[4] His research focuses on performance indicators and evaluation in education, as well as creativity measurement and models of teaching and learning.

He led the team that created the Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning research and development contract and which is currently deployed by the New Zealand Ministry of Education for use in schools.

[citation needed] Hattie undertook the largest ever synthesis of meta-analyses of quantitative measures of the effect of different factors on educational outcomes leading to his book Visible Learning.

[2] Visible Learning has come under criticism for mathematical flaws in the calculation of effect sizes and misleading presentation of meta-analyses in the book.

[7] In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hattie was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.