HISTORY OF SAIER

Dr Adolf John Schulz - First President of SAIER, 1929

The Early Days

The Institutes for Educational Research were formed in the late 1920s as supports for and promotion of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The preliminary meeting of ACER was held in Melbourne on 16 August 1929. All State Institutes were present except for Queensland. The ACER constitution was adopted and sent to the Carnegie Corporation for approval. It was hoped to appoint an Executive Officer early in the 1930s.

The first recorded meeting of the South Australian Institute for Educational Research (SAIER) was held on 6 November 1929 at Adelaide University, with Dr A. J. Schulz (pictured) in the chair. In 1930 Schulz became the first President of the SAIER. His publications include Morality and Moral Education (1929), revised as Character and its Development (1939). After guiding Adelaide Teachers' College under six directors of education, in two world wars and the Depression, Schulz retired in 1948.

Occasional correspondence between SAIER and it's sister institutes have been recorded. For example, in 1939 the SAIER wrote to the NSWIER seeking advice on membership structures, including ... "what fees (if any) are required." (Letter from SAIER Hon. Secretary to Mr. V.W. Hyde, 29th March 1939, NSWIER Records, Mitchell Library, Sydney ML MSS 2317 2 (3).

From the 1950s to 1990s it is less clear how active SAIER was. Accounts from professors associated with Flinders University recall that it never seemed to have a strong sense of purpose or direction, nor a big following, which may have led to periods when it was moribund. What has been found and pieced together, includes the following evidence of activity:

In August 1954 there was an attempt towards stronger collaboration between the sister institutes, initiated by the Victorian Institute for Educational Research, with the proposal that a "federation of Institutes be formed" (M.W. Boyce. A Perspective of the VIER. Burwood, Victoria: VIER, 1992, 30). However, further discussion and lack of agreement amongst the Institutes resulted in the matter not being pursued. Agreement was reached however on the functions of the Institutes, and a joint statement was produced. This statement is reproduced in the ACER history (see, W.F. Connell, op.cit, p.320.
Historical ABN records show registration on 1 November 1999, around the time that Dr Ted Sandercock was SAIER President. Records suggest that SAIER was located at 163 Greenhill Rd, Parkside South Australia 5063, home of the Australian Education Union SA Branch and the South Australian Institute of Teachers (SAIT) back to its establishment in 1950.
In the Noel Butlin Archives Collection at the ANU, SAIER is mentioned in relation to a 'Subject series' document (N91/505), dated 1966-1967 (p.19).
From 1995, SAIER collaborated with NSWIER and WAIER to jointly publish the IIER.

SAIER Events

From the early days, SAIER's main activities focused on organising three events per year. These were relaxed and friendly face to face gatherings, held in the early evening. Attendees stayed on after the 1 hour lecture to enjoy a cuppa and a biscuit and some rich conversation.

The three events are still running today:

The Annual John Keeves Lecture, around March
The Mid Year Seminar, around July
The Spring Seminar Series, around September

A SAIER lecture at the ACER Adelaide Office, 2015

Emeritus Professor John P. Keeves

In honour of John's contribution, a book was published in 2021 by bringing together memories of the man from those who knew him well, his family, his students, colleagues and friends.

The Keeves Lectures

SAIER holds an annual lecture in honour of Professor John P. Keeves - an outstanding scholar with a lifelong interest in educational measurement, analyses and the exchange of methods and content across different disciplines.

The breadth of John’s interests is reflected in The process of research in education – a book published on the occasion of John’s 85th birthday in 2009. Articles range from the challenges associated with cross-cultural research to topics such as mental health, occupational burn-out, languages and literacy, single-sex schooling, the generation and analyses of research models, factors influencing mathematics and science performance, approaches to learning and research reflection. However, the issue that is probably still closest to John’s heart is the continuous quest to improve all aspects of educational measurement and analysis as reflected by his editorship of the methodology section of the International Encyclopaedia of Education and the stand-alone International Handbook of Educational Measurement.

As a physics graduate, John taught science and mathematics for 15 years before joining the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in 1962. First as a senior researcher and later (1977-1984) as Director, John spent much time and effort on facilitating Australia’s participation in large-scale international comparative studies.

In 2005, John became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his services to educational research. Similarly, John’s life membership of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) and SAIER as well as the Fellowship of the Australian College of Educators acknowledge his outstanding scholarly contributions.

This lecture series is designed to celebrate the contribution of Professor Keeves to educational research and teaching. The first lecture was held on 16th March 2010 at Tabor Adelaide, titled, A new methodology: The Data Linkage Demonstration Project presented by David Engelhardt, Department of Education and Children’s Services South Australia (DECS). This and other presentations (where available) are provided on the Past Events page.

Mid-Year and Springs Seminars

These have been held with Flinders Institute for International Education and ran for several years from 2000.

In 2010, the seminars moved to a more central location at the historic Tabor College Adelaide on Goodwood Road.

Dr Ted Sandercock,
SAIER President
until 2022

Reflections from the our past SAIER President

After John P. Keeves retirement from ACER and his appointment as Emeritus professor at Flinders University, he attended SAIER Seminars. He was regularly consulted by the SAIER Executive during the planning for the annual seminar programme. In 1999 the SAIER Executive of SAIER invited John Keeves to join the SAIER Executive. Fortunately for SAIER, he agreed and his influence created many opportunities for promoting SAIER.

At the SAIER Annual General meeting held in March 2005, the SAIER awarded Professor John P. Keeves, Honorary Life Membership for his outstanding contribution to educational research and to the work of SAIER. John Keeves with his networks and experience in educational research enabled the SAIER to present current and relevant seminars and workshops for the SA education community. The SAIER Executive always appreciated his assistance and guidance in its deliberations and planning.

In honour of Professor John P. Keeves, SAIER holds an annual lecture to celebrate his outstanding scholarship and his lifelong interest in educational measurement, analyses and the exchange of methods and content across different disciplines. This lecture series is designed to celebrate the contribution of Professor Keeves to educational research and teaching. As can be seen, the lecture has attracted a variety of presenters and will certainty remind SAIER members of the outstanding contribution Professor John P. Keeves made to International and Australian educational research.

The Keeves’ Collection will remain a physical reminder of the breadth and depth of John’s scholarship.

SAIER's next phase

In 2014, the SAIER seminars found a new home at the new ACER Pulteney Street office with
Dr Petra Lietz, Head of the ACER Adelaide Office becoming SAIER Secretary and Ms Juliet Young-Thornton providing administrative support. Supported by Dr Ted Sandercock as President, SAIER's first website was established.

With Petra's retired as SAIER Secretary in 2021 and Ted's sad passing in 2022, Dr Katherine Dix, SAIER Treasurer, assumed responsibility for SAIER.

In 2023, SAIER moved into a new post-COVID era, still located at ACER, with a new website and stronger collaboration with it's sister organisations, WAIER and NSWIER. We look forward to seeing new faces and continuing to be a vibrant platform for exchange between education researchers, policy makers and educators in South Australia, and more broadly.

E.Prof John Keeves and Dr Petra Lietz, 2014

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