Dan Robinson
Daniel B. Robinson, PhD, is an award-winning researcher and Professor of Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy at St. Francis Xavier University, where he serves as Chair of the Department of Curriculum and Leadership and Coordinator of the PhD in Educational Studies program. With over three decades of experience as a teacher, researcher, and academic leader, his work spans physical and health education, teacher education, inclusive education, and physical literacy, with a sustained focus on enhancing educational practices and improving student experiences across diverse school and community contexts. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Robinson worked extensively in K–12 education, including roles as a public-school teacher and administrator, experiences that continue to inform his applied and practice-oriented research agenda.
Dr. Robinson has established a significant and sustained program of scholarship, publishing more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, 3 books, and over 15 book chapters, in addition to numerous educational resources and invited contributions. His research addresses a wide range of topics, including curriculum development, physical and health education, equity and inclusion in schooling, and the professional lives of educators. He has also delivered more than 100 refereed conference presentations at national and international venues, reflecting his active engagement with scholarly and professional communities. He is the recipient of multiple academic and professional awards recognizing his contributions to research, teaching, and service, and has secured over $3.4 million in competitive research funding as a principal investigator and co-investigator. This funding includes major grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), such as a $2.5 million Partnership Grant focused on physical literacy opportunities for newcomer children and youth, as well as additional SSHRC Partnership and Partnership Development Grants addressing teacher resilience and health education in Canada. His funded work also includes projects supported by federal, provincial, and community organizations focused on newcomer youth, Indigenous students, physical literacy, and inclusive education.
A central thread across Dr. Robinson’s work is a commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice in education. He has engaged in longstanding collaborative research and community-based initiatives with Indigenous communities, including work with Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, focused on culturally relevant and responsive approaches to education. His scholarship also includes projects that support students with disabilities through inclusive sport and physical activity programming, as well as participatory research initiatives aimed at enhancing opportunities for immigrant and newcomer children and youth. Across these efforts, Dr. Robinson prioritizes partnership-driven, contextually grounded approaches that centre the voices and experiences of students, educators, and communities, with the goal of creating more inclusive, accessible, and meaningful educational environments for all learners.
SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS (2023-2026)
Robinson, D. B., Barrett, J., Walters, W., & Harenberg, S. (2025). Game Changers: School sport as a resource of hope for students with disabilities. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 20(1), 32–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2024.2397531
Robinson, D. B., Gilham, C., Fuller, K., Randall, L., Carter, E., Rogers, S., & Vukosa, C. (2025). Trauma-informed practices and physical education: A scoping literature review. European Physical Education Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X251370270
Robinson, D. B., Hadley, G. R. L., & Mitton, J. (2024). Single-sex schooling at an elite independent school: A multi-methods case study. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 70(1), 37–59. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/ajer.v70i1.76625
Robinson, D. B., Harenberg, S., Marshall, T., Rogers, S., Jutras, M., Hall, N., & Walters, W. (in press). Measuring physical literacy in Mi’kma’ki: An initial determination of Indigenous (Mi’kmaw) students’ physical literacy. International Journal of Circumpolar Health.
Robinson, D. B., Harenberg, S., Walters, W., Barrett, J., Cudmore, A., Fahie, K., & Zakaria, T. (2023). Game Changers: A participatory action research project for/with youth with disabilities in school sport settings. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1150130
Robinson, D. B., & Mitton, J. (2025). History of single-sex education. In E. E. Blair & S. L. Deckman (Eds.), The Sage encyclopedia of education and gender (Vol. 2, pp. 671–674). Sage.
Robinson, D. B., & Randall, L. (2024). Religion in sport and physical education. In R. Marttinen, L. Alfrey, & M. Hemphill (Eds.), Routledge resources online: Sports studies. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367766924-RESS125-1
Robinson, D. B., Sulz, L., Morrison, H., & Jutras, M. (in press). A consideration of Canadian school administrators’ views about and influence upon health education. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy.
Robinson, D. B., Sulz, L., Morrison, H., Wilson, L., & Harding-Kuriger, J. (2024). Health education curricula in Canada: An overview and analysis. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 15(1), 77–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2023.2178944
Robinson, D. B., & Walters, W. (2024). Infusing Indigenous content and Treaty Education in physical education teacher education: A collaborative self-study of teacher education practices (S-STEP). Studying Teacher Education, 20(3), 300–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2023.2301650
Robinson, D. B., Weaving, C., & Spicer, C. (2023). #USportsSoMale: Gender (in)equity in Canadian interuniversity varsity sport. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 16(2), 231–261. https://doi.org/10.17161/jis.v16i2.18105
Barrett, J., Robinson, D. B., & Walters, W. (2024). Collaborating for (game) change(rs): Negotiating and building meaningful action research partnerships. Canadian Journal of Action Research, 24(3), 152–169.
Hadley, G., Robinson, D. B., & Mitton, J. (2025). Students’ perceptions of religion at an elite Catholic school. Journal of Religious Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-025-00285-0
Lockyer, K. J., & Robinson, D. B. (2025). Feelings, realizations, and reflections of a female physical education teacher confronting experiences of institutional(ized) gender inequality: An autoethnography. Education Sciences, 15(4), 441. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15040441
Mitton, J., Robinson, D. B., & Hadley, G. R. L. (2024). Exploring adolescents’ perspectives of single-sex schooling: Teetering amongst conflicting views. Gender and Education, 36(5), 413–433. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2024.2352495
Morrison, H. J., Sulz, L., Robinson, D. B., & Kiama, E. W. (2026). Health education teachers’ views on supports and barriers to health education programs. Health Education, 126(1), 108–125. https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-07-2025-0119
Roy, S., Urban, K., Walters, W., & Robinson, D. B. (2024). Physical and Health Education Canada mentorship program: A meaningful experience for mentors. PHEnex Journal/Revue phénEPS, 14(3), 1–19.
Sulz, L., Morrison, H., Robinson, D. B., & Barrett, J. (2025). Contemporary physical education curricula across Canada: An overview and analysis. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2025.2486622
Sulz, L., Morrison, H., Robinson, D. B., & Kiama, E. (2025). Voices from the field: Teachers’ views on health education. Health Education, 126(2), 202–220.https://doi.org/10.1108/HE-05-2025-0056
Sulz, L., Robinson, D. B., Morrison, H., Read, J., Johnson, A., Johnston, L., & Frail, K. (2025). A scoping review of k–12 health education in Canada: Understanding school stakeholders’ perceptions. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 16(1), 41–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2024.2311113
Walters, W., Robinson, D. B., Barber, W., & Spicer, C. (2025). The physical, social, and professional isolation of physical education teachers. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 16(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2024.2311116
Walters, W., Robinson, D. B., Barrett, J., Harenberg, S., Fahie, K., Zakaria, T., & Cudmore, A. (2024). Game Changers: Providing equitable sporting opportunities for students with disabilities. PHEnex Journal/Revue phénEPS, 14(2), 1–21.
Whiting, L., Robinson, D. B., & Mitton, J. (2024). Yoga in the early elementary classroom: A narrative inquiry. PHEnex Journal/Revue phénEPS, 14(3), 1–21.
