The  SPEAK Model and Tool

The SPEAK model and tool has been developed by the Nexus Research Co-operative, Dublin, Ireland.

Description of the Tool

The SPEAK system has been designed to incorporate a number of inter-related functions within a logical framework:

• Strategic Planning: producing information to assist both staff and management to make informed decisions
• Evaluation: ongoing internal review; cross project periodic assessments; with a facility for external inputs.
• And Knowledge: networking based on sharing information between institutes, countries, regions and themes.

The tool relies on a logical framework, linking these functions within an overall planning or review context. The following diagram presents an overview of the framework.

Outline of Evaluation Framework

SPEAK incorporates both monitoring(1) and evaluation(2) functions.

The left hand part of the chart is mainly about description: an ‘audit’ of the particular course of project and the environment in which it operates. It allows for analysis to be made across both these fields: Are resource commitments and focus at ‘course’ level (B1) consistent with an understanding of broader issues and challenges in A1? – these issues or challenges could be linked to regional development, industrial sector of even institutional needs, for example.

The right hand side is about review/ evaluation: measuring firstly what the course or project has achieved in relation to its stated objectives and ‘target groups’, and, secondly, what impact this work has had at the macro level. Again there is the facility to link these analytically: which immediate outputs or course results (B2) contributed to which longer-term trends at sectoral or regional levels (A2)? Conversely, what can longer-term trends in subsequent ‘graduate’ placement and progression tell programme organisers about output planning and targets?

It also allows for ongoing evaluation at course level (B); as well as longer-term review (at three or four-year intervals in some cases) at broader policy, programme or institutional level (A).

But of most importance is the process is circular - it begins by facilitating an analysis of what the broader level issues and challenges are in the VET environment (A1); provides a vehicle and tools for monitoring course and programme inputs consistent with this analysis (B1); makes provision for ongoing recording results (B2); and prompts an analysis of impacts in the longer term (A2) - going around full circle to assess whether the macro-policy context (A1) has changed, and how the course or project may have contributed to this change.

Implementing SPEAK

Software based-versions of SPEAK have been developed for a number of settings already, in all cases:

• Allowing for full participation of all stakeholders – students, teachers and programme managers: with clear guidance on who needs to be involved in which parts of the process, and
• Emphasising ease of access, making use of charts and visual images to help ensure clarity in the data collection and results analysis.

Testing the tool in practice

The tool has been tested in a community education setting. Most feedback was positive, pointing to strengths of the tool in relation to its capacity to:

• Link different evaluation elements, as well as linking evaluation and planning, in a way that made sense to those with very different ‘stakes’ in the process.
• Actually contribute to learning about evaluation and planning in its own right – as well as using the tool to collect information, discussion about how it should be designed and implemented increased a sense of ownership, as well as providing a platform for a lively exchange of ideas on evaluation and planning in VET generally.
• Produce reports: SPEAK has a report generator function, and this can ‘take the misery out of’ what we can all see as a chore.
• Be consistent and relevant in the distance learning environment: the tool allows for the possibility of sharing information or ‘knowledge networking’ amongst stakeholders on an electronic basis.

Only one weakness was identified – but this is critical in terms of future development.

Because successful implementation of the model depends heavily upon the full active involvement of ALL stakeholders, it takes time for each. This did not pose a problem for most stakeholders (in fact in the case of Steering Group members and managers, for example, it was agreed that using the model actually saved time). However, tutors responsible for delivering modules in the course are contacted for no more than teaching hours; and the application of SPEAK becomes a major problem (even though the commitment per tutor amounts to no more than 1 day annually).

Future development

Development of the SPEAK  tool is continuing. Current effort is being expended in facilitating transferability to different contexts and settings. The present tool is CD ROM based and it is hoped that a web based version will be available by the end of 2005.

Finding out more
More details of the SPEAK model and tool are available in the downloadable docuemnts on this page. If you would like to test SPEAK yourself contact Brian Dillon – brian@nexus.ie.