Employing a two-phased mixed methods approach, this project aimed to explore teacher confidence in the teaching of post-16 poetry across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland with a view to informing teachers’ professional development needs in this field. In so doing, it seeks to establish: How confident do English teachers assert themselves to be …
Read More Exploring Teacher Confidence in the Teaching of Poetry at Leaving Certificate and A level

The aims of this small scale study on writing and iPads in the early years were: To ascertain the views of teachers who are using iPads in the classroom for writing, on how the iPad changes children’s engagement in and enjoyment of the writing process. To investigate teachers’ views on the benefits and challenges of …
Read More Writing and iPads in the Early Years

The overall aim of this project is to investigate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) tutors’ perceptions of purpose and practice in the use of ICT. Two key research questions will be the focus of this study: • What are the models of practice utilised in the ITE provision? • What challenges are faced by ITE tutors …
Read More Teacher Education Tutors’ Practice in ICT

The number of assistants in schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland has increased significantly over the years in response to changes in educational policy and although the role of the assistant has been the focus of many research studies, ambiguity still surrounds the role.  There is also a notable gap in the research on the …
Read More Teacher assistant partnerships in special schools

This project had three main aims. First, to facilitate cross-border interprofessional learning for stakeholders in policy and teacher education contexts around recent developments in policy and practice of teaching about religion and beliefs in schools. Second, to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to develop responses to current challenges in this area. Third, to investigate in particular …
Read More Sharing Beliefs: Sharing Education

This study focused on students undertaking teacher training courses and aimed to examine preservice teachers’ knowledge and awareness of IL and the presence of these skills on their initial teacher education (ITE) courses. The views of the teacher educators were also explored. Data was collected using two online surveys which were distributed to students and …
Read More Pre-service Teachers’ Understanding of Information and Digital Literacy

In an attempt to resolve some of the lingering tensions involved in implementing play as learning in early years classrooms across the island of Ireland, a shared form of professional development known as ‘Playful Learning’ was delivered together to a group of student teachers in the final years of their degree programme both in Northern …
Read More Playful Learning Across Ireland: a student teacher intervention in Early Years Education

The aim of this project was to hold two seminars on teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL), one at Ulster University in Coleraine and the other at Marino Institute of Education in Dublin, and to produce a digital resource based on these events. The seminars were entitled Minority language pupils and the curriculum – …
Read More Minority language pupils and the curriculum – closing the achievement gap

This research will documented the approach and response of pre-service teachers regarding their training, and confidence and competence in supporting pupils who have experienced loss. In particular the study seeked to answer the following research questions: Is loss an issue that effects the academic attainment and/or physical and psychological well-being of their students? How confident …
Read More Bereavement, Seperation, and Divorce: The response of pre-service teachers to pupil wellbeing.

The purpose of the study was to investigate how mainstream teachers meet the needs of pupils with SEN in multi-grade classrooms. The aim of the research was to identify good practice and challenges with regard to the inclusion of pupils with SEN in mainstream, multi-grade classrooms in primary schools, as well as identifying how teachers …
Read More Meeting the Needs of Children with Special Educational Needs in Multi-grade Classrooms