Evaluating the impact of our projects

To date, we have committed nearly $6 million to supporting research and implementation projects in tertiary teaching and learning (across our regional and national funding schemes). We have
commissioned initial evaluation work to measure the impact of our funded projects and this has indicated the schemes are working well. For example, Networkers conducted an evaluation of the Regional Hub Project Funding Scheme and found positive changes in the status and work of individuals and project teams, as well as permanent improvements in the process, delivery, and/or content of tertiary courses.

What is important for us now is to gain a better understanding of the sustained impact of our funded projects. We recently completed a pilot of an Impact Evaluation Framework, involving selected completed projects from the Regional Hub Project Funding Scheme and the National Project Fund. The framework examines the following four key areas relating to project outcomes
and the impact these have had both within the participating organisation(s) and beyond:

• outputs resulting from the project and how these have been shared
• practices and how they have changed as a result of this project
• benefits to learners and how they have been achieved as a result of this project
• the impact on the project team.

This framework is now being implemented across all of our funding streams and will involve us visiting all funded project teams at six, 12, and 24 months after their projects have been  completed. During these visits, we will discuss the outcomes that have been achieved from each project in light of the original project objectives. Our conversation will also enable us to discuss
any additional support we might provide to teams to maximise the impact of their work, as well as any future project ideas resulting from the work.

The data collected from these evaluations will be invaluable to both Ako Aotearoa and its stakeholders as the funding initiatives are evaluated. Just as importantly, it will guide our support for the project teams, so they can disseminate their work more widely. However, the ultimate driver for this evaluation process is the need to better understand the sustainable impact these
projects have on the teaching and learning process, their ability to bring about positive organisational change, and how that change impacts on learner outcomes.