Evaluating Widening Access and Participation Initiatives

Module overview

Evaluating Widening Participation Initiatives (1) is the second module in the Postgraduate Certificate in Widening Participation and Evaluation. It will provide you with an understanding of how to effectively approach evaluation from a substantive and conceptual perspective that will see you consider evaluation design right from the outset of your intervention planning.

Similar to module one, an overview of key themes will be introduced in the first of the learning retreats, offered at the beginning of semester one, with the majority of content delivered in the second half of the first semester. You will be encouraged to share your current evaluation practices with other learners on the course to support in the sharing and learning of good practice.

In this module, you will learn to consider evaluation as a holistic concept, removed from simple, reductive measures of success or monitoring processes. You will understand the value of Theories of Change, beyond just the need of completion, exploring templates with which to develop a core theory of change. This forms the summative assessment for this module, in preparation of an enhanced theory of change, which will be assessed at the end of the semester. You will build confidence in using theories of change and espousing their utility within your team or at an institutional level.

Syllabus

The focus on evaluation is split across this and module four. This first evaluation module allows you to focus on developing core and enhanced Theories of Change at whatever level you find useful – whether that is at a team or institutional level or in respect of programme examples of WP interventions. You will understand the value of the approach, exploring why you do what you do, how and why you know that reasoning to be important, what action you take, what the active elements are of your action, understanding what success might look like and how to measure it. Whilst we will ask you to propose ideas that relate to the latter two elements in the summative assessment of this module, teaching to support the evolution of your thinking here will be explored in depth within the fourth module, in the second half of the second semester. In the second evaluation module you will develop your knowledge of different research methods, learning how to identify if they are appropriate for your evaluation, considering how they align to WP policy and simultaneously reflect sound educational theory (the focus of module three). You will also be guided in how you can disseminate your findings in a way that satisfies your stakeholders, whether that is the regulator, students, parents, schools and colleges, or the HE sector more broadly.

Keynote lectures will support your approach to thinking in a reflective way, exploring how learning and progress can be prompted by observations and feedback. They will offer different models for reflection and ask you to critically examine your own processes. We will also consider different approaches to building an institutional picture of evaluation, contemplating the various merits of bespoke or ‘off the shelf’ evaluation frameworks.

Seminar sessions will provide you with the opportunity to discuss with teaching staff and your fellow peers how to use the taught content as a lens through which to reflect upon and improve your own practice in relation to evaluation.

Just like in the other modules, peer mentoring opportunities will build upon the seminar sessions further, thinking in more detail about your own context. These sessions will sharpen the focus for your assignments that will enrich and entrench your learning further.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

As with the other modules within this programme, taught sessions will comprise a range of approaches, including key-note lectures, recorded lectures, live and interactive seminars, group and peer work. These sessions will be complemented by ongoing peer mentoring across the programme.

We will continue to utilise Blackboard as our Virtual Learning Environment enabling you to access teaching resources, course materials, handouts and discussion forums etc. We will also use Microsoft Teams to deliver the majority of the online, live taught content. Feedback from the formative assessment will allow you to progress your summative assessment that will provide you with robust documents that can be practically used in your institutional context and as evidence for the OfS.

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	45
Teaching	15
Total study time	60

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Assessment is on a Pass/Fail basis at Masters level (FHEQ level 7), but feedback is provided which conforms to institutional norms for percentage marking ranges and descriptions. Marking for this module will not be anonymous. The tutors and peer mentors gain personal knowledge of individuals work through discussions during the sessions. As the marking and/or moderation is carried out by the teaching team in conjunction with some other markers, it is not possible to ensure anonymity of all participants’ work, following usual marking practice. This approach is aligned with the Anonymous Marking Policy.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	30%
Report	70%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	100%