Dr Angela Vaupel’s research focuses on interdisciplinary aspects of cultural studies with expertise in film, exile, German, Irish and identity studies. Publications include peer-reviewed books, chapters and articles on (German-language) exile literature, conflict and film, minority identity representations and (post-) memory in European cinema, Irish-German cultural relations and encounters, as well as transcultural education.
Dr Barry Doherty is interested in research in the area of mathematics education. Most recently, he has been investigating the developing understanding among trainee teachers of the features and characteristics that make an effective school mathematics classroom task. The findings of this research will inform the College’s initial teacher education courses in mathematics.
Dr Brian Hanratty’s recent research focuses on the methodology of teaching poetry to third-level BEd/BA students, through the medium of Irish. The research is being conducted collaboratively and is complemented by research papers he has already published in English on the methodology of teaching poetry. It is also underpinned by his attempts at the creative writing of poetry. This research, which is bilingual in its focus, has been presented in draft form at a conference.
Dr Ciarán Kearney’s interests focus on the psychology of wellbeing, as well as mental health and high performance in sport teams and organisations.
Dr Claire Connolly’s research relates to tutors’ improvement of feedback given to student teachers during placement, as well as student teachers’ engagement with and in education research during their initial teacher education programmes.
Dr Donna Hazzard focuses her research on the pursuit of critical literacy by understanding the experiences of teachers in Northern Ireland. She is also a current lead researcher in a project exploring knowledge and awareness of reasonable accommodations for initial teacher education students with disabilities in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Ciaran Walsh conducts research on the value orientations in physical education. This refers to the professional practices and programmes of study in physical education being concerned with the values, beliefs and philosophies held by teachers that impact upon their teaching approaches, the content they focus upon, and the ways in which they carry out assessment.
Dr Eddie McGee’s research interests primarily focus on the fields of theology, religious education and pastoral care within schools. Currently, he is carrying out research into the effectiveness of a self-reflective framework for school improvement in a faith-based setting and also examining the ministry and ongoing formation needs of permanent deacons within the Catholic church across Ireland.
Dr Elaine McLaughlin is involved in research examining value orientations in physical education. It focuses on the professional practices and programmes of study in physical education. It is concerned with the values, beliefs and philosophies held by teachers that impact upon their teaching approaches, the content they focus upon, and the ways in which they carry out assessment.
Dr Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh is currently completing a monograph on working-class militancy and loyalist reaction in Ulster’s Linen Triangle between 1918-26. He intends to research a close study of counter-revolutionary violence in the Tyrone borderland 1920-22, which will help expand the research base for a subsequent autobiographical monograph on Charlie Daly.
Dr Frances Burgess has research interests that focus on music teachers through the life-course, i.e. pedagogy, identities and careers. She has participated in projects related to social justice and activism in music education, integrating visual arts and music, and examining music provision for teachers in initial teacher education. Her work encompasses action-research, self-study, biographical and narrative approaches.
Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir’s research is on Irish-medium education. Currently, she is working on a study that unmasks essential Irish-medium immersion-specific teacher competences to identify a knowledge base that consists of distinctive professional competences, considered essential to teachers in immersion education, from an Irish-medium teacher-informed perspective.
Dr Geraldine Magennis-Clarke believes that the field of literacy education continues to move apace and practitioners are operating in exciting but very challenging times. Therefore, her research interests focus on a re-examination of the scientific and pedagogical evidence base regarding the most efficient and effective ways to help the school population become competent readers.
Geraldine Parks has current research interests that are focused on finding ways to overcome maths anxiety amongst teachers, as well as student teachers, and developing and improving pedagogy for the teaching of numeracy in schools. She is also interested in understanding and analysing the effect of ‘maths mastery’. Her research aims to provide problem solving strategies and resources to assist teachers in developing key skills (analysing, reasoning, creativity, etc) in children and to develop a framework for teaching for robust understanding and assessment in maths.
Prof Gerard McCann has been working on a number of research projects based around international development, global learning and economic development. This includes a co-edited textbook on global education in Ireland, which will be published soon, and a book on Europe’s international development policies.