Evidence Based Research
Evaluation and research is embedded in all aspects of our work with young people. We have partnered with researchers from the Lincoln Academy of Learning and Teaching (LALT) at the University of Lincoln, to develop and conduct our regional Uni Connect evaluation. LALT is committed to the study of Higher Education with a particular emphasis on impact evaluation, widening participation, student engagement, the quality of the student experience and the scholarship of teaching and learning. The University of Lincoln is a consortia partner institution of LiNCHigher.
Evaluation has been integral to assessing the Uni Connect programme from the outset, with the regional evaluation embedded within the Lincoln Impact Evaluation Framework (LIEF) https://lheri.lincoln.ac.uk/lief/.
Our evaluation assesses the outcomes of the delivery against the Network for Evaluating and Researching University Participation Interventions (NERUPI) framework using a range of mixed methods. Quantitative data has been collected predominantly through student surveys to assess the impact of all substantial outreach delivery such as campus visits, inspirational speakers and study skill workshops delivered virtually or in-person in school. Qualitative data has been gathered working with target case study schools, spread across the county incorporating student focus groups, observations of activity and staff interviews. While quantitative data allows us to answer ‘what’ and ‘how many’ questions, the qualitative data provides complementarity in terms of richness and depth and context and addresses ‘why’ questions.
Publications from the evaluation team include
1. A review of the literature relevant to the Uni Connect programme
2. An overview of the Explaining the Gaps project
3. A programme evaluation report from October 2020, for the end of Phase 2 Year 1 of the programme.
4. Office for Students Uni Connect national report for Phase 2 August 2020-July 2021
5. A programme evaluation report and Executive Summary from December 2021, for the end of Phase 2 Year 2 of the programme.
6. Academic published paper 'Teachers’ perspectives on the delivery of transitional outreach activities and their potential to raise secondary school students’ Higher Education aspirations during the Covid-19 pandemic' addressing the role of LiNCHigher. Rose & Mallinson 2021
7. CFE Research 4th independent review of impact evaluation evidence of the Uni Connect Programme report - February 2022.
8. Student Researchers Pilot: A peer evaluation approach to assessing impact*
9. Evaluation of a collaborative project between students from The Lincolnshire Traveller Initiative and the University of Lincoln School of Film, Media and Journalism.
10. The end of year Outcomes Survey Report - (2021/2022)
11. Future Focus Mentoring Programme evaluation report to LiNCHigher.
12. Assessing the impact of regional transformative outreach activities aimed at widening university access, and participation among under-represented groups in schools
*See also: Student Researchers completed guides to assist with setting up student researcher groups to enable student voices to be heard.