Dr Anthony Ryan
Understanding school improvement: Investigating the implementation and scaling of evidence-based practices across levels of advantage
Dr Anthony Ryan is interested in assisting schools, particularly disadvantaged ones, to improve student learning outcomes. Anthony was inspired to do his research because of the schools he attended, where many students were not able to realise their full learning potential.
“Any improvement in teaching and learning would benefit all students and in particular students attending disadvantaged schools,” Anthony says.
Anthony was awarded his PhD in March 2024. His longitudinal study investigated how schools implemented Quality Teaching Rounds, across a range of settings, to help their students improve. In particular, he worked closely with Cessnock High School, the most disadvantaged school in the Hunter Valley, on a whole-school approach to school improvement which achieved remarkable results for teachers and students.
He used frameworks recently developed in the field of implementation science to guide and study the implementation of evidence-based practices to achieve whole school improvement, providing a powerful model for other schools to use in the future.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.