Feedback surveys and evaluation measures
DTA is committed to measuring impact
The DTA focus on evidence-based practice also requires a commitment to continuous quality improvement. DTA invites training clients – individually and at organisational levels – to engage in routine and customised assessments.
DTA routinely invites training clients to complete brief surveys to capture information at two main timepoints:
Completed immediately after engagement with an activity or course, the feedback survey collects quality ratings, client profile data, and value for dementia care practice
Completed at a timepoint (e.g. 3 months after) engagement with an activity or course, the KT Impact Tool collects self-assessed ratings of influence on daily care practice
Data collected by these routine assessments is used in a mandatory reporting to the Australian Government. Only grouped deidentified data is reported and is used to determine whether DTA is meeting contract requirements for delivery and impact
Customised Assessments
DTA has a suite of measures it can offer as part of the Training Needs Assessment Service. These measures may include quiz style assessments on the following topics:
- General Dementia knowledge test
- Medication Management Knowledge
- Person-Centre approaches to behaviour management
- Dementia-related attitudes
- Self-Assessed skill levels in dementia care
In the content of a Tailored Training Programs, the customised assessments are recommended in a ‘pre-post’ delivery – i.e. the same set of measures to be completed before and after training. This will assist an organisation to understand workforce needs and potential change. For this purpose, DTA will prepare a snapshot summary of group outcomes
How does DTA collect data?
Online completion of surveys is the preferred administration method for both the routinely collected and the customised assessments. This methods provides rapid, secure, and cost-effective data collection and storage. For this purpose DTA will request a unique email address for each client trainee.
DTA can also provide paper-based copies of the assessments. In the case of customised assessments paper-based surveys will take additional time to process.
Does DTA collect data for research purposes?
DTA is not primarily a research organisation. DTA has contractual obligations to work with key research organisations to ensure the evidence-based currency and integrity of training options.
It is likely that aspects of the data collected by DTA will provide valuable new knowledge about the design, delivery and impact of workforce training in dementia. DTA will make full disclosures to clients about potential uses of deidentified grouped data for presentation and publication purposes. As the DTA is a consortium involving university-based teams, appropriate ethics oversight for all matters of data management, analysis and reporting will apply. The University of Wollongong, as lead organisation, provides ethical oversight for the data management platform. Read more about how we use your feedback.
DTA welcomes approaches from organisations to explore potential partnerships relating to evaluation approaches, such as refining or piloting systems of measurement. In addition, individual experts and teams within the DTA consortium conduct independent research programs.