Articulating Impact in Your You might like to think about importance - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

5/10/2014 Why are OLT grants important? Ⅻ Share with the person next to you one reason that OLT grants are important Articulating Impact in Your Ⅻ You might like to think about importance to one of the following: Ⅻ The higher education sector OLT Grant Application Ⅻ Students Ⅻ Australia as a nation Ⅻ Academics Ⅻ General staff Ⅻ The future (of�.) West Australian Network for Dissemination Sharing Day Ⅻ Communities Monday 6 October 2014 Ⅻ Regions Ⅻ Cities Ⅻ The government Tilly Hinton, Abound Consulting Ⅻ Universities Ⅻ Disciplines Ⅻ Graduates 1 Session overview Ⅻ What is this thing called impact? Ⅻ Impact in 2015 grant applications Ⅻ Climbing the impact ladder W HAT IS THIS THING CALLED IMPACT ? Ⅻ Sources of support Ⅻ Questions and reflections 3 4 1

5/10/2014 Definitions* Ⅻ Deliverable/output = a product or resource Impact = the difference that a Ⅻ Dissemination = �the planned process of understanding potential adopters project makes in its sphere of and engaging with them throughout the life of the project, to facilitate commitment to sustained change� Ⅻ Outcome = a change or benefit that the project is designed to bring about, influence, both during and after preferably described in a form that is measurable or for which evidence can be provided the funding period Ⅻ Transfer = �the processes undertaken to maintain momentum and impact beyond the funded life of the project and beyond the project team� * (see full definitions in Innovation and Development Grant Application Instructions p.46) 5 6 What�s the difference between impact and Impact � some recent history outcomes? 2002 DEST report concludes that �more could be done to ensure the investment in past grants programmes produces benefits for the quality of teaching and learning across the sector� Ⅻ Changes and benefits during the project = outcome 2004 In a report for the AUTC, Hicks concludes �It is currently difficult to pass judgment about Ⅻ All changes and benefits, during and after = impact the outcomes of these projects with respect to the impact. How much dissemination is enough? Over what period? With what impact?� 2005 McKenzie and Southwell reports both concur that for the Carrick Institute/ALTC dissemination should be viewed as something greater than merely spreading the word about a project 2011 D-Cubed project finds a range of ways that projects had disseminated their projects; finds gaps in terms of reportable changes and benefits 2011 Alison Johns emphasises the need for �enhancing an expectation of impact in all programs and ensuring value for money� 2012 Inaugural secondment focusses on research impact (the Influence Factor Project) 2013 Secondment concludes that expectations of impact need to be embedded into routine OLT work, made an explicit expectation for applicants and projects 2014 Application instructions extensively address impact expectations 7 8 2

5/10/2014 Impact for the OLT Impact is now a major theme in application instructions for Innovation and I MPACT IN 2015 I NNOVATION AND Development Grants and Fellowships. D EVELOPMENT G RANT A PPLICATIONS In the context of grants: �All Innovation and Development Grants are required to project and plan for positive and substantial impact (changes and benefits) for students, staff, institutions and the higher education sector, as appropriate to the scale and scope of the project. � (Innovation and Development Grant Application Instructions, p. 12) 9 10 Quick references for new applications* Application components (p. 28) Ⅻ The grant is provided for the purpose of achieving the deliverables, outcomes and impact of the EOI Full Proposal project for which it is approved (p. 42) Online form Yes Yes Ⅻ Incorporate an Impact Plan and strong dissemination strategy (p. 12 and Appendix 6) Application Maximum five pages Maximum 20 pages, and responding to all criteria as per section 4 Ⅻ Two assessment criteria � Project Approach and Project Evaluation � explicitly address impact Project Impact plan n/a, description of impact Yes, within the 20-page limit (pp. 12 and 13) instead Ⅻ The aim expressed in the online form focusses on impact (p. 22) Budget and budget justification n/a Yes, within the 20-page limit, and using the budget template (refer Appendix 8) Ⅻ Evaluation needs to contribute to establishing the impact of the project, and its value to other Timeline n/a, indication of expected Yes, within the 20-page limit higher education institutions (p. 13) timeframe Ⅻ The reference group needs to give constructive advice on conduct and direction of the project, Brief bios and experience of n/a Yes, maximum one page per team member as and to ensure the project has maximum impact (p. 40) team members including appendix to the application involvement in OLT/ALTC projects Ⅻ Letters of support need to reference impact (p. 35) Design specs, if relevant n/a If relevant, maximum one page, as appendix Ⅻ Key element in progress and final reports (p. 38) to the application Letter of support from DVC (A) n/a Maximum two pages per letter, as appendices Ⅻ Remember: Your plan is an indication, not a promise. (see Appendix 6) or equivalent at lead and partner included in application institutions 11 * Page numbers refer to the Innovation and Development Grant Application Instructions for 2015 3

5/10/2014 Appendix Six Questions Appendix Six Matrix Anticipated changes at: 1. What indicators exist that there is a climate of readiness for change in NB: these are approximations & text is not expected in every cell relation to your intended project? Project completion Six months post-completion Twelve months post- Twenty-four months post- 2. Completion of the matrix completion completion 1 3. What are your strategies for engaging with stakeholders throughout the 2 project? 3 4. How will you enable transfer, that is ensuring that your project remains 4 5 impactful after the funding period? 6 5. What barriers may exist to achieving change in your project? 7 6. How will you keep track of the project�s impact? What analytics may be useful? 7. How will you maintain relevant project materials for others to access after the project is completed? 13 14 Elements of the Plan Ⅻ Impact Plan = matrix + responses to the questions in Appendix 6 Ⅻ Responses can be in any sequence, so long as there are clear headings Ⅻ The plan is incorporated into your application C LIMBING THE I MPACT L ADDER Ⅻ The matrix doesn�t need every box filled in, and remember what you write is likely to change throughout the project life Ⅻ Think about mechanisms to achieve the anticipated impacts � these should appear throughout your application 15 16 4

5/10/2014 Snapshot findings from a sample of completed Your project� ALTC/OLT projects Identify a small/narrow impact your project could create. Prevalent: Ⅻ Impacts for the project team members themselves (IMPEL Rung 1) Ⅻ Distributing information about projects (IMPEL Rung 3) Identify a large/broad impact your project could create. Elusive: Ⅻ Instances or evidence of changes in academic practice (IMPEL Rungs 4 � 7): �[the project] probably [has had] a large but invisible influence� Ⅻ Student impacts (IMPEL Rungs 2 and 4-7): ��it's almost impossible to say. I'd like to say it [�] had an effect but it's a drop in the pond of many things having an effect� Timing: Ⅻ Changes usually take considerable time to emerge 17 18 Scope of the IMPEL model Ⅻ Model incorporates research findings, stakeholder perceptions and funding body culture/imperatives Ⅻ Understanding of impacts was built primarily from self-reporting by project leaders, who didn�t anticipate this in advance Ⅻ Model concerned with funded learning and teaching development programs, specifically for the Australian Government 19 20 5

5/10/2014 The changes the project brings about for members of the project team. How the model works For example: Ⅻ Moves from narrow impact (ie. on one�s own practice or profile) to broad Ⅻ Recognition of project participants� contributions to impact (ie. on all relevant staff and students) learning and teaching through promotion and awards Ⅻ Not all projects will anticipate nor achieve impacts at every IMPEL rung Ⅻ Anticipated impacts are mapped against rungs of the IMPEL model, and the timing point/s they are expected to occur (completion, 6, 12 and 24 months) 21 22 The changes for students that project team members make The lasting contributions to knowledge that the project directly (in teaching/support/etc). makes, which may lead to serendipitous adoption or adaptation beyond the project�s intended reach. For example: For example: Ⅻ Project team members� students report benefits of being Ⅻ Special issues of journals that further explore themes of more networked through an online tool the grant Ⅻ Changes to curriculum by project team members equip Ⅻ Publications from a grant cited fifty-eight times in other students to feel more work-ready publications Ⅻ An updated online resource to support robust curriculum planning for teaching of Australian literature Ⅻ Materials used to promote teaching quality to international prospective students and partner universities Ⅻ Cascading influence through engagement with the early childhood sector and relevant government departments Ⅻ Receipt of national and international awards recognising outstanding practice along with sustained high rates of downloads , views and linking 23 24 6