Knowledge is Power II: Australia's teacher professional knowledge gap presents the results of a national survey which asked 377 primary and secondary school teachers to respond to 10 statements about the fundamental principles of the science of learning and effective instruction. The report finds that, on average, Australian teachers answered just 4.53 out of 10 questions correctly.

It finds 88% of teachers believe the debunked ‘learning styles’ myth - that students learn better when taught in their preferred 'learning style', such as visual, auditory or kinaesthetic. More than one in three teachers (38%) believe the myth that students learn better through discovery than explicit instruction.

Importantly, the report finds the results point to an education system problem rather than a failure of individual teachers.

The report also challenges the assumption that professional knowledge naturally improves over time. Overall scores did not differ significantly according to teachers’ age, gender or whether they taught primary or secondary school. This suggests that knowledge of the science of learning does not necessarily develop through classroom experience alone.

The report recommends implementing reforms to initial teacher education, while recognising that these alone will not solve the problem. It also recommends reforming the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to establish a clearer body of professional knowledge, drawing on England's Early Career Framework as a model. It further calls on schools and education systems to identify gaps in teachers’ understanding and target professional development accordingly.