Funded by SCoTENS, this project involves Dr Matthew Martin, in collaboration with Dublin City University. Their research will examine the impact Research Lesson Study (RLS) has on three aspects of student teachers’ knowledge and skills during their school experience placement. These include the capacity: to reflect critically on their planning and teaching; to experience a sense of well-being by participating in supportive, inclusive and collaborative teacher communities of practice with more knowledgeable others; and to begin developing leadership skills in facilitating teacher colleague interactions. Their research hopes to address three central research questions: How does participation in school-based, school-facilitated RLS impact student teachers’ reflective practice? How does participation in school-based, school-facilitated RLS impact student teachers’ sense of wellbeing? How does the training of both teachers and student teachers in professional facilitation skills impact their leadership capacity and the sustainability of RLS within schools?

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involves Dr Donna Hazzard and Joe Hughes, in collaboration with University College Cork. Their research will investigate how critical literacy can be reconceptualised and enacted within educational contexts increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI) by exploring the pedagogical implications of AI and examining how educators can respond critically and constructively. Their research hopes to address four central research questions: How does the emergence of AI-generated texts challenge established conceptions of literacy, authorship and authority in education? In what ways can critical literacy frameworks be extended to address algorithmic bias, data ethics and machine-generated knowledge? What pedagogical challenges and tensions arise when teachers integrate AI tools into literacy practices? How do students critically interpret, evaluate and co-construct meaning with AI systems?

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Geraldine Parks, in collaboration with Dublin City University, Trinity College and Ulster University. Their research project aimed to address critical gaps in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, in particular within the Irish-Medium Education primary sector, by focusing on assessment, integrated subject teaching and teacher professional learning. The research questions were twofold and included: What are the current understandings, practices and priorities of primary teachers in their assessment of mathematical understanding? How can these established practices inform the development, implementation and assessment of high-quality STEM activities in order to allow for authentic and meaningful assessment of both mathematics and science learning through these activities? The research team planned to address the lack of robust evidence that supports ambitious STEM education goals outlined in various policy documents and to bridge the gap between theory and practice by investigating the design and assessment of interdisciplinary STEM tasks. The cognitive domains used in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, namely ‘knowing’, ‘applying’ and ‘reasoning’, were adopted by the researchers, since they have the advantage of being familiar internationally and are applicable to both mathematics and science. A further domain, ‘communication’, wa added, since this is important for formative classroom-based assessment, as well as for content and language integrated learning. 

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Frances Burgess, in collaboration with Dublin City University and Stranmillis University College. The research study aimed to emphasise how teacher educators, students and policy writers can better respond to calls for more creative teaching and learning in universities and schools, when multiple understandings and perspectives are brought into contact with each other. The research team accessed patterns of alignment and tension in the ways creativity is understood and experienced from teacher educators’ perspectives, student teachers’ perspectives and through policy discourses, in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This informed conclusions on how creativity can be better facilitated and developed in teacher education workshops and in curriculum policy. The project team also hosted a conference, which was an outlet for dissemination, bringing together researchers, colleagues and student teachers from all over the island of Ireland. Three main research questions informed this empirical and practical study and they include: What do student teachers bring with them before they encounter constructs like creative teaching, teaching for creativity or teaching creatively? What beliefs are held by teacher educators about the development and facilitation of creativity and where do these beliefs come from? How can classes and workshops better reflect student teachers’ perspectives and how can the curriculum better reflect them? 

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Donna Hazzard and Joe Hughes, in collaboration with University College Cork. The project investigated and raised awareness about reasonable accommodations or adjustments for students with disabilities in initial teacher education programmes. The research team recognised that by fostering an inclusive learning environment, it not only benefitted students but also had far-reaching implications for the future of education. The research offered an opportunity to capture existing knowledge of effective approaches and best practice in this critical aspect of the student experience, as well as to identify any gaps in knowledge and understanding. This  facilitated the embedding of confident and effective approaches to support disabled students on teaching placement and to improve their experiences. The project drew on the insights and expertise of key stakeholders, including lecturers, placement coordinators, access and support staff, co-operating teachers and students. The research used a survey administered to key groups with the aim of mapping current understanding of, and attitudes towards, the needs of disabled students of initial teacher education and of reasonable accommodations/adjustments on their teaching placement. Methods also included focus groups and workshops with relevant groups, to further explore key findings from the initial survey, and semi-structured interviews with teachers and initial teacher education graduates from underrepresented groups. 

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Matthew Martin and Karen McGivern, in collaboration with Dublin City University. The project engaged with pre-service teachers on initial teacher education programmes, in the North and South of Ireland, over three stages. Firstly, a baseline survey gathered their existing understanding of their role as ‘place-maker’ for newcomer children and captured the opportunities and challenges they anticipated in the classroom. Secondly, pre-service teachers took part in an intervention in the form of a conference that explored belonging, through the eyes of newcomer families, community leaders, school representatives and experienced teachers. Thirdly, a video diary was created that documented reflections on belonging, post-intervention, which included any changes in understanding. A sharing event was organised, allowing students from the North and South of Ireland to meet and discuss the results. The four research questions that were the focus of the project included: What constitutes pre-service teachers’ current understanding of belonging and their role as ‘place-maker’? What do pre-service teachers identify as the opportunities/challenges in fulfilling this role? What impact does engagement with stakeholders have on pre-service teachers’ understanding of belonging and perceptions of those opportunities/challenges? What is the value of a video diary as a professional learning tool for critical reflection? 

Funded by the SCoTENS Shared Island Initiative, this project involved Julie Hamilton, in collaboration with Marino Institute of Education Dublin. The project explored how teacher educators can prepare and support student teachers to negotiate and engage with the challenges of educational underachievement while on their school placement. It also sought to make them aware of their potential to change and influence educational trajectories and impact positively on educational outcomes through positive and active social justice underpinned pedagogy.

Funded by the International Professional Development Association in Ireland, this project involved Prof Martin Hagan, in collaboration with Maynooth University Kildare. It sought to provide answers to what the role of Master in Education (MEd) study is, in relation to teacher professional learning in Ireland. The research objectives were: to identify the profile of teachers engaged in MEd study in Ireland North and South; to understand participants’ motivation for studying at master’s level; to explore the challenges experienced; to understand the extent to which MEd study influenced professional identity; and to understand the extent to which MEd study influenced their professional practice.

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Ciaran Walsh and Dr Elaine McLaughlin, in collaboration with the Institute of Education at Dublin City University, Marino Institute of Education, Stranmillis University College and Maynooth University. Its associated research questions were: Are the value orientations of physical education teacher educators (PETEs) displayed in their professional practices and programmes of study? To what extent are these values and practices compatible with those found within their respective national curricula for physical education? Can a shared understanding of these value orientations help PETEs to foster deeper understanding of curriculum texts and, in turn, support their practice with pre-service teachers?

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Prof Martin Hagan, in collaboration with Marino Institute of Education. Its associated research questions were: How do student teachers engage with, and in, educational research during their teacher education programmes? How do student teachers apply their research knowledge and experience during professional placement? How can teacher education programmes best support students to apply their research during professional placement?

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Geraldine Magennis-Clarke, in collaboration with Dublin City University. It related to the presence of children’s literature within educational policy in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In particular, it focused on the place, profile and prevalence given to children’s literature as a key component in the teaching of reading in the early years. It explored the potential of rich and varied children’s literature to promote deep and meaningful literacy learning. Plans included the interrogation of the extent to which Irish teachers are encouraged to use children’s literature in the teaching of early reading. Potentially, outcomes from the research could help identify aspects of policy that might be developed more fulsomely and thus lead to bespoke, future professional development for those teaching reading in the early years across the island of Ireland. Its associated research questions were: What is the place and prominence of children’s literature in policy relating to the teaching of early reading within a balanced literacy frame in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland? How does literacy policy north and south compare to research-based best practice in the use of children’s literature in teaching early reading? What improvements could be made to policy and practice in this area?

Funded by Erasmus+, this project involved Joe Hughes, in collaboration with numerous European universities. The project saw a need for research within gender issues in science education and a change within teacher education and training. Eight project partner institutions planned to revise and strengthen the professional profile of the teaching profession, with an aim of fostering equity and inclusion in science education. The project’s main objective was to raise and share good science education practices for gender balance through innovative workshops involving different educational professionals.

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Prof Gerard McCann, in collaboration with Dublin City University. The project took the form of a series of research-informed lectures that explored the role of teachers and teacher educators in advancing human rights. The researchers referred to human rights frameworks providing legislative and ethical structures, which have shaped societal responses to many of the greatest challenges faced by individuals, organisations and institutions across the island of Ireland and beyond. Each lecture considered education’s role in promoting human rights and also explored the role of teachers and teacher educators in advancing human rights. Building upon the recognised position of human rights within the education systems North and South, the series considered how human rights education can play a role in strengthening human rights frameworks and contributing towards meeting myriad local, national and global challenges. Its associated research questions were: What role can human rights education take in facing the challenges faced by communities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland? What role can human rights education play in tackling inequality and discrimination and strengthening the pursuit of a just and equitable peace across the island of Ireland, and throughout these islands? What role can human rights education play in tackling the escalating global issues with which we are now faced?

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Elaine McLaughlin, in collaboration with the University of Limerick. The project focused specifically on teacher well-being. The researchers were especially interested in exploring how pedagogical well-being is manifested in challenging educational contexts and identified a school in Northern Ireland as well as one in the Republic of Ireland. It was intended that the framing research question examined what good pedagogical well-being looks like in practice, in other words, how did teachers conceptualize their own pedagogical well-being? Two schools were invited to participate in the project. The teachers in the schools were invited to complete a survey on well-being related to the project. There was also the opportunity for follow-up interviews with up to four teachers in each school. The survey and follow-up interviews sought to elicit the teachers’ perceptions and experiences of pedagogical well-being and their overall sense of well-being. It was intended that the project would adopt a mixed-methods approach. The intention was to capture information on what contributes to teacher effectiveness, especially in terms of pedagogy, notwithstanding the challenging and difficult contexts in which teachers can work. By inviting teachers to articulate these understandings, it was anticipated that the research could offer insights and perspectives which could be instructive for teachers who are newly qualified and who may be taking up posts of responsibility as teachers in challenging schools.

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Ciaran Walsh, in collaboration with Mary Immaculate College Limerick, the University of Limerick, Ulster University and St Patrick’s College Drumcondra. The purpose of the research was to examine the professional learning experiences of individual teacher educators, within a community of learners, related to the area of communication. It also planned to determine how this professional learning influenced their pedagogical practices with pre-service teachers. Its associated research questions were: What are physical education teacher educator experiences of professional learning focused on communication? How do physical education teacher educators perceive the influence of this professional learning on their pedagogical approaches with pre-service teachers? The research combined collaborative self-study methodology, alongside photo elicitation visual methodologies.

Funded by Erasmus+, this project involved Joe Hughes, in collaboration with universities and science centres from seven other European countries. It aimed to foster quality improvements, innovation excellence and internationalisation in teacher training for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers. This was achieved through enhanced transnational cooperation between schools, science centres, teacher training organisations and policy makers. The main objective of the project was to raise and share good science education practices for gender balance through innovative teacher training modules. The partners implemented and designed an innovative modular teacher training programme in a toolkit format, so that it would be easily applied and disseminated by all the partners, associated partners and target groups. The project involved collaboration with local schools and undergraduate teachers to produce relevant resources to address gender diversity and balance in the classroom to support career choice. Its associated aims were: to develop, test and publish an innovative professional development programme for teachers; to train educational agents at an institutional level; and to disseminate the toolkit at a European level. The quality of the project’s activities and results were monitored by evaluating the project using summative as well as formative assessments and providing feedback to the project partners. This was achieved through research via an independent evaluation of the activities and a project quality evaluation.

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Donna Hazzard, in collaboration with St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, St Angela’s College Sligo and Stranmillis University College. The project team consulted with members of the Dyslexia Task Force groups, North and South, and ascertained their views and perspectives on the provision of support for pupils with dyslexia ten years on. The team consulted also with key stakeholders, North and South, to ascertain their views and perspectives on the provision of support for pupils with dyslexia. The research aimed to clarify present policy in the area of dyslexia support, North and South, and to identify strategic policy which informs good practice.

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Dr Geraldine Magennis-Clarke, in collaboration with University College Cork. The aims of the project were to: explore the nature and conduct of school-based work assessments within initial teacher education degree courses drawn from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland; investigate the links between various school-based assessment techniques and subsequent planning, teaching and learning at degree and post-graduate diploma level; examine the extent to which these various methods of assessment of the school-based work element are found to be satisfactory by stake-holders and end-users; and situate and critically discuss the findings with reference to current thinking, including formative assessment.

Funded by Comenius under the framework of the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme, this project involved Dr Angela Vaupel, in collaboration with several other European HEIs. It involved research with partner schools using quantitative and qualitative surveys, as well as an examination and comparison of the curricula of the participating countries concerning Europe. The gathered data showed whether or not there was a connection between actual teaching of European issues in the classroom and syllabi goals. Based on the research results, a multilingual tool kit was developed to help students to learn more about daily life in Europe. The key objective behind the toolkit was to help students develop critical inter-cultural understanding as a step towards more active European citizenship. The toolkit consisted of a workbook for students, a manual for teachers with lesson plans for various themes with learning objectives, teaching strategies/ approaches and methods, two interactive DVD resources, and an e-based communication platform to encourage dialogue between participating students.

Funded by SCoTENS, this project involved Prof Martin Hagan, in collaboration with University College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast and Stranmillis University College. The main objectives of the research project were: to map the existing provision and approaches towards social justice, diversity and development education in HEIs that offer courses in teacher education in Ireland (North and South); to involve policy makers to connect academic and policy perspectives on these issues; and to survey student teachers on their attitudes towards social justice, development education and diversity issues.

Funded by the Department for International Development, this research project involved  Teresa Cash, as part of a larger scale project that aimed to prepare teachers to effectively implement the global dimension in education. The aims of the research project were to determine teachers’, pupils’ and students’ current knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practice in the eight concepts of the global dimension in education. The design of the research provided an account of the current situation in a sample of schools and a HEI relating to the incorporation of the global dimension within formal education. The sample included students of initial teacher education, primary and post-primary teachers, Key Stage 4/A-level pupils, and Key Stage 2 pupils. The research methods included questionnaires with students, focus groups with students, focus groups with primary pupils, questionnaires with post-primary pupils, and questionnaires with primary and post-primary teachers. The methodological approach incorporated image-based research instruments, accompanied by literature on examples of good practice in embedding the global dimension within formal education.