Evaluation of an inter-institutional granting scheme for collaboration in educational technologies

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Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 31: Engaging Communities

July, 2008, 389 pages
Published by
Mark Barrow & Kathryn Sutherland
ISBN
0 908557 73 6
Abstract 

This study describes the evaluation of an inter-institutional funding scheme to promote collaboration through the development of educational technologies across two major Australian universities. Empirical studies of this nature are sparsely reported within the literature. The evaluation of the Melbourne & Monash Project Grants for Collaboration in Educational Technologies scheme provided an opportunity to investigate both the value of the specific scheme and to consider wider issues regarding collaboration in the higher education sector. Four methods of evaluation were employed to ensure that the complexities involved in the scheme were appropriately considered. The methods were: an audit of all project documentation; a standardised objective rating of the completed or almost completed educational technology artefacts by two experts; qualitative in-depth evaluation of five specific projects through analysis of participant interviews; and a staff survey based on the interview findings. The evaluation demonstrated that the quality of the output was high but that teams struggled to complete their projects and associated reporting requirements and project evaluation.

Keywords: higher education; collaboration; educational technology; evaluation methodologies.