“Inspiring hope through evidence-based pedagogy”

At a time when school leaders face a relentless array of new and enduring challenges, where is hope to be found? This presentation uncovers unfounded assumptions, unhelpful binary distinctions and untested simplistic solutions that dominate the current field of school improvement. It highlights how inspiring hope among educators requires more than blind optimism and wishful thinking. Nurturing hope depends on evidence of genuine change brought about by processes that respect school leaders, teachers, and their work. This argument is illustrated with evidence from rigorous research that puts pedagogy at the centre of educational reform. It demonstrates positive effects on teacher morale and efficacy, teacher collaboration and collegiality, school culture, the quality of teaching and, most importantly, student achievement and equity. Conceptually, hope matters. Practically, it can be realised.

JENNY GORE

Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore is Director of the Teachers and Teaching Research Centre at the University of Newcastle and Visiting Professor at the University of Oxford. She has been awarded more than AUD$27 million in research funding, including grants from the Australian Research Council, the Paul Ramsay Foundation and multiple State Departments of Education. Widely published and cited, Jenny tackles persistent educational challenges through comprehensive programs of research on teacher development, pedagogical reform, enhancing student outcomes, and the formation of student aspirations. Jenny’s impactful research on improving the quality of teaching and student outcomes through Quality Teaching Rounds led to the launch of the Quality Teaching Academy in 2020. Jenny has been recognised for outstanding contributions to education reform (Australian Council for Deans of Education); to social justice and evidence-informed policy, practice and research (Paul Brock Memorial Medal); and for her expertise across diverse research traditions (as elected Fellow of the American Educational Research Association).