Our evidence needs
We want to support and potentially partner with researchers on high quality research that is aligned with our priorities to make a difference to NSW public education.
Our Research Guide outlines the research evidence we need to implement Our Plan for NSW Public Education. Our evidence needs are led by the department’s priorities for education practice, programs and policy. They aim to address our most pressing challenges and opportunities to improve our public education system.
About our Research Guide
We understand that the research community needs us to clearly articulate our evidence needs and the policy context within which we are operating, across all educational settings.
In this Research Guide we are calling for education research to inform our priority work. We need research evidence that can help us make decisions about the design and implementation of education practice, programs and policy, now and into the future. Most importantly, we need research that meets the needs of students, staff and education communities across NSW.
Aligning your research with our priorities
If you are intending to submit a SERAP application or seeking other department support for your research, we recommend you contact us for a general conversation about your research and whether it aligns with our identified priorities. We can be reached at research.partnerships@det.nsw.edu.au.
The department will not be in a position to support or partner on all applications we receive and will prioritise our support to those applications that align most strongly with our evidence needs.
Designing your research
Our expectations for research design are set out in the SERAP guidelines, underpinned by the NHMRC National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. We expect all research to be grounded in a deep respect for students, staff and families. We require research that uses high quality research methods that minimise potential risks from technical flaws or ethical insensitivity and maximise the potential benefits to our system.
Our preferred research approaches and features to consider are discussed in the Research Guide. We are interested in qualitative and quantitative research as appropriate to help address our identified evidence needs.
Our required research
The guide identifies the research we require to help achieve our policy goals under the 6 focus areas of Our Plan for NSW Public Education:
- advance equitable outcomes, opportunities and experiences
- strengthen trust and respect for the teaching profession and school support staff
- give children the best start in learning
- deliver outstanding leadership, teaching and learning
- strengthen student wellbeing and development
- provide meaningful post-school pathways.
We also support high quality research that can guide key enablers of the focus areas:
- support services that are efficient, effective and easy to access
- school infrastructure that meets the needs of a growing population and supports improved student outcomes.
Across all focus areas, we call on researchers to take an equity lens and embed equity principles and practices throughout the research process.
For each of the focus areas, the guide presents the following elements to assist researchers in planning their future education research in NSW.
| Element | Guidance to researchers |
|---|---|
| Our goal for NSW public education | What is the department trying to achieve? Consider how your research is aligned with our goals, agreed actions and success measures in Our Plan for NSW Public Education. |
| Our evidence needs | What does the department need to know to achieve the policy goal? Consider how your research can address our evidence needs. |
| Our research focus | What education research is most required? Consider how your research can focus on:
|
Researchers can also consider how your research can be informed by the department’s data assets. The NSW Government open data portal holds a range of education datasets that could be used to address our evidence needs.