Research-based practice has played an important role the first ten-years’ experience of Drama Rainbow Education, and all practices of the Centre are underpinned by theories of pedagogy, philosophy, psychology, as well as drama and theatre methodology. The DRE Centre has been involved in group and individual analysis of children and families, debating and exploring drama through educational methods, and in the production of the “Creative Curriculum” developed for use in kindergartens and primary schools. The Centre has, up to this point, created six courses of the “Creative Curriculum” for kindergartens (KLCC), based around picture books, and twelve courses for primary schools (PLCC), based around original commissioned short stories. It is under the auspices of the Research Centre that Cao Xi has edited Carmel O’Sullivan’s Drama in Education: Practical Guidance and Curriculum Plan (three volumes) and translated David Davis’ Imagining the Real: Towards a New Theory of Drama in Education, and the Drama Improves Competences in Education (DICE) EU project research findings.

The Drama Rainbow Education Research Centre has archived seminal articles and other materials from the history of DiE and TiE as they have developed throughout the world. Many of these materials are difficult to source, as a large part of the most significant theoretical developments occurred before the digital and Internet age, but the Centre continuously seeks to add, update and digitalise the archive. Furthermore, it provides theoretical support for the practice for all Five Centres of Drama Rainbow Education. We are also actively recording the theoretical development of our own practice over the past ten years while we are creating it. The spirit of the Research Centre is not only reflected in the specific research our teacher-facilitators undertake, but also in our mechanisms for recording our daily operations and day-to-day running of the DRE Centre.