Signposts - A Professional Development Resource for New Tertiary Teachers
Status
Completed: 30 June 2010
Project Details
A formal, year-long evaluation of Signposts, a professional development resource for new tertiary teachers developed in 2008. The project resulted in an updated, second edition of Signposts and involved five tertiary institutions, the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, NorthTec, Waikato Institute of Technology, Manukau Institute of Technology and Waiariki Institute of Technology.
Aims:
The aims of the evaluation project were to identify who used Signposts, how they used it and to canvas users' perceptions of the resources' efficacy, delivery mode and areas for improvement and/or expansion.
Methodology:
The evaluation methodology featured:
- development of an online survey tool
- collaborative, face-to-face analysis of the survey results
- collaborative review and revision of the Signposts resource
- launch of a revised, updated second edition of Signposts.
Team
Dr Judith Honeyfield
Project leader
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology
Linda Shaw
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology
Helen van Toor
Waiariki Institute of Technology (now Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology)
Liz Fitchett
Waiariki Institute of Technology (now Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology)
Adam McMillan
Waikato Institute of Technology
Victor Fester
Waikato Institute of Technology
Debra Robertson-Welsh
Manukau Institute of Technology
Pat Reid
NorthTec
Cath Fraser
Consultant
Independent ContractorStatus
Funding
$10,000.00 (excl GST)
Key Findings
Online survey findings
- Signposts was valued as a staff development tool to support novice teachers.
- Signposts worked as a framework to outline teacher training topics and as a revision tool for more experienced educators.
- Its format, language and level was appropriate.
- It was being used and was found to be useful.
- However, some pages did need revision, it needed to be available in MS Word and as a PDF and it needed additional websites and references added.
- A new section for staff developers was recommended.
Benefits of collaboration
- Signposts was evaluated and updated.
- New relationships formed.
- Participants experienced a new way to evaluate professional development for teaching staff.
- Participants increased their research capability alongside the development of a resource.
- A community of practice (of staff developers) was strengthened.
- A new model for evaluating the efficacy of resources was developed.
Key Recommendations
Regularly review of all Ako Aotearoa resource and tools | Ako Aotearoa should identify a systematic, scheduled evaluation and review of all tools (including Signposts) to ensure they remain useful and current.
Design a review system | A review system should be designed for all Ako Aotearoa projects that identifies the resources and tools that need reviewing and assigns people and/or teams to review them.
A report prepared for Ako Aotearoa by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, NorthTec, Waikato Institute of Technology, Manukau Institute of Technology and Waiariki Institute of Technology.
- 30 June 2010
A report prepared for Ako Aotearoa by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, NorthTec, Waikato Institute of Technology, Manukau Institute of Technology and Waiariki Institute of Technology.
- 30 June 2010
A report prepared for Ako Aotearoa by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, NorthTec, Waikato Institute of Technology, Manukau Institute of Technology and Waiariki Institute of Technology.
- 30 June 2010