In recognition of John’s contribution to the foundation of SCoTENS, the John Coolahan award is made to the authors of the Seed Funding Report which is recognised to be most in line with the values and ideals of SCoTENS. This award is awarded annually at the SCoTENS Annual Conference.
Through his pioneering work on SCoTENS since 2003 John immeasurably enhanced cross-border cooperation in teacher education, such that the SCoTENS mission is synonymous with his name. Thanks to John’s vision, teacher educators, student teachers, serving teachers and doctoral students have learned to work across boundaries, to build bridges and to recognise common interests and challenges facing contemporary education on both sides of the border. The opportunities provided for cross-border working through SCoTENS have yielded new knowledge and understandings that shape daily practices and attitudes.
This year’s John Coolahan Award was presented by Professor Noel Purdy, Director of Research and Scholarship and Director of CREU at Stranmillis University College Belfast.
The award went to the authors of the EAT‑HE Seed Funding Report, recognised for its strong alignment with SCoTENS values and ideals.
The award‑winning team includes:
- Dr Elaine Mooney, Atlantic Technological University / St Angela’s
- Ms Mairead Davidson, Ulster University
- Dr Eileen Kelly-Blakeney, Atlantic Technological University / St Angela’s
- Dr Amanda McCloat, Atlantic Technological University / St Angela’s
Their research highlights important insights into bridging theory and practice in Home Economics education.
