School Based Research

Research Foundations

My research career spans more than two decades, exploring how collaboration, creativity, and innovation shape effective teaching and learning. I investigate how educators work together within complex systems to design learning environments that are both human‑centred and future‑focused.

This research underpins my work as an education systems architect. I help schools design systems that support accountability, coherence, and professional growth, without losing sight of human dignity, creativity, or ethical practice.

My approach to data analysis is holistic and human‑centered. I combine rigorous quantitative methods with qualitative insights to understand school performance in context. Students are never treated as data points; they are whole learners with unique developmental pathways. This balanced methodology ensures that data‑informed decisions genuinely enhance teaching, learning, wellbeing and your school's values.

School‑Based Applied Research

My applied research focuses on how real classrooms, real teachers, and real learners interact within the systems that shape their work. I examine how curriculum, assessment, professional learning, and school culture operate together, and where these systems create friction, coherence, or opportunity.

This work helps schools understand what is actually happening in practice, not just what is documented. I analyse how teachers interpret curriculum, how students engage with learning, and how leadership decisions influence classroom practice. The goal is always the same: to generate insights that lead to practical, sustainable improvement.

Whether reviewing documentation, analysing learning data, or observing practice, my focus is on clarity, coherence, and human‑centred design. I help schools identify the system‑level patterns that shape teaching and learning,  and translate those findings into actionable strategies that strengthen capability, alignment, and student growth.

What I Analyse in Schools

Data & Evidence

  • Learning data trends

  • Curriculum alignment

  • Assessment patterns

  • Student engagement indicators

  • School values and contextual factors

Programs & Practice

  • Curriculum documentation

  • Assessment design

  • Pedagogical approaches

  • Professional learning structures

  • Classroom practice alignment

Culture & Systems

  • Leadership decision‑making

  • Team collaboration patterns

  • School improvement processes

  • System coherence and friction points

Pilot Studies & Evaluation

  • Program evaluation

  • Trial initiatives

  • Change impact analysis

  • Evidence‑informed recommendations

Research Approach

1. Initial Consultation
Understanding your school’s context, priorities, and challenges.

2. Data & Documentation Review
Analysing curriculum, assessment, learning data, and school‑wide systems.

3. Applied Research in Practice
Observations, interviews, artefact analysis, and collaborative inquiry.

4. Insight Development
Identifying patterns, friction points, strengths, and opportunities.

5. Strategic Recommendations
Clear, actionable guidance aligned with your school’s goals.

6. Follow‑Up Support
Coaching, capability building, and implementation support.

Research Expertise

I bring extensive experience in research design and analysis across higher education, public pedagogies, and P–12 school settings. My expertise includes:

  • Mixed‑methods (quantitative and qualitative) and multi‑method qualitative research

  • Collaborative and practice‑based inquiry

  • Ethnographic and case study approaches

  • Action research and school‑based evaluation

  • Arts‑based and phenomenological methodologies

  • Advanced discourse and linguistic analysis

A full list of academic research outputs is available on request.

Academic Qualifications/Publications

    Lee, Ingrid Halina (2022) Teacher educators work in collaborative, creative, and innovative ways to facilitate pedagogies in higher education. PhD thesis, Victoria University.

    Liska (nee Lee), Ingrid Halina (2013) A pedagogic analysis: middle years of schooling and the role of creative practice. Research Master thesis, Victoria University.

     Lee, I. H. (1997). Action research in alternative curriculum and assessment strategies when implementing: Philosophy for Children and metacognitive learning strategies for Primary Schools [Honours minor thesis, Victoria University].

Work With Me

If your school is seeking clarity, coherence, and evidence‑informed improvement, I can help you design systems that support both accountability and human flourishing.

Book a Discovery Call to discuss your school’s needs.