A recent issue of the Australian Journal of Language and Literacy included an article reporting on a systematic narrative review of the research literature that indicated that there was insufficient evidence to conclude whether genre theory and systemic functional linguistics either 'worked' or 'did not work'. The criteria used to evaluate these…

Policy and research engagement is a timely topic for researchers, decision-makers, and higher education institutions that aim to promote engagement and impact. Examination of the complex research-policy relationship in the higher education sector has been largely overlooked. This paper addresses this issue by presenting findings from in-depth…

Interest in trauma-informed approaches in schools is high throughout the US, UK, Australia, Canada and other countries, but the empirical evidence on whole-school responses to trauma is limited. This conceptual and theoretical review explores relevant literature; outlines existing conceptual models for trauma-informed organisations, including…

Although research scholarship offers valuable guidance to those hoping to use improvement science in their teaching and practice, it tends to center the perspectives of researchers and EdD program faculty. Less research has focused on the voices of practitioners who use improvement science in their schools and organizations. We draw on sensemaking…

There is increasing interest in research-based education in the Western World as it is assumed to strengthen school improvement capacity. Previous research shows that school principals play a pivotal role in realising such vision. The aim of this article is to explore the influence of principals on research-based education in their local municipal…

This article provides clear and practical guidelines for researchers seeking to use national secondary datasets to conduct evidence-based research. Drawing from our own experiences, we discuss a six-step research process model (Bryan et al., 2010, 2017) to help researchers navigate the use of these datasets. We present examples from the school…

The ELSA intervention was designed to build schools' capacity to support pupils' emotional wellbeing needs from within their own resources. A wide-ranging research base spanning over 10 years has grown around the ELSA intervention. This scoping review was commissioned by the ELSA Network to systematically identify and map the current composition…

In educational research, the complexity of interventions and the diversity of contexts challenge the adequacy of existing reporting standards, primarily tailored for health interventions and randomised controlled trials. Recognising the critical need for appropriate tools to support education research, we developed two checklists: the CheckList Of…

Excellence in research is essential for advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and addressing societal challenges. This article proposes the INDEX Strategy Framework as a structured, evidence-based guide to optimize the research process. The framework encompasses five critical phases: Identify Focus Areas, Network and Collaborate, Design…

This study provides a comprehensive overview of methodological aspects when using heart rate variability (HRV) measures in educational research. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched four databases for relevant studies published until March 5, 2024. From the 48 studies reviewed, we extracted data across three analytical categories: (1)…

Research at the intersection of social science and genomics, 'sociogenomics', is transforming our understanding of the interplay between genomics, individual outcomes and society. It has interesting and maybe unexpected implications for education research and policy. Here we review the growing sociogenomics literature and discuss its implications…

Meta-analytic studies of second language (L2) learning typically employ a classic approach to meta-analysis. Although the classic approach can clarify findings, a multivariate, multilevel meta-analysis (3M) approach increases transparency by accounting for (a) dependencies in the evidence presented by primary studies, (b) methodological…

Building on the insights of the first two publications in the Strengthening the Impact of Education Research series, this third and final report shifts the focus from policy makers to the field, exploring the pivotal role of knowledge intermediaries. These organisations facilitate engagement with research among policy makers and practitioners,…

This article examines performance-based funding (PBF) as a governance tool in higher education through a meta-narrative review of recent literature. Rather than offering yet another extensive critique of neoliberalism and new public management (NPM) as drivers of PBF, it calls for a closer look at the conditions under which PBF succeeds or fails,…

In 2023, Education Ministers asked that the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) include wellbeing on its 2024 Research Agenda. In 2024, AERO reviewed and expanded on 2 reports that collated evidence for various wellbeing strategies and interventions. These 2 reports (henceforth, the 'initial reports') were: (1) "High Impact…