Introduction and Background | Approach and Stakeholders | Findings and outcomes | Summary |  Recommendations

2. Approach and Stakeholders

This evaluation study adopts an iterative approach, working in partnership with the Coventry Team to consider past and current practice of key stakeholders, and use ‘findings’ as a ‘mirror’ to seed discussion around future practice. This approach utilises a framework (activity system triangle[1]) to guide discussion around rules, roles, tools within the ‘system’ (in this case the various course stakeholders). This approach has grounding in the literature and a proven track record. For a fuller description of the method and approach see our 'Evaluation Approach' wiki page, the 'Evaluation Activities' wiki page and the 'Evaluation Questions' wiki page. Appendix 1 includes evaluation questions from the perspectives of different stakeholder groups.

The study recognises that the whole story of the Open Media Classes is made up of a series of different narratives from a variety of stakeholders and that we need mechanisms to reflect their diverse needs and approaches (recognising that boundaries between learner/teacher/curator/creator are blurred within this model.)  Evaluating the Open Media Classes is challenging as there are several stakeholders involved in these models.

Stakeholders are viewed in this study as

1. different groups of people with an interest in the questions we need to ask (audience/community)
2. different groups of people who are experiencing the impact of COMC (subjects). 

We have identified the following groups of stakeholders which sometimes include sub groups. Of course some stakeholders may belong to several groups, particularly as one of the key factors of the Open Media Courses is that boundaries are blurred and roles are not predefined or static.

• ·         Academic team - Impact on academic practice
• ·         Support teams
• ·         Registered students - impact on learning, employability, professional networking
• ·         Open students
• ·         Open professionals
• ·         Institutional senior managers (dept/faculty level, strategic level, operational level)
• ·         Wider HE community (UK and global) Jisc, other HEIs

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activity_theory