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Sabrina Fitzsimons

Dr

Contact Details


Spc M 312

T: Ext. 9259
E: sabrina.fitzsimons@dcu.ie

Biography

Sabrina is a Lecturer and Research Convenor in the School of Policy and Practice. 
She teaches Education Theory on the Bachelor of Religion Education with English or History or Music (BRelEd) and the Bachelor of Education in Gaeilge and French, German or Spanish (BEdLan).
Sabrina previously served as:
  • Director of School Placement for the Bachelor of Religious Education.
  • Assistant editor of the REA Journal (Religion, Education and the Arts).
  • Education Representative on the Mater Dei Institute of Education Research Ethics Committee.
  • External Examiner for School Placement with St. Patrick's College, Thurles.

  • Governing Board Member for Mater Dei Institute of Education.
Sabrina was a finalist in the Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (2013). 

She is currently engaged in a number of collaborative research projects with colleagues in the School(s) of Policy and Practice and STEM that examines students teachers' engagement in school placement schools, teacher identity and reflective practice. Other projects include research on Student Teacher Resilience in collaboration with Dr Una McCabe in the School of Arts, Education and Movement and colleagues from the Institute of Education in London. 

She has supervised a large number of undergraduate and post-graduate (MA, EdD, Phd) theses across a range of subject areas.

 

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
2020 'Being and Belonging: Student-Teachers’ Contextual Engagement in Schools'
Donlon, E., McDonald, E., Fitzsimons, S., & Sexton, P. (2020) 'Being and Belonging: Student-Teachers’ Contextual Engagement in Schools'. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46 (6):95-113 [DOI] [Details]
2016 'A Brave New World: Considering the Pedagogic Potential of Virtual World Field Trips (VWFTs) in Initial Teacher Education'
Fitzsimons, S. and Farren, M. (2016) 'A Brave New World: Considering the Pedagogic Potential of Virtual World Field Trips (VWFTs) in Initial Teacher Education'. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH, Vol. 3 (1) [DOI] [Details]
2013 'The road less travelled: The journey of immersion into the virtual field'
Fitzsimons S. (2013) 'The road less travelled: The journey of immersion into the virtual field'. Ethnography and Education, 8 (2):162-176 [DOI] [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
2013 'Conducting Research in a Virtual World'
Fitzsimons, S. (2013) 'Conducting Research in a Virtual World' In: Digital Literacies in Education. Peter Lang. [Details]
2012 'Part Three: Online Ethnography and Education'
Fitzsimons, S. (2012) 'Part Three: Online Ethnography and Education' In: Fernando Hernández , Rachel Fendler, Juana Mª Sancho (eds). Rethinking Education Ethnography: Researching On-Line Communities and Interactions. Barcelona: Esbrina. Universitat de Barcelona. [Details]

Conference Contributions

  Year Publication
2020 ESAI 2020,
Fitzsimons, S., Sexton, PJ., McDonald, E., Donlon, E. (2020) Turning Obstacles into Opportunities: Research Paving the Path to Good Teaching. [Oral Presentation], ESAI 2020, DCU (Online) [Details]
2019 SERA 2019: Creative Visions for Educational Futures,,
Donlon, E., McDonald, E., Fitzsimons, S., & Sexton, PJ (2019) A tale of two timings: Student-teachers' contextual engagement in placement schools. [Oral Presentation], SERA 2019: Creative Visions for Educational Futures,, University of Edinburgh, Scotland , 20-NOV-19 - 22-NOV-19 [Details]
2019 ESAI19: Education in Times of Change, Choice and Challenge,
Sexton, PJ, Fitzsimons, S., McDonald, E., & Donlon, E. (2019) From passive to active learner engagement: A paradigm shift. [Oral Presentation], ESAI19: Education in Times of Change, Choice and Challenge, Sligo, Ireland , 11-APR-19 - 13-APR-19 [Details]
2019 ECER 2019: 'Education in an Era of Risk – the Role of Educational Research for the Future',
Donlon, E., McDonald, E., Fitzsimons, S., & Sexton, PJ (2019) 'I Was an Equal at a Table of Teachers: The Significance of Contextual Engagement for Student-teachers on School Placement'. [Oral Presentation], ECER 2019: 'Education in an Era of Risk – the Role of Educational Research for the Future', Hamburg, Germany , 03-SEP-19 - 06-SEP-19 [Details]
2018 Educational Studies Association of Ireland – Conference 2018: Values and Purpose in Education,
Talbot, T. McDonald, E, Fitzsimons, S. (2018) iteracy for Learning and Life: An exploration of the potential of one onlinereading management programme to improve the literacy standards of Irish Post Primary Students and create life-long learners. [Chaired Session], Educational Studies Association of Ireland – Conference 2018: Values and Purpose in Education, University College Dublin [Details]
2017 Between the classroom and the staffroom: the significance of contextual engagement for the school placement,
McDonald, E., Donlon, E., Fitzsimons, S. & Sexton, PJ (2017) Between the classroom and the staffroom: the significance of contextual engagement for the school placement. [Conference Organising Committee Chairperson], Between the classroom and the staffroom: the significance of contextual engagement for the school placement, Changing Research: working the spaces between education policy and practice, University College Cork, Ireland , 20-APR-17 - 22-APR-17 [Details] [Details]
2017 'She was engaging, kind and understanding...she is why I aspire to be a teacher': A study of the reasons for joining the teaching profession,
Sexton, PJ, Fitzsimons, S., McDonald, E. & Donlon, E. (2017) A study of the reasons for joining the teaching profession. [Invited Oral Presentation], 'She was engaging, kind and understanding...she is why I aspire to be a teacher': A study of the reasons for joining the teaching profession, Changing Research: working the spaces between education policy and practice, University College Cork, Ireland , 20-APR-17 - 22-APR-17 [Details] [Details]
2015 An analysis of the levels of reflection attained by student teachers on School Placement,
Fitzsimons, S., Donlon, McDonald, E., Sexton, P. and Leonard, H. (2015) An analysis of the levels of reflection attained by student teachers on School Placement. [Invited Oral Presentation], An analysis of the levels of reflection attained by student teachers on School Placement, Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Educational Research and Practice in Times of Transition: Looking to the Future), Carton House, Maynooth, Co.Kildare , 09-APR-15 - 11-APR-15 [Details] [Details]
2009 Religious Education Second Level Support Service,
Fitzsimons, S. (2009) Leaving Certificate Religious Education Syllabus; Digital Resources. [Invited Oral Presentation], Religious Education Second Level Support Service, Dublin, Cork, Laois, Sligo Education Centres , 12-DEC-09 [Details]
2017 Changing Research: working the spaces between education policy and practice,
Sexton, PJ, Fitzsimons, S., McDonald, E. & Donlon, E. (2017) 'She was engaging, kind and understanding...she is why I aspire to be a teacher': A study of the reasons for joining the teaching profession. [Oral Presentation], Changing Research: working the spaces between education policy and practice, University College Cork, Ireland , 20-APR-17 - 22-APR-17 [Details]
2017 Changing Research: working the spaces between education policy and practice,
McDonald, E., Donlon, E., Fitzsimons, S. & Sexton, PJ (2017) Between the classroom and the staffroom: the significance of contextual engagement for the school placement. [Oral Presentation], Changing Research: working the spaces between education policy and practice, University College Cork, Ireland , 20-APR-17 - 22-APR-17 [Details]
2016 The Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Education as a Public Good),
Donlon, E., Fitzsimons, S., Leonard, H., McDonald, E. & Sexton, P. (2016) Longitudinal study of student teachers' understanding of teacher identity. [Chaired Session], The Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Education as a Public Good), Galway [Details]
2016 The Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Education as a Public Good),
Donlon, E., Fitzsimons, S., Leonard, H., McDonald, E. & Sexton, P. (2016) Being and Belonging: Student Teachers' Contextual Engagement in Placement Schools. [Chaired Session], The Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Education as a Public Good), Galway [Details]
2015 Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Educational Research and Practice in Times of Transition: Looking to the Future),
Fitzsimons, S., Donlon, McDonald, E., Sexton, P. and Leonard, H. (2015) An analysis of the levels of reflection attained by student teachers on School Placement. [Invited Oral Presentation], Educational Studies Association of Ireland (Educational Research and Practice in Times of Transition: Looking to the Future), Carton House, Maynooth, Co.Kildare , 09-APR-15 - 11-APR-15 [Details]
2013 Educational Studies Association of Ireland,
Fitzsimons, S. (2013) Identity and Learning: The Second Life Dimension. [Other], Educational Studies Association of Ireland, Limerick, Ireland , 21-MAR-13 - 23-MAR-13 [Details]
2013 Mater Dei Institute, Teaching and Learning/Research Committee Seminar,
Fitzsimons, S. (2013) Curiouser and Curiouser: Culture shock in a virtual world. [], Mater Dei Institute, Teaching and Learning/Research Committee Seminar, Mater Dei Institute of Education , 27-NOV-13 - 27-NOV-13 [Details]
2013 11th International Conference on Cyberspace 2013,
Fitzsimons, S. (2013) 'Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle’ Exploring Religion in Cyberspace . [], 11th International Conference on Cyberspace 2013, Masaryk University, Brno, CZ , 22-NOV-13 - 23-NOV-13 [Details]
2012 Values and virtues in practice-based research: Articulating our values and virtues,
Crony, Y., Dean,C., Farren,M. and Fitzsimons,S. (2012) The Spirit and Vision of Learning: At the still point of the turning world. Values and virtues in practice-based research: Articulating our values and virtues, York St. John University , 11-JUN-12 - 12-JUN-12 [Details]
2011 DIVERSE (Developing Innovative Visual Educational Resources for Students Everywhere),
Fitzsimons, S. (2011) Teaching and Learning in a three dimensional multi-user virtual environment, Second Life. DIVERSE (Developing Innovative Visual Educational Resources for Students Everywhere), Dublin City University , 28-JUN-11 - 30-JUN-11 [Details]
2011 Rethinking Educational Ethnography: Researching On-line Communities and Interactions. Network 19 – European Conference on Educational Research (ECER),
Fitzsimons, S. (2011) The Ethnographic Journey: Immersion in the Virtual World. Rethinking Educational Ethnography: Researching On-line Communities and Interactions. Network 19 – European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), University of Porto , 02-MAY-11 - 04-MAY-11 [Details]
2009 Religious Education Support Service: LCRES Coursework 2009,
Fitzsimons, S. (2009) Digital Resources for LCRES Coursework Section B. [Invited Oral Presentation], Religious Education Support Service: LCRES Coursework 2009, Dublin, Cork, Sligo Education Centres , 12-DEC-09 [Details]

Online Article

  Year Publication
2013 Religion in Cyberspace.
Fitzsimons,S. (2013) Religion in Cyberspace. Online Article [Details]

Honours and Awards

  Year Title Awarding Body
2012 Shortlisted for the Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA)

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
Centre for e-Innovation, Pedagogy and Workplace Learning (DCU) / 1999
International Society for Technology in Education (ITSE) / Ongoing

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2013 Harvard Graduate School of Education
2012 Dublin City University Ph.D.

Research Interests

Teacher Professional Development Ethnography ICT Virtual World Research Methods

Modules Coordinated

  Term (ID)) Title Link Subject
2021 Psychology and Human Development ED1302Psychology and Human Development
2021 Education Theories PR108Education Theories
2021 Education Theory - Advanced ED3301Education Theory - Advanced