Career Summary
Biography
Dr Emma Shaw is a Lecturer in the School of Education, where she teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programs. She is a member of the HERMES History Education Research Network and serves as Assistant Editor of Historical Encounters: A Journal of Historical Consciousness, Historical Cultures, and History Education.
Emma holds a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) from the University of Newcastle, graduating with Class I Honours and multiple prestigious awards, including the University Medal, the Faculty Medal, and the HG Duncan Prize. She completed her PhD in 2018.
Emma’s research is driven by a deep interest in how history is produced, personalised, and performed in contemporary life. Working through a philosophical hermeneutic lens, she explores how individuals and communities engage with history in public spaces, and how learners develop historical thinking and research practices. Her work critically interrogates the (re)framing of historical narratives in an era marked by the democratisation of archival access, the rise of personalised pasts, and the global circulation of memory.
Her current research investigates the powerful intersections between identity, memory, and technology, focusing on the cultural and pedagogical impacts of DNA testing, and the representation of intergenerational trauma in contexts of migration and displacement. She is particularly interested in the role emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and simulation, play in reshaping, mediating, and at times distorting our engagement with the past. Emma’s work challenges conventional understandings of historical knowledge and raises critical questions about truth, narrative authority, and historical consciousness in the digital age.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts (Hons), University of Newcastle
Keywords
- DNA Testing
- Family History
- Historical Literacy
- History
- History Education
- Public History
- Public Pedagogies
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 390306 | Secondary education | 10 |
| 390301 | Continuing and community education | 40 |
| 390107 | Humanities and social sciences curriculum and pedagogy (excl. economics, business and management) | 50 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
| Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|
| Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
Awards
Distinction
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2012 |
G H Duncan Prize in Education The University of Newcastle |
| 2012 |
University Medal The University of Newcastle |
| 2012 |
Honours Class I University of Newcastle |
| 2012 |
Faculty Medal The University of Newcastle |
| 2011 |
University of Newcastle Certificate for Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts - Social Sciences University of Newcastle |
| 2009 |
Sir Edward Parry Memorial Prize Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle, Australia |
Professional
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2020 |
DVC(A) Merit List (2020) For Learning and Teaching Excellence The University of Newcastle | Australia |
| 2018 |
DVC(A) Merit List (2018) For Learning and Teaching Excellence Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle, Australia |
Teaching
| Code | Course | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDUC2101 |
Introduction to Specialist Studies Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle, Australia |
Tutor | 28/2/2012 - 28/6/2014 |
| EDUC2036 |
Specialist Studies in History 1 Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle, Australia |
Lecturer, tutor | 23/2/2016 - 28/11/2020 |
| EDUC6493 |
Specialist Studies in Society and Culture, Aboriginal Studies, and Studies of Religion Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Coordinator, lecturer, tutor | 28/2/2017 - 26/6/2020 |
| EDUC6536 |
Specialist Studies in History 2 Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 23/2/2016 - 22/2/2020 |
| EDUC4991 |
Specialist Studies in Senior Social Sciences College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
Course Coordinator | Lecturer | Tutor | 23/2/2021 - 28/5/2021 |
| EDUC4940 |
Research Design and Critique Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 25/7/2017 - 15/12/2018 |
| EDUC6252 |
Sociocultural Context for ESL Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 26/2/2019 - 30/7/2019 |
| EDUC4809 |
Historical Consciousness, Public Memory and Nation Building Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Lecturer | 11/7/2017 - 27/6/2017 |
| EDUC1101 |
Curriculum, Assessment, and Pedagogy The University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 26/2/2013 - 18/12/2020 |
| EDUC4093 |
Specialist Studies in Society and Culture, Aboriginal Studies, and Studies of Religion Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Coordinator, lecturer, tutor | 28/2/2017 - 26/6/2020 |
| EDUC6109 |
Integrated Fieldwork Studies Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Coordinator | 26/2/2019 - 29/6/2019 |
| EDUC2181 |
Managing the Learning Environment Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Coordinator, tutor | 22/1/2020 - 26/6/2020 |
| EDUC4136 |
Specialist Studies in History 2 Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 23/2/2016 - 31/7/2020 |
| EDUC2103 |
Schooling, Identity, and Society Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 26/2/2013 - 28/6/2013 |
| EDUC2151 |
Multiliteracies Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
Lecturer, tutor | 24/7/2018 - 29/11/2020 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (3 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Waters K, Tafazoli D, Spray E, Burgess R, Shaw E, Southgate E, Rendoth T, Ledger S, 'Australian initial teacher educators’ perspectives on artificial intelligence.' (2025)
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| 2022 |
Shaw E, Donnelly D, '(Re)discovering the Familial Past and Its Impact on Historical Consciousness', 57-73 (2022)
|
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| 2021 |
Shaw E, 'Family History Research as a Transformative Pedagogy', Family History and Historians in Australia and New Zealand. Related Histories, Routledge, New York, NY 165-182 (2021) [B1]
|
Open Research Newcastle |
Conference (10 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Shaw E, 'Conversations with historical avatars: The repackaging of testimony in the digital age.' (2025) | ||||
| 2024 |
Donnelly D, Shaw E, 'Showcasing Testimony at the Sydney Jewish Museum: Repackaging the Past in the Digital Age.', Showcasing Testimony at the Sydney Jewish Museum: Repackaging the Past in the Digital Age., Stirling, Scotland (2024)
|
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| 2024 |
Shaw E, Donnelly D, 'The Search for Identity and DNA Testing in Family History Investigations' (2024)
|
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| 2013 |
Parkes RJ, Shaw E, 'That's not who I thought I was! Learning from celebrity encounters with unexpected family history narratives', AARE Conference Proceedings, Adelaide, South Australia (2013) [E3]
|
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| Show 7 more conferences | |||||
Journal article (10 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Spray E, Smith A, Shaw E, Burke R, 'Early Career Teacher Preparedness to Respond to Student Mental Health', Education Sciences, 15, 1505-1505
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2024 |
Shaw EL, Donnelly DJ, Boadu G, Burke R, Parkes RJ, 'DNA Testing and Identities in Family History Research', GENEALOGY, 8 (2024) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2021 |
Shaw EL, Donnelly DJ, '(Re)discovering the Familial Past and Its Impact on Historical Consciousness', Genealogy, 5, 102-116 (2021) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2021 |
Shaw EL, Donnelly DJ, 'Micro-narratives of the ancestors: worship, censure, and empathy in family hi(stories)', RETHINKING HISTORY, 25, 207-223 (2021) [C1]
Family history research has become one of the most popular pastimes in the world due to digital advances and the resulting democratization of historical records. For ma... [more] Family history research has become one of the most popular pastimes in the world due to digital advances and the resulting democratization of historical records. For many, family history research is a heuristic in which to make empathetic connections with their ancestors they will never (and can never) meet due to the barriers of temporal, geographical and intergenerational distance. The resulting family histories reconstruct and re-tell social history through the micro-historical lens of the individual. It has been claimed that this intimate connection between researchers and their familial narrative can heighten empathetic responses and lead to interpretations and assumptions beyond the evidence. This paper examines this proposition by analyzing qualitative data drawn from a large survey that examined the beliefs and practices of Australian family historians. The data supported their use of historical imagination as a catalyst for historical interpretation and meaning-making, and the well-established Ashby and Lee's (1987) stages of historical empathy was used to gauge depth of understanding. The research concludes that for many family history researchers, micro-narratives of their ancestors evoked a wide range of empathetic responses ranging from the elementary to the nuanced and sophisticated.
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2021 |
Shaw E, 'Historical thinking and family historians: Renovating the house of history?', Historical Encounters: A journal of historical consciousness, historical cultures, and history education, 8, 83-96 (2021) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2020 |
Donnelly DJ, Shaw EL, 'Docudrama as ‘Histotainment’: Repackaging Family History in the Digital Age', Public History Review, 27, 48-68 (2020) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Shaw E, '“Who We Are, and Why We Do It”: A Demographic Overview and the Cited Motivations of Australia’s Family Historians', Journal of Family History, 109-124 (2019) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Donnelly DJ, Parkes RJ, Sharp HL, Shaw EL, 'Remembering Australia’s past project: pre-service history teachers, national narratives and historical consciousness', Curriculum Perspectives, 39, 159-168 (2019) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| 2019 |
Burke R, Shaw E, Baker S, 'Literacy autobiographies in pre-service teacher education: opportunities for therapeutic writing in widening participation contexts', Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 21 151-161 (2019) [C1]
|
Open Research Newcastle | |||||||||
| Show 7 more journal articles | |||||||||||
Other (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 |
Parkes RJ, Shaw E, 'The Irony of Family History as a Source of Identity', ( issue.32) (2015)
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Thesis / Dissertation (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Shaw E, "Life in the Past Lane": An exploration of the motives and meta historical understanding of family history researchers., University of Newcastle (2018) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 15 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $260,834 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20253 grants / $13,760
SimTeach mixed-reality simulation: Preparing ITE students for the complex realities of the teaching profession.$5,260
Funding body: CHSF
| Funding body | CHSF |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Emma Shaw; Professor Susan Ledger; Associate Professor Debra Donnelly |
| Scheme | CHSF Pilot Research Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
• Distorted nostalgia: Exploring the digital manipulation of history teaching resources and their implications for the historiographic landscape$5,000
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Emma Shaw |
| Scheme | CHSF New Start Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Distorted nostalgia: Exploring the digital manipulations of history teaching resources and their implications$3,500
Funding body: CHSF
| Funding body | CHSF |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Emma Shaw |
| Scheme | New Start |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20248 grants / $158,313
CNC Plasma Cutter and Hydraulic Bending Brake$51,768
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Lead Andrew Lyell, Erica Southgate, Emma Shaw, Katie Waters, Robertson Burgess, James Goulding, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Natasha Kett, Heather Sharp, Sue Ledger, Dara Tafazoli, Marina Sindija, Greg Preston |
| Scheme | CAPEX 2024 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
ICE Software iCave$27,000
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Lead Tess Rendoth, Erica Southgate, Emma Shaw, Katie Waters, Robertson Burgess, James Goulding, Erika Spray, Natasha Kett, Heather Sharp, Sue Ledger, Dara Tafazoli, Marina Sindija, Greg Preston |
| Scheme | CAPEX 2024 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Mobile Immersive Learning Lab$21,468
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Lead Erica Southgate, Emma Shaw, Katie Waters, Robertson Burgess, James Goulding, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Natasha Kett, Heather Sharp, Sue Ledger, Dara Tafazoli, Marina Sindija, Greg Preston |
| Scheme | CAPEX 2024 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Google Educator PD Grant Workshop$14,000
Funding body: Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
| Funding body | Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Katie Waters, Emma Shaw, Andrew Lyell |
| Scheme | Educator Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | External |
| Category | EXTE |
| UON | N |
Eye Tracking Wearable$13,576
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Lead James Goulding, Erica Southgate, Emma Shaw, Katie Waters, Robertson Burgess, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Natasha Kett, Heather Sharp, Sue Ledger, Dara Tafazoli, Marina Sindija, Greg Preston |
| Scheme | CAPEX 2024 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Video Editing and Transcoding workstation$10,501
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Lead Robertson Burgess, Erica Southgate, Emma Shaw, Katie Waters, James Goulding, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Natasha Kett, Heather Sharp, Sue Ledger, Dara Tafazoli, Marina Sindija, Greg Preston |
| Scheme | CAPEX 2024 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
2024 Pilot Research Scheme – SOUTHGATE$10,000
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Associate Professor Erica Southgate, Professor Susan Ledger, Dr Emma Shaw, Dr Robertson Burgess, Dr Katie Waters, Dr Erika Spray, Dr Natasha Kett, Ms Tess Rendoth, Dr James Goulding, Mr Andrew Lyell |
| Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Global Experience Support Fund$10,000
Funding body: Global Office
| Funding body | Global Office |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Emma Shaw |
| Scheme | Global Experience Support Fund |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Not Known |
| Category | UNKN |
| UON | N |
20221 grants / $2,450
CHSF Conference Travel Grant$2,450
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | CHSF - Conference Travel Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2022 |
| Funding Finish | 2022 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20211 grants / $3,000
CHSF Working Parents Research Relief Scheme$3,000
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Scheme | CHSF - Working Parents Research Relief Scheme |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2021 |
| Funding Finish | 2021 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20202 grants / $83,311
Engaging with Traumatic Pasts: Investigating Effective and Affective Pedagogies for Social Inclusion and Reconciliation$70,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | A/Prof R Parkes (Lead); A/Prof H Sharp; Dr D Donnelly; Dr R Burke; Prof C Mathis; Prof N Ammert; Prof S Edling; Dr E Shaw et al |
| Scheme | Research Programs Pilot Scheme |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2020 |
| Funding Finish | 2021 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
The role of muesums as educative resources in preservice teachers' understanding of displacement.$13,311
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Debra Donnelly (Lead), Dr Rachel Burke and Dr Emma Shaw |
| Scheme | Strategic Network and Pilot Project Grants Scheme |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2020 |
| Funding Finish | 2020 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PhD | Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers' Integration of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) through Actioned Pedagogy for Immersive Learning (APIL) in Virtual Reality (VR) Environment | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2025 | PhD | Examining the Interrelatedness of Cognitive Neuroscience and Education in Drama and the Potential for Research to Improve Teaching Pedagogy | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
| 2022 | PhD | Developing Sense of Belonging and Intercultural Competence in the Emerging Multimodal English Language Classroom: A Mixed-Methods Study of COVID-19 Driven Changes to Teaching and Learning and Their Impact on Language Learners from Diverse Sociocultural and Linguistic Backgrounds | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2021 | PhD | Caught in a Confluence of Crises: Exploring teachers’ confidence and preparedness to respond to student mental health | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Principal Supervisor |
| 2020 | PhD | Digging Deeper: An Archaeological Education for Secondary Students in NSW. Investigating Real Archaeology in Ancient History Education; Its Function, History, Integration and Use in Secondary Schools | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2019 | PhD | Using Historical Sources and Representations in the Teaching of Secondary School History in NSW: Teaching Methodologies and Historical Understanding | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
| Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Honours | Artificial Intelligence in NSW classrooms: Challenges and Affordances | Education, School of Education, The University of Newcastle | Sole Supervisor |
| 2023 | Honours | Student Re-Integration: Educational Support Resources to Assist Students Post-Brain Injury | Education, School of Education, The University of Newcastle | Sole Supervisor |
| 2023 | PhD | Integrating the NSW 7-10 History Syllabus' Skills and Concepts Prescriptions | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2023 | Honours | (Re)Contesting the past: An exploration of contested spaces in the History (7-10) curriculum and the politicisation of Australia's national history. | Education, School of Education, The University of Newcastle | Sole Supervisor |
| 2022 | PhD | Examining Curricular Innovation in EFL Secondary Schooling: A Chilean Context | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2019 | Honours | Discourses in Rural Education: A Critical Review of the NSW's Blueprint for Action | Education, Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle, Australia | Co-Supervisor |
News
News • 13 May 2020
Modern teaching techniques shaping students’ learning experience
As an inaugural recipient of a DVC(A) Merit List Award for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Lecturer in the School of Education, Dr Emma Shaw, shares how she uses modern teaching techniques to shape her students’ learning experience.
Dr Emma Shaw
Position
Lecturer
School of Education
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
| emma.shaw@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Phone | 0240553024 |
Office
| Room | V123 |
|---|---|
| Building | The Griffith Duncan Building |
| Location | Callaghan Campus University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |
