Career Summary
Biography
Katie is a lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle, coordinating and lecturing courses in the areas of Mathematics, Science, Technology, Curriculum, Professional Development and Classroom Management.
Katie's PhD focused on the relationship between leadership styles and staff morale in primary schools. Her study revealed that where authentic and transformational styles of leadership are prevalent, staff morale is heightened, trust is gained, and staff satisfaction is increased. She completed her Master of Education in Information Technology, a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Teaching in Primary Education with a specialisation in Science & Technology and Music.
Previously, Katie maintained various leadership positions across (K-12) schools, including acting Head of Primary and Deputy Head of Primary, responsible for Curriculum Development, STEM, ICT integration and Pastoral Care. She has been a primary classroom teacher and has taught across a wide range of diverse educational institutions in Australia and in Bangkok, Thailand and the UK.
Committed to delivering best teaching practices through research and collaboration, Katie’s interests are aligned with improving excellence in education, particularly at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Katie’s research interests are aligned with driving effective leadership and management change, promoting STEM integration and incorporating the use of meaningful technology into everyday learning practices.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Wollongong
- Master of Education/Information Technology Education, University of Wollongong
Keywords
- Curriculum Development
- Educational Pedagogy
- Leadership
- Leadership & Management
- Mathematics
- Pedagogy
- STEM
- STEM Education
- Science & Technology
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 390403 | Educational administration, management and leadership | 40 |
| 390405 | Educational technology and computing | 30 |
| 390109 | Mathematics and numeracy curriculum and pedagogy | 30 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
| Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|
| Lecturer | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
Academic appointment
| Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|---|
| 1/1/2020 - | Casual Academic | UON School of Education Australia |
| 1/7/2009 - 31/12/2012 | Lecturer | The University of Wollongong School of Education Australia |
Teaching appointment
| Dates | Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4/2017 - 31/12/2021 | Head of ICT | STEM (K-6) | Newcastle Grammar School Australia |
| 1/1/2013 - 30/6/2016 | Deputy Head of Junior School | Newcastle Grammar School Australia |
| 1/1/2008 - 1/7/2009 | Deputy Head of Junior School | Queenwood School for Girls Australia |
Awards
Award
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2024 |
2024 College Excellence Award for Work Integrated Learning Academic Excellence, University of Newcastle |
| 2023 |
2023 College Excellence Award for Industry Engagement College of Human and Social Futures |
Nomination
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2024 |
2024 College Excellence Award for Work Integrated Learning University of Newcastle |
| 2023 |
2023 College Excellence Award for Industry Engagement College of Human and Social Futures |
Teaching
| Code | Course | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDUC1050 |
K-6 Pedagogies The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Tutor | 1/1/2022 - 1/7/2022 |
| EDUC2744 |
K-6 Science and Technology The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Course Coordinator | 1/7/2022 - 1/12/2022 |
| EDUC2746 |
K-6 Society and Environment The University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 1/7/2021 - 1/12/2021 |
| EDUC4749 |
Advanced Numeracy School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Course Coordinator | 1/1/0001 - 1/1/0001 |
| EDUC3055 |
Pedagogies of Numeracy from Birth to 12 Years The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Tutor | 1/7/2021 - 1/12/2021 |
| EDUC3055 |
Pedagogies of Numeracy from Birth to 12 Years The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Tutor | 1/7/2022 - 1/12/2022 |
| EDUC2749 |
K-6 Numeracy The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Course Coordinator | 1/1/2022 - 1/7/2022 |
| EDUC2744 |
K-6 Science and Technology The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Tutor | 1/7/2021 - 1/12/2021 |
| EDUC6749 |
Advanced Numeracy The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Course Coordinator | 1/1/2020 - 1/7/2020 |
| EDUC3055 |
Pedagogies of Numeracy from Birth to 12 Years The University of Newcastle - Faculty of Education and Arts |
Tutor | 1/7/2020 - 1/12/2020 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Chapter (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Waters K, Tafazoli D, Spray E, Burgess R, Shaw E, Southgate E, et al., 'Australian initial teacher educators' perspectives on artificial intelligence.', Artificial intelligence for advancing education quality and inclusion: Practices across educational settings, Springer, Springer (2025)
|
Journal article (4 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Tafazoli D, McCallum L, Ranjbaran Madiseh F, Kusuma IPI, Nami F, Roe J, et al., 'A conceptual model for inclusive computer-assisted language learning: A collaborative ethnography', CALL-EJ, 26 1-28 (2025) [C1]
|
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| 2025 |
Macqueen S, Ferguson-Patrick K, Waters K, Zhang Y, 'University student anticipation and experience of challenges and support during compulsory Work Integrated Learning components', Australian Educational Researcher, (2025) [C1] Work Integrated Learning (WIL) experiences are part of many university programs, taking various forms including internships and professional experiences. WIL provides students wit... [more] Work Integrated Learning (WIL) experiences are part of many university programs, taking various forms including internships and professional experiences. WIL provides students with valuable capital for future employment; however, not all students have capacity to participate in extended, unpaid placements. This may lead to financial and other stressors including financial difficulties. WIL often requires different locations and hours than regular courses, so may be problematic for students with other commitments. Inability to undertake WIL may exclude some students, reinforcing inequity or causing attrition. This study examined student perspectives of WIL, to determine the anticipated and experienced issues arising, supports utilised or desired for managing WIL, and considerations for making WIL more accessible. A survey with students across a range of disciplines at one Australian university compared perspectives of students who had yet to complete WIL with those who had already done so. Participants without WIL experience underestimated the challenges presented and overestimated the university support accessed by students. Finances were a major concern for both groups and issues often compounded, negatively affecting wellbeing. Students desired greater flexibility in WIL, along with further institutional support. Findings provide considerations for university policies and practices to improve student experiences and provide more equitable distribution of capital for students.
|
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| 2024 |
Burgess R, Waters K, Prieto-Rodriguez E, 'Communities of secondary science teachers: a systematic review', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION, [C1]
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| Show 1 more journal article | ||||||||
Conference (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 |
Burgess R, Waters K, Spray E, Prieto-Rodriguez E, 'Science Teacher Facebook Groups: Online Communities of Practice or a Billboard for Resource Creators?', Auckland, New Zealand (2024)
|
Thesis / Dissertation (1 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Waters K, The relationship between principals' leadership styles and job satisfaction as perceived by primary school teachers across NSW independent schools, University of Wollongong (2013) |
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 12 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $247,406 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20251 grants / $25,000
ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowship$25,000
Funding body: University of Newcastle
| Funding body | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr. Katie Waters |
| Scheme | Internal Competitive Schemes |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2025 |
| Funding Finish | 2026 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20247 grants / $149,435
CNC Plasma Cutter$51,768
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Andrew Lyell, Erica Southgate, Emma Shaw, Robertson Burgess, Katie Waters, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Dara Tafazoli, Andrew Lyell, James Goulding, Natasha Kett, Susan Ledger, Heather Sharp, Marina Sindija |
| 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 | Erica Southgate, Katie Waters, Emma Shaw, Robertson Burgess, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Dara Tafazoli, Andrew Lyell, James Goulding, Natasha Kett, Susan Ledger, Greg Preston, Heather Sharp, Marina Sindija, |
| Scheme | CAPEX 2024 |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Mobile Immersive Learning Lab$21,467
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Erica Southgate, Katie Waters, Emma Shaw, Robertson Burgess, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Dara Tafazoli, Andrew Lyell, James Goulding, Natasha Kett, Susan Ledger, Greg Preston, Heather Sharp, Marina Sindija, |
| 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 | Dr Katie Waters, Dr Robertson Burgess, Dr Emma Shaw, Mr Andrew Lyell |
| Scheme | Educator Grant |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2024 |
| Funding Finish | 2025 |
| 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 | Erica Southgate, Katie Waters, Emma Shaw, Robertson Burgess, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Dara Tafazoli, Andrew Lyell, James Goulding, Natasha Kett, Susan Ledger, Greg Preston, Heather Sharp, Marina Sindija, |
| 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$11,624
Funding body: CAPEX, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | CAPEX, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Erica Southgate, Katie Waters, Emma Shaw, Robertson Burgess, Erika Spray, Tess Rendoth, Dara Tafazoli, Andrew Lyell, James Goulding, Natasha Kett, Susan Ledger, Greg Preston, Heather Sharp, Marina Sindija, |
| 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 |
20234 grants / $72,971
CAPEX $30,000
Funding body: College of Social and Human Futures
| Funding body | College of Social and Human Futures |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Katie Waters |
| Scheme | CAPEX |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2023 |
| Funding Finish | 2023 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Google Educator PD Grant Workshop$28,000
Funding body: Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
| Funding body | Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Doctor Katie Waters, Doctor Katie Waters, Professor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez |
| Scheme | Educator Grant |
| Role | Lead |
| Funding Start | 2023 |
| Funding Finish | 2024 |
| GNo | G2300844 |
| Type Of Funding | C3400 – International For Profit |
| Category | 3400 |
| UON | Y |
Equity in WIL: accessibility for mature female students$9,971
Funding body: College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle
| Funding body | College of Human and Social Futures | University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Suzanne MacQueen (Lead) Kate Ferguson-Patrick (Co-Investigator) Katie Waters (Co-Investigator) |
| Scheme | CHSF - Pilot Research Scheme: Projects, Pivots, Partnerships |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2023 |
| Funding Finish | 2023 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
GLOBAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TRAVEL GRANTS $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 | Associate Professor Scott Imig, Dr Katie Waters, Dr Agustinus Bandur, |
| Scheme | CHSF Pilot Research Scheme |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2023 |
| Funding Finish | 2023 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | PhD | The Impact Of Learning Environments On Student Learning Processes. | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2023 | PhD | Outdoor Classroom Research Project: Reconnecting Primary Students To Nature While Achieving National, State And Steiner Education Australia Curriculum Standards | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2022 | PhD | Exploring the Role of Educational Leaders in Supporting Successful E-Learning Initiatives | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2022 | PhD | Methods Used to Reduce Domestic Violence Against Children in Saudi Arabia: A Comparative Study of Ways to Reduce Domestic Violence in the UK and KSA | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2022 | Masters | Investigating the Implementation of Developing Curriculum and Pedagogical Strategies for Digital Safety and Well-being Through the ANC Digital Literacies Framework | M Philosophy (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2018 | PhD | Creativity and Primary Schools: When Does Creativity Decline and What are the Contributing Factors? | PhD (Education), College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Research Collaborations
The map is a representation of a researchers co-authorship with collaborators across the globe. The map displays the number of publications against a country, where there is at least one co-author based in that country. Data is sourced from the University of Newcastle research publication management system (NURO) and may not fully represent the authors complete body of work.
| Country | Count of Publications | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 5 | |
| Algeria | 1 | |
| United Kingdom | 1 | |
| Indonesia | 1 | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 1 | |
| More... | ||
News
News • 21 Nov 2024
Advancing equity in research with nine new fellowships
The University of Newcastle has announced its inaugural cohort of the ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships.
Dr Katie Waters
Position
Lecturer
School of Education
College of Human and Social Futures
Focus area
Education
Contact Details
| katie.waters@newcastle.edu.au |
Office
| Room | V224 |
|---|---|
| Building | V Building |
| Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |
Connect with me
NEWS • 21 Nov 2024
Advancing equity in research with nine new fellowships
The University of Newcastle has announced its inaugural cohort of the ADVANCE Equity in Research Fellowships.