Ako Aotearoa Funding Workshops: 2013

Funding change projects in the tertiary education sectorPeter Coolbear and Rhonda Thomson, Ako Aotearoa, National OfficeHosted by Ako Aotearoa’s Regional Hubs

Plan

July 2013

• 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

Funding overview

July 2013

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.

Funding overview

July 2013

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.

Overarching principles of funding

July 2013

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

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

What we fund

July 2013

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

What we don’t fund

July 2013

We do not support projects that:

• focus on business-as-usual 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)

Funding options for 2013

July 2013

NPF: At least 3 projects up to $300k across 2-3 yearsOne of which will be focused on Māori learners, one focused on Pacific learners

2 stage process of application, co-funding model

RHPF: projects normally up to $20k for implementation / developmental projects

No closing dates, co-funding model

Also GPPG scheme – discussed at the end of this presentation

Planning your project

July 2013

• 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.

Setting yourself up for success - initiation

July 2013

• Is this an issue of broad significance?

• What should the nature of the project be?

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

• What would success look like?

Setting yourself up for success – “the elevator pitch”

July 2013

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?

Exemplar project: Dedicated Education Unit

July 2013

• Project: Piloted and evaluated 2 DEUs at Middlemore hospital using action research

• http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/nursing-deu

• Vision: To improve the way student nurses are supported as they learn

Exemplar project: Dedicated education unit

July 2013

What’s changed? • DEUs are now business as usual for Manukau

Institute of Technology and Counties Manukau DHB

• 9 DEUs established (covers ~80% of nursing students at MIT)

• Exploring possibility of inter-professional unit

• Key features• Robust design, strong organisational buy-in,

focused on change for learners, broad influence

Exemplar project: Tātou Tātou – Success for all Improving Māori student success

July 2013

• Project: Investigated Māori student success in degree-level tertiary education.

• https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/tatou-tatou

• Vision: To support Māori learners in health sciences and share the work to enhance Māori learner success in broader disciplines.

Exemplar project: Tātou Tātou

July 2013

• What’s changed? • Quality Tertiary Teaching Profile (QTTe)

developed providing specific instructions for institutions wishing to better support Māori learners' success.

• Key features • Improved an exciting initiative, genuine impact on

learner pathway progressions, positive impact on the team reputation and work, included in professional development workshops.

Cracking the Reading Code

July 2013

Clare Hazledine and Mary Silvester 

Exemplar project: RHPFS, central hub

July 2013

“Cracking the Reading Code: An Audio-Visual Resource for Learners and Teachers”.

• Outputs: two DVDs and a tutor resource booklet which show examples of working with students to improve their academic reading skills.

• All material on the Whitireia intranet; accessible, widely used and endorsed by students, teachers and student support staff.

• 1212 page views and 541 downloads of the material from the Ako Aotearoa website after 6 months.

Exemplar project: RHPFS, central hub

July 2013

“Ako Tuākana-teina: e-belonging; construction and evaluation of a cyber-whare for Māori distance students.

• The pilot project instituted an online mentoring system. It included culturally relevant support and was designed to improve the success and progression of Māori students.

• Positive responses from mentors and students.

• Evaluation of the work is on-going.

Caroline Rawlings and Karaitiana Wilson at the Open Polytechnic. Completed May 2013

Exemplar project: RHPFS, central hub

July 2013

“Preparing female sport management students for leadership roles in sport”.

• Resulted in a strengthened Achieving Career Excellence programme, and planned 2014 curriculum changes in the School of Management at Massey.

• Provided an improved structure for “work experience” for students at Otago.

Sarah Leberman, Massey University; Sally Shaw, University of Otago.

Exemplar project: RHPF, northern hub

July 2013

• Project: Using students’ capabilities to engage them in the academic discourse

• Vision was to assess and use students’ digital literacy in order to help them to develop discipline-specific literacy

Engaging First Year University Students in Discipline-Specific Discourse through Online Writing Projects

• What’s changed?• Collaboration between two Faculties brought

disciplines closer as they address challenges together• Classroom interaction has improved• Developing interesting tools to put materials online

• Key features• Students engaged in collaborative knowledge

construction

July 2013

Engaging First Year University Students in Discipline-Specific Discourse through Online Writing Projects

Exemplar project: RHPF, northern hub

• Project: Test approaches to on-site workplace literacy assessment/delivery to meet needs of farm employees in isolated areas

• Vision is to support tertiary educatorsand enhance training

Developing the skills of Māori farm workers in Te Tai Tokerau

July 2013

• What’s changed?• Approach has been enhanced• Team meetings have taken on notion of “ako”

• Key features• Identified specific barriers for AgITO trainee

progression from L2-3 to L4.• Looking into partnerships with Landcorp, Dairy NZ

and Primary ITO for future training

July 2013

Developing the skills of Māori farm workers in Te Tai Tokerau

Exemplar project: Improving teaching of large classes

• Project: Six School of Law lecturers at the University of Canterbury sought to identify and implement good teaching practice in the current methods of teaching large, compulsory law classes.

• www.akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako-aotearoa-southern-hub/resources/pages/effectiveness-large-class-teaching

• Vision: To improve teaching of large classes leading to a difference forlearners

July 2013

Exemplar project: Improving teaching of large classes• What’s changed?

• Changes to teaching practices in School of Law• Learners taking a greater responsibility for their own

learning• Improvements in course completions and grades

• Key feature• The development of a set of 12 good practice

guidelines for use in law schools, to implement changes at three levels: Individual; School of Law; National and International

July 2013

Exemplar project: Māori design and tertiary education

• Project: Set out to address a gap in documented research that specifically focuses on or about a kaupapa Māori design process.

• http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/ako-hub/ako-aotearoa-southern-hub/resources/pages/maori-design

• Vision: To identify and disseminate important ideas relating to te Ao Māori design, principles, practices and processes to tertiary design educators

July 2013

Exemplar project: Māori design and tertiary education

• What’s changed?• Changes to teaching practices.• A larger cohort than usual of Māori students giving

further impetus to changes in practices.• Students encouraged to place culture at the centre of

their work• Key features

• Three key elements for tertiary design teaching based on principles of traditional Māori learning are reflected in a model for teaching design with four strategies.

July 2013

What do these projects have in common?

July 2013

Rubric for Māori focused projects

July 2013

Developing your application

July 2013

• Regardless of the funding stream, 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

Project outcomes

July 2013

Are likely outcomes from your project well reasoned?• Be explicit about your logic model for change• What are your expected outcomes?

How will these outcomes be achieved/measured?• Is the project designed with change in mind?• How will you measure/demonstrate change?

Invest time in your application

July 2013

• Communicate clearly

• Write strategically

• Do the basics well

• Share it with others

Invest time in your application

For the National Project Fund ….

July 2013

• 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

Common weaknesses – why panels say “no”

July 2013

– Can’t understand the application– Application not placed in wider context– Localised impact (BAU)– Proposed interventions not sustainable– Method not well matched to aims/goals– Intended benefit to learners appears negligible – Lack of connection with sector– Budget unreasonable for work– Strong project but poor fit for fund

If I am successful in the EOI round of the NPF: working with us

July 2013

• If shortlisted • 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

If I get funded: Impact Evaluation Process

July 2013

• 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• impact on practice• impact on learners• impact on project teams

• Conversations in context of original project goals

Support available

July 2013

• 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

Key dates

July 2013

11th July – formal review process opens (review option on submitted draft EOIs – 5 day turnover) 30th August 2013 – EOIs close30th September 2013 – applicants notified15th November 2013 – FPs close13th December 2013 – shortlisted applicants notified

Open selection process – contact your hub

Good Practice Publication Grants Scheme

July 2013

• 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

GPPG Priorities for 2013:

July 2013

• Good practice that has been shown to benefit Māori learners, their whānau, hapu, 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

More information – project funding

July 2013

• NPF and RFPs:• http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/national-project-fund • r.thomson@massey.ac.nz

• RHPF and GPPG:• http://

akoaotearoa.ac.nz/regional-hub-project-funding • ruth.peterson@aut.ac.nz (northern)• i.rowe@ucol.ac.nz (central)• bridget.oregan@canterbury.ac.nz (southern)