Department of Education

Katharine Burn

Associate Professor of Education

College Affiliation: St Cross College

Katharine is an Associate Professor of Education and coordinator of the Oxford Education Deanery: a multi-strand partnership with schools, focused on the development of teachers’ research engagement through initial teacher education, early career professional learning and collaborative university/school research projects.

She teaches on the PGCE History programme and on the MSc in Learning and Teaching as well as supervising Master’s and doctoral students in the fields of history education and teacher education (both policy and practice) at all career stages.

Katharine taught history for ten years in state secondary schools in Oxford and retains a strong commitment to history education as Deputy President of the Historical Association and as co-editor of its professional journal, Teaching History. She is also a Fellow of the Schools History Project. For the last ten years she has been responsible (with Rebecca Harris, of Reading University) for an annual survey of history teaching in England, conducted on behalf of the Historical Association. She is particularly passionate about ensuring history for all young people and about supporting teachers’ continued engagement with historical scholarship and is currently exploring how the’ knowledge exchange and impact agenda’ is being harnessed to support sustained subject-rich CPD for teachers.

Katharine became interested in teachers’ professional learning through adopting an action research approach to the development of mentoring strategies in the early years of the Oxford Internship programme and her doctoral research later examined the Internship principle of learning to teach as ‘process of hypothesis-testing’. She was Research Officer for a 3-year longitudinal study of beginning teachers’ learning and has since been involved in a range of projects looking at different aspects of teacher education policy and practice, including comparative studies. She contributed to the BERA-RSA Inquiry into the Role of Research in Teacher Education and represented BERA at presentations of the final report in the US and Australia.
Her current role coordinating the work of the Oxford Education Deanery has inspired new interests in teachers’ use of research and she is working collaboratively with local teachers on a participatory study of the role of Research Champions in schools.

External Appointments

Deputy President of the Historical Association since June 2018

Funded Research Projects:

  • Tricky Topics: ESRC Impact Accelerator

    • 2016-17

    Award in collaboration with Open University

  • Research Use in Schools

    • 2016-17

    (University of Oxford John Fell Fund)

  • Recruitment and Retention of Teachers in Oxfordshire

    • 2015-16

    (Oxfordshire County Council)

Doctoral Applications

Katharine welcomes doctoral applications from students interested in the following research areas:

  • Initial teacher education – beginning teachers’ learning, clinical practice, the integration of knowledge from different sources, mentoring strategies, teacher education policy;
  • Teachers’ continued professional learning – the development of subject-specific pedagogy, learning within and beyond subject departments, teacher engagement in and with research;
  • History education – including the impact of policy on curriculum and pedagogy; inclusive pedagogies (the value of history for all); curriculum planning and the integration of substantive and second order concepts.

Publications:

  • Featured Publications

    • Harris, R, Burn, K (2016) “English history teachers' views on what substantive content young people should be taught”, JOURNAL OF CURRICULUM STUDIES.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2015.1122091

    • Burn, K, Mutton, T (2015) “A review of ‘research-informed clinical practice’ in Initial Teacher Education”, Oxford Review of Education. Taylor & Francis.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2015.1020104

    • Mutton, TA, Burn, K, Hagger, H (2015) Beginning Teachers’ Learning: Making experience count.

  • Books

    • Tatto, MT, Burn, K, Menter, I, MUTTON, T, Thompson, I (2019) Learning to Teach in England and the United States: The Evolution of Policy and Practice. Routledge Research in Teacher Education. Abingdon, Oxon and New York, New NY: Routledge.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678382

    • Mutton, T, Burn, K, Hagger, H, Thirlwall, K (2018) Teacher Education Partnerships Policy and Practice.

    • Counsell, C, Burn, K, Chapman, A (2016) MasterClass in History Education Transforming Teaching and Learning Introduction.

    • Mutton, TA, Burn, K, Hagger, H (2015) Beginning Teachers’ Learning: Making experience count.

    • Harris, R, Burn, K, Woolley, M (2013) The Guided Reader to Teaching and Learning History. Routledge.

  • Book chapters

    • Mutton, T, Burn, K, Thompson, I, Childs, A (2021) “The Complex Policy Landscape of Initial Teacher Education in England: What’s the Problem Represented to Be?”, In: D Mayer (ed.) Teacher education policy and research: Global perspectives. Springer.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3775-9_5

    • Burn, K, Mutton, T, Hagger, H (2017) “A companion to research in teacher education”, In: M Peters, M Cowie, I Menter (eds.) A Companion to Research in Teacher Education. Singapore: Springer. 105-120
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4075-7

    • Burn, K, Mutton, T, Hagger, H (2017) “Towards a principled approach for school-based teacher educators: Lessons from research”, In: A Companion to Research in Teacher Education. 105-120
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4075-7_7

    • Burn, KC (2016) “Sustaining the Unresolving Tensions within History Education and Teacher Education”, In: C Counsell, KC Burn, A Chapman (eds.) MasterClass in History Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning, London: Bloomsbury. MasterClass series. London: Bloomsbury. 233-242

    • Burn, KC (2015) “The Gove Legacy in the Curriculum: The Case of History”, In: M Finn (ed.) The Gove Legacy Education in Britain After the Coalition. Palgrave Macmillan.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1057/9781137491510_4

    • INGRAM, J, BURN, K, Fiddaman, J, Penfold, C, Tope, C “The Influence of and Interactions Between Different Contexts in the Learning and Development of Mathematics Teacher Educators”, In: M Goos, K Beswick (eds.) The learning and development of mathematics teacher educators: International perspectives and challenges.. Cham: Springer.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62408-8_14

  • Journal articles

    • MUTTON, T, BURN, K (2020) “Doing things differently: responding to the ‘policy problem’ of teacher education in Wales”, Cylchgrawn Addysg Cymru / Wales Journal of Education. 22(1) 82-109.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.16922/wje.22.1.5-en

    • Harris, R, Courtney, L, Ul-Abadin, Z, Burn, K (2019) “Student access to the curriculum in an age of performativity and accountability: an examination of policy enactment”, Research Papers in Education.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2019.1568528

    • Thompson, IC, Willemse, M, MUTTON, T, Burn, K, de Bruïne, E (2018) “Teacher Education and Family-School Partnerships in different contexts: A cross country analysis of national teacher education frameworks across a range of European countries”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 44(3) 258-277.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465621

    • MUTTON, T, Burn, K, Thompson, I (2018) “Preparation for family-school partnerships within initial teacher education programmes in England”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 44(3) 278-295.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465624

    • Chapman, A, Burn, K, Kitson, A (2018) “¿Para qué sirve la enseñanza de la historia? Perspectivas de docentes y estudiantes británicos”, Arbor. 194(788) 443-443.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.3989/arbor.2018.788n2003

    • Mutton, T, Burn, K, Menter, I (2017) “Deconstructing the Carter Review: competing conceptions of quality in England’s ‘school-led’ system of initial teacher education”, Journal of Education Policy. 32(1) 14-33.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2016.1214751

    • BURN, K, CHILDS, A (2016) “Responding to poverty through education and teacher education initiatives: a critical evaluation of key trends in government policy in England 1997-2015”, Journal of Education for Teaching.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1215547

    • Burn, KC, Mutton, T, Thompson, I, Ingram, J, McNicholl, J, Firth, R (2016) “The impact of adopting a research orientation towards use of the Pupil Premium Grant in preparing beginning teachers in England to understand and work effectively with young people living in poverty”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 42(4) 434-450.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1215551

    • Harris, R, Burn, K (2016) “English history teachers' views on what substantive content young people should be taught”, JOURNAL OF CURRICULUM STUDIES. 48(4) 518-546.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2015.1122091

    • Burn, K, Mutton, T (2015) “A review of ‘research-informed clinical practice’ in Initial Teacher Education”, Oxford Review of Education. 41(2) 217-233.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2015.1020104

    • McNicholl, J, Childs, A, Burn, K (2013) “School subject departments as sites for science teachers learning pedagogical content knowledge”, Teacher Development. 17(2) 155-175.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753941

    • Childs, A, Burn, K, McNicholl, J (2013) “What influences the learning cultures of subject departments in secondary schools? A study of four subject departments in England”, Teacher Development.

    • McNicholl, J, Childs, A, Burn, K (2013) “School subject departments as sites for science teachers learning pedagogical content knowledge”, Teacher Development.

    • Childs, A, Burn, K, McNicholl, J (2013) “What influences the learning cultures of subject departments in secondary schools? A study of four subject departments in England”, Teacher Development. 17(1) 35-54.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2012.753945

    • Harris, R, Downey, C, Burn, K (2012) “History education in comprehensive schools: using school-level data to interpret national patterns”, OXFORD REVIEW OF EDUCATION. 38(4) 413-436.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2012.707614

    • Harris, R, Burn, K (2011) “Curriculum theory, curriculum policy and the problem of ill-disciplined thinking”, JOURNAL OF EDUCATION POLICY. 26(2) 245-261.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2010.498902

    • McCormick, B, Burn, K (2011) “Reviewing the National Curriculum 5-19 two decades on”, Curriculum Journal. 22(2) 109-115.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2011.574513

    • Hagger, H, Mutton, T, Burn, K (2011) “Surprising but not shocking: The reality of the first year of teaching”, Cambridge Journal of Education. 41(4) 387-405.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2011.624999

    • Mutton, T, Hagger, H, Burn, K (2011) “Learning to plan, planning to learn: the developing expertise of beginning teachers”, TEACHERS AND TEACHING. 17(4) 399-416.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2011.580516

    • Malmberg, LE, Hagger, H, Burn, K, Mutton, T, Colls, H (2010) “Observed Classroom Quality During Teacher Education and Two Years of Professional Practice”, JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY. 102(4) 916-932.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1037/a0020920

    • Burn, K, Mutton, T, Hagger, H (2010) “Strengthening and sustaining professional learning in the second year of teaching”, OXFORD REVIEW OF EDUCATION. 36(6) 639-659.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2010.501140

    • Mutton, T, Burn, K, Hagger, H (2010) “Making sense of learning to teach: learners in context”, RESEARCH PAPERS IN EDUCATION. 25(1) 73-91.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02671520802382912

    • Hagger, H, Burn, K, Mutton, T, Brindley, S (2008) “Practice makes perfect? Learning to learn as a teacher”, OXFORD REVIEW OF EDUCATION. 34(2) 159-178.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054980701614978

    • Burn, K, Childs, A, McNicholl, J (2007) “The potential and challenges for student teachers' learning of subject-specific pedagogical knowledge within secondary school subject departments”, Curriculum Journal. 18(4) 429-445.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/09585170701687886

    • Burn, K (2007) “Professional knowledge and identity in a contested discipline: challenges for student teachers and teacher educators”, OXFORD REVIEW OF EDUCATION. 33(4) 445-467.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054980701450886

    • Burn, K, Edwards, A (2007) “Learning in and across the professions”, OXFORD REVIEW OF EDUCATION. 33(4) 397-401.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/03054980701562664

    • Burn, K (2006) “Promoting critical conversations: The distinctive contribution of higher education as a partner in the professional preparation of new teachers”, Journal of Education for Teaching. 32(3) 243-258.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/02607470600782252

    • Burn, K, Hagger, H, Mutton, T, Everton, T (2003) “The complex development of student-teachers' thinking”, Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice. 9(4) 309-331.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1080/1354060032000097235

    • BURN, K “Oral history in schools: practice as reflected in the Historical Association’s professional journals”, Oral History.

    • BURN, K, Conway, R, Edwards, A, Harries, E “The role of school-based Research Champions in a school-university partnership”, British Educational Research Journal.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3675

    • BURN, K, Menter, I “Making sense of teacher education in a globalising world: the distinctive contribution and challenges inherent in a socio-cultural approach”, Comparative Education Review.
      DOI: http://doi.org/10.1086/716228

  • Reports

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