All posts by Tricia Kelly

Seed Funding Scheme 2026

Featured, News
 
 
Each year, SCoTENS provides Seed Funding to support collaborative research projects and professional activities in teacher education across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To date, 159 research, conference, and exchange projects have benefited from this scheme.  As last year, SCoTENS is delighted that DE (NI) is committing funding for a small number of additional seed-funding projects, which, in line with DE(NI) priorities, are related to the TransformED NI Strategy’.
 
Be sure to submit your application and take advantage of this excellent opportunity HERE

SEALSEN – Supporting English as an Additional Language Pupils with Special Educational Needs/ Additional Educational Needs across the Island of Ireland

Published Reports, News

SEALSEN

The purpose of this study as part of the SCOTENS funded research project entitled (Supporting English as an Additional Language pupils with Special Educational Needs/Additional Educational Needs across the Island of Ireland) was to examine how post-primary schools in Ireland (IE) and Northern Ireland (NI) identify and support pupils who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) and who also have special or additional educational needs (SEN/AEN)1. The scope of the research encompasses both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, reflecting a growing and diverse student population. Within this, the study was motivated by concerns that existing educational approaches often treat EAL and SEN/AEN supports separately, leading to fragmented provision of services and supports that are available to EAL pupils with SEN/AEN. It addresses a critical gap in the research by exploring present and future integrated strategies that recognise these pupils’ linguistic and cultural assets as strengths while meeting their learning needs. The goal of SEALSEN is to inform policymakers and educators on creating more inclusive, equitable education systems for EAL pupils with SEN/AEN. The research employed a mixed-methods, explanatory sequential design to gather data across IE and NI. In Phase 1, a survey was distributed to post-primary schools in both jurisdictions (approximately 50 schools; 33 in IE and 17 in NI responded). The survey targeted school staff involved in supporting EAL learners with SEN/AEN – including SEN coordinators (SENCOs), teachers, and school leaders to capture quantitative data on current practices, challenges, and perceptions. In Phase 2, qualitative data was collected through focus groups and interviews with educators from a subset of these schools (nine schools in total, with representation from both IE and NI). Participants included SENCOs, mainstream teachers, EAL specialists, and senior leaders, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives on how best to serve the needs of EAL pupils with SEN/AEN. Following on from this, data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques of which the descriptive results are presented in this report. Following on this, thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview and focus group data.

 

Virtual Student Teacher Exchange 2025

Virtual, Student Teacher Exchange

Join Us for a Two-Day Event:

Teaching for a Sustainable World: Advancing Climate Action and Biodiversity Conservation

This two-day event is designed for student teachers from across the island of Ireland, bringing together participants from both north and south to explore innovative approaches to teaching sustainability, climate action, and biodiversity conservation, with the aim of empowering teachers and pupils to take action. Through expert-led sessions and interactive discussions, this event will provide invaluable insights and resources to equip future educators with the tools needed to inspire change in their classrooms and beyond, educating pupils for a sustainable future, engaging with biodiversity and leading conservation efforts.

When:
Day 1: Thursday, 16 January 2025
Day 2: Friday, 17 January 2025
Each session runs from 5pm to 7pm

Where: Virtual Zoom Event (Details to be shared upon registration)

Event Highlights

Day 1: Why Teaching Sustainability Matters
The event will commence with a stimulating keynote presentation from Elaine Nevin of ECO-UNESCO, who will discuss the critical importance of embedding sustainability and biodiversity education in schools. You will learn about practical strategies to get started with sustainability in your teaching practice. The session will also feature a panel of experienced primary and post-primary teachers from across Ireland, who are passionate about their local and global environment and will share inspiring examples of how they have integrated sustainability and climate action into their schools. Resources and ideas for supporting initiatives like the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalists Award and EU Climate Coalition Challenge will also be introduced.

Participants will gain access to teaching resources tailored to different age groups and themes, provided by ECO-UNESCO, the Irish Schools Sustainability Network, and the EU Climate Coalition, creating opportunities for empowering teachers and pupils to take action on issues such as sustainable living and biodiversity. The evening will close with suggestions for collaborative cross-border projects that can be implemented during teaching placements.

 

Day 2: Strategies for Climate Action and Biodiversity Conservation in Education
The second evening will open with a thought-provoking presentation by a Brussels-based policy expert on the European perspective focusing on the role of education in driving climate action and biodiversity conservation. This session will explore why educators are central to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A group of enthusiastic and passionate primary and post-primary teachers will share more practical teaching examples, with a focus on activities that promote biodiversity awareness and foster action on climate change. As participants, you will explore cross-curricular classroom activities and whole-school approaches that build expertise and confidence in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Additionally, a webinar on the use of serious games and interactive activities will be highlighting an effective way of utilising dynamic tools to convey key climate action concepts, for enhancing learning outcomes, inspiring young minds and educating pupils for a sustainable future.

Why Attend?

  • Gain insights from leading sustainability and education experts.
  • Learn from experienced primary and post-primary teachers about practical applications in real-world classrooms.
  • Access a wealth of free teaching resources and project ideas.
  • Build connections with student teachers across Ireland for potential cross-border collaboration, if desired.
  • Strengthen your ability to teach key SDGs, including climate action and biodiversity conservation.

Register now at https://forms.office.com/e/QdBLEmriVN  or scan the QR code to secure your spot and join us in shaping a more sustainable future through education. Let’s work together to empower the next generation of learners and leaders!

For further details and background reading, please visit: ECO-UNESCO, Irish Schools Sustainability Network, or EU Climate Coalition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCoTENS Certificate of Participation  

All participants in the 2025 SCoTENS Virtual Learning Event will receive a SCoTENS Certificate for taking part in this North-South webinar.

 

 

SCoTENS Conference 2025

Featured, News

The 2025 SCoTENS Annual Conference took place in the stunning surroundings of the Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen, on 16 & 17 October 2025. This year’s theme, “A New Era for Professionalism: Teacher Identity, Authenticity, and Agency,” brought together educators, researchers, and policymakers to reflect on the evolving nature of teacher professionalism in a rapidly changing world.

The conference theme invited participants to critically examine how societal shifts, technological advancements—particularly the rise of AI—and evolving education policies are reshaping what it means to be a professional teacher. Discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities these changes present for maintaining teacher identity, authenticity, and agency in contemporary classrooms.

Delegates explored the multifaceted influences on teacher professionalism, including policy frameworks, curriculum reforms, and societal expectations. The conference aimed to illuminate both the pressures and possibilities shaping the future of teaching, with a focus on pedagogy, collaboration, and professional autonomy.

Key questions guiding the discussions included:

  • How and why has teacher professionalism transformed in recent times?
  • What factors are influencing, shaping, and defining teacher professionalism today?
  • What strategies can sustain teacher identity, authenticity, and agency?
  • What are the risks and challenges posed by rapid societal and technological change?

For further information and photos, please see the conference section of the website!!

Language Preferences of the Autistic Community and Educators Living in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Published Reports, News

Language Preferences of the Autistic Community and Educators living in NI and Republic of Ireland

The aim of our co-produced, multiple methods study was to explore the language preferences of the autistic community in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as the preferences of educators supporting autistic learners in this region. A total of 111 participants completed the survey, which included both open- and close-ended questions. Ten of the participants were autistic educators, 35 were autistic non-educators, and 66 were non-autistic educators. Overall, autistic people preferred identityfirst terms, such as autistic, neurodivergent, and neurodiverse over personfirst terms (e.g., person with autism). Non-autistic educators showed no clear preference for any terms but acknowledged the importance of asking autistic people about their preferences. Based on our findings, it is recommended that educators respect the preferences of the individuals they support. When it is not possible to ask about preferences, educators should opt for identity-first and neuro-affirmative terms, while avoiding person-first terms

SCoTENS Conference 2025

Featured, News

Register HERE

Title: A New Era for Professionalism: Teacher Identity, Authenticity and Agency

Date  Thursday 16 – Friday 17 October 2025

Venue: Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh

This year’s SCoTENS annual conference will take place in the beautiful Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen on 16 and 17 October 2025.  The theme for this year is A New Era for Professionalism: Teacher Identity, Authenticity and Agency

The theme for the 2025 SCoTENS conference, A New Era for Professionalism: Teacher Identity, Authenticity, and Agency, invites researchers to explore the evolving landscape of teacher professionalism, examining how shifts in society, technology, and education policies have prompted a redefinition of what it means to be a professional teacher. Researchers are encouraged to examine the multifaceted influences that shape and define teacher professionalism, emphasising factors such as policy frameworks, curriculum reforms, and societal expectations. This conference aims to uncover both the pressures and possibilities shaping the future of the teaching profession in this new era and to explore the potential impact on pedagogy, collaboration, and teacher autonomy.

In order to address the theme, participants are asked to consider:

  • How has the concept of teacher professionalism transformed in recent times?
  • What influences, shapes and defines teacher professionalism?
  • What sustains teacher identity, authenticity and agency?
  • What threatens teacher identity, authenticity and agency?

This year’s SCoTENS conference offers a timely opportunity to critically consider this major theme and examine the questions indicated above.

 

 

 

INTO Bursary Scheme for Members

News

The INTO Bursary Scheme for members will be continued for 2025. Up to six bursaries will be awarded with awards of €3,000 for Doctorate Level and €1,500 for Masters Level/Other.

To mark the 20th Anniversary since the establishment of the INTO LGBT+ Teachers’ Group, an extra bursary of €3,000 will also be available in 2025 for a research project on the topic of LGBT+ inclusion in schools – this will be awarded either to one PhD or two Masters projects.

The deadline for applications is Friday, 26 September 2025.

Bursaries are open to all INTO members, North and South. Any project which has been approved as a research endeavour by a recognised third level institute will be considered for grant purposes.

All applications received by the closing date of 5pm on Friday, 26 September 2025 will be examined by an independent assessor who will make recommendations on the applications.

It is proposed to award the bursaries at a ceremony at this year’s INTO Consultative Conference on Education which is scheduled to take place in the Radisson Hotel in Sligo on Friday, 21 and Saturday, 22 November 2025.

The full terms and conditions on the INTO website.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please download the INTO Bursary Terms and Conditions 2025

APPLICATIONS

Applications must be sent on the relevant application form which is available online or as a download.

Online Form

Step 1: Prepare your project description that can then be attached to your online form.

Step 2: Complete the online application form

Downloaded Form

Downloaded application forms should be returned via email to education@into.ie or by post to: Education Section (Bursary Scheme), INTO, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

 

SCoTENS Awarded Additional Seed Funding to Expand Cross-Border Teacher Education Initiatives

Featured, News

SCoTENS is pleased to announce that the Minister of Education, Paul Givan, has recently approved additional seed funding of up to £18,000 for the 2025/26 academic year. This funding supports the Minister’s commitment to support research-informed practice and  will specifically support research projects within the SCoTENS programme which are closely aligned with the key objectives of the new TransformED NI strategy.

Each year, SCoTENS offers seed funding to support a range of north-south collaborative research projects and professional development activities in teacher education across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. To date, more than 150 initiatives—including research studies, conferences, and exchange programmes—have been successfully funded.

We are deeply grateful for this additional investment, which will strengthen and expand the impact of our seed funding projects and enable further innovative work in cross-border teacher education.

 

CoPPEEY: A Community of Practice for Placement Enhancement in the Early Years

Published Reports, News

CoPPEEY

The aim of the project was to create Communities of Practice (CoP), facilitating reflection and dialogue between two Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), in the North and Republic of Ireland and specifically in the undergraduate Early Years Childhood Studies programmes. Undergraduate student placement is a core aspect of early childhood degree programmes and placement experience should therefore reflect innovation in terms of pedagogy and inclusive early years practice. High quality placement settings enhance the student experience resulting in skilled students and competent graduates who go on to work with children within the early years sector. The project aimed to develop evidenced–based approaches to professional student placement experience, ensuring the stakeholders, who in the research were, HEI staff, students and early years placement providers, can best provide an enriched, engaged and positive placement experience. We have applied a praxiological paradigm (Pascal and Bertram, 2012) built on mutual respect and our methods included, pre and post placement student questionnaires which provided the basis for reflective dialogue at the cross-border and local level CoPs. The findings show there is a high-level of satisfaction in terms of placement being reported by students from across both institutions. There was clear acknowledgement from all stakeholders that a Community of Practice model regarding early childhood placement experience was valuable and worthwhile in enhancing and enriching the student placement experience. The research f indings underscore the importance of structured processes in enhancing the placement experience for early years students. The induction process, mentorship, and placement documentation play critical roles in ensuring that students transition smoothly into professional settings, fostering their development and professional identity. However, inconsistencies in the quality of these elements highlight areas for improvement. By adopting a more standardised approach and incorporating tailored support for both students and mentors, educational institutions can significantly enhance the quality of professional placements. Students, HEI staff, and placement provider feedback have established a number of key issues for further development which will now inform and enhance the quality of the student placement experience for all. The findings address the dearth of research on placement experiences, from across the two jurisdictions and provides a sound basis and rationale for further all stake holder communication regarding Early Childhood Studies undergraduate student placement experience.

SCoTENS Doctoral Workshop 2025

Featured, News
Doctoral Students with Committee Members, SCoTENS Conference 2024 at the Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan

The Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) invites proposals for participation and working papers at the 7th SCoTENS Doctoral Studies Roundtable.  The Roundtable will provide a mix of short presentations by participants on their work in progress and will also feature participation by SCoTENS colleagues who are leaders in the field of Teacher Education and related research in Ireland and beyond.

The Doctoral Studies Roundtable will be held in conjunction with the Annual SCoTENS Conference, which runs on  Thursday 16 and Friday 17 October 2025 in the Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.  The conference theme this year is A New Era for Professionalism: Teacher Identity, Authenticity, and Agency.  The Roundtable will take place on Thursday morning.

This Roundtable will bring together doctoral researchers working on topics relating to education and educators in its broadest sense on this island. Participants are invited to share insights from their research, pose questions and challenges they face, engage in critique and deliberations in a supportive context with their peers and experts in the field of education.   

A limited number of accepted contributions will address issues in the general field of educators and education – ideally in light of the concerns of the conference theme as noted here. We, therefore, invite doctoral students interested in these and related issues to apply for a place at the Roundtable. The Roundtable will provide a space for new doctoral researchers to meet and discuss their interests, to showcase their work, and to participate in the SCoTENS Conference more broadly.

This year for the first time, SCoTENS is delighted to announce that the Harry McMahon Award will be awarded to the Doctoral student who submits the best proposal for the Doctoral workshop. The Harry McMahon Award certificate will be presented to the Doctoral student at the conference and further details are available on the Doctoral workshop application form.

Accommodation and meals will be provided, and participants will also have full access to the main conference.  Please submit your proposal on the attached form to tricia.kelly@qub.ac.uk before the deadline of Friday 11 July 2025 at 4.00pm

Doctoral Workshop Application Form