SCoTENS

Dyslexia in Ireland: Views regarding the provision for pupils with dyslexia since the publication of the Task Force Reports, North and South (2002) (DyslexiaN/S)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:22:23 +0000

Project Aims
(a) to consult with members of the Dyslexia Task Force groups, North and South (DENI, DES) and ascertain their views and perspectives on the provision of support for pupils with dyslexia ten years on.

(b) to consult with key stakeholders, North and South and to ascertain their views and perspectives on the provision of support for pupils with dyslexia and

(c) to clarify present policy in the area of dyslexia support, North and South and to identify strategic policy which informs good practice.

Contacts

Dr Therese McPhillips, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
Dr Ann Marie Casserly, St Angela’s College, Sligo
Mrs Donna Hazzard, St Mary’s University College, Belfast
Mrs Gillian Beck, Stranmillis University College, Belfast
Dr Bairbre Tiernan, St Angela’s College, Sligo

Amount Granted
[£5000 2013-2014]

3 PLY – Exploring the potential for transformative workplace learning for and by teachers (3 PLY)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:15:49 +0000

Project Aims
The aim of the project is to test the theory that, in the context of what has been argued to be a new educational settlement (Vickers 2008) where education and employment now overlap, the transformative possibilities for workplace learning for you people are created, or not, by the learning ethos of the workplaces in which they engage and that this learning ethos is in part created by the presence of young people. Yet attention to the relevance of this dimension is in itself framed by the learning ethos of schools and teachers.

Contacts

Dr Annelies Kamp, Dublin City University
Ms Dorothy Black, University of Ulster

Amount Granted
[£5300 2013-2014]

Addressing fundamental movement skill training: Learning to move, moving to learn (LMML)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:10:04 +0000

Project Aims
(a) to prepare a summary of existing research on best practice in effective fundamental movement skill development in the work place (within and beyond education)

(b) to analyse different models of fundamental movement skill training in physical education teacher education in two research sites, and to compare them with each other and the existing literature on effective fundamental movement skill training,

(c) to provide an opportunity for researchers/teachers/lecturers in contact with the two research sites to comment on current practice and to identify gaps in their training and preparation for becoming an effective fundamental movement skill teacher

(d) to prepare a position statement on effective fundamental movement skill training in physical education teacher education that can inform practice in the two research sites, underpin joint research publications and provide a rationale for further collaborative research funding.

Contacts

Dr Susan Crawford
Dr David McKee

Amount Granted
[£5000 2013-2014]

Creative Classrooms: Insights from imaginative and innovative teaching in Ireland North and South (CCIT – Ireland)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:05:55 +0000

Project Aims
This project is a direct result of the 2012 Annual SCoTENS Conference, and aims to (a) Identify, investigate and case-report the nature and detail of teaching and learning activities within a number of creative classrooms, north and south and (b) contribute to developing better international understanding of the issue of creativity in the classroom and so to a more complete definition of the creative classroom itself and the learning experiences this affords.

Contacts

Dr. Anne McMorrough, Marino Institute of Education
Ms. Nicola Marlow, University of Ulster

Amount Granted
[£5000 2013-2014]

Teaching Political history at primary level (TPHPL)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:55:05 +0000

Project Aims
This project aims to explore the role of primary education in the teaching of political history, with particular emphasis on teaching contested or controversial history in the context of the decade of commemorations

Contacts

Dr Fionnuala Waldron, St Patrick’s College , Drumcondra
Dr Alan McCully, University of Ulster

Amount Granted
[£1400 2013-2014]

All Ireland Doctoral Student Research Conference (AIDSRC)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:48:29 +0000

Project Aims
To hold a conference which will take place in May 2013 in the School of Education in UCD for doctoral students in education on the island of Ireland. This is the fifth Doctoral Conference that SCoTENS has co-funded

Contacts

Dr Dympna Devine, University College Dublin
Prof. Jannette Elwood, Queen’s University Belfast

Amount Granted
[£4000 2013-2014]

The Programming Studio (TPS)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:42:29 +0000

Project Aims
The Programming Studio, a virtual learning environment hosted by QUB will offer a pilot group of post-primary school ICT teachers an opportunity to experience programming as a ‘digital literacy’ by mastering the programming language(s) identified above through games-based learning. The wider skill of ‘computational thinking’ at the heart of computer programming will be embedded in the Programming Studio game plan.

Contacts

Dr Pamela Cowan, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Elizabeth Oldham, Trinity College Dublin
Dr Ann Fitzgibbon, Trinity College Dublin

Amount Granted
[£5,500 2013-2014]

Navigating the Continuum: from student teacher to professional practitioner (NTC)

CMurphy — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:32:53 +0000

Project Aims
This project aims to examine the interaction between Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and school and classroom setting with a view to identifying the factors that support or inhibit teachers in the implementation and development of the methodologies and approaches introduced during ITE

Contacts

Dr Fionnuala Waldron, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra
Dr Richard Greenwood, Stranmillis University College
Dr Maeve Liston, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

Amount Granted
[£3290 2013-2014]

SCoTENS Compilation Report – August 2012

CMurphy — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 16:30:04 +0000

Exploring Japanese research lessons study as a model of peer to peer professional learning

This study seeks to explore the use of Research Lesson Study (RLS), a long-established professional development strategy in Japan, as a model of school-based and peer-to-peer professional development for teachers which is new to Northern Ireland and the Republic. Broadly stated, RLS involves between 3-5 teachers forming a group that plans lessons, observes them being taught by each other and analyses them with a view to improving practice. There are various approaches to RLS but this proposal seeks to adapt the successful work of Dudley (2005), which was arguably the first formal application of RLS techniques for professional development anywhere in Ireland or the UK.

The focus of this small-scale study is to examine this relatively new professional learning tool in a secondary level school in Sligo and Belfast. The key research questions are:

Can RLS offer an effective school-based and peer-to-peer approach to staff development in schools?
What factors facilitate or hinder the improvement of pedagogy and ultimately learning through RLS?

Contacts

Professor John Gardner, Queen’s University Belfast
Mr Gerard Devlin, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Debie Galanouli, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Mary Magee, St Angela’s College, Sligo
Ms Kathryn McSweeney, St Angela’s College, Sligo

Effective mentoring within physical education teacher education

The aim of this research project is to:

Prepare a summary of existing research on best practice in effective mentoring in the work place, within and beyond education
Analyse three different models of mentoring in PETE (physical education teacher education) in three research sites, and to compare them with each other and the existing literature on effective mentoring.
Provide an opportunity for mentors in the three research sites to comment on current practice and it identify gaps in their training and preparation for becoming an effective mentor.
Prepare a position statement on effective mentoring in PETE, using the format of a collaborative seminar that can inform practice in the three research sites, underpin joint research publications and provide a rationale for further collaborative research.

Contacts

Dr Fiona C Chambers, University College Cork
Mr Walter Bleakley, University of Ulster at Jordanstown
Dr Deirdre Brennan, University of Ulster at Jordanstown

Children exposed to domestic abuse

Helping student teachers understand their role in primary school settings

This research project will undertake an audit in the participating institutions to identify the extent to which the topic of domestic abuse is included in the undergraduate education curriculum. Results from the audit will be used to inform the development and evaluation of a tailored education programme with student teachers. The aim of the education programme is to increase student teachers knowledge and understanding of domestic abuse and the impact it has on primary school aged children’s learning, development, behaviour and relationships within an educational context. The use of actors in the education programme provides an opportunity to address real life situations in a safe environment.

Contacts

Dr Bronagh McKee, Stranmillis University College
Ms Stephanie Holt, Trinity College Dublin

Download a copy of the final report [PDF 574Kb]

Call for SCoTENS North/South Research Projects January 2013-2014

pmcallister — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:29:50 +0000

In line with its objective of providing a supportive framework for collaborative research and professional activities in teacher education in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) provides ‘SEED FUNDING’ for projects such as research, conferences and exchanges which further this objective.

For more information download the Seed funding application form 2013 – 2014 1