This SCoTENS EDUCATE project explores Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students’ understandings of inclusion, education about difference and familiarity with methodologies and approaches for teaching controversial issues. It asks what are the skills, knowledge, resources and interventions that enable primary and post-primary Initial Teacher Education students and Equality-based, Multi-denominational and Integrated [EMI] teachers to teach about difference and controversial issues especially in, but not limited to, EMI schools on the island of Ireland. It investigates how ITE students might benefit from the sharing of best practice and resources from classroom teachers in EMIs and their Representative/Support/Management/Patron (RSMP) bodies.
The project is located within ITE formation and interconnects the areas of Inclusive Education, Global Citizenship Education, Patrons’ Programmes and Wellbeing and Human Rights Education, while being relevant to other primary and post-primary curricular areas. The research responds to an urgent need in policy and practice to address a knowledge and research deficit around EMIs and whether ITE students are prepared to teach in diverse settings. As collaborative, inter-institutional and school-based action research, it investigates, implements and evaluates materials and interventions to enhance primary PME and post-primary PGCE students’ capacity to explore identity, address difference and teach controversial issues in, but not limited to, EMIs.
To achieve EDUCATE’s stated aims, this research utilises a number of research methods to determine the attitudes of ITE students pre- and post-placement, towards the teaching of controversial topics in educational settings, as well as highlighting the attitudes of current, qualified and practicing EMI teachers in this area. A survey questionnaire was developed and reviewed by an expert panel of current practitioners both North and South of Ireland. Focus groups were also carried out with ITE students and current teachers on the teaching of controversial topics.
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