SCAPP Evaluation & Research Working Group
Role and Remit:
Purpose: To develop the capacity of practitioners working in the field of widening access to utilise evaluation and research to provide:
- better outcomes for students who are engaged with widening access activities
- better understanding for practitioners, funders and stakeholders of what works in the field of widening access
- understanding of effective implementation of projects and programmes
- information and research on the field, so that practitioners can develop capacity to further develop widening access research
- A focus on enhancing current work, for example developing effective frameworks for evaluation and with an increasing focus on online evaluation as a result of Covid-19
- Developing links with practitioners and researchers
- resources for the toolkit for fair access
- sharing practice widely via events
Working Group members
Muriel Alexander, SCAPP
Kenny Anderson, SWAPWest (Chair)
Amanda Baldwin, University of Strathclyde
Melissa Rookes, LIFTOFF
Alison Browitt, University of Glasgow
Jennie Younger, LEAPS
Anne Haggart, ASPIRENorth
Working Group Progress
An event took place on Wednesday 27 January 2021 to bring together WP Researchers and Practitioners from across the sector. This event was well attended with more than 45 practitioners participating.
They key question addressed was how attendees envisaged that the WP practitioner and research communities could work collaboratively. Within this we wanted to explore:
• opportunities for working together e.g. joint publications, joint evaluation and research
• mutual benefits from working together e.g shared funding or project opportunities
• what can both communities learn from each other
• future events e.g. sharing activity, research and outputs
• ways to stay connected
As a result of the event we have identified a number of short and longer term activities to form the basis of future work and we hope to maintain an interest and momentum across the communities to build on the
enthusiasm and support demonstrated at the event.
For more information please contact muriel.alexander@stir.ac.uk