National Project Fund update

Last updated by: ako_admin (Ako Administrator) on 1 July 2011 - 1:29pm

We have just completed the third round of the National Project Fund (NPF), and are delighted to announce the details of the funded projects for 2010. This was a milestone year for the fund. We introduced more specific priority areas, included RFPs as part of the funding allocation, and trialled a new aspect to the selection process where shortlisted project teams attended the panel meeting to discuss their projects. Each of these aspects contributed significantly to the process, and will continue in 2011.

In particular, we feel that tighter criteria for the fund contributed to our receiving fewer Expressions of Interest (EOIs), but of a generally higher standard. Nevertheless, this is still a highly competitive fund and we would reiterate that it is primarily a change fund. The projects which the panels selected were, in the final analysis, those judged most likely to foster the greatest improvement in teaching and learning practice.

Research and Implementation Projects

We received 27 EOIs this year, seeking a total of $2.9 m in funding (GST exclusive). Forty-four percent of these applications were received in the priority area “Evidence based enhancement of teaching and learning at an organisational level”. Other applications were roughly spread evenly across the remaining four priority areas. Seven EOIs were shortlisted, from which four have been selected.
Kirsty Weir, Ako Aotearoa research manager, is pictured here with Karen Vaughan, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, and Andrew Kear, Building & Construction ITO, who have been awarded funding for their project Transforming industry-led assessment of learning in the building and construction industries.

Māori Initiative Projects

During 2010 our Māori Initiative Projects funding stream was allocated in part through an open round and in part through an RFP process.

We received six EOIs this year in the open round, seeking a total of $704,621 (GST exclusive) in funding. We received two applications in the priority area “Kaupapa Māori approaches to tertiary education – a cross sector framework to enhance the outcomes of Māori learners”. We also received four in the priority area “Measuring the impact of tertiary education on Māori learners, their whānau and communities”. Three of these six EOIs were shortlisted, from which two projects have been selected for funding.

In the second round of RFPs we received six proposals in response to the Building Participation and Success for Māori
Learners in Underrepresented Areas of Tertiary Education RFP. From these we shortlisted two applications and one project was finally selected.

No proposal was selected for the Assessment and Moderation for te Reo Māori in Tertiary Education RFP. We are currently exploring the possibility of commissioning a project in this area.

Pacific Peoples’ Projects

We have commissioned Dr Cherie Chu from Victoria University of Wellington to lead a team on a project entitled Pasifika learners and success in tertiary education. This will examine exemplars of success for Pacific learners across the tertiary sector.

From the seven proposals we received in response to the RFP Evaluation of the Impact of Tertiary Education Strategies on Success for Pacific Learners we have shortlisted three applications. Details of the funded project will be available on our website mid-December.

Another 2010 project: Storybook Dads evaluation

The Storybook Dads evaluation project, by Charles Pearce from The Methodist Mission, will evaluate the Storybook Dads programme’s effectiveness at enhancing literacy skills and strengthening family/whānau relationships of prisoners involved in the programme.

Listen to an interview about Storybook Dads at www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20100707

National Project Fund 2010 – funded projects

Funding Stream Project title Contact project leader Priority area
RI – Open Storybook Dads evaluation Charles Pearce, The Methodist Mission Measuring and enhancing the value that organisations add to different groups of learners
RI - Open Graduate outcomes – Are they driving learning? And who knows about them? Assoc Prof Rachel Spronken-Smith, University of Otago Evidence-based enhancement of teaching and learning at an organisational level
RI - Open Transforming industry-led assessment of learning in the building and construction industries Andrew Kear, Building & Construction ITO Evidence-based enhancement of teaching and learning at an organisational level
RI - Open Success, productivity and satisfaction in academia: The experiences of early career academics in New Zealand Dr Kathryn Sutherland, Victoria University of Wellington Exploring the experiences of tertiary teachers
MIP - Open Māori learners in workplace settings Dr Nicky Murray, Industry Training Federation Kaupapa Māori approaches to tertiary education
MIP - Open Hei ara ako ki te oranga: Teaching learning and wellbeing Dr Helen Potter, New Zealand Council for Educational Research Measuring the impact of tertiary education on Māori learners, their whānau and communities
MIP - RFP Waiariki agricultural collaboration Rangimarie Hunia, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Building participation and success for Māori learners in underrepresented areas of tertiary education
PPP – Commissioned Pasifika learners and success in tertiary education Dr Cherie Chu, Victoria University of Wellington on behalf of APSTE Commissioned project

 RI: Research and Implementation Projects | MIP: Māori Initiative Projects | PPP: Pacific Peoples’ Projects

National Project Fund 2011

The details of the 2011 NPF will be announced during April 2011 on the Ako Aotearoa website. This announcement will include details about the funding structure, priority areas, and closing dates.

We will also announce the details of additional assistance we plan to provide for project teams as they develop their applications. It is clear to us that many researchers in education need additional support in developing their ability to write grant applications and proposals. In particular, we are developing a formal review process so applicants can get specific feedback on their draft application before submitting it to the panel.

We will also be developing additional supporting documents outlining ways to develop applications that maximise the chances of being funded. We will also continue to hold the NPF workshops on how to increase your chances of gaining funding. Of course, we are always interested in your views on how we can best support you to develop your proposals so please feel free to share your ideas with us.

Ako Aotearoa project evaluation framework

We are currently trialling an evaluation framework that measures the impact of our project funding on teaching and learning practices, project teams and learners. The process will involve discussing with project teams at designated time points the impact of their completed projects (likely to be 6 months, 1 year and 2 years). We plan to focus on four key areas: project outputs, changes in practice as a result of the project, benefits to learners as a result of the project, and benefits for the project team as a result of the project.

We see this framework not only providing an opportunity for us to gather information about the impact of our project funding, but also for project teams to explore possible directions for future work with us. We will be implementing the evaluation framework for both the NPF and the Regional Hub Project Fund from 2011.

 

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Ako Aotearoa