Summit to help teachers, leaders and researchers

Words: Jason Purdie
Published: 8 October 2024

The complex challenges facing the education system would only be solved with greater levels of partnership between school leaders, teachers and researchers, according to a leading Southern Cross University expert.

TeachLab Research Director Professor David Lynch said the system nationally was beset with related crises of increasingly complex classroom environments, questions about graduate preparedness and teachers leaving the profession at unsustainable levels.

He said the current mode of education delivery – much of which had remained unchanged for decades – was failing to address rapid changes in students, society and technology.

Teachers, school leaders and education researchers will gather at the University’s Gold Coast campus on Monday October 21 to look at case studies and approaches which are making headway in driving school improvement.

“Ironically, the academic research on school improvement is too often done in isolation to people who are leading our schools and working in our classrooms,” Professor David Lynch said. “The TeachLab philosophy – supported by evidence globally – is that the work needs to be done together.”

The summit - Bridging the Gap: Collaborative Strategies for University - School Partnerships to Drive School Improvement – will include a series of presentations and workshops based on active research partnerships in Queensland and New South Wales. RSVPs close on Friday October 11.

“The day will provide a balance between the latest research we have nationally and globally, and the work we see that’s producing results in classrooms in our own backyard.”

It also will include keynotes from education expert and author Amy Green, and Professor Heidi Harju-Luukkainen, an Adjunct researcher to TeachLab visiting from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.

Summit organiser Dr Aida Hurem said she expected the day to have broad interest to those in the education field.

“The day will provide a balance between the latest research we have nationally and globally, and the work we see that’s producing results in classrooms in our own backyard,” she said.

“This is an ideal opportunity for anyone working in the education system who is interested in evidence-based school improvement but not sure where to start, through to people who are already well down that track who want to test or extend their understanding, or to share their experience so far.”

Professor Lynch is lead author on the recently released book, ‘The Teaching Improvement Agenda – What Matters and How Teaching Excellence is Achieved’, which includes contributors from the UK and the US.

“The challenges we have in the education system here are not unique to us – they are evident in many other parts of the world,” Professor Lynch said.

“Equally, there is a consistency in the research about what’s working to address those challenges.

“It’s really gratifying for everyone on our team to bring the very best of that understanding into the conversations we are having locally, regionally and nationally.”