Improving the use of research in Australian schools

A five-year-long project has worked with more than 2000 teachers within Australia to enhance the use of research in schools.

The effective use of research evidence is critical to improving teaching and learning, yet it is not always well understood. The Monash University Q Project has aimed to address this, with the support of the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

Monash University researchers have collaborated with school leaders, teachers, policymakers, evidence brokers, researchers and other key stakeholders across Australia to develop tools for teachers and other education professionals seeking to use research evidence better and enhance their overall quality of teaching.

“School leadership teams and teachers need to have this capability to use research well so that they can use that capability on any of the decisions that they face,” said John Bush, Head, School Age Learning, Paul Ramsay Foundation.

“And this is particularly important in the most disadvantaged communities because it’s those kids who really need a very positive and strong school experience, to help them to thrive in life. So the Monash Q project is really important in terms of teachers and school leaders using research evidence.”

Associate Professor Mark Rickinson, Project Director on The Q Project, said it’s important to support teachers and school leaders to become more confident and skilled users of research evidence through professional learning.

“Over the course of this project we’ve worked side by side with the education professionals and education departments, with the aim to better support them to understand how best to use research suitable to their particular challenges and student needs,” Rickinson said.

“We’ve also developed innovative professional learning and self-assessment tools for use by teachers, school leaders and systems throughout Australia. And we’ve seen firsthand examples of how they can work within a classroom and support a teacher’s needs.”

Over 2000 practitioners have been engaged in Q Project research and improvement activities, with more than 70,000 downloads and views of Q Project reports and publications.

Professor Lucas Walsh, Chief Investigator on The Q Project, said the Q Project has actively influenced dialogue and thinking about how to improve research use in education.

“When we first started this project we quickly became aware that evidence use is not well understood amongst teachers and education institutions. The Q Project has undertaken work to build this understanding, combined with practical resources to better support improved practice in the education space,” Walsh said.

Image credit: iStock.com/Dilok Klaisataporn