ProfessorKathryn MacCallum

My research addresses how education systems can respond to rapid technological change in ways that are educationally sound, culturally grounded, and socially just.

My current and emerging research focuses on:

• Scaling and evaluating AI literacy frameworks across schooling and tertiary contexts, including impacts on curriculum, assessment, and teacher education
• Examining how generative AI reshapes knowledge, power, and professional judgement in education
• Developing culturally-grounded approaches to AI literacy that foreground Indigenous knowledge systems and values
• Supporting educators and institutions to design assessment and learning environments that remain robust in AI-rich contexts
• Building international collaborations focused on AI, (mis)information, and educational futures

I am particularly interested in collaborative, cross-institutional research that combines conceptual development with applied, real-world impact.

Across my work, I focus on designing and evaluating frameworks, models, and interventions that support educators, learners, and institutions to engage critically and responsibly with digital and AI technologies. This includes conceptual model development, design-based research, mixed-methods studies, and large-scale sector engagement.

A central strand of my current research is AI literacy, where I lead nationally and internationally recognised work on how learners and educators understand, use, critique, and govern AI systems. This research foregrounds Indigenous perspectives and addresses gaps in dominant global AI narratives that often marginalise cultural, ethical, and relational dimensions of learning.

Key Research Areas

• AI Literacy and Responsible AI in Education
• Digital Pedagogy and Learning Design
• Teacher Professional Knowledge and Capability
• Curriculum, Policy, and System Change
• Equity, Indigenous Perspectives, and Inclusion

 

My research is supported through competitive national and international funding and is undertaken in partnership with schools, tertiary providers, government agencies, and global research networks. I actively seek collaborations that support large-scale, interdisciplinary, and impact-focused research in AI and digital education.