Conduct research with the Department of Education

Understand when to seek approval from us

Seek approval from us for the following research:

• conducting research on our schools or sites
• advertising research through our schools or sites
• recruiting Department staff via external avenues where research activities or questions relate to their work site or duties.

You do not need to seek approval from us for research that meets any of the following criteria:

• undergraduate student research assignments, below an honours level and confined to one site when the research activities are undertaken as part of normal teaching practice
• member-related activities commissioned and conducted by unions, education-related professional associations and parent bodies for consultation purposes
• research conducted by our employees in the course of their work
  • unless the research is conducted as part of a qualification with an external education provider.

Understand our policy, guidelines and the process for seeking approval

We recognise the value of quality research and its potential benefit to school education while prioritising the rights, safety and wellbeing of participants.

To apply to conduct research:

1. Read our Research Conducted by External Parties policy.
2. Read the Guidelines for external researchers and make sure the research protocol meets our requirements.
3. Apply for approval before commencing recruitment of schools, sites or individual participants.

Staff who can approve research

Research can be approved in 3 ways:

1. The director of a business area initiating the research approves research commissioned by the Department.
2. Principals and site managers can approve research that is both
   • of low sensitivity
   • restricted to their school or site or, for a network of schools or sites, only when all principals and site managers have agreed to participate.
3. All other research applications must be submitted to the central research assessment team for approval.

To understand what constitutes sensitive research, refer to Guidelines for external researchers.

Submit a research application to the central research assessment team

To submit a research application to the central research assessment team, use the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) National Application Form.

When you prepare your application, consider Appendix 1: Research assessment criteria in the Guidelines for external researchers.

Follow the instructions to complete each section of the National Application Form and attach all required additional documentation, including:

• data instruments for all data collection activities
• information letters and consent forms for
  • principals or site managers
  • individual participants (and their parents in the case of students)
• evidence of Human Research Ethics Committee approval
• evidence of WA Working with Children Checks for researchers who will be in contact with children
• certificates of currency covering all research team members.

Use our support materials which include:

• sample information letters
• sample consent forms
• a checklist of required information.

Ensure that you have included all the required details in your recruitment materials.

Email your completed application form to researchandpolicy@education.wa.edu.au.

When you submit your application, we will send an acknowledgement email explaining the next steps of the review and approval process.

Note:

Our review timelines are impacted by the complexity and completeness of applications that we receive.

We give preference to research that is of strategic importance and of direct benefit to schools and participants. We will also consider the operational impacts of the research.

Receive approval and begin recruitment

You may only start your recruitment activities after we approve your research project.

Central research assessment team approval

If your research is approved centrally, we will send you a letter authorising you to approach our schools or sites to participate in the research.

Give principals and line managers:

• the authorising letter
• information letter and consent form.

Principal and line manager approval

If your research is approved by a principal or site manager, they will let you know if you can conduct research on their site.

Even with approval to approach our schools or sites, the final decision about participation in the proposed research lies with the school principal or site managers and individual participants. They don’t need to provide a reason for their decision.

Share findings

Send a summary of overall research findings to:

• participating schools and sites
• the Department at researchandpolicy@education.wa.edu.au.

If your research is limited to one school or site or involves a small number of participants, take additional care to ensure participant confidentiality in research outputs.

Limits to confidentiality must be clearly explained to the principal/site manager and participants in the information letters and consent forms. Unless these limits are clearly explained, the school or site and individual participants should not be identifiable directly or indirectly to their peers or school community.

When you are satisfied that your draft case study report meets this requirement, provide it to the school principal or site manager so that they can:

• check it for accuracy
• confirm the report does not include personal or identifying information that must be removed.