ProfessorKathryn MacCallum

Kathryn’s work sits at the intersection of AI literacy, digital pedagogy, teacher professional knowledge, and education policy, with a strong emphasis on Indigenous and equity-centred approaches. She is best known for leading the development of the Scaffolded AI Literacy (SAIL) framework, which has shaped national curriculum reform in Aotearoa New Zealand and is informing institutional and international approaches to AI in education.

Her research is impact-driven and policy-engaged, translating conceptual and empirical work into curriculum design, professional learning, and system-level change. She works closely with schools, tertiary providers, government agencies, and international partners to ensure research outcomes are meaningful, adoptable, and sustainable.

Kathryn has published extensively in high-impact international journals, leads multiple funded research initiatives, and supervises doctoral research.

Enquiries are welcome from prospective PhD students and collaborators interested in AI literacy, digital pedagogy, curriculum reform, and education policy. Particular interest is on projects with strong theoretical grounding and applied impact across education systems.

Impact Highlights

• National curriculum influence: Research directly informed the redeveloped Digital Technologies Curriculum and is contributing to ongoing discussions around AI literacy integration across the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. 
• Framework adoption at scale: Developed nationally and internationally adopted frameworks ((TPACK)², He Whare Ako, He Whare Hangarau, and SAIL) now embedded in institutional strategies, professional learning, and teacher education programmes.
• Policy and sector engagement: Research has shaped institutional assessment policy, teacher preparation guidance, and national conversations on responsible AI use in education.
• Practice change: Funded projects have supported measurable changes in classroom and tertiary teaching practice through teacher-researcher partnerships and sector-wide professional learning.
• Leadership in emerging fields: Recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in AI literacy and digital pedagogy, with invited contributions to policy forums, curriculum advisory groups, and international research networks.

Selected Media Engagements and Keynotes

• Keynote addresses, lectures, and panels, including international and national appearances; informing MoE officials, professional bodies, and education leaders; and positioning Aotearoa New Zealand research within international AI-in-education conversations.
• Invited media commentary and interviews on AI and education for national and international outlets, contributing to public understanding of generative AI, assessment, and curriculum reform.
• The Conversation – Authored research-informed articles on digital education and AI, including one piece translated into French and read by over 63,000 readers, extending reach beyond academic audiences.