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Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

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Articles 31 - 60 of 686

Full-Text Articles in Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

Collaboration: Skill Development Framework. 2nd Edition, Claire Scoular, Daniel Duckworth, Jonathan Heard, Dara Ramalingam Jan 2025

Collaboration: Skill Development Framework. 2nd Edition, Claire Scoular, Daniel Duckworth, Jonathan Heard, Dara Ramalingam

Assessment and Reporting

ACER's skill development framework addresses the challenges associated with teaching and assessing collaboration. It is designed to synthesise and harmonise existing theory and research on collaboration to provide a holistic perspective. It outlines collaboration processes along prescribed strands and aspects that are informed by a sound evidence base. It is based on three strands: Building shared understanding; Collectively contributing; and Regulating the group.

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Timss 2023 Australia. Volume 1: Student Performance, Nicole Wernert, Marina Schmid, Sima Rodrigues Dec 2024

Timss 2023 Australia. Volume 1: Student Performance, Nicole Wernert, Marina Schmid, Sima Rodrigues

TIMSS 2023

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study of student achievement directed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). TIMSS was first conducted in 1995 and the 2023 assessment formed the eighth cycle, providing 28 years of trends in mathematics and science achievement at Year 4 and Year 8. In Australia, TIMSS is managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the state and territory governments. TIMSS is a key part of Australia’s National Assessment Program. The goal of TIMSS …

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Assessment And Analytical Framework: Standardised Teacher Assessment And Review, Priyanka Sharma Dec 2024

Assessment And Analytical Framework: Standardised Teacher Assessment And Review, Priyanka Sharma

Teaching standards and teacher evaluation

The Standardised Teacher Assessment and Review (STAR) assessment framework provide operational definitions and understanding of the key aspects of teacher competencies measured by STAR. It details on how these competencies are measured, enabling necessary decisions related with teacher proficiency. The framework establishes parameters for test development through a principled design approach and defines the scope of content for the assessment instrument organised into four domains and 12 strands. The subsequent sections describe the detailed content related to each domain, ensuring comprehensive coverage and clarity in the assessment process. The robust structure not only supports the integrity of the assessment but …

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Acer 2023-2024 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer) Dec 2024

Acer 2023-2024 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

ACER Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

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Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (Piefa) Storm And Flood Industry Recovery Program: Evaluation Report, Tamara Van Der Zant, Katherine Dix Dec 2024

Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (Piefa) Storm And Flood Industry Recovery Program: Evaluation Report, Tamara Van Der Zant, Katherine Dix

Program monitoring and evaluation

Despite the growing diversity of careers in Primary Industries, young peoples’ pursuit of agricultural careers is often hampered by outdated perceptions of the sector and its opportunities. As Primary Industries adapt to the threat of natural disasters by turning to scientific and technological solutions, a diverse, highly skilled workforce will be required. In the wake of the devastating impacts of storm and floods in early 2021 across New South Wales, the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP): Creating resilience through empowering school curriculums about primary industries careers project was developed. To aid the long-term recovery and resilience of the …

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Pisa 2022. Assessing Creative Thinking For A Better Future, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood Oct 2024

Pisa 2022. Assessing Creative Thinking For A Better Future, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

Creative thinking was assessed as an innovative domain for the first time in PISA 2022. This report presents the creative thinking results for Australia as a whole, for the Australian states and territories and for the other groups in PISA 2022. It is one of two thematic reports providing additional high-level analysis of Australia's 2022 PISA performance. Differences in results are only reported if tests of statistical significance showed that these were likely to be real differences; that is, differences were unlikely to be caused by chance.

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Improving Educator Readiness To Support Student Mental Health, Anna Dabrowski, Michelle Hsien, Tamara Van Der Zant, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Amy Berry, Maya Conway, Yung Nietschke Sep 2024

Improving Educator Readiness To Support Student Mental Health, Anna Dabrowski, Michelle Hsien, Tamara Van Der Zant, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Amy Berry, Maya Conway, Yung Nietschke

Wellbeing

This project used a mixed-method approach to understand educator readiness to support student mental health across early childhood, school based, and tertiary settings. The study features educators and relevant support staff working with children, adolescents, and adults in formal learning settings. Relevant experts such as mental health care workers, youth wellbeing support staff, counsellors, psychologists, and other professionals involved in education settings were also invited to take part in the study. Three research questions guided the focus of the study: How does educator anxiety and worry impact on their ability to support student mental health? To what extent are educators …

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Cis Pedagogy Project Report, Sladana Krstic, Elizabeth Stubbs, Colin Watson Aug 2024

Cis Pedagogy Project Report, Sladana Krstic, Elizabeth Stubbs, Colin Watson

Student learning processes

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) was contracted by the Council of International Schools (CIS) to undertake research investigating how their schools make decisions on pedagogical approaches and to develop a toolkit (published as the ‘Pedagogy Playbook’) to support schools in making those decisions. The project started in May 2022 with initial research conducted by the Klingenstein Center, Columbia University and completed in August 2024 by ACER. In this study, leaders, teachers, parents and students from more than 140 CIS member schools reflected on what matters when it comes to teaching and learning. They shared their priorities and decisionmaking …

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Unpacking The Science Of Reading Research, Greta Rollo, Kellie Picker Jul 2024

Unpacking The Science Of Reading Research, Greta Rollo, Kellie Picker

Literacy and numeracy

The science of reading (SoR) is a term used for a body of evidence encompassing multi-disciplinary research from education, cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience. This evidence points to six key constructs that contribute to proficient reading: oral language, phonological awareness including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Research around these constructs provides researchers and teachers with an evidence base of the knowledge, skills and strategies involved in competent reading and describes how reading develops in both typical and atypical readers. This paper synthesises evidence reviews conducted by ACER researchers that unpack the science of reading. The aim of …

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Putting Creative Thinking At The Core Of The English School Curriculum: An Exploratory Study, Sladana Krstic Jul 2024

Putting Creative Thinking At The Core Of The English School Curriculum: An Exploratory Study, Sladana Krstic

Assessment and Reporting

Across much of the world, in more than 20 educational jurisdictions, the ability to think creatively is seen as a core aspect of what it is to be a successful learner today and, consequently, it has been included within various national curricula (Taylor et al., 2020). In England this is not yet the case, despite strong arguments being made for creative thinking being a core part of the curriculum in the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education (2019). In 2023 Rethinking Assessment and ACER UK conducted an exploratory study to examine the feasibility of integrating creative thinking into five subjects …

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Pisa 2022. Reporting Australia’S Results. Volume Ii: Student And School Characteristics, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood, Tim Friedman, Eveline Gebhardt May 2024

Pisa 2022. Reporting Australia’S Results. Volume Ii: Student And School Characteristics, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood, Tim Friedman, Eveline Gebhardt

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international comparative study of student performance directed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA measures the cumulative outcomes of education by assessing how well 15-year-olds, who have nearly completed compulsory schooling in most participating educational systems, are prepared to use their knowledge and skills in particular areas to meet real-world opportunities and challenges. In addition to the cognitive data reported on in Volume I, PISA collected a wealth of student and school contextual data through the background questionnaires. This report focuses on a variety of constructs related to …

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Music Education: Right From The Start. Primary Teachers Survey - South Australia, Rachel Felgate, Toby Carslake, Tanya Vaughan May 2024

Music Education: Right From The Start. Primary Teachers Survey - South Australia, Rachel Felgate, Toby Carslake, Tanya Vaughan

School and system improvement

A broad-ranging survey of teachers and representatives from 115 South Australian government primary schools. The research in South Australia underscores overwhelming support among teachers for the benefits of music learning. However, it also highlights widespread concerns regarding inadequate investment in teacher training, dedicated facilities, and necessary resources.65% of respondents indicated that less than nine hours were allocated to music learning within their initial teaching degrees. Additionally, only about half (53%) said their school has appropriate musical equipment, with just 7% reporting having a purpose-built building to conduct music learning.

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Learning Through Play At School Ukraine: Final Research Report, Rachel Parker, Amy Berry, Kellie Picker, David Jeffries, Prue Anderson, Oksana Zabolotna Apr 2024

Learning Through Play At School Ukraine: Final Research Report, Rachel Parker, Amy Berry, Kellie Picker, David Jeffries, Prue Anderson, Oksana Zabolotna

Student learning processes

The Learning Through Play (LTP) at School Research Study Ukraine was a four-year intervention study funded by the LEGO Foundation and implemented by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Ukrainian Educational Research Association (UERA). The intervention was a two-year professional learning program that blended online, and face-to-face learning called the Teacher Innovative Play Program (TIPP). The TIPP was designed based on documented evidence that reports that teachers need opportunities to experiment and reflect to change practice. The study was guided by three research questions which were revised following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces …

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Alumni Voices: Insights From International Graduates Of Uk Education, Sladana Krstic, Alexander Towne Mar 2024

Alumni Voices: Insights From International Graduates Of Uk Education, Sladana Krstic, Alexander Towne

ACER UK

The British Council, in partnership with ACER, designed and developed a survey consisting of an online questionnaire and interviews, to gather information from international alumni systematically and periodically, with the purpose of building a valuable longitudinal dataset. This research report relates only to the first year of the survey. The long-term aim is to conduct this survey annually, for an initial period of five years. The longitudinal survey has the following three overriding objectives: • To gather evidence of the value of international education in the UK. This means value to the UK in terms of long-term relationships, business links, …

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Acer 2022-2023 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer) Feb 2024

Acer 2022-2023 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

ACER Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

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Collaboration In East Africa: A Contextualised Approach To Defining The Construct, Claire Scoular, David Alelah Otieno Feb 2024

Collaboration In East Africa: A Contextualised Approach To Defining The Construct, Claire Scoular, David Alelah Otieno

Assessment and Reporting

Collaboration has been highlighted internationally as a key skill for learning, working, and living in the twenty-first century. However, to teach it well, enhance its performance, and measure its growth, it is essential to have a clear and consistent definition of the skill. There are a number of frameworks that describe collaboration in a way that is meaningful to learning and growth. Despite some differences across frameworks, it is clear there is a common core set of contributing subskills. This suggests that collaboration is of global interest, and that there are components that transcend national or cultural specificities. Notwithstanding, definitions …

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Pisa Capacity Needs Assessment: Ecuador, Ian Teo Jan 2024

Pisa Capacity Needs Assessment: Ecuador, Ian Teo

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)

This report presents detailed findings of a Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) for Ecuador, carried out to gain information about Ecuador’s capacity assets and needs to implement the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 successfully. The capacity assets and needs are structured into three dimensions: the enabling environment, the organisational level, and the individual level. Questionnaires for each level are included.

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Teacher Development Multi-Year Study Series. Classroom Observation Training Package: Using Classroom Observation To Investigate And Understand Teaching Quality, Debbie Wong, Hilary Hollingsworth, Elizabeth Cassity, Adeola Monty Jan 2024

Teacher Development Multi-Year Study Series. Classroom Observation Training Package: Using Classroom Observation To Investigate And Understand Teaching Quality, Debbie Wong, Hilary Hollingsworth, Elizabeth Cassity, Adeola Monty

Education Analytics Service

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has created an open-access classroom observation tool based on research conducted for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) Teacher Development Multi-Year Study Series, which studied teaching practices in Timor-Leste, Vanuatu and Lao PDR (see https://research.acer.edu.au/eas/). This comprehensive tool is designed to capture various aspects of teaching and learning in the classroom. It aims to help education researchers and practitioners gather evidence of teaching practices, particularly in the early grades of primary education in low- and middle-income countries. The tool is also intended for use by local observers, regardless of their …

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Australian University Outcomes: A National Study Comparing Ibdp And Non-Ibdp Students, Kylie Hillman, Daniel Edwards, Leyna Clarke Jan 2024

Australian University Outcomes: A National Study Comparing Ibdp And Non-Ibdp Students, Kylie Hillman, Daniel Edwards, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

This study compares the university outcomes of students who completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) in Australia compared to non-DP students nationally. The findings are based on population-level data for all students who applied to and entered universities in Australia between 2013 and 2018. To address differences in DP and non-DP student characteristics, the researchers further examined outcomes by groups within the populations that are more alike, for example, by gender and socio-economic status. Across all cohorts, DP students gain offers of university admission, continue to their second year of study, and complete university for all check points …

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Teachers And Technology In The Pacific, Anna Dabrowski, Yung Nietschke, Elizabeth Cassity Jan 2024

Teachers And Technology In The Pacific, Anna Dabrowski, Yung Nietschke, Elizabeth Cassity

International Education Research

Although digital literacy is increasing in the Pacific region, access to educational technologies within the education sector remains inconsistent for both teachers and their students. This report presents an analysis of current practices that support technology integration in the classroom, with a particular focus on the work of teachers in the Pacific Island states of Palau, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Based on an analysis of academic and grey literature, and interviews with key stakeholders involved in the implementation of educational technologies in the region, several key findings emerge. Education policies and practices designed to improve the digital literacy …

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Codebook For Classroom Observation Training Package, Hilary Hollingsworth, Debbie Wong, Elizabeth Cassity Jan 2024

Codebook For Classroom Observation Training Package, Hilary Hollingsworth, Debbie Wong, Elizabeth Cassity

Education Analytics Service

This Codebook is part of a classroom observation training package developed by the Australian Council of Educational Research to enable those observing early primary classes to make consistent and reliable observations. It is based on a purpose-built classroom observation tool developed to collect data on changes to teaching practice and a training program for local researchers. The Codebook offers detailed descriptions of the items to be observed during a lesson, including examples of relevant actions or activities. Observers use the Codebook to make decisions when coding.

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Edtech For Learning Outcomes And Impact: A Comprehensive Approach, Priyanka Sharma Jan 2024

Edtech For Learning Outcomes And Impact: A Comprehensive Approach, Priyanka Sharma

Student learning processes

A precise estimation of learners' abilities is the first and foremost step in personalized learning including EdTech solutions. Predictive analytic techniques such as Item Response Theory (IRT), Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT), and Performance Factor Analysis (PFA) are established practices to achieve this purpose. However, the complexity, cost, and time involved in calibration, and the challenges in online implementation, have led to the adoption of simpler alternatives such as Elo, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, the estimation of abilities is just one facet of personalized learning, and designing effective personalized learning experiences is equally essential to guide learners through their …

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Teachers’ Perceptions Of Formative Assessment For Students With Disability: A Case Study From India, Anannya Chakraborty, Amit Kaushik Jan 2024

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Formative Assessment For Students With Disability: A Case Study From India, Anannya Chakraborty, Amit Kaushik

Assessment and Reporting

India has made significant progress in improving the enrolment of students with disability but still has a long way to go before schools can be called inclusive. Despite the widely acknowledged relevance of assessments in shaping teaching and learning practices, little research has been done in disability-inclusive assessment in the Indian setting. In this paper, we explore teachers’ perceptions of disability inclusion in formative assessments, including the use of various kinds of accommodations and adaptations, factors that affect the implementation of disability-inclusive formative assessments, and challenges. It is argued that teacher professional development and teacher–parent partnerships are essential for ensuring …

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School Improvement Tool Elaborations: Student Engagement And Wellbeing. Background Report And Literature Review, Fabienne Van Der Kleij, Pauline Taylor-Guy, Tanya Vaughan, Marijne Medhurst, Christina Rogers Dec 2023

School Improvement Tool Elaborations: Student Engagement And Wellbeing. Background Report And Literature Review, Fabienne Van Der Kleij, Pauline Taylor-Guy, Tanya Vaughan, Marijne Medhurst, Christina Rogers

School and system improvement

This literature review outlines the evidence that underpins the development of a set of evidence-informed elaborations, or specific practices, that support student engagement and wellbeing across the 9 domains of the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT). These observable, measurable practices to support student engagement and wellbeing have been developed from a review of relevant literature in the areas of socio-emotional learning (SEL), health and wellbeing, student engagement and a sense of belonging, and motivations for engagement. They also take account of commissioned research reports by the Queensland Department of Education and the Department's (2018) approach to student learning and wellbeing …

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Collective Efficacy Tracking Tool. Development Framework 2023, Kerry Elliott, Hilary Hollingsworth Dec 2023

Collective Efficacy Tracking Tool. Development Framework 2023, Kerry Elliott, Hilary Hollingsworth

Educational leadership

Collective efficacy has become a prominent feature in educational policy and practice with growing evidence that a strong sense of collective efficacy amongst educators leads to better outcomes for students. With growing interest in the importance of collective efficacy and how to cultivate it, the Collective Efficacy Tracking Tool was created to address challenges associated with understanding, diagnosing, and developing collective efficacy. This Framework describes the development of the Collective Efficacy Tracking Tool, defining collective efficacy in a way that it can be operationalised to leverage improvement efforts. The Framework and accompanying Collective Efficacy Tracking Tool provide a practical resource …

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Pisa In Brief 2022: Student Performance And Equity In Education, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood, Sue Thomson Dec 2023

Pisa In Brief 2022: Student Performance And Equity In Education, Lisa De Bortoli, Catherine Underwood, Sue Thomson

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Australia

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an assessment that measures the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old students, an age at which they have nearly completed compulsory schooling. PISA assesses young adults’ ability to apply their knowledge and skills to real-life problems and situations rather than how well they have learned a specific curriculum. This PISA in Brief report provides a summary of student performance in the PISA 2022 assessment and tells us about their capacity to apply knowledge and skills in the domains of reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy.

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Technology In Education: A Case Study On Lao People's Democratic Republic, Yung Nietschke, Anna Dabrowski Nov 2023

Technology In Education: A Case Study On Lao People's Democratic Republic, Yung Nietschke, Anna Dabrowski

International Education Research

This paper was commissioned by the Global Education Monitoring Report as background information for the development of the 2023 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report: technology and education, Southeast Asia. Digital technology has the potential to transform learning and offer a solution to persistent challenges in equity of access and quality of learning for all students. COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of technology to deliver alternative modes of education. It has also put the spotlight on the digital divide that technology creates. This Case Study explores the progress of technology integration in the education sector in Lao PDR in line with …

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Supporting The Quality Of Digital Learning: Project Brief, Abha Bhagat Nov 2023

Supporting The Quality Of Digital Learning: Project Brief, Abha Bhagat

ACER India

Khan Academy introduced the Science Essentials Course to build a strong foundation in fundamental concepts among learners using deep conceptual videos. The course consists of learning videos and exercises - the videos help strengthen conceptual understanding for students, while the element of focused practice allows learners to retrieve concepts learnt, make mistakes, receive feedback, and in the process, master skills. The Australian Council for Educational Research (India) reviewed a sample of videos and exercises in physics, chemistry, and biology of the Science Essentials Course for students in grades 11 and 12.

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Research Conference 2023: Becoming Lifelong Learners. Proceedings And Program, Kylie Burns (Ed.) Sep 2023

Research Conference 2023: Becoming Lifelong Learners. Proceedings And Program, Kylie Burns (Ed.)

2021-2030 ACER Research Conferences

We know learning in the early years sets the foundations for people’s ongoing academic, cognitive and socio-emotional development. Education across those formative first 12 years is currently segmented, with children often starting fresh in new systems. How can each of us make learning in the early childhood and primary years more effective? Research Conference 2023 will examine research around how we can improve the continuity of learning from birth to 12 years. It will bring together leading international and Australian researchers to provide insights into the best ways to identify, conceptualise, develop and assess these new linkages for learning.

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Teaching, Teaching, Wherefore Art Thou? Exploring The Artistry In Teaching, Sean Casham Sep 2023

Teaching, Teaching, Wherefore Art Thou? Exploring The Artistry In Teaching, Sean Casham

2021-2030 ACER Research Conferences

Teachers do unforgivably complex work, and part of this complexity is the artistry in teaching practice. This poster outlines research on artistry in teaching involving a literature review and a qualitative multi-site case study design across New South Wales, ACT and the Northern Territory.

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