Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education The Final Report of ...

Evaluation of VASP projects
This phase focused on collecting and consolidating
project evaluation data. This included:
• reports from Cluster Coordinators on their
project activities and outcomes in two iterative
reports with their final report being submitted to
Curriculum Corporation at the end of
October 2009
• submissions by clusters of key project artefacts,
including such items as any locally based data,
samples of units, surveys, teacher journals,
student work samples and newsletters
• completion by teachers and school-based
participants of a post-project online survey (see
below and Appendix 6) about their perceptions
of values education
• observational and reflection reports from cluster
University Advisors
• the collection of MSC stories from cohorts in
each cluster.
The collection of significant changes stories provided
very direct participant input about the outcomes
of the cluster projects. Stories of change were
collected from cohorts of parents, teachers and
students. This story collection was notable because
the perspectives of these three cohorts revealed
the high level of importance each group ascribed
to the values education approaches being enacted
in classrooms and beyond. Parents’ responses were
particularly powerful, as they felt they were involved
in a mainstream curriculum discussion. This part of
the evaluation phase included:
• collection and interpretation of stories of change
in each cluster using the MSC technique
• selection of stories by each cluster representing
the most significant change in terms of their
particular project
• participation of students, parents and teachers
from each cluster; Cluster Coordinators; Deputy
Coordinators; University Advisors; State and
Territory Values Education Contact Officers;
and personnel from Curriculum Corporation
and DEEWR at the VASP Evaluation Summit
in Melbourne, October 2009
• identification by these participants of
the key themes in the stories of change
• selection by these key participants of those
stories that represent the most significant
change in relation to values education
approaches and practice.
Most Significant Change technique
The Most Significant Change technique (Davies &
Dart 2005) 4 is a qualitative research method useful
for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of
social research and action projects such as the
VASP. The MSC technique engages all participants
in purposeful reflection on a project, in developing
a shared understanding of its outcomes, and in
presenting information about its impact. The
technique can be further used to improve future
planning and design, as well as build staff capacity
to implement ongoing change.
The decision to use the MSC technique arose from
what was learnt about the nature of ‘evidence’
about values education in Stages 1 and 2 of the
VEGPSP. In a review of the outcomes of the project
methodologies of those two previous projects, ‘story’
emerged as a powerful aspect of the ‘evidence’
gathering. In particular, teachers’ stories, as
expressed in the Stage 2 case writing, provided some
of the most compelling evidence of changed teacher
practice. And, as the values conversation across the
nation grew – through conferences, monographs,
commissioned quantitative research and expanded
professional development activity – it became clear
that data on teachers’ perceptions about their role
as values educators was both of interest and a key
determinant of successful project implementation.
The MSC technique goes beyond merely capturing
and documenting participants’ stories of impact,
to offering a means of engaging in effective
dialogue. Designed to complement other forms of
data gathering, the MSC technique focuses on the
collection of stories of change, the discussion and
4 For a comprehensive guide to the Most Significant Change
technique, see Davies and Dart (2005).
18 Giving Voice to the Impacts of Values Education: The Final Report of the Values in Action Schools Project