Inclusion matters
We offer a customised range of Programs and Consulting Services in the areas of Diversity and Inclusion. Through our specialised project designs, we encourage multiple stakeholder perspectives. This enables the delivery of innovative solutions and recommendations that enhance equity, belonging and inclusive workplace, school and classroom cultures.
Inspired by three pillars of knowledge, experience and expertise.
Research
Deepening scholarship with rigour and authenticity
Purposeful research aligns systematic approaches and realistic objectives in ways that increase the understanding of the phenomenon in question. Research Horizons prides itself in valuing the power of clear communication, institutional values and the need for purposeful outcomes that can transform the culture of an organisation, making scholarship meaningful for its intended users. We are privileged to have conducted inclusive education research through one of the most dynamic times in reform history.
Systematic application of appropriate methods have transformative powers.
Over the last decade we have conducted award-winning research in inclusive practices within schools and across school systems. Research Horizons designs and implements purposeful research, that is customised for your workplace or school district to enable you to measure success and maximise transformative improvement and change. Outcomes
Defining realistic objectives
Designing customised data collection and analysis methods
Implementing transformative research approaches
Develop informed practical strategies based on defined needs
Strengthening community buy-in
Transforming culture
Leadership
Driving innovation whilst managing challenges
Anyone in a management position can use the leader title, but not all managers lead effectively. Research Horizons values adept leadership founded in mutual respect and communication mastery. Active and responsible leadership has profound impacts and is agile enough to know when to lead from behind, in front or alongside.
Responsible leadership requires broader collaboration competencies that drive shared ownership.
Our past experience in leading inclusive education initiatives from Kindergarten to Year 12 and Post Graduate courses, as well as our Leadership roles in Educational Organisations such as AASE, AARE and NSWIER enables Research Horizons to identify and develop the key attributes of responsible leadership in inclusive education in your organisation. The development of responsible leadership merges expert management with people skills so your leadership team become highly effective in enhancing strong team relationships and facilitating widespread implementation of transformative practices.
Outcomes
Identification of staff leadership strengths
Review of collaborative workplace cultures
Leadership training in strategies to enhance collaborative competencies
Enhancing knowledge of key factors essential to building and maintaining authentic collaborative cultures
Transforming culture
Practice
Growing the art and science of effective implementation
Making a difference with impact is strengthened by knowledge and experience from a practical perspective. Comprehension of what matters, including awareness of pain points, is critical to effective consultancy, program design and evaluation. Research Horizons brings a wealth of teacher and teacher educator experience to understand what works and what is not practical in the real world of the classroom and school settings. Having walked the walk assists with enhancing trust and reliability.
Desired reactions and directions begin with an idea and action.
Our teaching and research knowledge are foundational to building your teachers’ confidence and enhancing collaborative cultures that are built on mutual respect. We assist in raising awareness of the practical factors that contribute to research based programs being implemented and sustained in classrooms to support staff and students in reaching their full potential.
Outcomes
Identification of schools and systems readiness to implement research-based approaches through an Implementation Readiness Checklist.
Enhancing knowledge of key factors essential to implementing research-based programs in classroom contexts.
Training and mentoring in selecting and implementing research based programs to respond to the needs of diverse students.
Transforming classroom culture
Research Horizons was founded by
Dr Chris Grima-Farrell
CCER Spotlight (see link to a little about Chris’ perspectives on inclusion)
Dr Christine Grima-Farrell is an experienced author, researcher, teacher, special educator, program reviewer, teacher educator and system leader. She has demonstrated her commitment to education through significant roles as President elect of the NSW Institute of Educational Research, Convenor of the Australian Association of Research in Education Teachers’ Work and Lives special interest group, board member of the Australian Association of Special Education and reviewer for a number of national and international journals. Chris was awarded the NSW Premier’s Teaching award for Excellence in her work in the area of Inclusive Education and Research to Practice initiatives. Her Phd was awarded the Beth Southwell Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award and the Charles Sturt University Most Outstanding Thesis award. Some of her research has been published in highly regarded peer reviewed journals and her latest books include: Theory to Practice in Teacher Education: The critical challenge of translation (2020) and What matters in a research to practice cycle? Teachers as researchers (2017).
Chris has been invited to collaborate with a diverse range of international organisations including the European Centre for Educational Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health, the Universities of Central Florida, Hawaii, Rome and Malta. She has served as an advisor to the Universal Design for Learning Credentialing and Certification Initiative (UDL-CCI), as a member of the Technical Working Group to develop the District-level Certification on UDL for the US school sector. Chris has also accepted collaborative invitations to consult through the European Union, Erasmus mobility awarded project, Google USA, the Kailua/Kalaheo Complex, Department of Education Hawaii, University of Manilla.
Chris has been honoured with an Australian Government Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, and holds numerous awards including the NSW Premiers Teaching Award, Brother John Taylor Fellowship, University Excellence in Teaching Awards and an Australian College of Educators, Ralph Rawlinson Award: For Outstanding Contributions to the education of students with a disadvantage at State level. She continues to live her scholarly work as she strives to raise awareness of ways to merge research and practice to support the diverse needs of students through promoting collaborative inclusive education partnerships.
“Inclusive education represents a whole-school concern and works to align special education with general education in a manner that most effectively and efficiently imparts quality education to all students.”
— Grima-Farrell, Bain & McDonagh
Inclusion is a loosely used term. Inaccurate, perceived interpretation of this term can inhibit inclusive cultures and student engagement. This definition of inclusion underlies our approach and aligns with the Australian Government Department of Education. Visit this Publication by The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) to read more:
