To contribute to current theories of assessment and policy that will guide changes in practice in New Zealand universities https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/contemporary assessment-practices April 2015

Continued Assessment practices in university

What’s changed?

•

Reach:

Policy change and university sector interest •

Practitioners:

Informing professional development, university departments, lecturers, new lecturers and more • •

Learners:

Assessment processes in some areas change

Project team:

International and national recognition, collaboration opportunities

Key features:

• interviews with students and academic staff • built on pilot study • recommendations incorporated into University of Otago Assessment policy Tony Harland April 2015

Exemplar project: RHPF, southern hub

Learning a trade: Becoming a tradesperson through apprenticeship Project:

Enhancing apprentices’ workplace learning

Vision:

To better understand, from apprentices’ perspectives, how workplace learning opportunities may be improved.

https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako aotearoa-southern hub/resources/pages/learning-trade-becoming trades-person-through-apprenticeship April 2015

Continued Learning a trade: Becoming a tradesperson through apprenticeship

• • •

What’s changed?

•

Reach:

Industry training sector, vocational education audiences

Practitioners:

Informing tutor training programmes at ITPs

Learners:

Receiving more effective feedback and coaching

Project team:

Changes in practice leading to changes in students’ learning experiences

Key features

• •

Incorporated in existing PD workshop Guidelines for apprentices and trainers including an interactive video

April 2015

What do excellent projects have in common?

April 2015

Rubric for Māori focused projects

April 2015

Developing your application

Regardless of the funding scheme, selection panels are looking for: • an aspiration for sustainable change • a detailed project plan • a comprehensive dissemination plan • organisational buy-in, contribution and gain • impact beyond those directly involved • capability building • measurement of learner benefits April 2015

Project outcomes

What are your expected outcomes?

• Are the likely outcomes from your project well reasoned?

• Be explicit about your logic model for change How will these outcomes be achieved/measured?

• Is the project designed with change in mind?

• How will you measure/demonstrate change?

April 2015

Invest time in your application

• Communicate clearly • Write strategically • Do the basics well • Share it with others April 2015

For the National Project Fund ….

The difference between the Expression of Interest (EOI) and the Full Proposal (FP) • EOI provides a broad overview, but all the conceptual thinking is done • EOI should include a co-funding commitment in principle that is confirmed in the FP • FP is a comprehensive account of project April 2015

Selected projects – commonalities in NPF 2014

Off the starting block: • proposal well thought through • teams have the expertise • clearly beyond BAU How they stood out: • potential improve the way things are done • focused on evidence-based change • commitment to changes resulting form the work • value for money (budget, potential outcomes) • breaking new ground • collaborations add potential change value April 2015

Common weaknesses – why panels say “no”

– Can’t understand the application – Application not placed in wider context – Potential for change / impact seemed localised – Some part or phase of the project’s design was viewed as ‘business as usual’ – Proposed interventions not sustainable – Method not well matched to aims/goals – Intended benefit to learners appears negligible – A need for clearer articulation of the learner benefit component – Lack of connection with sector – Budget unreasonable for work – Strong project but poor fit for fund April 2015

If I am successful in the NPF round:

• If shortlisted at EOI • invite to develop a FP • you will be provided with feedback on your EOI • feedback may include recommendations for FP • If funded • may include conditions of funding • enter into contract negotiations • Partnership model – being more than a funder • supporter and enabler of change • connect with you regularly • case-by-case approach April 2015

If I get funded, Impact Evaluation Framework

• Interested in dissemination activities, outputs and outcomes after project completion • Conversations with project teams at 6, 12 and 24 months post project completion. Focusing on: • outputs (reach) • impact on practice • impact on learners • impact on project teams April 2015

Support available

• Feedback on draft applications: • NPF review service • Hub managers comment on RHPFS drafts • Guide to Change Projects (Alkema, 2012) • We are happy to discuss your ideas April 2015

Key dates 2015

15 May – EoI formal review process opens 29 May – EoI review process close 11 July – EoIs close 30 June – Applicants notified 14 August – FPs close 10 September – Shortlisted applicants notified Open selection process – Contact your hub April 2015

Good Practice Publication Grants Scheme

• Sharing and promoting good teaching and learning practice across the sector • Demonstrated good practice not projects • The grants • up to $5k for multi-media publication • up to $3k for written publication • Up to $10k for organisational GPPGs • Published in our e-book April 2015

GPPG Priorities for 2014:

• Good practice that has been shown to benefit Māori learners, their whānau, hapū, iwi and communities.

• Good practice that has been shown to benefit Pacific learners and their communities. • Good practice that has been shown to benefit youngers learners in tertiary education. This year the scheme is open with no closing dates.

http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/good-practice-publication grants April 2015

More information – project funding

• NPF: • http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/national-project-fund • [email protected]

• RHPF and GPPG: • http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/regional-hub-project funding • • • • [email protected] [email protected] (central) [email protected]

[email protected]

(northern) (southern) April 2015