Dr Kate Duffy

Home / About / Academic staff profiles / Teacher Training and Education / Kate Duffy

Senior Lecturer in Education

I am a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Sunderland and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). I have been leading and teaching courses in Education Studies for over 15 years.

My current role at the University is divided between teaching and leading research activity in the School of Education (SoE). My subject specialisms and interests are philosophy of education, critical thinking and inquiry, formative assessment, qualitative research paradigms and relational pedagogies. I have had the privilege of teaching students from undergraduate to professional doctorate study. I am a former 14-19 educator, working at the intersection of compulsory and tertiary education. I led ‘Increased Flexibility’ programmes to re-engage young people with their studies and contributed to staff development and teacher training programmes as well as curriculum design.

I began my university study as a mature student in my mid-twenties. My experience has shaped my commitment to widening access and participation to university education so that others can benefit from the transformative effect that education can have. What I love most about my job are the connections and positive interactions which develop through the student-teacher relationship and how we learn from and with one another.

The other significant part of my role at the University is Research Lead for Initial Teacher Education (ITT). This involves supporting colleagues in the School of Education (SoE) with their research activity and convening the Centre for Research in education (CRE) Public Seminar series. The series showcases the wide range of research that is undertaken by the SoE at its different stages of development. Within this role I also work with external partners such as Global SpiritEd and support the Global Research Network which is committed to exploring ways to personalise education and increase student agency.

I have also been Principle Investigator for two UKRI Partnership projects (2021-23) to enhance student autonomy in assessment and promote student self-assessment. I am also a member of the University’s Research Ethics Panel, committed to ensuring good practice in research and I am a SoE representative on many programme validation and curriculum development panels.

I have also received awards and nominations for my work:

University of Sunderland, Vice Chancellor Teaching Fellow Award, 2023
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination for Outstanding Doctoral Supervisor, 2023
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination for Most Inspirational Member of University Staff, 2023
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination for Outstanding Personal Academic Tutor, 2023
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination for Tutor who Provides Outstanding Feedback, 2023
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination for Most Digitally Innovative Teacher, 2022
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination, Most Inspirational Member of University Staff, 2022
University of Sunderland Student Awarded Teaching Awards, nomination for Outstanding Programme Leader/Manager, 2022

Outside of the University, I contribute to networks for Autoethnography and The Association of Moral Education. I am a committee member of the Relation-Centered Education Network (RCEN) and 2024 Conference Chair, to be held in Trondheim, Norway.

When I am not at work, I enjoy training for triathlon events and spending time with family.

Teaching and supervision
Research
Publications
Areas of expertise
Further information

Teaching and supervision

I am Deputy Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Education Studies. My teaching expertise is within areas of pedagogy, moral education and practice and autobiographical research in education. I am directly involved in modules such as; Philosophy and Education, Ethics in Education, Comparative Education and the Undergraduate Dissertation.

Encouraging the use of dialogue and enquiry in my teaching is important towards developing students' confidence in the subject they are studying, therefore, seminars are active and student participation is essential, making for lively debates and discussions.

In addition to my undergraduate teaching role, I also supervise students on the MA in Education and students following Professional Doctorate programmes and PhD study.

Current areas of PhD/Prof Doc supervision:

Assessment and Feedback in ITE
Interactions and pedagogy in SEND contexts
Observation and reflexive practice in ITE
Inclusive Education
Authentic Leadership in ITE
Student Support in HE
Memory and recall in Drama education

As the Research Lead for the Initial Teacher Education Team (ITE), I mentor and support colleagues in their research practice projects and curriculum development.

Research interests for potential research students

My PhD was entitled 'Embracing Vulnerability: Moral Practice within Higher Education'.

The study explored moral education within Higher Education from the perspective of the practitioner. The methodology I adopted was autoethnography, making my practice the primary research data. I am ken to support others in adopting autoethnography as their methodology for research.

Other areas of my research interest and expertise are within critical thinking, philosophy for children programme (P4C) Teacher Education and student self-assessment practice. I am particularly interested in supervising students who are researching aspects for moral practice, reflective practice, relational pedagogies, critical thinking and philosophy of education.

I am willing to supervise doctoral studies in the areas of expertise listed above and would welcome approaches to discuss possible projects.

Research

My PhD was entitled 'Embracing Vulnerability: Moral Practice within Higher Education'.

The study explores moral education within higher education from the perspective of the practitioner. The methodology I adopted was auto ethnography, making my teacher diary the primary source for research data. Other areas of research interest is critical thinking, philosophy for children programme (P4C) and Teacher Education.

I have supervised dissertations in areas such as British Values, Critical Thinking, Gender in Dance Education, the role of Apprenticeships, Creative teaching in Prison Education, Observations of Teaching and Learning and the role of Ofsted.

Publications

Jump to: Article | Book Section | Reports, briefing/ working papers | Conference or Workshop Item | Thesis

Number of items: 26.

Article

Hidson, Elizabeth, Duffy, Kate, Holland, Kevin, March, Heather, Rushworth, Janine, Bartle, Jayne, Watkins, Hollie, Churchill, Stephanie, Simpson, Sarah, Chambers, Gemma, Coates, Steph and Kenshole, Louise (2024) Using participatory action research to implement positive psychology for self-regulation with children in Key Stage 1 and 2 in north-east primary schools. Impact: Journal of the Chartered College of Teaching, Autumn (22). ISSN 2514-6963 (In Press)

Duffy, Kate (2023) “Am I on the right lines?”: Fostering a shared understanding of feedback to support student’s self-assessment. IMPact Journal: Student as Producer RAISE Conference Edition, 6 (3). ISSN 2516-7561

Duffy, Kate (2016) Saved by my Electronic Diary! How to trust your own diary as your primary date collection method. 8th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies. ISSN 2340-1117

Duffy, Kate and Atkinson, Michael (2010) How do we create lasting and radical change in Post 14 Education?. Teaching in Lifelong Learning: A Journal to inform and improve practice, 2 (1). pp. 56-66. ISSN 2040-0993

Book Section

Duffy, Kate (2024) A pedagogy of vulnerability: The dynamic of relational practice in Higher Education. In: Routledge International Handbook of Relational Pedagogy: An Invitation to a Global Discussion. Taylor & Francis Group. (Submitted)

Reports, briefing/ working papers

Hidson, Elizabeth and Duffy, Kate (2024) Perspectives on a participatory action research project. Project Report. Camtree: The Cambridge Teacher Research Exchange, Cambridge.

Conference or Workshop Item

Duffy, Kate (2024) Pedagogy of Vulnerability: Education as Relation. In: The 9th UoS ITT Final Year/Postgraduate Education Research Conference, 2024 Transformative Education is both political and personal ,, 12 Sep 2024, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2024) "Transformative Education is both political and personal". In: The 9th UoS ITT Final Year/Postgraduate Education Research Conference, 2024 Transformative Education is both political and personal, 12 Sep 2024, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate, Hidson, Elizabeth and Deacon, Lesley (2024) Enhancing Research Culture for Practitioner Researchers: Agile Research Teams (ARTs). In: UKRI PSF/PRI Event - Sharing Learning and Success, 17 Jul 2024, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)

Hidson, Elizabeth, Duffy, Kate, Holland, Kevin and Baumber, John (2024) Mini Minds Project Poster. In: UKRI PSF/PRI Event - Sharing Learning and Success, 17 Jul 2024, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2024) A pedagogy of vulnerability: The dynamic of relational practice in Higher Education. In: Relation Centred Education Network, 15-17 Jun 2024, Queen Maud University, Norway. (Unpublished)

Hidson, Elizabeth and Duffy, Kate (2024) Participatory action research: Implementing positive psychology in north-east primary schools. In: BERA symposium: Showcasing collaborative research partnerships: Practitioner Researcher and Higher Education Professionals, 12 Jun 2024, Online. (Unpublished)

Hidson, Elizabeth and Duffy, Kate (2024) Reflections on setting up a participatory action research project with local schools. In: Sixth Annual Faculty of Education and Society Staff Research Conference, 10 Jun 2024, Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St. Peter's. (Unpublished)

Hidson, Elizabeth and Duffy, Kate (2024) Practitioner researchers’ perspectives on participatory action research. In: Close to Practice Conference 2024, 26 Jun 2024, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Campus, Nottingham. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2023) Cultivating a Moral Imagination for Future Teacher Educators: The Dilemma of Teacher Assessment. In: Philosophy of Education of Australasia, 6th - 9th December 2023, Auckland, New Zealand. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2023) (Re)imagining the classroom culture to enable authentic student self-assessment in Higher Education. In: Assessment in HE conference (Hosted in Manchester 22-23 June 2023, 22nd - 23 June 2023, Manchester, UK. (Submitted)

Duffy, Kate (2022) Teacher Assessment Grades and the Student-Teacher Relationship. In: UoS Centre for Research in Education - seminar series, 14 December 2022, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2022) Fostering independence and autonomy in student self and peer assessment. In: RAISE Annual Conference 2022, September 5-7, Lincoln. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2022) A Pedagogy of vulnerability for relational practice. In: Relation Centred Education Network, 15 June 2022, Online - University of Sacramento. (Submitted)

Duffy, Kate and Ross, Dionne (2016) Recognising Character Development In Our Learning Autobiographies. In: 8th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 4-6th Jul 2016, Barcelona, Spain. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate and Ross, Dionne (2016) RECOGNISING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN OUR LEARNING AUTOBIOGRAPHIES. In: 8th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 4-6 Jul 2016, Barcelona.

Duffy, Kate (2013) Evaluating the use of a Teacher’s Diary to illuminate the moral dimensions of a teacher educator’s everyday work. In: Association for Moral Education Annual Meeting 2013, 24 - 27 Oct 2013, Montreal, Canada. (Unpublished)

Duffy, Kate (2013) Supporting Part Time Students Through Transition from Further Education to Higher Education: Fostering Conditions for a Caring Community. In: Edulearn13, 1 - 3 Jul 2013, Barcelona, Spain.

Duffy, Kate (2011) Changing moral attitudes of female educators in Further Education and Work-based learning. In: International Conference on Moral Education Cultivating Morality: Human Beings, Nature and the World, 24 - 28 Oct 2011, Nanjing, China.