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Welcome to SORTI

The research, publications and other activities of The Centre for the Study of Research Training and Impact are directed toward the understanding and development of research and higher order problem solving skills, and the impact of research training and research outcomes in a wide variety of contexts, but particularly in tertiary and professional learning environments. Further strands of the Centre’s work extend to the history, philosophy and culture of research, histories of research institutions, mapping research activity and identifying research trends. Much of the Centre’s current work, especially that of its doctoral students, falls within the realm of studies of higher education and instructional models in tertiary level learning.

What's happening at SORTI?

Journal Banding Study

You are invited to complete the Journal Banding Survey. The intent of the project is to assist educational researchers in preparing submissions in the context of the assessment of research quality and professional impact as part of the Research Quality Framework (RQF). For information about the study, and for access to the full survey for Australian participants, please click on the following link www.newcastle.edu.au/forms/bandingsurvey/. A shortened version of the survey for international participants is at www.newcastle.edu.au/forms/bandingsurvey/2/. Any questions or comments may be directed to Sid Bourke or any other member of the research team. The Journal Banding Methodology and initial results were presented at the AARE Focus Conference in Canberra on Wednesday 13th June. Overheads presented at this conference are available: AARE Conference Presentation. The list of journals  is now available: Education journals listed alphabetically showing QScore and Area.

  PhD SCHOLARSHIP

SORTI is offering a PhD Scholarship to commence in second semester 2008. The successful applicant will work within the Centre, on an ARC funded project with Chief Investigators Allyson Holbrook and Sid Bourke.

The project concerns assessment criteria and reporting practices for PhD and research Masters theses. It offers an exceptional opportunity to investigate relationships between formative and summative assessment at these advanced levels of learning. The successful applicant will gain methodological experience of both qualitative and quantitative approaches within a mixed methods design.

For further information, please contact either of the Chief Investigators:A/Professor Allyson Holbrook, ph 61 2 4968 6710, Fax 61 2 4968 6713 or Professor Sid Bourke, ph 61 2 4968 6706, Fax 61 2 4968 6713

ARC Discovery Project Success

The SORTI team of Allyson Holbrook and Sid Bourke were successful in the latest ARC Discovery Projects round. Building on a previous ARC grant findings on doctoral examination, they are chief investigators on the grant Modelling and validating an approach to maximise consistency in research thesis examination. The amount awarded is $175,000 over three years. The study aims to identify optimal assessment criteria and reporting practices that will maximise consistency and meaningfulness of reporting examination outcomes for PhD and masters theses.

History of the Australian Teacher Education Association  

SORTI has been commissioned by the Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA) to write a history of the Association since its inception. The Project Research team is Dr Jo May (project supervisor), A/P Bob Bessant, A/P Allyson Holbrook and Mr Greg Preston. Click here for more information and for the oral history Project Information Package

 2006 SORTI Annual Report

Open the Annual Report to read about SORTI's latest projects and achievements

Impact of Educational Research in the RQF

Impact of Educational Research in the RQF: A submission to Panel 11
Ranked Research Outlet Development: A list of the relevant bodies facilitating the consultation is available as a pdf from the DEST RQF website: Ranking Contacts

EARLI Conference 2007

For presentations at the recent EARLI Conference in Budapest given by Allyson Holbrook and Sid Bourke on the Doctoral Examination Project, see our publications page: Research into PhD Examination.

Knowledge-seeking behaviour in enterprises and organisations in the Hunter

A Summary of the Findings  of this project is now available. The full report will be availabe soon.