Damien Fitzgerald (RGN); B.Ed (QTS); MSc; PhD
Principal Lecturer
Summary
In addition to my teaching I have been involved in research projects exploring qualifications within the Children's and Young People's workforce, children's participation in the research process, teacher identity and working minority group families to explore their experience of accessing and using education, health and social services.
About
Prior to joining Sheffield Hallam University I worked within education as an LEA early years support teacher for children and families with special needs, as a school SENCO and a primary school teacher. This has given me experience of working with, children and families, practitioners across different sectors and in ensuring children and families were represented and their questions addressed. I have also worked as a registered nurse required a good level of communication skills, the ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and effective time management skills.
Parenting and non-traditional approaches
Masculinity and social expectations
Qualitative methodologies including discourse analysis and discursive psychology
Social constructions of gender and sexuality
employability and student learning
Teaching
Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion
College of Social Sciences and Arts
I have published on a range of topics, including working in partnership with parents, early years policy and working in multi-disciplinary teams across children's services.
Publications
Journal articles
Fitzgerald, D. (2016). Quantity over quality. Nursery World, 2016 (Sup6), 27-28. http://doi.org/10.12968/nuwa.2016.sup6.27
Book chapters
Ehiyazaryan-White, E. (2024). Working with multilingual children and families in the early years. In Fitzgerald, D., & Maconochie, H. (Eds.) Early Childhood Studies: A Student's Guide. Second Edition. (pp. 237-248). London: Sage: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/early-childhood-studies/book276166
Daniels, K., & Taylor, R. (2018). Children as learners: multimodal perspectives on play and learning. In Fitzgerald, D., & Maconochie, H. (Eds.) Early Childhood Studies: A students' guide. (pp. 47-62). London: Sage: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/early-childhood-studies/book253819
Taylor, C., Harris-Evans, J., Garner, I., Fitzgerald, D., & Madriaga, M. (2018). Measurement imperatives and their impact: Academic staff narratives on riding the metric tide. In Equality and differentiation in marketised higher education: A new level playing field?. (pp. 171-194). Palgrave Macmillan: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78313-0
Books
FITZGERALD, D.A.M.I.E.N., & MACONOCHIE, H. (Eds.). (2019). Early Childhood Studies: A Student's Guide. London: Sage Publishing. https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/early-childhood-studies/book253819
Fitzgerald, D., & Kay, J. (2016). Understanding Early Years Policy. SAGE.
Fitzgerald, D., & Kay, J. (n.d.). Working Together in Children's Services. Routledge. http://doi.org/10.4324/9780203926796
Theses / Dissertations
Soulby, K. (2020). Exploring lecturer’s translations and negotiations of Inclusive Practice in post- 1992 English universities. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Madriaga, M., & Fitzgerald, D. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00353
Postgraduate supervision
Gender and childhood; Sexuality and identity; Same-sex parenting
Media
Damien is a principal lecturer in education and his teaching and research interests include child and family policy, parenting, masculinity and sexuality matters. An overarching theme of his work is focused on social inclusion. Prior to Sheffield Hallam he worked as teacher, in education advisory services for children with special educational needs and as a registered nurse.