Dr Johanna Fitzgerald
More information
Brief Biography
Johanna taught in various educational settings both in the UK and Ireland and in a variety of teaching roles for eleven years before being seconded to the SESS as an Assistant National Coordinator with responsibility for the post-primary sector. Since her secondment to the SESS in 2006, and her subsequent appointment to 91ÖÆƬ³§ in 2011, she has been involved in the design and delivery of initial teacher education and continuing professional development relevant to inclusive and special educational needs.
Teaching
- Bachelor of Education
- Professional Master of Education
- Master of Education in Special Educational Needs
- Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs
- Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology
Advisory/ Reference/ Expert Groups
- EPSEN Legislation Review: Steering Committee member.
- Joint Managerial Body (JMB), Chairperson of the SEN Advisory Group.
- ETBI Inclusive Education Task Group (Provision Mapping Project)
Community Engagement
- 91ÖÆƬ³§ SENCO Forum: In 2015 Johanna established the Forum with support from the Limerick Principals and Deputy Principals Association. Underpinned by evidenced-based frameworks supporting sustainable professional learning for teachers (Communities of Practice and Professional Learning Networks), the Forum provides networking and professional learning opportunities for SENCOs in the mid-west region.
- UCC/ 91ÖÆƬ³§ and CESC SENCO Forum for post primary SENCOs and SETs.
Postgraduate Supervision
Doctoral Research Supervision (currently not accepting new doctoral students)
Current
- Supervisor Sarah Gallagher: PhD Project Title: Leadership in Inclusive Education in Irish Primary Schools: An Exploration of the Role of the SENCO.
- Supervisor Deirdre Barry: Prof Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology. Project Title: The Transition to Post-Primary School in Ireland from the Voices of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities or Mild General Learning Disabilities.
- Co-supervisor (lead) Katie Chapple: Structured PhD. Project Title: Enhancing a Culture of Learner Voice in the Irish Post-Primary School.
- Co-Supervisor (joint) Nicola Mannion: PhD Project Title: Making Children Visible: Using Student Voice to Shape Inclusive Pedagogy.
- Co-supervisor (joint) Emma O'Sullivan: PhD. Project Title: An exploration of the well-being of leaders of inclusion (Principals and SENCOs) in Irish primary schools..
Completed
- Holland, M. (Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology 2022). ‘Getting into the nucleus of the school’: Experiences of collaboration between Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators, Senior Leadership Teams, and Educational Psychologists in Irish post-primary schools. Department of Educational Psychology, Inclusive and Special Education, 91ÖÆƬ³§.
- O’Keeffe, A. (Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology 2019). An examination of the effect of green exercise and nature connectedness on the psychological well-being and attentional capacity of primary school-aged children. Co-supervisor, Dr Paul Mulcahy, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, 91ÖÆƬ³§.
- Walsh Hurley, D. (M Ed in SEN 2021). 'An investigation into the role of SENCOs in Leading and Managing a Systematic Whole School Approach to Special and Inclusive Education in Irish Post-Primary Schools'.
- Sweeney, E. (M Ed in SEN 2019). 'An exploration of ASD special class teacher perspectives of their role in Irish primary school contexts.'
- Mannion, N. (M Ed in SEN 2017). 'What is the impact of explicit teaching of wellbeing on students’ behaviour in a special school setting?'
- Delahunty, T. (M Ed in SEN 2016). 'How have the Quality and Qualifications of Ireland (QQI) Programmes Impacted on the Educational Experiences of Senior Students with Mild General Learning Disabilities in Irish Special Schools?'
- Daly, L. (MA in Educational Psychology 2016). 'Teachers’ Perspectives of Their Role and the Role of Educational Psychology in Supporting Student Mental and Emotional Well-Being: An Exploratory Study.'
- Higgins, E. (MA in Educational Psychology 2014). 'An Examination of the Impact of a Whole Class Literacy Intervention Programme ‘Literacy Lift-Off’ in an Irish Primary Classroom.'
- Sheehy, M. (M Ed in SEN 2015). 'Learning Pals: A study of Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) to support the development of mathematical skills in a multi-class rural Irish school.'
- McNamara, S. (M Ed in SEN 2014). 'What impact does an inclusive mathematics comprehension intervention have upon the levels of attainment in problem-solving with children of all abilities in second and third class in a rural mainstream primary school?'
- O’Connor, M. (M Ed in SEN 2012) An Investigation into how a positive Approach to Mathematics will Change the Attitudes of Children with Special Educational Needs and Their Parents Towards Maths in a Typical Rural Irish Primary School.
