Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Research in Progress Colloquium 2010

The Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Research in Progress Colloquium is an annual event to support our National Project Fund (NPF) project teams . Through the NPF we have invested of over $2m on projects to improve tertiary teaching and learning for the benefit of learners. Our goals of this event were to identify early synergies across projects and to enable funded researchers to network informally with like-minded colleagues. We were again delighted with the level and quality of discussions about each project as well as the discussions about broader issues relating to tertiary teaching and learning in New Zealand.

In addition to the NPF teams, we invited recently funded teams from the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) to present their work. Dr Linda Leach and Dr Nick Zepke represented the TLRI at the colloquium and provided an overview of the existing and completed TLRI tertiary projects. It was great to see the broader picture of work funded in the tertiary sector on teaching and learning.

In all, 20 teams presented at the colloquium (including 2 doctoral students supported by Ako Aotearoa). The presentations showcased the range of exciting projects underway, some of which were research based and others having significant implementation elements to the work. It reinforced for us the diversity of our portfolio of projects. There are various methodological approaches employed, using strong sampling procedures. Project teams are also focusing on the nature of evidence needed to enhance teaching and learning practices.

Attendees at the Colloquium

There were many stimulating discussions over the two days. Of note was an emerging interest in tertiary teaching as a profession. Many tertiary teachers have dual roles - as disciplinary experts as well as teaching and learning professionals - how to balance these roles and support good practice in teaching and learning is an ongoing interest for Ako Aotearoa.

There were also some very constructive conversations about how we can support project teams to get research in front of the decisions makers of organisations. We see us having a key role in supporting the dissemination and application of the findings accumulating from the projects.

With many of the first round of funded projects nearing completion we are very aware that conducting high quality research on its own is not enough to affect change in practice. Careful attention must also be paid to how the implications of key findings are communicated e.g. to the research community, practitioners, and policy makers.

Practitioners and policy makers are faced with decisions about what interventions/approaches to employ, often within significant time and resource constraints. To have the largest impact, research findings should be clearly and concisely communicated, have appropriate regard to context and focus on the implications for policy and recommendations for practice. We see ourselves as a broker of this information and are looking forward to sharing these findings with the sector.

Go to the Tertiary Research in Progress Colloquium 2010 page for -

• A one-page summary of each presentation in the Colloquium Handbook
• Each project's presentation