Research and Implementation Projects

Last updated by: ako_admin (Ako Administrator) on 12 October 2010 - 4:34pm

This National Project Fund stream supports major research or implementation projects of strategic relevance to Ako Aotearoa. The typical level of funding for each project will be approximately $100k (GST inclusive).

Priority Areas

We have identified five specific priority areas on which we will accept applications during 2010:

Evidence based enhancement of teaching and learning at an organisational level.

Projects that are designed to identify models of practice that enhance the teaching and learning capability of organisations. For example, projects might be directed to building educational leadership within tertiary organisations for the benefit of learners.
Note: an “organisation” in this context might be a teaching department, college/faculty, or equivalent unit offering a portfolio of programmes.

Exploring the Experiences of Tertiary Teachers

Projects that explore what it means to be a tertiary teacher in the 21st century in Aotearoa-New Zealand and how this understanding might best drive improvement of teaching and learning. Projects might be from the perspective of the individual or from the perspective of tertiary teaching as a profession.

Hearing and acting on the learner voice.

Projects that actively seek to support and enhance learner contributions to decision making, about the provision of tertiary teaching. In particular we would be looking for projects that enhance learner engagement. We would expect proposals in this area to actively involve learners as part of the project team.

Measuring and enhancing the value that organisations add to different groups of learners.

Projects that systematically identify measurement techniques to measure the value added by organisations for learners of diverse backgrounds. For example, a project might assess the return on investment of interventions to enhance learner outcomes or might investigate ways of targeting limited resources to achieve the most effective outcomes for different groups of learners.

Vocational education: measuring and enhancing employment outcomes.

Projects that research and/or implement ways of collecting and using information about employment outcomes to inform the enhancement of teaching and learning practice. For example, projects in this area might focus on a programme portfolio in a specific disciplinary area and might be from a range of organisations.

We hope to fund one project in each priority area.

Selection Criteria

Project proposals will be considered for selection based on the following six criteria:

There is a clear evidence-based need for the project.
The project has potential to contribute to existing knowledge of effective teaching and learning.
The project design is appropriate and robust.
The project represents good value for money.
The project has potential to impact on practice for enhanced learner benefit
The project team exhibits the capability to complete the project

Key Dates

Expressions of interest close 5pm Friday 23 July 2010
Applicants notified of results Friday 20 August 2010
Full Proposals close 5pm Friday 8 October 2010
Applicants notified of results Friday 29 October 2010