Kate E Williams
Dean, School of Education and Tertiary Access
Member, Education and Learning Futures Research Cluster
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +61 7 5456 3039
Location: Moreton Bay, MB-MBA1-1-1.124
Kate Williams is a developmental scientist, intervention designer, evaluator, and leader, working at the intersection of health and education to address inequities that often arise from early childhood. She is recognised as an international expert on social-emotional, self-regulation, executive function, cognitive, and sleep development, and the parenting, educational, and intervention contexts that support such. Kate typically uses large population datasets, program design and evaluation, and modern quantitative and mixed method approaches across her research program. She is an expert in the use of flagship Australian population datasets including the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, and the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children, and is a leading international playgroup researcher. Kate is also a Registered Music Therapist and so is interested in the ways that music can be used to support development and wellbeing. Her ARC DECRA fellowship saw Kate develop the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) program, which has been commercialised and is disseminated internationally.
Kate brings extensive industry experience having held executive leadership roles in a national not for profit organisation delivering services to children, families, and communities, and maintains multiple board roles. Core to Kate’s approach are collegial team-building across disciplines, and collaborative relationships with research end users in community, industry, government, and non-government organisations. She brings strong stakeholder engagement and a focus on capability building, implementation science, knowledge translation, and research impact to every research project she undertakes.
Research
Publications
Journal article | Peer reviewed
Beat Synchronisation, Rhythmic Movement, and Development: A Brief Personal History and Future Research Agenda / Sincronización del ritmo, movimiento rítmico y desarrollo: breve reseña personal y agenda de investigación futura ↗
by Kate E. Williams
29 September 2026
Infancia y Aprendizaje
This Prospectives article traces an interdisciplinary research trajectory at the intersection of music, movement, and child development to argue that beat synchronisation is an underutilised but promising construct for advancing developmental science and addressing inequities. Drawing on personal and professional experiences spanning music therapy, developmental psychology, and intervention research, I reflect on the development and evaluation of the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) programme as an example of translating science to practice. I then outline a future research agenda with four priorities: (1) developing reliable and scalable measures of beat synchronisation in early childhood; (2) establishing developmental norms; (3) investigating beat synchronisation as a potential transdiagnostic neurodevelopmental marker; and (4) clarifying mechanisms within rhythm- and movement-based interventions. Collectively, this agenda highlights opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration which will yield valuable and exciting outcomes over time.
Journal article | Peer reviewed
Mapping digital confidence in initial teacher education: A Rasch-based self-audit tool for curriculum improvement ↗
by David A Martin, Natalie McMaster, Kate E Williams, Natalie Kidd and Michael D Carey
14 March 2026
Education and Information Technologies
This study evaluates the effectiveness of an initial teacher education (ITE) programme within a higher education setting in preparing Primary school preservice teachers (PSTs) to integrate information, communication, digital, and robotics technologies (ICDRTs) into classroom teaching. While situated in an ITE programme, the methodology, based on a Rasch-calibrated self-audit, offers an actionable approach to evaluating students’ digital confidence and learning needs across higher education disciplines. Using a Rasch-validated 77-item self-audit instrument, responses from 490 final-year PSTs were analysed to identify curriculum gaps and assess the programme’s capacity to develop digital pedagogical readiness. Regression analysis examined associations between readiness and socio-demographic variables (sex, age group, and qualification) to explore equity-related differences. The findings revealed consistent shortfalls in ICDRT readiness related to spreadsheets, robotics, and commonly used classroom technologies, aligning with broader concerns about digital capability in initial teacher preparation. These results offer actionable evidence for curriculum redesign and institutional evaluation within higher education and demonstrate the value of structured student self-audits as institutional evaluation tools. The study contributes to equity-focused, data-driven approaches to programme improvement in higher education.
Journal article | Peer reviewed
Effectiveness of rhythm and movement for self-regulation (RAMSR) for low socioeconomic preschoolers delivered by teachers trained online in Hong Kong ↗
by Alfredo Bautista, Kate E Williams, Yiying Wan, Yingying Pan, Laura Bentley and Siu-Ping Ng
10 March 2026
Child Development
A randomized controlled trial in Hong Kong examined the effectiveness of the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) intervention for low socioeconomic status children's self-regulation. This is the first study of the intervention outside of Australia, and in which teachers were trained online to deliver the intervention (16 sessions over 8 weeks). Participants were 286 4-5-year-old children randomized at the classroom level (129 experimental, 157 control; 48.6% girls; 91% Chinese; Mage = 53 months) and their teachers (9 experimental, 8 control). Results from multi-level modeling revealed significant intervention effects for the intervention group across three time points (2022-2023) for teacher-reported self-regulation (np2 = .019), and the Head Toes Knees Shoulders task tapping executive function (np2 = .034).
Journal article | Peer reviewed
Facilitators and Barriers of Implementing evidence-based Programs Delivered by Teachers in Early Childhood Education: Findings from the Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR) Program as a Case Study ↗
by Sonia L. J. White, Sally Savage, Kate E Williams and Laura Bentley
5 February 2026
Early Childhood Education Journal
Evidenced-based programs designed for education settings often prove effective under research conditions, but are underexplored in real world contexts, revealing a research-to-practice gap. Understanding teachers’ implementation experiences, including facilitators and barriers, is crucial to inform the future scale-up of effective approaches. This study explored the implementation experiences of early childhood teachers (n = 7) incorporating a rhythm and movement intervention into their everyday educational practice. Qualitative interviews investigating the facilitators and barriers teachers experienced were thematically analyzed deductively using an existing ecological framework derived from implementation science. Key findings emerged across the individual, intervention, and contextual levels of the framework. At the individual level, aligning program goals with teachers’ interests increased engagement. Coaching options and realistic examples of expected behavioral changes addressed varying levels of professional preparedness and workload constraints. At the intervention level, offering flexible training formats and providing clear evidenced-based rationales boosted teacher engagement. Hard copy materials, troubleshooting guides, and adaptable program design supported individual teacher preferences. Contextually, clear program descriptors enabled teachers to effectively communicate the program’s value to leadership. Clear recommendations are made for future program designers and implementers to support the successful scale-up of evidence-based programs within diverse educational environments.
Journal article | Peer reviewed
Effectiveness of Online Music Professional Development: Implementation Fidelity and Teachers’ Perspectives ↗
by Yingying Pan, Kate E Williams, Alfredo Bautista, Million Wan and Siu Ping Ng
2026
Journal of Music Teacher Education
Few studies have analyzed the effectiveness of online music professional development (OMPD) on teachers’ pedagogical competencies. We evaluated the effectiveness of an OMPD designed to train kindergarten teachers in a music-and-movement intervention, drawing on the notion of implementation fidelity (i.e., level of accuracy with which an intervention is delivered). In addition, we investigated teachers’ perspectives on the factors that facilitated their learning. After 83 teachers from seven kindergartens took the OMPD, all Kindergarten 2 teachers (N = 9) were observed implementing the intervention. In this mixed-methods study, we used implementation fidelity checklists completed by teachers and external observers and individual teacher interviews. Findings revealed consistently high implementation fidelity ratings by both teachers and external observers. School support, practice, preparation, sufficient time and space, and reflection were the facilitative factors identified in the interviews. The study highlights the potential of OMPD in fostering the music-specific pedagogical competencies of general classroom teachers.
Showing the five most recent publications. Explore all Kate E Williams's publications in UniSC Research Bank
Grants
1 August 2025 - 30 July 2026
Scaling up evidence-based interventions and professional learning in education
University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia, Sunshine Coast) - UniSC
Grant no. 0980030668.
Kate Williams, Isaac Coffie, Vicki Schriever and Rachael Dwyer
21 May 2024 - 23 May 2025
LSIC Early Childhood Research Report
Department of Social Services (Australia, Canberra) - DSS
Grant no. 0980028951.
Kate Williams
13 February 2025
Thriving kids, active brains: A collaborative to support early child development
Ian Potter Foundation (Australia, Melbourne)
Grant no. 0980028422.
Jeanine Young, Daniel Hermens, Kara Lilly, Elaine Jefford, Kate Williams, Anne Drabble, Karen-Ann Clarke and Kelley Burton
1 January 2025
Do Re ME and YOU: Music-based parenting intervention to improve quality of parent-infant interaction among families from low socioeconomic status
National Endowment for the Arts (United States, Washington) - NEA
Grant no. 0980030207.
Kate Williams, Kai Ling Kong, Helena Laroche, Mariah Chrans and Amy Smith
31 May 2020 - 29 June 2024
Effectiveness of an Early Childhood Intervention to Promote Healthy Child Development and Prevent Chronic Disease in Families Attending Community Playgroups: A Multi-Centre Cluster Randomised Trial
Australian Department of Health and Ageing
Grant no. DOHA-KW-MRFF.
Stewart G. Trost, Rebecca Byrne, Kate Williams, Hayley E. Christian and Rebecca K. Golley
Showing the five most recent grants. Explore all Kate E Williams's grants in UniSC Research Bank
Teaching and supervision
Supervision
Doctoral Thesis Supervision - Current
Sustaining evidence-based program implementation in early childhood settings: Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR)
Students: Research student (name withheld)
Principal Supervisor: Kate E Williams
Co-Supervisor: Dr Cynthia Hicban
2026
Doctoral Thesis Supervision - Current
Engagement, Wellbeing and Flourishing in Instrumental Immersion Programs: A Multi-Voice Narrative Inquiry in Queensland Primary Schools.
Students: Research student (name withheld)
Principal Supervisor: Jessica O'Bryan
Co-Supervisors: Kate E Williams and Dr Kimberley Wilson
2026
Doctoral Thesis Supervision - Current
Embodied Co-Regulation in Adolescence: Co-design and Pilot of a Peer-Mediated Rhythmic Movement Protocol for Executive Function
Students: Research student (name withheld)
Principal Supervisor: Kate E Williams
Co-Supervisors: Daniel Hermens and Dr Kimberley Wilson
2026
Doctoral Thesis Supervision - Completed - External
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect in Early Childhood Education: Measuring and Understanding Self-Efficacy, Collective Efficacy and Reporting Experiences
Students: Ayling, Natasha
Principal Supervisor: Kate E Williams
2019 - 2025
Doctoral Thesis Supervision - Completed - External
Evaluation of a relationships and sexuality education program for primary schools in Queensland, Australia
Students: Aguilar Alonso, Roxana
Co-Supervisor: Kate E Williams
1 January 2021 - 31 December 2024
Showing the five most recent supervisions. Explore all Kate E Williams's supervisions in UniSC Research Bank
Professional
Education
2015 - 2016
Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice
Queensland University of Technology (Australia, Brisbane) - QUT
2011 - 2014
PhD
Queensland University of Technology (Australia, Brisbane) - QUT
2008 - 2010
Master of Education (Research)
Queensland University of Technology (Australia, Brisbane) - QUT
2000 - 2001
Postgraduate Diploma in Music Therapy
University of Queensland (Australia, Brisbane) - UQ
1996 - 1998
Bachelor of Music
Queensland University of Technology (Australia, Brisbane) - QUT
Media
Kate E Williams's specialist areas of knowledge include:
- Self-regulation
- Parenting
- Sleep
- Evaluation
- Early childhood
- Development
- Intervention
- Randomised control trial
- Playgroup
- Executive function
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
News
More rhythm, less blues: program boosts class behaviour
15 AprFrom flash mobs to line-dancing to the Nutbush, enjoying rhythm and movement in a group context is known to boost mental and physical health in people of all ages - now a study of more than 200 preschoolers has measured specific benefits.