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Catherine Smyth

BA(DipEd)(Macquarie)

Associate Lecturer, HSIE K-6 Curriculum and Curriculum Studies

4th Year B.Ed (Primary) Coordinator

Email:

Phone: +61 2 9351 5759

Fax: +61 2 9351 5027

Building.Room: A35.819

Research interests

Research on teaching and learning

  • Social sciences, including civics
  • Teacher education and professional learning

Keywords

History curriculum (K-6), HSIE, Civics and Citizenship Education, primary curriculum, Global Education


Professional biography

Kate is an experienced K-6 teacher, having taught in both government and non government primary schools in NSW as well as in the Solomon Islands and Kuwait. She has been a project officer and acting consultant with the NSW Department of Education HSIE curriculum directorate where she was involved in writing and presenting professional development workshops around the state. She now teaches HSIE primary curriculum and curriculum studies in the Faculty of Education.

Current research interests in developing historical understanding in the primary classroom has resulted in Kate presenting numerous conference papers and conducting teacher development workshops for the NSW DET, the Catholic Education Office and the Association of Independent Schools.

Kate is primary history consultant and liaison officer with NSW History Teachers' Association (H.T.A),  President of NSW Primary HSIE Teachers' Association (PHSIETA) and was K-6 advisor, ACARA for the Australian Curriculum: History.


Awards

    • Recipient of a Faculty of Education and Social Work Teaching Excellence Award 2010

      The purpose of these awards is to recognise the contribution made to teaching excellence by members of staff across the faculty

      Criteria

    • Approaches to teaching that influence, motivate and inspire students to learn
    • Development of curricula and resources that reflect a command of the field
    • Approaches to assessment and feedback that foster independent learning
    • Respect and support for the development of students as individuals
    • Scholarly activities that have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching

  • NSW State Winner, Discovering Democracy Achievement Award, 2001

  • Discovering Democracy Signpost Award, 2001


Professional and community roles

  • Member, Asia Education Teachers' Association

  • Member, Social Educators Association of Australia (SEAA)

  • President, Primary HSIE Teachers Association

  • Primary Liaison Officer, History Teachers' Association, NSW

  • University of Sydney representative, NSW HSIE Cross Sector Committee


Current projects

  • A qualitative study: The nature and sources of primary teachers' historical thinking and understanding and the pedagogical implications for the 21st Century Classroom.
  • Teaching Teachers for the Future Project- Using digital stories to develop pre-service primary teachers' historical understanding.

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