A new research review by education expert Professor John Hattie suggests that the most important factor in student learning is engaging teaching. 

Professor Hattie’s latest work delves even further into the statistics, examining 2,100 meta-analyses over 40 years, drawn from more than 130,000 studies and involving more than 400 million students from all around the world. 

He found that factors such as homework, classroom size and length of school day have little impact on learning outcomes, while teacher mind frames and clear learning objectives are crucial. 

Professor Hattie urges teachers to aim high, have high expectations for all students, and to create classrooms full of trust, where mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn. 

He believes that a collaborative classroom culture is essential for students to feel engaged and motivated to learn.

The new work is accessible here. 

It is important to note that Professor Hattie's work, while highly regarded and influential in the field of education research, has many critics in the teaching community. 

Some believe his research is too focused on standardised testing and may not take into account the nuances of the Australian education system. 

Additionally, some educators argue that Professor Hattie's work places too much emphasis on teacher effectiveness and not enough on the broader social and economic factors that can impact student learning. 

Some have also questioned the methodology of Hattie's meta-analyses, arguing that they may not provide a complete picture of the complex factors that contribute to student achievement.