I am a primary school teacher now working at the University of Otago. I completed my PhD in teacher cognition in 2007 which investigated how those who are entering their initial teacher education programme see themselves as the teacher and how this role-identity was formed by their prior experiences in the classroom. My research interest areas are in teacher cognition, heteronormativity in the classroom and science education.
Publications
Sexton, S. S. (2023). Nature of science and nature of technology. In B. Akpan, B. Cavas & T. Kennedy (Eds.), Contemporary issues in science and technology education. (pp. 13-23). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-24259-5_2
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. S. (2022). New Zealand student teachers’ reflections on planning, preparing, and delivery for effective and culturally responsive teaching practice. Education 3-13. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03004279.2022.2100441
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2021). Case studies in preparing future teachers: A gay educator in New Zealand's initial teacher education. In L. Murti & G. M. Flores (Eds.), Gender, race, and class in the lives of today's teachers: Educators at intersections. (pp. 187-202). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-73551-7_18
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. S. (2020). Meaningful learning: David P. Ausubel. In B. Akpan & T. J. Kennedy (Eds.), Science education in theory and practice: An introductory guide to learning theory. (pp. 163-175). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-43620-9_12
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. S. (2020). Never had it but now I have to teach it: A study into how primary teachers implemented a new curriculum requirement in teaching practice. Science Education International, 31(2), 172-178. doi: 10.33828/sei.v31.i2.6
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S., & Williamson-Leadley, S. (2020). Initial teacher education in a neo-liberal system: Making one-size fit all. In C. Koh (Ed.), Diversifying learner experience: A kaleidoscope of instructional approaches and strategies. (pp. 157-171). Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-9861-6_9
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. S. (2019). Indigenous knowledge. In B. Akpan (Ed.), Science education: Visions of the future. (pp. 447-461). Abuja, Nigeria: Next Generation Education.
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. S. (2018). Enhancing primary science teaching: Interconnections of content, policy and practice in a New Zealand professional learning and development programme. London Review of Education, 16(1), 152-164. doi: 10.18546/LRE.16.1.13
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2017). In The New Zealand Curriculum: Is it science education or education through science? One educator's argument. In B. Akpan (Ed.), Science education: A global perspective. (pp. 219-233). Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-32351-0_11
Chapter in Book - Research
Williamson-Leadley, S., & Sexton, S. (2017). Initial teacher education: Partnership in practice. In M. J. Harkins, Z. Barchuk & R. Collister (Eds.), International conversations of teacher educators: Collaborations in education. (pp. 137-154). Halifax, Canada: Mount Saint Vincent University.
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. (2017). Meaningful intersections of social justice and contemporary cultural competencies in a New Zealand master’s level initial teacher education programme. Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 1(1), 33-42. Retrieved from http://ojs.bbwpublisher.com/index.php/JCER/article/view/147
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2017). The intersection of self and school: How friendship circles influence heterosexual and self-identified queer teenage New Zealand boys' views on acceptable language and behavior. Gender & Education, 29(3), 299-312. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2016.1140722
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S., & Williamson-Leadley, S. (2017). Promoting reflexive thinking and adaptive expertise through video capturing to challenge postgraduate primary student teachers to think, know, feel and act like a teacher. Science Education International, 28(2), 172-179.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2017). [Review of the books Men teaching children 3-11: Dismantling gender barriers and Men, masculinities and teaching in early childhood education: International perspectives on gender and care]. Gender & Education, 29(7), 952-954. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2016.1170326
Journal - Research Other
Sexton, S. (2015). How are teenage male students redefining masculinity and heterosexuality? In A. C. Gunn & L. A. Smith (Eds.), Sexual cultures in Aotearoa New Zealand education. (pp. 67-81). Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Kennedy, I., Smith, P., & Sexton, S. S. (2015). Ensuring New Zealand's future prosperity: A professional learning development initiative to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Science Education International, 26(1), 42-55.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. (2015). Embracing diversity in science education. New Zealand Science Teacher, 134, 48-50.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. (2015). Teaching future teachers: A teacher educator's self-study in making science relevant, useful and meaningful for New Zealand pre-service teachers. Journal of Education in Science, Environment & Health, 1(1), 10-19.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2015). Student teachers learning to think, know, feel and act like a teacher: The impact of a Master of Teaching and Learning programme. Educational Alternatives, 13, 72-85.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2015). The feminisation of teacher education. Language, Individual & Society, 9, 173-182.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2015). [Review of the book Inequalities in the teaching profession: A global perspective]. Gender & Education, 27(5), 579-581. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2015.1019991
Journal - Research Other
Sexton, S. (2015, September). Student teachers learning to think, know, feel and act like a teacher: The impact of a Master of Teaching and Learning programme. Verbal presentation at the Education, Research & Development Sixth International Conference, Elenite, Bulgaria.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Sexton, S. (2015, September). The feminisation of teacher education. Verbal presentation at the Language, Individual & Society 9th International Conference, Elenite, Bulgaria.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Haig, B., & Sexton, S. S. (2014). Primary students' perceptions of good teachers. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 3, 22-28.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. (2014). Realistic teacher education in New Zealand: A master of teaching and learning degree's influence in teacher efficacy. In G. T. Papanikos (Ed.), Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual International Conference on Education. (pp. 151). Athens, Greece: Athens Institute for Education and Research. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. (2014). Teaching the future teachers: Making science relevant, useful and meaningful for New Zealand pre-service teachers. Proceedings of the International Conference on Education in Mathematics, Science & Technology (ICEMST). Retrieved from http://www.icemst.com/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. (2014). Three sides of the same coin! How the New Zealand Curriculum's nature of science and the nature of science pedagogy support and reflect the curriculum's effective pedagogy. Proceedings of the New Zealand Association of Science Educators (NZASE) Science Conference (SciCon). Retrieved from http://wired.ivvy.com/event/AKB002/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. S. (2013). Science education or education through science: Which is it in the New Zealand curriculum? In B. Akpan (Ed.), Science education: A global perspective. (pp. 146-161). Abuja, Nigeria: Next Generation Education.
Chapter in Book - Research
Sexton, S. (2013). Education through science. New Zealand Science Teacher, 132, 30-35.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S., & Penrice, G. (2013). Engaging primary students through science action research. New Zealand Science Teacher, 132, 59-61.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S., Atkinson, J., & Goodson, R. (2013). Narratives of place: Provisional teachers' experiences in science. Science Education International, 24(3), 361-376.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2013). [Review of the book The declining significance of homophobia: How teenage boys are redefining masculinity and heterosexuality]. Gender & Education, 25(5), 661. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2013.816822
Journal - Research Other
Sexton, S. S. (2013). [Review of the books Changing gay male identities and Men speak out: Views on gender, sex, and power]. Gender & Education, 26(2), 188-192. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2013.847578
Journal - Research Other
Sexton, S. S., Facer, R., & Ross, C. (2013). Relevant, useful, and meaningful learning opportunities in science using Building Science Concepts. Curriculum Matters, 9, 82-101.
Journal - Research Other
Sexton, S. (2013). Exploring the ‘wow’, the what and the why in primary science [Promoting primary level STEM education: ICASE Symposium]. Proceedings of the World Conference on Science and Technology Education. (pp. 306). Retrieved from http://worldste2013.org/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. (2013). Overcoming barriers to teaching science in primary education. Proceedings of the World Conference on Science and Technology Education. (pp. 265). Retrieved from http://worldste2013.org/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. (2013). Publishing with students: Getting their voice out there. In J. McDonald, S.-K. Loke, A. McLean & M. Rajoo (Eds.), Proceedings of the Spotlight on Teaching and Learning Colloquium. (pp. 36). Dunedin, New Zealand: HEDC, University of Otago. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. (2013). Relevant, useful and meaningful science for primary/ECE/elementary schools on a minimal budget. Proceedings of the World Conference on Science and Technology Education. (pp. 266). Retrieved from http://worldste2013.org/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. (2013, November). How and why the New Zealand curriculum is education through science. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE) National Conference: Creativity in Research: Generative Inquiries for Educational Futures, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Sexton, S. (2012). Queer Otago secondary students' views of their schooling environment. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 47(1), 93-106.
Journal - Research Article
Sexton, S. S. (2012). The other side of the chalk face: Students' perceptions of teachers. Global Education Review, 1(1), 59-68.
Journal - Research Article
Penrice, G., & Sexton, S. (2012). Discourses of rural primary school science. Proceedings of the New Zealand Association of Science Educators (NZASE) Science Conference (SciCon): Making Connections. Retrieved from http://www.scicon2012.org.nz/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Sexton, S. S. (2011). Transformative praxis in teacher practice: One tauira finds her place in education. Compare, 41(1), 59-74. doi: 10.1080/03057925.2010.517662
Journal - Research Article