AERO reports growing uptake of evidence-based practice across schools and ECEC

The Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) has reported increasing adoption of its evidence-based guidance across Australian schools and early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, signalling a strengthening national focus on research-informed practice.

In its 2025 annual report, released in February 2026, AERO highlights expanding engagement with its resources, models and professional guidance, five years after the organisation’s establishment.

AERO CEO Dr Jenny Donovan said the organisation’s work is now embedded in policy and guidance across multiple jurisdictions, reflecting confidence in the quality and relevance of its research.

More than 118,000 teachers and school leaders have accessed AERO’s flagship model of learning and teaching since its release more than two years ago. The model continues to be featured in professional presentations, implemented in schools and adapted within jurisdictional teaching and learning frameworks.

For the ECEC sector, Dr Donovan confirmed that AERO will soon release an intentional teaching model grounded in evidence about the importance of play-based learning for young children. The model is designed to support educators and teachers to maximise children’s learning and development.

The development signals a continued expansion of AERO’s focus beyond school settings and into early learning environments, reinforcing the role of evidence-informed pedagogy across the full education continuum.

AERO attributes much of its progress to sustained partnerships with ministers, education departments, school systems, the early childhood sector and university researchers.

Established in 2021, AERO was tasked with bridging the gap between research and practice. Its role involves conducting research aligned to nationally agreed priorities and translating findings into practical guidance, professional learning and tools that support implementation in classrooms and early learning settings.

According to the annual report, this collaborative approach is generating tangible improvements in policy settings and teaching practice.

AERO’s 2025 report also highlights significant progress in embedding First Nations perspectives across all aspects of its work.

The launch of a First Nations Charter and the establishment of a First Nations Expert Reference Group (ERG) mark a national first in Australian education. The ERG comprises approximately 250 members from urban, regional and remote communities and brings expertise across teaching, curriculum and research.

The group now plays a central role in informing AERO’s projects to ensure that First Nations knowledge, lived experience and priorities shape research and guidance development.

AERO Board Chair Dr Lisa O’Brien said the Board is encouraged by early signs of sector impact, including widespread engagement with AERO resources in both schools and ECEC settings.

She noted that strong partnerships with education systems and the early childhood sector have resulted in the integration of AERO research into government initiatives and system-level reform.

The Board views these developments as evidence of AERO’s growing role in advancing excellence and equity through rigorous, practical research.

For approved providers, centre managers and educational leaders, AERO’s expanding body of work represents an increasingly influential evidence base that may shape:

• teaching and learning frameworks
• professional development priorities
• system-level reform agendas
• intentional teaching practices in early learning settings.

The forthcoming intentional teaching model for ECEC is likely to draw particular interest, given its focus on strengthening educator practice within play-based contexts.

As national reform continues to emphasise evidence-informed approaches, AERO’s growing reach suggests that research translation, not simply research production – will remain central to sector improvement.

AERO’s 2025 annual report is available on its website.