Australia Association for Research in Education
Here’s what is going wrong with ‘evidence-based’ policies and practices in schools in Australia
An academic‘s job is, quite often, to name what others might not see. Scholars of school reform in particular are used to seeing paradoxes and ironies. The contradictions we come across are a source of intellectual intrigue, theoretical development and at times, humour. But the point of naming them in our work is often a …
Embracing the past: creatively using millennials’ growing interest in ceremonies of commemoration
This week many teachers will be turning their attention to the next event in the school calendar, the …
How it feels to slay the dragon: handing in my PhD thesis
As I come to the end of my doctoral journey, having recently submitted my thesis, I have been …
Which national publication is responsible for (almost) all Australian children wearing school uniform?
Recently unisex uniforms have taken centre stage in the annual school uniform debate in Australia. Our research has …
Labor proposes a new $280m Evidence Institute for Schools, but where is the evidence we need it?
The Australian Labor Party recently announced it would invest $280 million to fund a new educational research institute …
New research shows what makes a difference in teaching literacy and why ‘evidence-based’ is not enough
Public discourse about schooling generally assumes that it’s in crisis. The script goes something like this: There’s a problem and it’s big – really big! Test results show us Australia is going downhill and teachers need to be accountable. There are ‘evidence-based’ solutions but teachers are not using them. If they did, literacy standards would …
Seven things teachers agree on about teaching reading in Australia. Stop all the political haranguing over phonics
There is widespread agreement among educators and school communities about the importance of teaching phonics and other code-based literacy practices in early years classrooms. Why, however, is phonics instruction, one of the processes teachers use in helping children learn to read, so foregrounded by government policymakers and bureaucrats in Australia these days? Why is one …
PISA-shock: how we are sold the idea our PISA rankings are shocking and the damage it is doing to schooling in Australia
When the first PISA results were released in 2001, there was a reaction in Germany that is now …
Building creative futures from the powerful stories and voice of First Nations peoples
Australia Day this year was marked by thousands of people marching against holding our national celebration on 26th January. …