The New England Award: A Case Study of the Context, Development, Implementation and Outcomes of the New England Award in its first two years

Abstract

This was a case study of the context, development and implementation of the New England Award (NEA) and an evaluation of the outcomes in its first two years of operation. The NEA was introduced at the University of New England (UNE) in 2004 for on-campus students. Its primary aim was to support UNE's Graduate Attributes Policy through the promotion and recognition of extra-curricular achievement as a means by which the UNE graduate attributes may be developed. A secondary aim of the Award was to promote the special UNE on-campus experience. The objective of the study was to make a recommendation to the university administration about whether the program should continue to be funded beyond the initial pilot period. I was the leading figure in the establishment of the NEA and its first manager and as such played a pivotal role in its development and implementation. ... The study was essentially an interpretive one within the constructivist paradigm. Action research was chosen as the most effective methodology because of my close relationship with the subject of the study and the need for evaluation and change during its rapid development and implementation. The views were sought of ten groups of stakeholders selected according to their differing associations with the NEA. They were the first two cohorts of NEA graduates; NEA graduates one year after graduation; students who commenced the NEA but did not complete it; the providers of the extracurricular activities; senior university staff; employers of students; and student participants in one example of each of the three NEA activity categories of extracurricular learning and training; preparation for employment; and community contribution. Other data sources included an interview with the Vice-Chancellor of UNE plus student journals, related correspondence and meeting minutes, and my project diary. The final product of the study is a portfolio of work, the components of which vary in genre according to the intended audience and purpose of each.