GraniteNet phase 2 evaluation report

Abstract

The GraniteNet vision is to establish a sustainable community designed, owned and managed portal that will support Stanthorpe’s development as a learning community. Typical of smaller, rural communities west of the ‘great divide’, Stanthorpe has an ageing community, a low median income, a lower proportion of the population with post-compulsory education qualifications and lower use of information communication technologies (ICT) in comparison with Brisbane metropolitan and larger coastal centres in Queensland, all of which are considered risk factors in terms of the community’s continued prosperity and longer term sustainability. The GraniteNet project, as a learning community initiative, aims to maximise the use of Information Communication Technologies to support community and individual development and capacity building. The project is a Participatory Action Research (PAR) partnership between the University of Southern Queensland and the Stanthorpe community. Perceived benefits of GraniteNet for Stanthorpe include that it will be a tool that people of all ages and from all sectors of the community can use to share information, promote community activities and events, and promote and foster learning opportunities. It is hoped that GraniteNet will become a valuable community asset that will enhance existing social networks, provide opportunities for growth and development and bridge the ‘digital divide’ that is said to exist between rural and metropolitan communities. With funding from the Queensland Government Department of Communities, the GraniteNet Interim Board commissioned this evaluation of the second phase of the GraniteNet project in order to ensure that Phase 3 – the proposed twelve-month pilot of the community portal – is informed by a sound evidence base. The evaluation was facilitated by the USQ Principal Researcher in collaboration with members of the Granite Belt Learners Group, who acted as the Critical Reference Group (CRG) for the evaluation, during the period March to November, 2008. Using data from surveys, questionnaires, interviews, workshops and Critical Reference Group meetings, and an online collaborative workspace established to supplement the face-to-face evaluation activities, formative, summative and research evaluation activities were conducted focusing on project governance, community engagement and the GraniteNet portal environment