Schools adopting structured, evidence-based teaching strategies report stronger teacher confidence and improved student learning outcomes, new research shows.
A new discussion paper from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) highlights lessons from its Learning Partner project – now in its third year – which has helped more than 50 schools implement evidence-based teaching practices, offering fresh insights into effective, school-wide change to boost teaching quality and student outcomes.
The initiative found that schools using structured, evidence-based approaches saw greater teacher confidence, student engagement and academic outcomes, with success driven by tailored strategies, dedicated implementation teams, quality over quantity, and planning for long-term sustainability from the outset.
Staged, tailored support drives change
Under the project, each school is provided with direct support and guidance to enhance implementation leadership, develop understanding and skill in leading a structured approach to implementation, and sustain the use of evidence-based practices.
“Teachers and leaders have a lot on their plates, so it can be helpful to think of implementation as a process that unfolds in stages over time, responding to school-specific factors,” AERO CEO, Dr Jenny Donovan told The Educator,
“Our work with schools indicates that a deliberate and structured approach to implementation supports practice change.”
Woven throughout this approach is ongoing tailoring for school context, said Dr Donovan.
“Schools progress at their own pace, address staff-identified barriers, and monitor implementation outcomes to provide additional support where needed,” she said.
“These activities all include implementation teams working closely with teachers and creating conditions for implementation to succeed, backed by strong support and enthusiasm from school leaders.”
Diagnose barriers, start small, scale
Given that each school has enablers and barriers to implementation, AERO recommends that leaders take time with their staff to identify what’s helping or getting in the way of implementation and then address those barriers.
“AERO’s resources can help leaders do this in a systematic, structured way,” Dr Donovan said.
“In smaller schools, leaders wear many hats, so implementation teams must tailor implementation to what’s feasible and consider involving staff beyond the leadership team. With larger schools, it is difficult for everyone to be involved simultaneously.”
A powerful way to tailor implementation is starting with teachers in certain year levels or faculties to help develop their expertise, says Dr Donovan.
“These teachers can create demonstration videos, and leaders can invest time for these teachers to observe and give feedback to others.”
Shared purpose, right-sized teams win
So, what kind of leadership and culture makes these teams click, especially in schools with fewer resources? According to Dr Donovan, the answer lies in leaders instilling a sense of shared purpose in their implementation team.
“Throughout 2024, we learnt more about implementation leadership. Leading implementation teams goes beyond bringing a group together and assigning responsibility for different aspects of the process,” she said.
“It is important that implementation teams have a shared purpose and be willing to share accountability. Leaders must carefully select staff who have the expertise to fulfil their role within the team.”
Dr Donovan said teams need to reflect the size of the school and the resources available.
“For example, a school with fewer resources could consider a smaller team coupled with a doable implementation plan,” she said. “It’s better in the long run to start small and succeed, rather than aim big, risk failure and overwork your leaders.”
More resources and scalable support ahead
Dr Donovan said AERO has more to learn from working closely with Australian schools and systems about sustainable implementation and how to support it, so the Learning Partner project will continue into 2026.
“We remain committed to sharing our insights from this work as we go,” she said.
“We are also investigating evidence-informed options for highly scalable forms of implementation support that, in the future, could potentially be provided to implementation teams across Australian schools.”
Beyond this, from AERO’s work with schools and aligned with implementation research, the organisation has developed a range of resources that are freely available to all, Dr Donovan said.
“These include explainers detailing our implementation approach and practice resources for leaders to support implementation in their setting. In time, more resources will be made available.”