The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) has partnered with a select group of schools to help implement evidence-based practices into the classroom. It’s bridging the gap between knowing and doing.
In the spirit of ‘showing their work,’ AERO is sharing insights gleaned from its collaborative work with these schools with the release of five new explainers and a discussion paper. This initiative highlights a structured approach to implementation, which is proving promising in strengthening teaching practice across the country.
The discussion paper can be downloaded from the AERO website.
“It’s not enough to simply know about effective practices,” says Dr Jenny Donovan, CEO of AERO. “The ‘how’ of implementation is just as important as the ‘what’. That’s why we’ve developed an approach that supports schools with embedding evidence-based practices.”
Donovan emphasises the power of combining evidence about effective teaching practices with strategies for implementation: “If we can combine evidence about the teaching practices that make a difference, with evidence about how to implement them, we will have a powerful pathway to maximising learning for every student in every school.”
Mount Hutton Public School leads the way
Mount Hutton Public School in Newcastle offers a good example of the advancements in educational practice and outcomes achievable through AERO’s partnership. The school has implemented explicit instruction across all classrooms, resulting to improvements in teacher confidence and student engagement.
“We’ve seen noticeable improvements in teacher confidence and student engagement from working with AERO. They have reinforced our belief that every child matters, every day – and they’re helping us better support all student’s learning,” Mount Hutton Principal Trinity Hook says.
“By addressing our specific enablers and barriers with AERO, we’ve seen marked improvements in implementing explicit instruction techniques. It’s not one-size-fits-all, and that’s why it works so well for us.”
AERO’s structured approach to implementation
Key components of AERO’s implementation approach include:
- Using a staged approach: Implementation is treated as a phased process – Explore, Prepare, Deliver, and Sustain – to facilitate effective planning and continuous improvement.
- Addressing enablers and barriers: By identifying and responding to factors that facilitate or impede progress, schools can optimise their implementation efforts.
- Choosing practical implementation strategies: Practical strategies, such as detailed planning, professional learning, and coaching, translate research findings into actionable practices.
- Identifying implementation outcomes: Monitoring outcomes like acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity helps schools assess and refine their implementation strategies for sustained impact.
“This work is showing what it takes to move research about what works best in education off websites and into the practice of classroom teachers,” says Donovan.
“We already know what works; and now we have some insights about how to help make it happen in our schools.”
