2002-03 by Scott Strategic; the other focuses on a needs analysis for PD in the post-school sector. The latter has been conducted through Education New Zealand, who in turn contracted Jan Hollway to do the analysis. These PD initiatives are an important part of a Government strategy elaborated in Export Education in New Zealand (Ministry of Education, August, 2001). Some further PD is being conducted in 2003.
Goals of this Evaluation
Broadly speaking, the focus of this evaluation is to assess both the effectiveness of the PD initiatives, and - just as importantly - their contribution to the government policy set out in Export Education in New Zealand.
The evaluation aims to determine:
• the adequacy of the match between the programmes provided or being developed, and the needs and priorities of institutions in establishing, developing and/or reviewing their international student policies and programmes;
• the effectiveness of the actual or planned professional development programmes in supporting institutions in their international student programme development; and/or
• any improvements or modifications to the programme (actual or planned), that may be required to address the on-going needs of providers.
There are also a number of more specific evaluation questions related to these aims.
II EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE (MANDATORY) CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Nevertheless, there are some important issues which can be (at least initially) evaluated before the end of June, 2003.
Goals of this Evaluation
The focus of this evaluation is to assess whether the introduction of a mandatory Code has made a positive contribution towards the quality of the educational experience of FFP students. Also, again does the Code make a positive contribution to the government policy set out in Export Education in New Zealand.?
Primarily, the evaluation aims to determine:
• What (if any) issues arose from the process undergone by all types of educational institutions applying to be signatories to the Code;
• What positive changes have so far arisen from the introduction of the Code in terms of the broad areas of:
12. Other factors associated with the internationalisation of institutions and their communities
There are again a number of more specific evaluation questions related to these broad aims.
PROCEDURES (BOTH EVALUATIONS)
Data will be gathered in a variety of ways, including: document analysis, information from international contexts, questionnaires, interviews with contract staff, observation at
appropriate seminars and meetings, and case study work with a sample of institutions. In all cases, information will be sought both about PD initiatives and the Code. These procedures will result in both a formative and summative evaluation of the international initiatives in 2002-mid-2003. This will be used to assist the Ministry to develop even more effective policy in this significant area of "export education".
It is possible – but dependent on other work being carried out by the Ministry – that focus group interviews with five or six senior students may be sought at a later date. A separate request, together with new information and consent forms will be sent to selected
schools/institutions should that occur.
YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVALUATION PROCESS.
The information you can provide will make a valuable contribution to the two evaluations, which are concerned in the medium term with the types of positive change made or to be made as a result of the initiatives relating to your sector.
Agreement to participate may involve you and your school/institution in one or more of the following (see also the attached consent form for details):
1. Allowing your institution to participate in the evaluation;
2. Giving permission for staff who participated in the PD to be interviewed and/or to complete a brief confidential questionnaire;
3. Where appropriate, being interviewed and/or answering a brief questionnaire yourself;
4. Permitting and/or participating in a case study visit if requested, for appropriate interviews of key staff (which could include yourself).
ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL. Neither your name nor that of your school/institution will be mentioned in any publicly released reports on the project, nor will any information that you or other staff give be provided on an individual basis to the Ministry. The evaluators will retain all data for approximately two years, and hope to publish subsequent to the evaluation at least one journal article and to make conference presentations about the results. You are assured that both you and your institution are guaranteed anonymity in any such articles or presentations.
In any case, you have the right to withdraw without offering any reason any or all of the information relating to your school/institution up to June 1, 2003, after which the final evaluation report will be written. No financial payments are offered, but all participating schools/institutions should have access to the final report through the Ministry.
If you have any questions about this project, please contact Roger Peddie (see address below). If you have any concerns or complaints about the evaluation itself, you can contact Roger, or the Head of School. If there any ethical concerns, please feel very free to contact the Chair, University of Auckland Human Subjects Ethics Committee, c/- Research Office, The University of Auckland, or phone 09 373.7559, extn 87830 for the secretary to the UAHSEC.
Thank you for giving your time to this request. I hope that you and/or your
school/institution will participate. If you agree to do so, please sign and return the accompanying consent form.
Roger Peddie (Assoc. Professor) Viviane Robinson (Professor) School of Education Head of School of Education The University of Auckland, The University of Auckland Phone 09 373.7599, extn 87839 Phone 09 373.7599, extn 87379
e-mail:r.peddie@auckland.ac.nz e-mail: vmj.robinson@auckland.ac.nz Fax: 09 373.7455
Mailing address: School of Education,
The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, AUCKLAND.
Approved by The University of Auckland Human Subjects Ethics Committee, the University of Auckland (contact phone 09-3737599, extension 7830), on 13 February, 2002 for a period of 3 years.
Reference: 2002/013
EVALUATION OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION INITIATIVES RELATING TO QUALITY EDUCATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, 2002-2003