Monitoring & Evaluation
The project is committed to robust monitoring and evaluation to ensure that all activities are firmly linked to clear outcomes for students and learners.
The internationally recognised ‘Results Based Management’ framework has been selected to underpin this work. This means that the project is committed to achieving outcomes for participants. Outcomes are real and positive changes in behaviour, patterns and trends, which can be attributed to the project activities.
Results Based Management is important because it teaches us the following lessons:
If you do not measure results, you cannot tell success from failure
If you cannot see success, you cannot reward it
If you cannot reward success, you risk rewarding failure
If you cannot see success, you cannot learn from it
If you cannot recognize failure, you cannot correct it
If you can demonstrate results, you can win public support
(Adapted by Kusek and Rist (2004) from Osborne and Gaebler, 1992
Some of the outcomes which Pathways to Education will achieve include;
- The increased use of assistive technology for pupils with a disability;
- Increased numbers of students from socially disadvantaged communities progressing to third level education; and
- Increased numbers of students undertaking science, technology and maths to honours level at Leaving Certificate.
A monitoring and evaluation framework has been put in place to gather data and ensure that the project is meeting its targets over time.
Professional evaluators, Exodea Europe Consulting supported Pathways to develop a Results Based Management framework.