Robyn Baker

As the new Director of NZCER, I am delighted to write this editorial for set – a publication which I know very well. Louise Stoll’s metaphor of an iceberg caught my imagination as I read the articles in this issue. In her article on school culture, she argues that “as all improvement is change, anyone who is trying to bring about improvement needs to understand what goes on below the surface is likely to influence surface aspects of improvement”.

In the very first bulletin published by NZCER, Educational Research in New Zealand (1935), Dr Beeby, our first director, stated that NZCER needed to feed the curiosity of teachers, in a way that acknowledged the demanding environment of the classroom. “The curiosity can die, or can grow, but cannot stand still”, he wrote. However, “it is not the business of the Council to satisfy it but to feed it.”

In my editorial for set, Issue No.3, 2001 I wrote, “In the very first bulletin published by NZCER, Educational Research in New Zealand (1935), Dr Beeby, our first director, stated that NZCER needed to feed the curiosity of teachers in a way that acknowledged the demanding environment of the classroom.”

Researchers are always hopeful that the findings of their work will inform policy development and influence the thinking and actions of practitioners. A researcher’s job, however, is not finished when the research report is completed – this is just the beginning. For research to speak to the audience of interest, it needs to be transformed and translated into forms that are relevant and accessible. set: Research Information for Teachers is one example of a publication that is designed to convey important research findings to a wide range of educators.

What makes one student successful in his or her first year of university study, and another struggle or fail? First year students were followed, questioned, and the results point to things both the students and their secondary schools can do.

Several years ago I was awestruck by the bold vision of Wellington’s Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. Their strategic plan has a 500-year time frame. This is, of course, entirely appropriate when you’re seeking to restore a landlocked “island” to its natural state. Setting an inspirational vision—and in time achieving it—requires a deep knowledge of the business, a clarity of purpose and well-articulated values that guide the collective endeavour.