Dr Katrina Foy

Biography

I am a Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen (2014–present), where I teach across undergraduate and postgraduate Initial Teacher Education programmes. My work includes course coordination, curriculum development and supporting student teachers during their professional learning and school placements. I also contribute to the wider work of the School through roles such as Primary Literacy Lead Tutor and representation on the University’s Educational Technologies Advisory Group.

My research explores the relationship between pedagogy, technology and teacher development. I recently completed a PhD by publication which brings together a series of peer-reviewed papers examining digital learning and teaching in a range of educational contexts. These studies explore themes including digital games-based learning, hybrid technologies in education, online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and the changing identities of teachers and learners. My current work engages with posthumanist and Deleuzian perspectives, drawing on concepts such as assemblage, intra-action and flat ontology to reconsider how learning, technology and practice interact in contemporary education.

Before moving into higher education, I spent twenty years working in Scottish primary schools as a class teacher, Chartered Teacher and Depute Headteacher. This experience continues to inform my teaching and research in teacher education. I hold a Master of Education with Distinction from the University of Aberdeen and originally studied archaeology at the University of Glasgow before training as a primary teacher at Northern College, Aberdeen.

Prizes and Awards

Aberdeen University Excellence Award (2025) – Mental Health Champion

 for outstanding commitment to supporting student wellbeing.

Research Overview

My research centres on digital pedagogy and how technologies, practices and ideas come together to shape teaching and learning. This has been explored in my PhD by Publication, which draws on posthumanist and Deleuzian perspectives to re-examine a series of studies through concepts such as assemblage, intra-action and flat ontology.

Within this broad frame, I have a particular interest in Digital Games-Based Learning (DGBL), especially in history and social studies education. My work has examined how games can open up new ways of engaging with the past, while also providing insights into collaboration, enquiry and motivation in the classroom.

I also research the entanglement of technology and learning, with a focus on how digital tools—from interactive platforms to video capture systems—reshape professional practice and pedagogy. This includes investigating video commentary and capture in teacher education, where technologies of observation and reflection create new dynamics between tutors, student teachers and placement schools.

Methodologically, I am drawn to Design-Based Research (DBR) and other practice-centred approaches that allow innovation to be tested and refined in authentic settings. These sit alongside my use of posthumanist and diffractive methodologies, which open up different ways of reading data, theory and practice together.

My earlier and continuing research in literacy education examines phonics, reading fluency and the role of dialogue in learning, informed by my professional experience as a primary teacher and school leader.

These strands, together with my research on digital pedagogy, reflect an ongoing interest in how curriculum, technology and professional practice intersect to shape contemporary education.

Teaching Responsibilities

I teach across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the School of Education. On the MA (Education) I contribute to courses in Literacy, Professional Enquiry and School Experience, and I also lecture in literacy and work as a tutor with PGDE students. Within the BA Childhood Practice, I am course coordinator for ED2014, ED2520, ED2035 and ED2507, which are delivered online, and I coordinate the ED50P9 Masters course in Language Development from Birth to 8.

My teaching is shaped by my background as a primary teacher and leader, as well as my research into digital pedagogy and literacy. I place a strong emphasis on relationships and collaboration, creating learning environments where students feel supported, engaged and able to share their experiences. I see teaching as a partnership, where ideas are developed together and professional growth is rooted in reflective and dialogic practice.

Non-course Teaching Responsibilities

• Senior Personal Tutor, School of Education – supporting student wellbeing, progression and academic development

• Inclusion Coordinator, School of Education – promoting inclusive practice across programmes

• Line Manager for academic and professional services staff

• Positive Outcomes Coordinator – working to enhance student retention, engagement and success