The nexus between research and student learning : reflecting on international testing research and reflections

The proposition explored in this chapter is that academic leaders committed to promoting a close connection between research and student learning may benefit from an appreciation of the forces that drive them apart. This argument is based on four interdependent considerations. First, the research literature indicates disconnections between teaching and research, and suggests that the forces pulling them in separate directions are quite powerful. Second, the argument developed in the chapter is situated within a meta-analysis of Australian research into international English language testing and the critical reflections of a test-taker. The third section provides an account of the experiences of a student in China, preparing for and undertaking the International English Language Testing System test (IELTS). Her experiences are located in relation to the four key areas in which research was undertaken by IELTS Australia during the period 1998 to 2007. The final section suggests possibilities for making a stronger connection among the research-teaching-learning nexus in the context of efforts to internationalise universities.