Dr Catherine Thiele is a researcher, lecturer and teacher focused on contemporary studies of education policy and practice. Her current work particularly explores the data platformization of students and schools, as well as the datafication of teachers’ work and lives.
With a specific focus on affect theory and the affective intensities of teacher data relations, Catherine’s qualitative and post-qualitative research explores the affective capacity of student assessment data visualisations within teacher data relations. This body of work draws particular attention to how the materialisation of datafied measures of student knowledge and performance (data visualisations) reshapes the roles and responsibilities of classroom teachers, particularly in relation to pedagogical responses, professional desires, subjectivity, and professional connections.
More broadly, Catherine’s research interests focus on contemporary studies of educational policy, the production and representation of knowledge, educational leadership, and school/university partnership practices. Across her teaching, engagement, and research work, Catherine seeks transformative and socially responsible practices to support schools and school/university partnerships, teachers and preservice teachers (with particular attention to regional, rural, and remote contexts), and Initial Teacher Education programs.
Catherine is part of the International Teacher Education Research Collective. The work of this international group centres on exploring pressing issues and innovations within teacher education, ethics and policy, and education more broadly.
Professional Memberships
- Australian Association Research Education (AARE)
- Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA)
- Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre Member (ITRC)
- International Teacher Education Research Collective (ITERC)
- Mathematics Education Research Group Australasia (MERGA)
Awards and Fellowships
- Deans Outstanding Thesis Award (UniSC), 2024
- UniSC Nominee for the Ray Debus doctoral thesis Award (AARE), 2024
- Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), 2024
- “Australian Rural Education Award” Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) USC School of Education, 2019
Professional Social Media
Catherine's research draws on theories of affect to experiment with how datafied measures of student knowledge/performance are (re)shaping the roles and responsibilities of classroom teachers, particularly in relation to affective intensities, pedagogical responses, professional desires, subjectivity, and human and more-than-human connections.
Her other research interests include transformative and socially responsible practices informing teacher professional development, pre-service teacher preparation (particularly for regional, rural and remote education) and mathematics education.
Research Grants
| Grant/Project name | Investigators | Funding Body & A$ value | Years(s) | Focus (of research grant) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The contribution of partnerships-powered and peer-supported leadership strategies to attract and retain preservice teachers in Far North Queensland | Catherine Thiele, Sue Simon, Shelley Dole (UniSC) | Department of Education ($59,800) | 2021-2023 | Investigate the leadership strategies of the Kelvin Grove Teacher Enhancement Centre (KGTECe) and Far North Queensland (FNQ) school leaders in attracting high quality graduate teachers to FNQ. |
Research areas
- Datafication and Platformization
- Data visualisations (digital platforms and data-walls)
- Teacher data relations
- Philosophy in Education
- Post qualitative inquiry / post structuralism
- Affect theory and affective pedagogies
- Educational policy in practice
- Regional, rural, and remote education and leadership
- Preservice teacher placement preparedness and experiences
Teaching areas
Catherine's research seeks to gain deeper understandings about the impact of school-based assessment infrastructures, such as physical data-wells and electronic business intelligence tools, and the conversations that teachers have surrounding them (e.g. data-well conversations and planning).