Final Self Evaluation - Centre for Excellence in Work-based Learning for Education Professionals
Wednesday, 31 March 2010

This internal evaluation, carried out by Dr Vincent Carpentier, was independent and based on primary data collection from all stakeholders from which some of the examples and quotes are drawn.
Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a range of sources including:

  • Desk research: a review of the documents which delineate the process of construction and development of the WLE Centre’s identity within the CETL framework. These include documents which outline the maturation of the Centre’s thinking and its articulation as well as the ongoing records of the activities of the Centre (minutes from meetings, statistics and documents related to the variety of outputs, research projects and dissemination activities, proposal/project sheets/reports);
  • Observation: participation in activities of the Centre and regular attendance at internal meetings including staff, associates and management but also meetings with staff and students of the Institute; attendance at the dissemination events organised by the Centre (conferences, seminars, book launch);
  • Questionnaire: e-mails were sent to staff involved in Centre projects over the years, users and stakeholders to explore stakeholder perspectives and perceptions (45 respondents)
  • Follow up semi-structured interviews of technical and academic staff, associates, students associated with the Centre but also from other parts of the Institute and other stakeholders (more than 25 interviews).

The collection, processing and interpretation of data were carried out with particular attention to ethical issues in conformity with the BERA Guidelines for evaluators (UK Evaluation Society).

The evaluation is structured based on a number of specific questions posed by HEFCE and investigates the successes and shortcomings of the WLE Centre and the overall CETL initiative.