EER KEQs: Demonstrating how our Āta Kōrero programme responds to KEQ #3

Demonstrating how our learner outcomes meet the needs of industry and stakeholders, and our students

Note: previous posts included in this series are linked in the right-hand column, scroll down.

In this this post, we’ll look at KEQ #3, the first of four process questions; how we can demonstrate our approach to academic quality in our learning and teaching practices, and include a case study that captures our Teacher Capability Development and Teaching Competency Framework.

KEQ 3: How well do programme design and delivery, including learning and assessment activities, match the needs of learners and other relevant stakeholders?

We can use data from these sources to respond to this KEQ:

Achievement of Teaching Competencies – reflects evidence of effective teaching
Learning and Teaching Strategy 2020
Monitors reports
Programme Development, review and improvement
Student Net Promoter Score Survey – Semester 1 2020
Research Annual Report 2019
Head of School Evaluative commentaries

Case study: Āta Kōrero

Led by Te Korowai Kahurangi and team member Rosemary Dewerse, the Āta Kōrero framework for Programme Evaluation & Planning (PEP) was introduced early 2019.

Following the 2018 EER, it was apparent that our self-assessment capability was lacking in a number of areas, including evidence gathering, analysis, goal-setting and self-rating. Working with our Kaihautū, an evaluative framework for Programme Evaluation & Planning was developed, based on Āta, a mātauranga Māori concept that invites practitioners into careful paying of attention, and practising deep thoughtfulness, mindful of relationships.

Āta Kōrero has five components that weave it into the programme evaluation process:
Āta-haere: Preparation for a conversation
Āta-titiro: Looking over the landscape / reading your evidence
Āta-whakaa ro: Interpreting your evidence / reflecting
Āta-tohutohu: Setting SMART goals for continuing improvement
Āta-tuhi: Reporting on (a point of accountability)

Course Evaluation & Planning (CEPs) sit alongside programme evaluations as a standardised process for evaluation and reflection of courses. CEPs are required for all courses. An online tool is used to support their evaluation as a continuous practice, rather than simply a summative event. The form includes reflective questioning split into Pre-Delivery, During, and Post-Delivery, and addresses issues such as compliance, moderation and learning hours.

Āta Kōrero is in its fourth iteration, with clear evidence of evaluative capability building across Unitec. Refinements are underway, so that all programme and course evaluations are now carefully templated. Te Korowai Kahurangi staff pre-populate templates with data and provide guidance notes and information on evidence sources, rubrics and clear criteria for judgements and ratings, based on NZQA criteria, and advice on how to establish SMART goals. The next step is for teams to establish their own targets and performance levels, and put these into programme evaluations.

The impact of Āta Kōrero is readily evident in the improved quality of evaluative practices and action planning that is seen by Te Korowai Kahurangi. This is also leading to improvements in programme delivery. Programme teams are highly involved in evaluation now, and have a greatly improved sense of ownership of the process. Their understanding of learner achievement is much-improved, as is their contribution to identifying and implementing improvements.

Other examples

A further example of how our programme design and delivery meets the needs of learners and stakeholders, and more info on our Āta Kōrero framework:

News story – Unitec continues to lead the way in gas-fitting training by offering new short courses
Self-assessment – Āta Kōrero framework for Programme Evaluation and Planning – Growing capability in evidence-based self-evaluation

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Next week our focus continues on the process questions with KEQ #4: How effectively are learners supported and involved in their learning?

What are ‘key evaluation questions’ – KEQs?

The KEQs – key evaluation questions – are the questions that the EER panel are particularly interested in when reviewing institutions and are what we use when evaluating our programmes.

There are six KEQs; two are outcome questions and four are process questions. They ask us to talk to student achievement, value of outcomes for students and stakeholders, programme effectiveness in design and delivery, student support and engagement, governance and management, and compliance.

It’s important that you are familiar with the KEQs which are not only essential for our EER in October but for the day-to-day analysis of what we do, to ensure our academic quality supports and drives student success.

Getting familar with the KEQs

To learn more about the NZQA KEQs we’ll post a new story each week that captures an example of the KEQs in action, as well as the data and documents we have to demonstrate how we have responded.

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