A new partnership between La Trobe University and Think Forward Educators will provide increased opportunities for collaborative research for School of Education researchers and Think Forward Educators’ national network.
La Trobe School of Education staff will take part in webinars coordinated by Think Forward Educators for its member network and La Trobe will also provide funding of $150,000 to Think Forward Educators over the next five years.
Think Forward Educators is a grass-roots professional organisation that fosters teachers’ understanding of the science of learning, to improve excellence and equity.
CEO Katie Roberts-Hull is a former primary school teacher and says Think Forward Educators is excited to collaborate with La Trobe’s School of Education.
“This collaboration with the School of Education at La Trobe University will benefit all of the 20,000+ teachers and school leaders in the Think Forward Educators community,” says Ms Roberts-Hull.
“It shows a shared commitment to reducing the research-to-practice gap and ensuring more Australian educators have the knowledge they need be successful in the classroom.”
By teachers, for teachers
Think Forward Educators, Ms Roberts-Hull told EducationDaily, was “started by a group of teachers to do virtual professional learning during COVID”.
“It’s just exploded from there,” she says.
The new partnership with la Trobe University, says Ms Roberts-Hull, will see the organisation “supporting the professional learning that the School of Education is starting to plan”.
“t gives us better access to the expertise at the La Trobe School of Education that we can bring to this large community of teachers, and it’s a good way to connect with researchers,” she says.
Professor Joanna Barbousas, Dean of the La Trobe School of Education, also welcomed the partnership.
“The collaboration with Think Forward Educators further demonstrates our commitment to preparing teachers through evidence-informed approaches,” Professor Barbousas says.
“We look forward to working with the team at Think Forward Educators to help teachers and leaders translate research into daily classroom practice.”
