HOST Policy Research: Latest News
UPDATE
Date: December 2010
HOST has started work on a new project for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) that aims to identify the impact that the New Choices approach of Investors in People (IIP) has had on the perceptions and take up by employing organisations.
The study is being led at HOST by Kenneth Walsh (Project Director) and Susan Lanz (Deputy Project Director), with Dorothy Berry-Lound and Simon Bysshe, with the final report due before the end of March 2011. For further information see current projects page.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: September 2010
The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services award HOST the three year evaluation contract for the national School Business Manager programme
The National College Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services has awarded HOST a three year contract to complete a systematic and independent evaluation of the national School Business Management Programme.
The evaluation will assess how the programme is meeting the needs of school business managers; review the difference it is making to schools, pupils and performance; provide analysis of reach and coverage; and make recommendations for future continuous improvement.
Dr David Parsons, the HOST Project Director, says:
‘We have adopted an approach that is imaginative, cost-effective and aimed at minimising disturbance to schools. At the same time, it will provide information and analysis that will help steer, shape and further improve the programme and its support to the sector.
The methodology harnesses tried and tested formative and summative evaluation methods, drawing on HOST’s 24 years of public policy research and programme evaluation experience.’
For further information: Further information on the project can be obtained from Susan Sibley at HOST on 01403 211440 or info@hostpolicyresearch.com.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: September 2010
Economic and Social Research Council commissions HOST to conduct the second-phase impact review of the Teaching and Learning Research Programme
HOST has been awarded the contract to conduct the second phase impact review of the Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP). The project has been commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and will be led by Dr David Parsons and Stefan Burkey.
According to David Parsons:
“The Teaching and Learning Research Programme began in 1999 and ran until September 2009. The evolving aim of the TLRP was to make an outstanding contribution to the quality of educational research and its impact on teaching and learning across the UK, in settings and phases ranging from Early Years to Higher Education and Workplace Learning.
The impact review will assess the extent to which the TLRP has impacted upon policy and practice in the UK and internationally. The methodology will include an analysis of the ways in which the TLRP has achieved effect through its dissemination, networking and knowledge transfer activities and an assessment of the value added to policy and practice.”
The review is due to complete in early spring 2011.
For further information: Further information can be obtained from Susan Sibley at HOST on 01403 211440 or info@hostpolicyresearch.com.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: April 2010
International Labour Office - Global Dialogue Forum on Employment and Work in VET
HOST has been commissioned by the International Labour Office (ILO) to prepare two chapters for the forthcoming ‘international report on employment and work in vocational education and training’. The report will be discussed at a Global Dialogue Forum to be held in Geneva in September 2010 with representatives from across the world.
The first chapter, to be completed by HOST Executive Associate Kenneth Walsh, will examine the key trends in the scale and composition of the remuneration package following developments in the way teachers and trainers work – affected by such developments as the use of technology and the working environment.
HOST Executive Associate Dr David Parsons will take the lead on the second chapter. This will focus on the role and influence of social dialogue on the development of working terms and conditions of teachers and trainers in vocational education and training and will cover both consultative and negotiation/collective bargaining processes.
Speaking about the project, Kenneth Walsh said that ‘HOST has done previous international work on teachers and trainers in the European Union and this new study for the ILO represents an opportunity to discover more about developments worldwide’.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: March 2010
LSIS asks HOST Policy Research to conduct a second phase of research into management skills, development and training
In order that LSIS can continue to offer different types of management support throughout the learning and skills sector HOST Policy Research was asked to conduct a review of existing evidence about management skills and qualifications and seek the views of organisations and network forums on current and predicted trends. Following a review of the final report which was delivered in January 2010, LSIS has asked HOST to conduct further survey research to fill knowledge gaps and obtain more detail on the views of junior and middle managers.
According to Valerie Rowe, HOST’s Project Director: ‘We obtained a great deal of information from reviewing literature, past and ongoing LSIS research and discussions with key stakeholders. However, the results clearly identified some knowledge gaps in relation to specific sub-sectors such as managers involved in Offender Learning and the Third Sector and LSIS felt further research was necessary to obtain more detail.’
After Easter HOST will be conducting a series of e-surveys and follow-up interviews, with a view to reporting back to LSIS at the end of June 2010.
For further information: Further information on the project can be obtained from Susan Sibley at HOST on 01403 211440 or info@hostpolicyresearch.com.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: March 2010
Skills for Care and Skills for Health award HOST a major evaluation contract
Skills for Care working jointly with Skills for Health have awarded HOST Policy Research a major evaluation contract. HOST is to conduct an evaluation of the impact of a training intervention on behaviour towards carers and delivery of services to carers by workers (predominantly health and social care staff) who have undertaken the training.
‘We already hold a framework agreement with Skills for Health and are delighted to be working with them and to welcome Skills for Care to our portfolio of clients,’ says Dorothy Berry-Lound, Project Director. ‘One of the things the team likes about this project is that it is going to be something of a challenge! We need to combine regional survey work with training recipients and carers on a rolling basis in order to measure the baseline for the impact assessment, the situation on completion of the training and a follow-up some three months after completion.’
The project will also include regional focus groups and discussions and a final report is due in June 2011.
For further information: Further information on the project can be obtained from Susan Sibley at HOST on 01403 211440 or info@hostpolicyresearch.com.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: February 2010
DWP asks HOST Policy Research to conduct quarterly survey work in support of the development of a Delivery Balanced Scorecard.
Following the award of a framework agreement with the Department of Work and Pensions towards the end of 2009, HOST was approached to conduct a series of quarterly e-surveys in support of the development of a Delivery Balanced scorecard.
‘This is new territory for DWP and it has taken some time to get the initial design of the pilot in place. We plan to conduct two pilots to ensure we have got the approach right before formally putting the quarterly surveys in place later in the year.’
For further information: Further information on the project can be obtained from Susan Sibley at HOST on 01403 211440 or info@hostpolicyresearch.com.
PRESS RELEASE
Date: June 2009
HOST wins new project for the Learning and Skills Council National Office
HOST has been awarded a project to conduct a National Evaluation of the Qualification and Curriculum Framework (QCF) Unit Funding Trials. This project is for the Learning and Skills Council National Office and will be led by Dr David Parsons and Dr Jane Holland.
According to Dr Parsons:
‘The evaluation will use a variety of front-line formative evaluation methods to review: the approach to funding units in the QCF and its alignment with national policy to engage hard-to-reach learners and to improve progression to full qualifications; and to respond to the issues facing SMEs in the current economic downturn. It will also look at the operational processes at provider level that may impact on the delivery of the trials and the wider implications for policy.’
The review is due to complete in early spring 2010.
For further information: Further information can be obtained from Susan Sibley at HOST on 01403 211440 or info@hostpolicyresearch.com.
“Because of their existing knowledge and contacts HOST were able to hit the ground running on a project with a very short turnaround time, which enabled milestones to be hit in a timely manner.”