Preparing potential teachers for the transition from employment to teacher training: an evaluative case study of a Maths Enhancement Course

In response to a UK government drive to improve maths teaching in schools, the South West London Maths Enhancement Course (MEC) has been set up though collaboration between three Higher Education institutions (HEIs) to provide an efficient route for non maths graduates in employment to upgrade their subject knowledge and give a smooth transition into teacher training (PGCE). An evaluation of the scheme, measured against Teacher Development Agency (TDA) objectives and success criteria agreed by university staff, involved thematic analysis of focus group discussions and interviews with students and staff during both the MEC and PGCE courses. This has revealed a high level of satisfaction and success related to a number of underlying issues, particularly around student recruitment, curriculum design, peer support and staff collaboration. The model offers an example of practice transferable to a range of programmes aimed at supporting students in the transition between levels and institutions

A Utilisation Focussed and Viable Systems Approach for Evaluating Technology Supported Learning

The paper uses a higher education case study to illustrate a participative theory of change approach to evaluating technology supported learning. The approach is informed by the Viable Systems Model (VSM) and utilisation-focussed evaluation and, falls within the tradition of facilitated modelling approaches to operational research. We argue that this approach worked well in engaging primary evaluation users in a process of collaborative action research to improving an educational development initiative and that the approach helped generate information relevant to answering its primary users’ questions, to inform their specific decisions and actions relevant to their quality enhancement responsibilities. Through a case study, concerning the evaluation of an educational development initiative in a large UK university, we illustrate how the VSM and utilisation-focussed evaluation could be used to: (a) conceptualise the connection between strategies and their components at different levels of organisation; (b) to clarify the role and interests of stakeholders in these strategies; and (c) to scope evaluation to be relevant to informing the decisions and actions of these stakeholders. The paper contributes to illustrate how VSM principles can underpin a theory of change approach to engaging primary stakeholders in planning an intervention and its evaluation in the context of educational development work, in order to improve evaluation to be more relevant to their needs. The paper should be of interest to researchers exploring the use of systems theory in evaluation, in particular in the context of educational development work in higher education

A civic university's approach to the 'mathematics problem' in society

This article highlights the ways in which one institution is seeking to address the issue of declining mathematical ability amongst students and the knock-on effects this has to wider society through a range of initiatives stemming from its mission as a civic university. A review of the current literature illustrates the range of interpretations of the role of a civic university and a number of common factors are identified. In addition, literature on the state of mathematics in society indicates that the changing nature of the student population and attitudes of professionals towards teaching and learning has led to the identification of a key set of issues which are in the process of being addressed. These include the dramatic fall in the number of students who were studying A-level and Further Mathematics; the declining number and quality of students entering degree programmes with a strong mathematical element; the lack of qualified mathematics teachers and the need for changes to the mathematics curriculum. This report outlines the specific ways in which one institution is tackling the issues through the development of a university course for non mathematics graduates aiming to become teachers; the provision of Further Mathematics courses for students pre-entry; and the addition of mathematics education and teaching options to the final year modules for students studying mathematics at the university. It demonstrates how the university as an institution, its students and the local community in particular are benefiting from this civic university approach

Educational research methods for researching innovations in teaching, learning and assessment: the nursing lecturer as researcher.

The author, who has had previous experience as a nurse researcher, has been engaged in helping nurse lecturers to undertake evaluation research studies into innovations in their teaching, learning and assessment methods. In order to undertake this work successfully, it was important to move from thinking like a nurse researcher to thinking like an educational researcher and developing the role of the nursing lecturer as researcher of their teaching. This article explores the difference between evaluation and evaluation research and argues for the need to use educational research methods when undertaking evaluation research into innovations in teaching, learning and assessment. A new model for educational evaluation research is presented together with two case examples of the model in use. The model has been tested on over 30 research studies into innovations in teaching, learning and assessment over the past 8 years