WP E - Evaluation

For ease of understanding, evaluation is divided up into internal evaluation - for evaluating the results and outputs of the project – and external evaluation for monitoring and evaluating the progress of the project itself. A dedicated work package (E) covers both these forms of evaluation.

External evaluation

The external evaluation will be carried out by Daxa Patel, who has already accompanied eLene-TT and eLene-EE as effective project management support. This evaluation addresses summative, formative and process evaluation. The external project evaluator will participate in key events of the project (e.g partner meetings) and will have access to internal project management documents. She will use appropriate evaluation tools to enable partners to articulate and assess how the project is progressing and will report back to the group at each project meeting.

Evaluation framework

In collaboration with the partners involved in the project, the evaluation will identify under each of the main outputs of the project or WP, key indicators to consider during the process of the evaluation. This will ensure a shared understanding /consensus on the type of criteria that defines what the participants want to achieve within the project.

Evaluation principles

·         Collaborative: Organised and agreed in conjunction with all those who are involved in the management, design, development and implementation of the project.

·         Integrated: The methodology to be integrated into each of the time phases of the project and into all the different work packages.

·         Formative: Generating feedback throughout the whole process. The focus of the formative and process evaluation strategy is on ensuring that the project partners remain focused on the objectives of the project despite working in different countries and in different organisations and in ensuring that the project proceeds in the most cost-efficient and timely a manner as possible.

·         Summative: This will judge whether the project has met its objectives at the end of all the activities, the focus being on the outcome of the project. Methodology will involve assessment of the expected outcomes and operational objectives. A final synthesis report of all the findings and information collected throughout the project will be produced.

·           Supportive: to support the project partners throughout the project’s lifetime to reach its objectives and to support the management process.

Indicators of results and outputs will include:

For project management monitoring:

-          The respect of deadlines and budget as provided by the quarterly financial and progress reports

-          The effective number of working days spent on the project (quarterly timesheets)

-          The effective completion of Work Packages

For measuring the impact of the project:

-          The number of people effectively trained in each target group

-          The number and profile of users of the TL Centre

-          The number and quality of peer reviews published in the TL Centre

-          The number of hits and downloads on the website

-          The number of requests for information and the source of these requests

-          The number and profile of participants in workshops, online seminars, conference presentations

Internal evaluation

Evaluation of results and outputs will also be carried out within the project activities. The partner responsible (UMEA) will draw up and implement an operational internal evaluation strategy for validating competency frameworks and assessing pedagogical approaches, working in close collaboration with the core groups of the work packages concerned.

This evaluation will include the analysis of eLene-TLC training and skills assessment actions within the framework of the findings from eLene-EE, and identifying potential cases to apply cost and benefit analysis. In this way the two sister projects will work in synergy to provide mutual benefit.

Peer review

In order to bring in a more objective element, evaluation of the project’s results and outputs will also be opened up to the wider community through peer reviews of contents of the Teaching and Learning centre, facilitated by an improved feedback mechanism whereby a teacher trainer, teacher or other user consulting or applying a resource can fill in a simple form which will be visible in the online centre and associated with the resource reviewed.