The Catholic Schools Office encourages and supports high quality educational research to inform evidence-based decision making in policy and program development. Approval must be obtained before commencing research activity in Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.
The approval process is designed to ensure that:
- Students are protected from physical, psychological and other forms of harm
- Participants' privacy and confidentiality is maintained
- Research activity does not negatively impact on the teaching and learning environment
- Research conducted provides educational benefits to the schools involved and to the Catholic Schools Office
- Research methodologies are appropriate and capable of producing valid and reliable results
- Research results are accessible to practitioners in a form they can use
- Integrity of learning is maintained at school sites, and research provides benefits for school communities and education.
The Catholic Schools Office reserves the right to accept or decline any research application at its own discretion.
Once an application for research is received by the Catholic Schools Office, approval will be granted according to the appropriateness and relevance of the research project. Once a project is approved, the researcher may approach diocesan schools to request permission to conduct the research project.
Researchers should be aware, however, that participation in any research is voluntary. This means that school principals and Catholic Schools Office employees have the right to decline participation even if approval has been granted by the Catholic Schools Office.
All applications should be addressed to:
School Improvement Team
Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
P.O. Box 714
Newcastle NSW 2300
E | schoolimprovement@mn.catholic.edu.au