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Monitoring and evaluation updates
July 2008
MECI Staffing
The work continues to be led by Dr Claire Sinnema. As Dr Graeme Aitken has recently been appointed Acting Dean of the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education, his time in the project has been reduced. Dr Fiona Ell will participate in the project at .2 for the duration of Graeme’s acting Deanship.
The first National MECI Survey
This is an electronic on-line survey. Invitations for this were sent out on 21 July. Schools were asked to respond by 3 August. The sample being used is a 50% randomised sample of the schools in each region. The survey is in two forms- one to be completed by the principal and the other by teachers in the school. A total of 1210 schools have been asked to participate.
Focus Groups
Focus groups are aimed to gather data from groups of educators in particular curriculum areas. The first 6 focus groups have been completed. Participants included Maths and Statistics teachers, and Social Studies teachers. Responses are currently being transcribed.
Think Aloud Sessions
The Think Aloud sessions aim to investigate areas of professional thinking and practice associated with curriculum implementation. The first Think Aloud session has been held. This session focussed on understandings about curriculum planning and was held with a primary teacher group.
Touching Base sessions
These sessions aim to gather responses from educators outside the main centres (where all focus groups are held). A notice in the 14 July Education Gazette asked for interested educators who matched this profile to respond to an invitation to participate.
March 2008
This work has been contracted to the University of Auckland. The chief researchers for the project are Dr Claire Sinnema and Dr Graeme Aitken.
The project is based upon the investigation of four key components of an overall curriculum monitoring and evaluation framework (the ERUS framework).
- ENCOUNTERS - with ideas, resources, and supports
- RECEPTIVITY - through motivation and confidence to engage
- UNDERSTANDINGS - about curriculum requirements and the changes that might be needed
- SHIFTS - in thinking, planning, and practice
The major data-gathering tool in the project is a web-based survey which will be administered at three points in time over the next 20 months, approximately six months apart. A six-point survey response format will be used. Principals and teachers will be surveyed separately, with a sample size of at least 300 schools, including 50 secondary schools. Pre-service and in-service teacher educators will also be surveyed using the same time frames. The aim from this part of the project is to develop a longitudinal national picture of curriculum implementation, 2008-2010.
Additional information will be gathered through ‘touching base’ interviews, focus groups, and ‘think aloud’ sessions. The aim from this part of the project is to examine aspects of the implementation experience more deeply, with a particular focus on progress and issues.
The researchers are also investigating a range of implementation documents including websites, school and Ministry of Education documents such as charters and plans, and support resources.
The Ministry will receive monthly progress updates from the chief researchers, as well as full analyses following each survey’s completion.
