Browse the AERO collection

Nobody knows more about students’ learning needs than their teachers and educators. So how should teachers and educators respond to research evidence about effective practice that is broad and does not appear to take account of contextual factors?

There is broad consensus in the research community that certain practices such as formative assessment and explicit instruction improve student outcomes. But these practices are often complex and hard to implement, involving many different elements.

Schools and services often have cultures of sharing and discussing evidence, but less support exists for practitioners to actively change their practice based on evidence.

AERO’s ‘science of learning and development’ project will support teachers and educators to incorporate knowledge about how brains and bodies develop into their practice, beginning with early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.

Research, and the evidence it provides, helps educators be more intentional in their practice. It also guides important policy decisions to improve children’s outcomes and life trajectories.

Gabrielle Sinclair, CEO of the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), provides insight into 'what works' for continuous quality improvement in early childhood education and care.

The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) recently surveyed teachers across Australia about how often they used specific teaching strategies.

Our experiences in the early years shape the developing brain, laying foundations for lifelong learning and resilience.

Australia needs high-quality evidence in early years education that can guide policy and practice decisions and help to improve children’s outcomes and life trajectories.

Findings from AERO’s recent survey help us to understand how early childhood teachers, early childhood directors, school teachers and school leaders use evidence in their work.

Danielle Toon, Co-Director of Evidence for Learning (E4L), shares insights and learnings from the Getting Evidence Moving in Schools (GEMS) project to help improve the use of research evidence in schools.