Practitioner Research and Evaluation Skills Training (PREST)

About this course
The Practitioner Research and Evaluation Skills Training (PREST) series is published by Commonwealth of Learning in collaboration with the International Research Foundation for Open Learning.

The PREST training resources provide practitioners working in open and distance learning (ODL) with convenient access to basic knowledge on how to conduct research and evaluation in their everyday work. Written for ODL practitioners by ODL practitioners, the interactive materials aim to develop practical skills through engagement in research tasks that draw on research and evaluation methods from education and social science, but use illustrative examples from international open and distance learning contexts.

PREST fills a gap in current provision for practical, first-rung research and evaluation skills training of immediate relevance in the workplace and aims to promote research and evaluation as an part of professional development for all ODL practitioners. The materials provide a strong foundation for progress to higher-level research programmes and qualifications.

The PREST materials are designed for use by two target groups - ODL practitioners wanting self-study or reference materials and training providers looking for flexible research training resources to integrate into a variety of training contexts (e.g., face-to-face workshops, e-learning or reference materials).

User Guide
The User Guide is available to download here.

PREST Core Modules
Providing a foundation in research and evaluation methods explored within ODL contexts for inexperienced researchers. (20 to 40 reading hours each, plus activities) The documents below are available to download in PDF or OpenOffice versions.

A1 : Doing educational research and evaluation in ODL
by Alan Woodley (an introduction)
 * A1 Module PDF
 * A1 Module OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

A2 : Planning research and evaluation
by Anna Robinson-Pant
 * A2 Module PDF
 * A2 Module OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

A3 : Getting and analysing quantitative data
by Alan Woodley A3Analysing1.xls A3Analysing2.xls A3Correl.xls A3M101.xls A3Summarising.xls A3Women.xls
 * A3 Module PDF
 * A3 Module OpenOffice
 * Resource files:

A4 : Getting and analysing qualitative data
by Rob Walker
 * A4 Module PDF
 * A4 Module download OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

A5 : Mixed research methods
by Christine Spratt, Rob Walker & Bernadette Robinson
 * A5 Module PDF
 * A5 Module OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

A6 : Reporting on research and evaluation to support or influence change
by Janet Stuart & Colin Latchem
 * A6 Module download PDF
 * A6 Module OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

PREST Handbooks
Guides to conducting research and evaluation in a particular field of ODL (20 reading hours each, plus activities)

B1 : Using programme monitoring in research and evaluation
by Neil Butcher
 * B1 Handbook PDF
 * B1 Handbook OpenOffice
 * Reading resources PDF

B2 : Measuring outcomes
by Charles Potter
 * B2 Handbook PDF
 * B2 Handbook OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

B3 : Cost and economics of open and distance learning
by Hilary Perraton
 * B3 Handbook PDF
 * B3 Handbook OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

B4 : Programme evaluation and its role in quality assurance
by Merridy Wilson-Strydom
 * B4 Handbook PDF
 * Reading resources

B5 : Researching marginalised and disadvantaged learners
by Barbara Spronk & Jason Pennells
 * B5 Handbook PDF
 * B5 Handbook OpenOffice
 * Reading resources

B6 : Researching tutoring and learner support
by Jane Brindley
 * B6 Handbook PDF
 * Reading resources

Covers

 * PREST Core Modules covers
 * PREST Handbooks covers
 * User guide covers

Online versions on Moodle
[In progress]

PREST brochure and review

 * PREST brochure
 * PREST review

Note on copyright
Individuals accessing this site may reproduce (download/print) copies of the PREST materials and any accompanying third-party copyright materials for their own personal non-commercial use only. Any further reproduction or transmission of any such content is prohibited except by permission of the copyright holder of the relevant material.