Dr Sarah Gurr
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Education
Career Summary
Biography
Sarah Gurr is a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Education at The University of Newcastle, Australia, researching ethical leadership and management in educational settings.
Sarah's doctoral research examined ethical, normative and epistemic tensions in environmental and sustainability education and translates these to Australian educational policy and fossil fuel community contexts. More specifically, her thesis presented a detailed conceptual analysis of the Sustainability Cross-Curriculum Priority of the Australian Curriculum and developed pedagogical tools to support teachers in navigating ethical dilemmas and social and environmental justice issues when teaching Sustainability in fossil fuel communities.
Sarah's broader interests include educational ethics, philosophy of education, values education and precarity in higher education and she has worked on a range of cross-institutional and international research projects in each of these areas.
Sarah is a qualified English and History teacher and currently teaches educational philosophy, ethics and sociology to teacher education students. Since 2023, Sarah has served as member representative of the Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia, working with postgraduate and early career members.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy in Education, University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Teaching (Humanities) (Honours) major in English, University of Newcastle
Keywords
- Educational ethics
- Educational leadership
- Environmental and sustainability education
- Normative case study
- Philosophy of education
- Precarity in Higher Education
Languages
- English (Mother)
Fields of Research
Code | Description | Percentage |
---|---|---|
390105 | Environmental education curriculum and pedagogy | 20 |
390403 | Educational administration, management and leadership | 20 |
390202 | History and philosophy of education | 30 |
390307 | Teacher education and professional development of educators | 30 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
Title | Organisation / Department |
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
Casual Academic | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
Teaching
Code | Course | Role | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
EDUC4181 |
Ethical Teaching in Classrooms School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Tutor and Guest Lecturer | 25/2/2019 - 30/6/2021 |
EDUC4181 |
Ethical Teaching in Classrooms School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Course Coordinator | 10/1/2022 - 16/12/2022 |
EDUC6913 |
The Global Professional School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 18/1/2021 - 30/6/2021 |
EDUC1103 |
Schooling, Identity and Society School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 17/7/2023 - 3/11/2023 |
EDUC4181 |
Ethical Teaching in Classrooms School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Course Coordinator, Lecturer | 8/1/2024 - 5/2/2024 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (3 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | |||||
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2023 |
Innes M, 'Historical Empathy: Ethical and Culturally Responsive Teaching', Public History Weekly, 2023 (2023)
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2023 |
Smithers K, Spina N, Harris J, Gurr S, 'Working every weekend: The paradox of time for insecurely employed academics', TIME & SOCIETY, 32 101-122 (2023) [C1]
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Nova | ||||||
2023 |
Gurr SK, Forster DJ, 'Using normative case studies to examine ethical dilemmas for educators in an ecological crisis', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 55 1121-1136 (2023) [C1] Environmental and sustainability initiatives seek to respond to the challenges of ecological crises and ongoing environmental degradation by supporting students to develop knowled... [more] Environmental and sustainability initiatives seek to respond to the challenges of ecological crises and ongoing environmental degradation by supporting students to develop knowledge and dispositions to respond to the challenges of and live in a climate changed world. However, these initiatives are often marginalised in curriculum and hamstrung by inherent tensions such as which worldviews should be prioritised, the incommensurability of some global and local values, and the pursuit of environmental needs in the age of neoliberalism. These challenges become more complex when considering contextual stakeholders. In this paper we focus on the ethical dilemmas associated with environmental and sustainability education in a coal town where mining company sponsorship heralds mixed community response. In doing so, we unpack the contextual and philosophical complexities which create the crucial conditions for a viable normative case study¿genuine uncertainty about issues not yet at tipping point, differences of reasonable perspectives and recognisable local concerns. We argue that teacher educators, particularly those with interdisciplinary philosophical insight should look to their local contexts for pressing ethical issues and engage in the development and field testing of their own normative case studies. We make the case that the process behind developing a normative case study involves insight into the relationships between educational ethics, policy, context, and divergent community perspectives. We argue that pedagogy using normative case study to navigate these elements has the potential to develop world-reading teacher deliberation which surpasses proceduralist approaches in teacher education.
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Nova |
Conference (4 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2023 |
Forster D, Block E, O'Brien S, Davies M, 'Elevating Voice with Normative Case Discussions: Promoting Ethical Deliberation and Multiple Perspectives in Educational Spaces', University of Melbourne, Victoria (2023)
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2023 | Gurr S, 'Cruel Optimism, Environmental and Sustainability Education and the Australian Curriculum', Auckland, New Zealand (2023) | ||||
2021 |
Geron T, Forster D, Banerji A, Fay J, Levinson M, Stevens A, Gurr S, 'Schools Unmasked: Educators' Ethical Dilemmas in a Global Pandemic', https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/aera/aera21/ (2021)
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Show 1 more conference |
Presentation (1 outputs)
Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
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2022 |
Innes M, Forster D, Sharp H, Gurr S, 'Historical empathy assessment: The importance of ethical and culturally responsive history teaching', (2022)
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Dr Sarah Gurr
Positions
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Education
College of Human and Social Futures
Casual Academic
School of Education
College of Human and Social Futures
Contact Details
sarah.gurr@newcastle.edu.au |
Office
Room | V228 |
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Building | V Building |
Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |