Teachers as Researchers in Innovative Learning Environments - Case Studies from Australia and New Zealand Schools

This book presents and discusses the results of the 'Plans to Pedagogy' (P2P) project that was implemented across 13 diverse Australian and New Zealand schools, each with a unique school context and specific learning environment issue. The project employed a participatory approach, where academic researchers partnered with school leaders and staff in each school to co-design, implement, and evaluate research targeting the school's chosen issue. It explores and analyses the case studies from the project and discusses a range of topics, including how space can be used as a pedagogic tool, determining the affordances of learning environments to engage students, how teacher collaboration can be enhanced in flexible spaces, and how furniture influences student engagement and teacher pedagogies. It also provides school leaders with authentic examples of how research can be utilised to drive evidence-based discussions about teacher practices and student learning. Finally, it also illustrates how teachers can design and implement powerful studies that underpin better pedagogies in their schools.

Dr. Julia E. Morris is Senior Lecturer and Higher Degrees by Research Coordinator in the School of Education at Edith Cowan University, Australia and Director of the LEaRN at ECU research hub. She is Honorary Fellow with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her research focuses on the development of quality teachers, including the role of teachers and learning environments in supporting students' engagement in learning. With an interest in using mixed methods designs in applied research, Dr. Morris won the 2017 Western Australian Institute for Educational Research Early Career Award for Research and received a High Commendation for Best Paper in the Research Methodology in Education Special Interest Group at the British Educational Research Association Conference in 2019. Her research spans both national and international contexts, with current projects in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand.

Dr. Wesley Imms is Associate Professor in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at University of Melbourne, Australia, is its Head of Visual Art and Design Education, and co-Director of the University of Melbourne's cross-faculty (Education and Architecture) Learning Environments Applied Research Network (LEaRN). He holds education degrees granted in Australia and Canada, including a research M.A. and a Ph.D. in Curriculum Studies from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Imms is lead Chief Investigator on two recently completed Australian Research Council Linkage Projects: 'Innovative Learning Environments and Teacher Change' (ILETC), and 'Evaluating 21st Century Learning Environments' (E21LE). He also leads the 'Plans to Pedagogy' (P2P) project being conducted in a dozen schools across Australia and New Zealand, and is co-Chief Investigator of the 'Innovative Learning Environments and Student Experience Scoping Study' (ILE+SE).