Annual Research Report

September 2014 – August 2015

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Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 2

Research Strategy and Infrastructure ................................................................................................. 3

Research Environment ......................................................................................................................... 5

Research Excellence Framework (REF) ............................................................................................... 8

Research Focus and Dissemination .................................................................................................... 9

Centre for Global Justice .................................................................................................................. 9

Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment ................................................................... 14

Irish-medium Research Centre ..................................................................................................... 22

Research Group for Catholic Education ....................................................................................... 25

STEAM Research Centre ................................................................................................................ 28

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 30

Research Output ................................................................................................................................. 32

Authored Books .............................................................................................................................. 32

Edited Books .................................................................................................................................... 32

Chapters in Books ........................................................................................................................... 32

Journal Articles ................................................................................................................................ 33

Reports ............................................................................................................................................. 35

Conference Papers.......................................................................................................................... 35

Book Reviews & Review Articles ................................................................................................... 39

Funded Research from External Awards ...................................................................................... 40

Other Research Activity.................................................................................................................. 40

Research Seminar Series ................................................................................................................ 42

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Introduction

The Annual Research Report produced by the Research Office in St Mary’s University College

Belfast (St Mary’s) provides an outline of research activity during the 2014-2015 academic

year. The report includes details of research output and academic staff’s engagement with

research during that period. The report is relevant to the strategic plan for research

development and informs the Academic Council and the Board of Governors of the progress

made by academic staff in developing their research profiles. The research environment that

exists within St Mary’s is supported and developed by the Research Committee, the Chair of

which is the Senior Tutor (Development), the Research Ethics Committee and five Research

Centres/Groups. The Research Office is central to the infrastructure that promotes and builds

research capacity in St Mary’s.

The expanding community of researchers in St Mary’s is committed to improving the

research profile and enhancing the culture of research. Academic staff engage in innovative

and relevant research activity which benefits the students’ educational experiences. St Mary’s

operates also at an international level in terms of its research, having established links with

European partners and being represented at international conferences. Academic staff strive

to have their research impact upon local and global policies and practices within the two

overarching research themes of Teacher Education & Pupil Learning as well as International

Studies.

Proposals outlined in the current strategic plan for research development to create five

Research Centres/Groups were implemented at the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic

year. These five centres/groups have members who share common research interests and

work towards a planned mission which brings focus to their research activities. Academic

staff from the centres/groups responded to a research audit in September 2015, the details

of which contribute to this report. The research audit and additional information held by the

Research Office show that many academic staff in St Mary’s are research active, albeit at

different levels.

Various types of research output, including journal articles, book chapters, etc., were

produced by the community of researchers in St Mary’s during the 2014-2015 academic year.

These focused on research relating to global justice, the curriculum, pedagogy, assessment,

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Irish-medium education, Catholic education and STEM education. Academic staff shared

their research findings with like-minded scholars at different events such as conferences,

symposia, seminars and public talks. These opportunities opened up debates on various

research topics which will hopefully generate interest in future collaborative research work.

Some academic staff continued their doctoral studies and developed their research skills and

their understanding in specialist areas of research. The research audit and additional

information held by the Research Office indicated that, during the 2014-2015 academic year,

the community of researchers in St Mary’s produced eighteen journal articles, twelve book

chapters, seven book review articles, four reports, two edited books and one authored book,

some of which are still under review or awaiting publication. In addition, the community of

researchers had involvement in thirty-eight conference presentations, seven funded research

projects, six research seminars and eighteen other types of research activity.

To assist academic staff in availing of the various research-related opportunities at the

Queen’s University Belfast, the Research Office compiled details of the services available

during the 2014-2015 academic year for circulation. These included research training events,

for example a two-day course on management and leadership in a research role, relevant

research seminars and workshops on the different aspects of the Research Excellence

Framework. By liaising with the Queen’s University Belfast and possibly creating research

partnerships, the research environment in St Mary’s can be developed further. This could

help to influence and strengthen the work of the many committees, offices and teams in St

Mary’s which implement the strategic plan for research development. Academic staff have

become more motivated in their research activities in recent times, leading to a more

energetic community of researchers who are making concerted attempts to create research

output, to communicate research findings and to deliver relevant research which has an

impact on their teaching as well as on wider society.

Research Strategy and Infrastructure

The Strategic Plan for Research Development 2014-2017 provided a more structured and

focused research framework with the creation of five Research Centres/Groups in St Mary’s.

In September 2014, the Research Office planned and organised an event in St Mary’s to

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launch the strategic plan. This event focused on the five centres/groups and had input from

members of the Research Committee and Research Ethics Committee. There was a welcome

and brief introduction from the Principal, followed by a presentation by the Research Office

on the importance of having centres and groups that focus on specific areas of research

within a Higher Education Institution. A proposed description for each centre/group was

given by representatives of the Research Committee and Research Ethics Committee. This

informed the community of researchers as to the potential focus of each centre/group and

the types of activities which could take place within each one. Five workshops were held to

explore topics such as recent and current activities related to the particular centre/group as

well as the purpose, relevance, mission and leadership of the centre/group. A plenary took

place towards the end of the event where each Chair of the centres/groups provided

feedback on the workshops. The event concluded with a discussion on ways forward for the

Strategic Plan for Research Development 2014-2017, facilitated by the Senior Tutor

(Development).

During the 2014-2015 academic year the five Research Centres/Groups were given their

official titles and each was appointed a director/leader by its members. These elected

representatives would coordinate the centre/group for an agreed period of time. Meetings

were organised and held throughout the academic year and each centre/group was

represented on the research section of the St Mary’s website.

The Strategic Plan for Research Development 2014-2017 outlines the infrastructure for the

roles and responsibilities of various teams, committees and offices to achieve its aims and

objectives. This infrastructure includes, among others, the Senior Tutor (Development) who

leads the development of research, the Research Committee which engages in implementing

the strategic plan and the Research Office which is a central resource in promoting a

research culture. The strategic plan has three aims, each with associated actions. The first aim

is to increase the level of engagement in research among academic staff and the quality of

research outputs produced, strategically building the strength and capacity of the research

base. The second aim is to ensure that research and scholarship, including original research

by staff, underpin high quality teaching and learning and enhance the student experience at

St Mary’s. The third aim is to build capacity among students of teacher education and the

liberal arts as the next generation of educators and professionals and to motivate them to

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disseminate and critically apply research. This strategic plan and the corresponding

infrastructure will guide the community of researchers within their Research Centres/Groups

in their attempts to achieve both national and international recognition.

Research Environment

There are various aspects to the research environment in St Mary’s, which include research

seminars, newsletters, a school ethos journal, a library, teaching programmes and

centres/groups.

The continuing success of the Teacher Education Seminar Series (TESS), co-ordinated by Dr

Geraldine Magennis and Dr Brian Hanratty, gave more energy to developing a rich research

culture in St Mary’s during the 2014-2015 academic year. It extended invitations to the

community of researchers as well as to external scholars and created a friendly environment

where people came to share their research experiences, findings and plans. This resulted in

presentations on the topics of STEM education, the geography of the hills of Belfast,

personal tutoring in writing, Irish language pronunciation, teaching Wordsworth, joined up

thinking in STEM education, models of Irish-medium schools and ‘disabilist’ bullying.

Attendees at the TESS during the 2014-2015 academic year were able to engage in debate

with the presenters, offer ideas and be critical friends. This ensured an enhanced experience

for those within the community of researchers in St Mary’s who shared their research.

Information on and acknowledgement of academic staff’s research achievements were

shared among the community of researchers and with external colleagues via the Research

Newsletter. This reinforced the research environment in St Mary’s as issues nine and ten were

published during the 2014-2015 academic year on the institution’s website. Each Research

Newsletter was circulated to all academic staff to celebrate the various research

achievements held by the community of researchers. These included collaborative research

projects, research presentations at symposia and conferences, the publication of research

output and the profiles of active researchers. Regular announcements of academic staff’s

research successes were made via email to the community of researchers during the 2014-

2015 academic year and there were also examples of publications displayed in the staffroom.

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The research environment was boosted by the publication of two issues of Le Chéile, a

Catholic school ethos journal, during the 2014-2015 academic year. The journal featured

various articles from the community of researchers and has Rev Dr Niall Coll as the managing

editor, Rev Dr Paul Fleming as the executive editor and Dr Gerard McCann as the copy editor.

The journal was distributed among students, staff and the wider school population. In May

2015 the annual Le Chéile/Together lecture was held in St Mary’s, with a public lecture by Dr

Leonardo Franchi (Director of Catholic Teacher Education, University of Glasgow). The lecture

was titled, ‘Preparing for Mission: Catholic Teacher Education in the Contemporary Church’.

The library contributed to the research environment in St Mary’s during the 2014-2015

academic year by continuing to provide research-related services to the community of

researchers. These services included sourcing research articles and ordering research

manuscripts relevant to the five Research Centres/Groups.

The academic profile, position within higher education and excellent satisfaction record in

the National Student Survey 2015, all held by St Mary’s, are connected to the research

activity of its academic staff and students which reflects a healthy research environment.

Research underpinned teaching in each of the four teaching programmes. Teaching within

the BEd (Hons) Primary and Post-Primary programmes was informed by academic staff

engaging in research activities. The BEd programme team, working with colleagues in

partner institutions, were engaged in a range of research activities at both national and

international levels. Students were nurtured as future researchers and encouraged to engage

in research. This was especially so in the case of modules in the fourth year that required the

students to undertake research, (e.g. Capstone project) on a relevant educational issue, with

guidance from supervisors. Academic staff shared their own research experience with their

students and contributed to debate in seminars. Topics related to the school curriculum, as

well as pedagogy, assessment and learning, featured in research seminars.

The student learning experience was underpinned by research-informed pedagogical

practices in the BA (Hons) Liberal Arts programme. Academic staff engaged in research and

presented their research at national and international conferences on a regular basis. They

have secured external grants for research projects and have published their research in peer-

reviewed academic journals and in books with leading publishers.

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Original research by academic staff enhanced the student experience on the Irish-medium

PGCE programme. Teaching was informed by current research, with academic staff covering

many educational and linguistic areas. Students consulted publications by academic staff and

had the opportunity to question them about their work. Students were encouraged to attend

an annual conference for Irish-medium practitioners to engage with teachers and other

specialists, keeping abreast of recent research and its implications for classroom practice.

The Masters-Level programme embedded a culture of self-evaluation among its students

and engaged them in critical reflection when carrying out their research. The academic staff

supported students as they developed skills relating to research methodology, research

ethics, data analysis and report writing. The research experience and skills of academic staff

informed their teaching and they maintained regular contact with Masters-Level students

during work on their research-based dissertations. Masters-Level students were encouraged

to present their research at lunchtime research seminars.

The most important element of reinforcing the research environment in St Mary’s during the

2014-2015 academic year was the creation of the five Research Centres/Groups. Following

on from the research-related event in September 2014, the first action was for each

centre/group to have a formal meeting, where directors/leaders would be nominated and

assigned to their role and for members to produce relevant information for the St Mary’s

website. This information contained an agreed title for the centre/group, its purpose, its

activities (in terms of research impact, public engagement and educational activities), its

membership and its research themes. Some centres/groups met on a regular basis, whilst

others adopted a more ad hoc approach to communication among members. Towards the

end of the 2014-2015 academic year, each director/leader was asked by the Senior Tutor

(Development) to submit a progress report to the Research Committee. These reports

focused on issues such as group identity, outputs, areas of expertise, impact, etc.

The research environment was enhanced also during the 2014-2015 academic year by two

specific research-related events held in St Mary’s. The first was organised by Martin Hagan

and his colleagues in April 2015 and was the first undergraduate student teacher research

conference in St Mary’s. It operated under the theme of ‘New Approaches To Professional

Learning In Initial Teacher Education’. The conference included a keynote address by Dr

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Alison Jackson from the University of Cumbria and a presentation from Megan Turner, a

recent winner of the undergraduate awards for best teacher education submission in 2013-

2014, based on her BEd4 Capstone project. Sessions outlining the various Capstone projects

were presented by final year students of initial teacher education. These were attended by

their peers in third and fourth year, alongside academic staff and invited guests. The

conference concluded with a presentation by a representative from the Irish National

Teachers’ Organisation to Michaela Mulholland who was the St Mary’s 2015 Capstone prize

winner. The second event was organised and delivered by the Chair of the Research Ethics

Committee (Dr Birgit Schippers), in collaboration with the Research Office. It took place in

May 2015 under the theme of ‘Preparing For A Research Ethics Review’ and all academic staff

were invited. The purpose of this important opportunity for the community of researchers

was to demystify the process of ethical review by reminding them about the requirements of

a research ethics review. The focus was on ensuring the community of researchers revisited

the ethics review process. This involved the facilitators providing examples of good practice

and identifying key issues involved in the supervision of student research.

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

The results of the submission to the REF 2014 by St Mary’s, for the Politics and International

Studies unit of assessment, were revealed during the 2014-2015 academic year in December

2014. Overall, twenty percent of the quality profile was recognised internationally in terms of

originality, significance and rigour by the main panel, with a larger percentage recognised

nationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour. Those members of academic staff

included in the submission offered four of their research publications for review by the main

panel, along with two case studies indicating the impact of their research and an account of

the research environment that exists within St Mary’s.

Research impact provides an outline of how research has an effect on, change or benefit to

the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of

life, beyond academia. In relation to St Mary’s, one of the impact case studies outlined how a

member of academic staff was commissioned to work as an adviser for members of the

Polish parliament and senators going into the Polish presidency of the European Union

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Council in July 2011. The other impact case study was based on a project that was

recognised by the European Commission as highly successful and as producing materials

that are a valuable addition to the stock of resources available to European teachers on an

issue of ever-increasing relevance. This was evidenced most recently by the federal state of

Saarland, Germany which included the project’s toolkit in its compulsory syllabi list of

teaching material for social studies subjects in post-primary education.

The results of the quality of research in Politics and International Studies at St Mary’s is a

strong indicator that the community of researchers who work within this particular area are

striving to develop their research capacity at both national and international levels.

Research Focus and Dissemination

Academic staff’s research output/activity during the 2014-2015 academic year is referred to

at the end of this annual research report and is based on academic staff’s completed

research audit forms as well as additional information held by the Research Office. The

section that follows categorises research output/activity under the five Research

Centres/Groups to which academic staff belong. It provides more information on the

output/activity to enable the reader to grasp an understanding of the research specialisms

that exist among the community of researchers in St Mary’s.

Centre for Global Justice

The Centre for Global Justice is an interdisciplinary forum for research, public dialogue and

education on global justice issues. It explores fundamental questions facing us as scholars,

citizens and policy-makers, principally aimed at the following concerns - How can we make

sense of justice in a global world? How do we understand global issues pertaining to

collective life in areas such as culture, economics, education and politics? How do we

advance a global justice agenda? During the 2014-2015 academic year, members of the

Centre for Global Justice produced research output in the shape of six book chapters, seven

book reviews, five conference papers, one co-edited book, two journal articles, one project

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that received an external award and four other types of research output. Some examples of

these follow.

One of the book chapters was written by Dr Angela Vaupel, which focused on Lion

Feuchtwanger. The chapter aimed at exploring the possible legacy of Lion Feuchtwanger’s

life and oeuvre in Europe since the new millennium, with particular reference to regions that

had specific links to the exile community of 1933-1945. By using Feuchtwanger as an

example, the chapter focused on the reception and possible impact of exile literature as

represented in European cultural media, educational syllabi and study material, in order to

contribute to a critical overview of recent relevant publications as well as to emphasise the

educational potential of Feuchtwanger’s oeuvre in the development of intercultural

competence. Angela suggested that Lion Feuchtwanger’s oeuvre and other works by fellow

émigré authors of the period 1933-1945 (and beyond) were true examples of a particularly

European experience of life in the 1930s and 1940s. This was a period when political conflict

and racist persecution forced artists, writers, journalists, academics, political dissidents and

many ‘ordinary’ people to leave their homelands and experience life in exile. Next to the

promotion of democratic values, many works of these exiles added to the transfer of cultural

knowledge. Consequently, Angela argued these works contributed to their audience’s

development of cultural awareness, which has become a principal issue in today’s discourse

of intercultural development and its focus on cross-cultural learning and teaching in ever

more diverse global societies.

A second book chapter, written by Dr Birgit Schippers, focused on Judith Butler. The chapter

was about the American philosopher who is one of the most influential scholars working in

the field of contemporary critical theory. Best known for her contributions to gender theory

and feminism, specifically for her account of gender as performative, Birgit referred to

Butler’s recent writings on international theory and global ethics, her critique of U.S. foreign

policy in the wake of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and her interest in the conflict in

Israel–Palestine. All of which have broadened her oeuvre and have made her work of interest

to a wider public, beyond academia.

Dr Birgit Schippers produced another book chapter during the 2014-2015 academic year,

which concentrated on ethical feeling and response towards violence. The chapter

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considered Butler’s treatment of affect and its import for understanding ethical responses to

violence and war. Building on what she calls Butler’s affective conception of ethics, Birgit

argued that Butler’s emphasis on the visceral dimensions of political life makes an important

contribution to a still neglected topic in the fields of global ethics and international political

theory. However, despite the explanatory force and normative ambition of Butler’s rendering

of the relationship between affect and ethics, her account lacks normative plausibility. Birgit

went on to claim that while Butler tells why we should respond ethically towards others, she

cannot tell why we should feel ethically disposed towards others. This connection between

ethical obligation and ethical feeling, or affect, is not finally resolved in her work.

Another member of the Centre for Global Justice, Dr Peter Collins, wrote two book chapters

during the 2014-2015 academic year. The first was on the Dublin lockout as seen from

Belfast and the second was on British labour and developments in Ireland in the immediate

post-war years. Both are due soon for publication. Dr Gerard McCann produced another

book chapter from the Centre for Global Justice. The chapter focused on the changing

attitudes to global learning from the perspective of the institutions of the European Union.

Dr Birgit Schippers was productive during the 2014-2015 academic year in presenting

conference papers, the first of which was at the International Studies Association Annual

Convention in New Orleans. In her paper, Birgit explored the question of how liveability and

grievability, framed through ethnic or gendered lenses, are distributed unequally in global

contexts. By developing an intertextual reading of Arendt’s phenomenology of appearance

and Butler’s notion of performativity, Birgit planned to delineate liveability and grievability’s

contribution towards a global theory and politics of embodiment. Her key argument

championed the significance of performative interpretations of corporeal politics, as she

suggested these constitute important critical resources to challenge the unequal framing of

bodies in global politics.

Birgit presented a second paper at the International Studies Association Annual Convention

which examined the role of international studies, specifically the role of the subject

curriculum, in the widening participation agenda. Birgit referred to widening participation

being a buzzword in higher education policies in the United Kingdom and elsewhere for

some time. Its key ambition, to broaden access to opportunities in higher education, has led

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to an expansion in university provision and access to higher education programmes, but

there is some debate regarding its effectiveness in addressing social mobility and tackling

social inequality. While there has been some interest in engaging minority students within

the discipline, Birgit suggested that not enough attention has been given to the class divide

in the international studies classroom. Based on a small-scale empirical study conducted on a

widening participation programme, Birgit’s paper asked how students from non-traditional

backgrounds engage with international studies and what role the discipline plays in the

social stratification in higher education. Birgit tentatively suggested that such stratification is

anchored in the social capital that prospective students bring to the international studies

classroom and she intended to explore pedagogic strategies that may challenge or even

reverse such a divide.

Another conference paper on a posthumanist conception of human rights by Birgit was

presented at the British International Studies Association Annual Conference. Also a paper by

Birgit on human rights was accepted for the MANCEPT Workshops in Political Theory. Dr

Gerard McCann presented at a conference during the 2014-2015 academic year. Gerard’s

paper was on the expansion of development education as a means of exploring key issues in

international development, which was presented at the International Week Conference in

Krosno, Poland.

Two journal articles were published during the 2014-2015 academic year in two different

research journals, both written by Dr Gerard McCann. In a summary of the first article, Gerard

(and his co-author Dr Paul Hainsworth) outlined that the 2014 European election in Northern

Ireland, while containing a greater field of candidates than ever before, returned the three

sitting Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) without too much disruption to the

status quo. Sinn Féin (SF) topped the poll with their candidate Martina Anderson increasing

the party’s vote and the Democratic Unionist Party’s Diane Dodds came in second with a

comfortable margin over the third successful candidate, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Jim

Nicholson. Following up the three MEPs with challenging performances were the Social

Democratic and Labour Party’s Alex Attwood and the Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim

Allister. Anderson was new to the European elections and regained the seat for SF with ease,

being the only candidate to pass the quota on the first count. The tussle between Nicholson,

Attwood and Allister turned out to be more competitive for the third seat with only 7,000

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first preference votes separating the three. In the end, it was a result that was largely

expected. Drawing upon party political manifestos and leaflets, media coverage and other

relevant sources, the article assessed the campaign, outcome and consequences of the 2014

European election in Northern Ireland.

The second journal article by Gerard was based both on a research seminar he delivered in

the College and his corresponding book - Ireland’s Economic History. The article assessed

the extent to which the Irish economy was affected by the Great Depression and how the

respective Cumann na nGaedheal and Fianna Fáil governments managed this period in Irish

economic history. It connected this also to partition itself, ideological bias, the depression in

the North and how both governments struggled to address the implications of global

economic meltdown.

Members of the Centre for Global Justice produced seven book review articles, four of which

were written by Dr Angela Vaupel. One was published in the Canadian Journal of Irish

Studies, with the other three featuring in the Journal of Contemporary European Studies. Dr

Peter Collins wrote two book review articles which appeared in the journals Familia and

Saothar. The other review article was produced by Dr Gerard McCann which was published in

the Socialist History Journal.

Other types of research output and activity, during the 2014-2015 academic year by

members of the Centre for Global Justice, included work by Dr Peter Collins who delivered

talks on Labour history as well as the Ulster History Circle. In addition, Peter delivered the

keynote speech at the launch of The Diary of Fr Daniel O’Loan – A View From Maynooth. Dr

Angela Vaupel produced a working paper (co-authored with Dr Tracey McKay) which was

based on a critically commented selection of relevant academic publications on the subject

of border and memory studies with a particular focus on Northern Ireland. Dr Birgit

Schippers received news during the 2014-2015 academic year of a research grant from the

Northern Ireland Community Relations Council to work on a project that involved organising

and hosting two public lectures as part of the 2014 Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival.

The lectures were delivered by Professor Noel Sharkey (University of Sheffield), a leading

authority in robotics and artificial intelligence, and Professor Louise Mallinder (Ulster

University), an expert in transitional justice and amnesty laws. They received coverage in the

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local and national media, including BBC Radio Ulster, the Irish News and the Irish Times. An

interview was also conducted with Professor Sharkey for NVTV, a local TV station, for its

website.

There was also the publication of the third edition of a book on global development co-

edited by Dr Gerard McCann, to which he contributed two chapters. The book highlighted

the extent to which the local and global are interconnected in today’s globalised economy

and questioned the legitimacy of the neoliberal model of development which propelled us

into the crisis. This completely revised third edition took stock of the international

development environment as it embarked on new policy frameworks to confront new

challenges. The book offered an indispensable introduction to key development issues such

as aid, debt, trade, migration, security, gender in development and climate change.

Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

The purpose of the Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment is to bring better

understanding to the increasing complexity and challenges of teaching and learning at all

levels from early years through to higher education. The aim is to promote a rich and

rewarding intellectual environment in which staff, students and partners feel motivated and

supported to develop their ideas and advance their thinking and practice. Members are

engaged with different aspects of educational practice at local, national and international

levels. The research generated from the centre is aimed at making a valid contribution

towards practice, policy and theory. During the 2014-2015 academic year, members of the

Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment produced research output in the shape of

twenty-one conference papers, four journal articles, two book chapters, one research report,

one authored book and six other types of research output. There was also the launch of

three projects which received external awards. Some examples of these follow.

Two conference papers by Dr Brian Hanratty were published in the corresponding

conference proceedings during the 2014-2015 academic year. The first paper featured in the

Reading Association of Ireland conference proceedings and was an exploration of how

teaching selected Heaney poems can contribute to conflict resolution in Northern Ireland’s

schools. The second paper was published in the Teacher Education for Equity and

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Sustainability Network conference proceedings and it focused on the aims and objectives of

the literature of the troubles project, with particular emphasis of its potential to contribute to

citizenship awareness. Brian continued his research on the literature of the troubles project

and presented a paper at the Educational Studies Association of Ireland Conference focusing

on its philosophy, methodology and outcomes.

Brian worked on another conference paper for presentation at the Literacy Association of

Ireland International Conference. The research paper had twin objectives. Firstly, it explored a

representative selection of the fascinating range or portraits of teachers to be found in

twentieth-century Irish fiction and autobiography. Secondly, it examined the varieties of the

models of teaching and pedagogy which are embedded in these portraits. Brian suggested

that while the paper was not exclusively pedagogical in its focus, it had significant

implications for pedagogical methodology. The range of books selected for Brian’s

evaluation was quite broad, though, given the authoritarian and priest-ridden structure of

education in Ireland for much of the twentieth-century and given, also, the counter-cultural

instincts of most writers, many of the portraits of teachers were quite dark. However, Brian

argued that there were also quite a few sympathetic and friendly portraits at the more

benign end of the spectrum. He suggested that the pedagogical message in these latter

portraits still have important resonances for contemporary teachers, not least for those for

whom effective teaching of literacy is a primary concern.

Four conference papers produced by Donna Hazzard and her colleagues from three other

institutions specialising in initial teacher education were presented at or accepted for

research conferences during the 2014-2015 academic year. These papers focused on dyslexia

provision for pupils in schools and featured at the Irish Association of Teachers in Special

Education Conference, the United Kingdom Literacy Association Conference, the Dyslexia

Association of Ireland Conference and the Literacy Association of Ireland Conference.

There were also five papers presented at various conferences by Dr Matthew Martin during

the 2014-2015 academic year. Two of these papers focused on research lesson study as a

model for professional development. They were delivered at the Belfast TeachMeet

Conference as well as at the NSPCC Colloquium of Teacher Professional Development

Relating to Child Abuse. The other three conference papers focused on engaged learning,

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research methods and the writing process. One of them informed Matthew’s keynote

address at a conference on the Research-Teaching Nexus, while another was co-presented

with Martin Hagan at a Student Research Conference and outlined the challenges and

successes of a student research project initiative in St Mary’s.

Another conference paper was presented by Orla Nugent at the Teacher Education

Advancement Network Annual Conference. The paper focused on research carried out by

Orla which aimed to assess the impact of a short period of school exposure for students in a

new key phase within a programme of initial teacher education and to analyse the impact

upon student learning. The paper highlighted the value of such initiatives in developing both

students and staff as more reflective practitioners.

Frank Hennessey attended this very same conference to present research which outlined the

process of developing a coherent institutional policy framework to support entrepreneurship

education within initial teacher education. The presentation described the change

management process by which entrepreneurship education was embedded and addressed

the developmental stage including its concerted focus upon capacity building.

Teresa Cash had a conference paper accepted for the Literacy Association of Ireland

Conference. This joint paper, with Catherine Gilliland, investigated how historical skills and

concepts can be developed through the use of historical fiction in a key stage 2 classroom. It

focused on awareness raising of key historical children’s literature and how its potential can

be fully exploited for the development of children’s knowledge, skills, vocabulary and

empathy.

Catherine Gilliland gave a presentation at the Reading Association of Ireland International

Conference in the form of a workshop. In her presentation Catherine explored the role that

story has in the development of children’s understanding of their world and how central it is

to the enhancement of tier three vocabulary. Catherine suggested that a child with a wide

repertoire of vocabulary across a range of subject areas is at a major literacy advantage. She

went on to say that if children do not hear and engage with high quality texts rich in

language, they are immediately disadvantaged in their linguistic development. The

importance of educators using enhanced vocabulary in their teaching was both emphasised

and exemplified during the presentation. There was an emphasis on children’s understanding

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of narrative as key to their confidence and performance in story writing which is undeniably

linked to vocabulary and a sense of story. The importance of the use of story organisers was

explored in this context. In addition, two conference papers produced by Catherine were

presented at or accepted for research conferences during the 2014-2015 academic year.

These conferences included the United Kingdom Literacy Association International

Conference and the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference.

Martin Hagan presented a conference paper at the European Educational Research

Association Annual Conference on the governance of teacher education, which is currently

under review for the corresponding research journal. In a summary of the paper Martin

referred to the idea that before the late 1990s, the governance of teacher education in

Northern Ireland was broadly in line with that in other parts of the United Kingdom.

Divergence began when the joint strands of neo-liberalism and neo-conservatism

increasingly began to characterise policy in England and Wales. This agenda promoted the

use of competence-based approaches aimed at defining teaching ability and changed the

discourse from teacher education to one of teacher training. In 2005, the General Teaching

Council for Northern Ireland reviewed the existing teacher competences model in Northern

Ireland and produced a document in 2007, known as Teaching: The Reflective Profession.

Central to this document was the concept of teaching as a values-based profession

underpinned by continuous professional learning and development. Martin’s research

examined the extent to which the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland’s

competence framework offers a mode of professional governance which promotes critically

reflective practitioners and rejects technical-rational approaches to teacher learning. It

identified also a range of contextual, political and ideological factors which mitigate teacher

education in Northern Ireland to develop on the basis of trust in order to build a world-class

system of teacher education focusing on relationships with diverse communities.

In addition, Martin presented a second paper, co-authored with Deirdre Cree, at the Teacher

Education Advancement Network Annual Conference. The paper outlined the development

of a research capacity-building initiative (Capstone project) within a programme of initial

teacher education and analysed the impact upon student learning. It highlighted the value of

such initiatives in developing research-literate teachers who have the potential to contribute

to self-improving education systems.

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Journal articles were written by members of the Centre for Curriculum, Pedagogy and

Assessment. One was by Dr Elaine McLaughlin which was revised following a provisional

acceptance. The article focused on research to ascertain if there is any correlation between

physical fitness and academic attainment. Another journal article was co-written by Dr

Geraldine Magennis and her Masters-Level student. The research explored the motivations

and attitudes of Year 3 children within a case study school in relation to reading for pleasure.

Pupils completed a reading attitudinal questionnaire, with some chosen to participate further

in the study. Pupils’ voice was sought through artwork, journal writing and focus group

interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the sub-sample’s parents while

the researcher maintained a reflective journal. Children’s perceptions about the nature and

purpose of reading ranged from a mechanistic, product-driven endeavour to a holistic,

process-based experience. Their desire to read voluntarily was dependent upon taken for

granted factors such as classroom environment, materials, the teacher’s choice of

instructional approaches and parents’ opinions. Consequently, these influenced their

identities as readers/non-readers. It was unearthed that the pupils wanted more autonomy in

selecting classroom literature and in how and where it might be used. It was concluded that

by creating ‘communities of readers’, the school has the capacity to challenge hindering

assumptions accumulated over time and through established practices. It was anticipated

that this would help foster more pleasurable reading experiences which are embedded

within an explicit and tangibly supportive ethos with a view to generating more enthused,

young readers. In addition, Martin Hagan had a journal article accepted for future

publication on the importance of ethos for learning and teaching in a Catholic college.

Dr Geraldine Magennis co-wrote also a chapter for a book during the 2014-2015 academic

year with a colleague. It focused on the relatively recent history of the shaping of teacher

education within Northern Ireland. It explored the various pressures and impasses that have

and continue to occur in regards to where we currently are in teacher education policy as a

province.

Another piece was written by Dr Matthew Martin which appeared in a book dealing with

professional development. In the context of reduced funding for teacher professional

development and increasing demands for relevance and effectiveness, Matthew’s

contribution to the latest book on personalised professional development outlined the

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increasing influence of ‘TeachMeets’ as a way forward and explained their history and key

dynamics.

Donna Hazzard was part of an all-Ireland research team which submitted its final research

report to the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) during

the 2014-2015 academic year. Donna and her colleagues produced the research output

following extensive research carried out since 2013. The research sought to clarify present

policy in the area of dyslexia support, North and South, and to identify strategic policy which

informs good practice. Its aim was to consult with original members of the Northern Ireland

Task Group on Dyslexia, the Republic of Ireland Task Force on Dyslexia and key stakeholders

in the area of dyslexia support, to ascertain their views on support provision for pupils with

dyslexia, twelve years on.

The official launch of a European Union (EU) Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership Framework

project took place at the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year having received an

external award during the previous year. The project will have a significant research element

and will run over three years undergoing regular EU scrutiny procedures throughout its

lifetime. Dr Tracey McKay and Dr Angela Vaupel will collaborate on the project with fifteen

academics from PH Freiburg, University of Lyon, Mälardelen University, University of

Ljubljana, University of Tartu and the European Academy Otzenhausen. It will aim to increase

the awareness of borders as a multifaceted construct with physical, social, linguistic, ethnic,

religious, age and gender implications. In this context, the project’s novel approach will

consist of the inclusion of aspects of memory studies, e.g., the inclusion of life stories and

representations within national film and literature, to the subject of border education. The

project will explore and promote the idea that borders need to be studied not only from a

top-down perspective but also from the bottom up with a focus on the individual border

narratives and spatial experiences that reflect the ways in which borders impact on notions of

otherness and the daily life practices of people living in and around the ‘borderlands’. The

initial research phase will target mainly students of initial teacher education and one of the

envisaged key outputs (in addition to peer reviewed research publications) will be a Masters-

Level module on border/memory education for inclusion in existing initial teacher education

frameworks. Therefore, it will be about opportunities for young EU citizens to experience

meaningful dialogue about ‘othering’ and to see mutual understanding as a basis on which

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to shape and build a more socially just, inclusive and successfully functioning European

society.

Another externally funded research project started during the 2014-2015 academic year, with

the award coming from the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South

(SCoTENS). Ciaran Walsh will represent St Mary’s as a partner in the project, along with

colleagues from Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Ulster University and the University of

Limerick. The purpose of the research project will be to examine the professional learning

experiences of individual teacher educators, within a community of learners, related to the

area of communication. It will plan to determine how this professional learning influences

their pedagogical practices with pre-service teachers. The research will last two years and will

combine collaborative self-study methodology alongside photo elicitation visual

methodologies.

A third project received research funding from the European Union Erasmus+ Strategic

Partnership Framework during the 2014-2015 academic year. One of the partners will be Dr

Matthew Martin and the project will involve working with teachers to establish the most

effective methods of using ICT in the classroom to improve learning and skills while

connecting pupils and institutions internationally in a way to improve European awareness.

Dr Louise Long co-authored a book which was published during the 2014-2015 academic

year. The book focused on raising standards in literacy for children with dyslexia by putting

them at the centre of everything practitioners do, by focusing on well-being, and by

recognising the role that adults have to play in ensuring all children reach their potential.

Louise contributed two chapters on her own, alongside two other chapters written with

colleagues. The book has been received positively within the academic community and has

been described as a very valuable resource, with the child being central to the authors’

thinking. By concentrating on children in primary schools and early years settings, the book

looked at early intervention, pupil voice, working as a team, new literacies, challenges for the

inclusive school, and child-centred identification, assessment as well as provision.

There were other kinds of research activity and output produced by members of the Centre

for Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment during the 2014-2015 academic year. These

included work by Dr Matthew Martin who contributed a section to a compendium of

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effective practice in directed independent learning. The piece Matthew wrote referred to a

project designed to help students navigate the transition from their A-Level studies to the

greater independence demanded of them while studying English at university. From his

research, Matthew found that independent reading constitutes the central challenge for

students in the first year English module in St Mary’s. He began work in the spring of 2013 to

‘flip’ the classroom and no longer relied on live lectures to model the reading skills which

students needed to acquire. Instead, lectures were delivered online in two formats (video and

automated PowerPoint) while classes were dedicated to developing confidence and critical

reading skills in large and small group work and discussions. This arrangement gave students

a more manageable ‘ladder’ to climb as they tried to come to terms with some very

demanding classical, medieval and renaissance literary texts. A review of results and student

satisfaction levels demonstrated the effectiveness of this method on several fronts.

Matthew contributed also a component to an online tool-kit as part of his research activity.

This tool-kit was to help lecturers and teachers advance their use of blended learning

methodologies. Matthew’s video and accompanying materials reviewed the history of his

blended-learning project within St Mary’s and outlined the paths which were least effective

(and hence ultimately rejected) and those which produced the best results for learning and

time-efficiencies for both teachers and students. He organised also a conference in St Mary’s

for teachers who presented case studies of methodologies which they employed in the

classroom.

Catherine Gilliland wrote an article which appeared in the Literacy Association of Ireland’s

Literacy News. The article referred to research that motivated Catherine to further immerse

her students of initial teacher education in the world of story and to develop their ability to

use literary texts to stimulate thinking, engagement and discussion. As a result of this,

Catherine concluded that it was paramount that teachers are trained and retrained to

appreciate the value in daily immersion with rhyme, rhythm and repetition as best case

literacy provision. Catherine believed that making this teaching as visual as possible will

ensure the five pillars of reading instruction are met simultaneously within a real book

environment. In addition, Catherine prepared her keynote address for the Literacy

Association of Ireland’s International Conference.

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Irish-medium Research Centre

The mission of the Irish-medium Research Centre is to engage in enquiry-led scholarship in

the area of Irish-medium education. The centre engages in research informed teaching and

learning that enriches the student experience on academic programmes. The work of the

centre is fully aligned with the mission statement and ethos of St Mary’s. It supports the

strategic plan for research, in collaboration with other centres/groups. The Irish-medium

Research Centre contributes also to the wider Irish language community. During the 2014-

2015 academic year, members of the Irish-medium Research Centre produced research

output in the shape of five journal articles, six conference papers, two research reports, one

book chapter, one project that received an external award and five other types of research

output. Some examples of these follow.

Dr Seán Mac Corraidh produced five academic articles in a series of twelve for An tUltach

which analysed the linguist prowess of Donegal writer Seosamh Mac Grianna. The series

aimed to demonstrate his ability in terms of idiom, terminology and resourcefulness in

translating English language classics by authors, such as Joseph Conrad or Robert Louis

Stevenson, into Irish. It aimed also to revive some of that language which lies hidden in these

gems of literature.

One of the five conference papers delivered by members of the Irish-medium Research

Centre was written by Denise McKee. The paper examined research carried out as a

requirement of a doctoral module. It offered an insight into students’ opinions of their

competence of teaching through the medium of Irish during their school placement and

their opinions on their language development needs. The research was based on the

experiences of a group of students in St Mary’s while on school placement in Irish-medium

primary schools in the North of Ireland. The problems and challenges encountered by the

students were explored through an on-line forum which was established during their school

experience. Grounded theory was used to analyse the data and the key themes arising from

the investigation were the use of grammar, the use of English in the class, specific subject

related terminology and immersion education. It was delivered at the First All-Ireland

Research Conference on Immersion Education.

23

Dr Eibhlín Mhic Aoidh delivered a paper at this very same conference. The paper reported on

doctoral research on assessment in early years Irish-medium education. The assessment

practices were investigated in one third of Irish-medium schools in the North of Ireland and

in four case study schools based on the narratives of teachers, classroom assistants, pupils

and principals. Dr Seán Mac Corraidh presented at this conference too, with his research

focusing on the professional knowledge and skills a teacher needs to apply a phonics

approach in the Irish language.

Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir delivered a conference paper also at the First All-Ireland Research

Conference on Immersion Education based on a research project funded by the North-South

Standing Committee on Irish-medium Education. This coincided with another conference

paper presented at the Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta Annual Conference. A third conference

paper was presented by Gabrielle at the Gaelscoileanna Annual Conference during the 2014-

2015 academic year.

Dr Eibhlín Mhic Aoidh co-wrote a research report for the Department of Education Northern

Ireland which funded a research project that focused on pre-school Irish-medium education.

A research team was appointed to undertake the research to identify which core

components in Irish-medium pre-schools lead to optimum readiness for transition to

foundation stage in Irish-medium primary schools. It undertook also to identify the extent to

which these components are present in Irish-medium pre-schools in the statutory and

voluntary sector in the North of Ireland. The research included a literature review of policy

and practice in respect of early years second language acquisition in the context of minority

language immersion in a variety of settings, including internationally. The research identified,

examined and commented on the set or expected learning outcomes, the criteria used to

establish these outcomes and the methods used to assess the degree to which the desired

outcomes are being achieved in Irish-medium pre-schools. Sampling included a range of

statutory and voluntary Irish-medium pre-school settings in the North of Ireland to identify

the relevant characteristics of these and the practices and methodology used to contribute

to Irish language acquisition.

Another research report was produced by Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir and colleagues during the

2014-2015 academic year. It outlined research on the provision of Irish-medium education in

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primary schools and post-primary schools in Ireland with a focus on the diverse models that

existed. It was an end of project report for An Coiste Seasta Thuaidh Theas ar

Ghaeloideachas, which funded the project.

A book chapter was produced by a member of the Irish-medium Research Centre. Dr Seán

Mac Corraidh wrote the chapter based on the linguistic features of the Irish language as

spoken by the Donegal poet and songwriter Seán Bán Mac Grianna from Rann na Feirste in

the Rosses. It aimed to show aspects of the grammar, syntax and phonology of his speech.

Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir and two colleagues from St Angela’s College Sligo were successful

during the 2014-2015 academic year in securing seed funding from the Standing Conference

on Teacher Education North and South. They will carry out research to investigate how

mainstream teachers meet the needs of children with special educational needs in multi-

grade classrooms. Current educational legislation and policy support the inclusion of

children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. At present, the policy in both

the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland facilitates schools to be flexible in designing

inclusive responses for children with special educational needs. However, despite the support

in place in mainstream schools, teachers indicate that the inclusion of children with special

educational needs is an issue which they find challenging, particularly in multi-grade

classrooms. Therefore, this research will identify good practice, as well as challenges with

regards to the inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream, multi-

grade classrooms in primary schools. The objectives will identify examples of good practice

with regards to the inclusion of children with special educational needs in multi-grade

classrooms, will identify the challenges that teachers encounter when teaching children with

special educational needs in multi-grade classrooms, and will establish how teachers address

these challenges.

Other research output and activity by members of the Irish-medium Research Centre

included a research proposal for a doctoral dissertation by Denise McKee. The proposed

research will aim to examine the experiences and perspectives of year 8 pupils who have

transferred from an Irish-medium primary to an Irish-medium stream in an English-medium

‘host’ post-primary. The more specific aims relating to experiences and perceptions of this

group of young people will be to explore their: experiences of Irish-medium provision in a

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‘host’ English-medium post-primary; perceptions of the development of their Irish language

competence within the context of an Irish-medium stream in a ‘host’ English-medium post-

primary where a minimum of fifty percent of subjects are taught through the medium of

Irish; experiences and perceptions of learning in an Irish-medium or English-medium subject

class and the challenges experienced in relation to performance in subjects which are taught

through the medium of Irish or English; perceptions of how their bilingual/Irish language

identity is accommodated within the ‘host’ English-medium post-primary; and opinions on

how they would like to see the Irish-medium stream develop in the future.

Another member of the Irish-medium Research Centre, Padaí de Bléine, produced another

type of research output during the 2014-2015 academic year in the form of an Irish

translation for key stage 2 and 3 pupils in Irish-medium schools. Dr Seán Mac Corraidh was

invited to be the keynote speaker at Tionól Teagaisc 2014, where he spoke about phonetics,

pronunciation and the teaching of Irish. In addition, Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir produced two

other types of research output during the 2014-2015 academic year. The first was a

collaborative article that examined the influence of schools on pupils’ engagement with the

Irish language and on their attitudes towards the active use of Irish. The second was a

conference proceedings paper outlining research that analysed the views of leaders in Irish-

medium schools on the effectiveness of various models of school.

Research Group for Catholic Education

The Research Group for Catholic Education encourages and supports research by members

and associates of St Mary’s in the field of Catholic education. Examples of research include:

the history and culture of Catholic schools; issues of ethos, curricula, leadership and

'effectiveness' of Catholic education nationally and internationally; and issues relating to

social justice, ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue. The group has a particular focus on issues

relating to Catholic education in Ireland. During the 2014-2015 academic year, members of

the Research Group for Catholic Education produced research output in the shape of four

book chapters, three conference papers, two journal articles, one edited book, one research

report and two other types of research output. Some examples of these follow.

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The first book chapter was written by Rev Dr Edward McGee and focused on participation in

the Liturgy. The second chapter was produced by Rev Dr Paul Fleming which presented an

overview of church teaching on Our Lady and her role in popular devotion today. The third

chapter was written by Sharon Haughey and looked at some of the ways in which Catholic

schools live out their vocation/ethos. The fourth chapter was produced by Rev Feidhlimidh

Magennis and covered the sacramentality of the Word. These chapters and others, written by

members of academic staff in St Mary’s, are due to feature in a book that reflects on fifty

years of Vatican II in Ireland.

Two conference papers were produced by Rev Dr Edward McGee for presentation during the

2014-2015 academic year. The first research paper was featured at a Workshop on Science

and Religion, where Edward’s paper focused on science and religion in the classroom. His

presentation began by reviewing how science and religion are currently integrated within the

post-primary school curriculum in Northern Ireland. Through an analysis of ‘value systems’,

the research explored how interface and boundary issues between these fields of study

provided a context and foundation for understanding emergent ethical and epistemological

tensions both for teachers of science and religion and for the wider public. It examined how

the theories of education according to Piaget and Vygotsky contributed to comprehending

and resolving such tensions in the classroom and signposted pedagogical strategies which

might facilitate greater integration between science and religion in the future.

The second conference paper by Rev Dr Edward McGee was presented at the Annual

Theological Lectures 2015. In a special event to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the

chaplaincy centre at the Queen’s University Belfast, the Theological Lectures brought

together leaders from the four main denominations to discuss the mission of the Church in

Northern Ireland in 2015, and particularly the opportunities and obstacles facing it.

In addition, Seán Mac Labhraí gave a presentation at Éigse Loch Lao Annual Conference held

at the Ulster University under the theme of the literature of Oriel. Seán wrote also an online

research article for ‘Ainm.ie’ and was a guest speaker at a launch of a collection of Gaelic

manuscripts.

A journal article was produced by Dr Madeleine Lombard who is a member of the Research

Group for Catholic Education. In the article Madeleine explored the concept of holistic

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education in a range of contexts and argued for the kind of connectedness, meaning and

coherence which it promotes. It examined the concept in its historical and educational

contexts and proposed that, whether holistic education is secular or faith-based, whether it is

founded on pedagogic or spiritual principles, its very identity and sense of individual and

collective self depends on the articulation of a clearly defined and lucid sense of purpose.

The article proposed that there is no neutral zone in education - that in every educational

context a core set of values, however differently defined, provides a central axis around

which educational policies and practices rotate. Neutrality, in other words, is an impossibility

in the field of education. Holistic education in the context of Catholic education was

examined alongside the work and theories of a range of educationalists, and it was argued

that in this context too a particular philosophical and theological view provides the

foundation, cause and rationale of its work. Intrinsic to this work was the imperative to both

exist within the dominant ideology and to unmask and challenge some of its assumptions.

The recent challenge to the existence of St Mary’s was considered in the light of these

assumptions, and it was argued that educational development based on either fiscal or

political arguments will not suffice if the kind of critical consciousness which holistic

education promotes is to be realised.

Another journal article was written by Rev Dr Niall Coll which focused on St Columbanus.

Niall worked also on editing a book during the 2014-2015 academic year. The year 2015 sees

the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council and to mark this

occasion Niall and various colleagues set about creating a volume of essays exploring the

scope, impact and future implementation of the Council with special reference to Ireland,

North and South. The book covered such areas as education, human rights, social justice,

liturgy, society and theology.

In addition, as a member of a task group on evangelisation, Rev Dr Niall Coll contributed to a

recent report with other members for the Council for Pastoral Renewal and Adult Faith

Development. In the introduction to the publication, reference was made to its goals which

included the framework document on evangelisation supporting the work of bringing to life

in practice the vision of Share the Good News. It explored the implications of this vision

through the expertise, research and reflection of its members. It has been offered as a

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resource manual for all those involved in the variety of roles envisaged in Share the Good

News at every level throughout the Church.

STEAM Research Centre

Integrated STEAM education is defined as the interdisciplinary teaching and learning of

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM). The mission of the STEAM

Research Centre is to promote the synergy of these areas of learning in an educational

context, with the development of resources, concepts of pedagogical practice, reviews and

evaluations set within a research-informed and research-driven framework. The mission is

founded on the research team’s understanding of the need to enthuse and empower future

generations as effective innovators, contributing to the wider society and economy through

the study and application of STEAM education. During the 2014-2015 academic year,

members of the STEAM Research Centre produced research output in the shape of one

journal article, three conference papers, as well as one other type of research output and two

projects gaining research funding from external sources. Some examples of these follow.

The journal article was co-written by Dr John Prenter and investigated the assessment

strategies used by ‘Servaea incana’ jumping spiders to resolve male–male contests. To

examine the effects of body size on contest outcome and strategy, contests were staged

between size-unmatched and size-matched pairs. Contests escalated through distinct stages

that were of increasing intensity, and body size was a strong predictor of contest outcome.

To gain insight into assessment strategy, the researchers considered duration and escalation

as measures of cost accrual. Overall, the relations of body size to contest duration and

escalation suggested that the decision of whether to retreat during the early noncontact

contest phase was largely determined by size-associated internal cost thresholds. Body size

was not related to either duration or escalation in the contact phase of contests. The

researchers highlighted the need to consider appropriateness of proxies used for contest

costs and whether game-theoretical predictions for whole contests applied to stages within a

contest.

Dr John Prenter co-wrote also a similar paper that was presented at the Behaviour 2015

Conference. In it, he and his colleagues outlined research where they conducted a series of

29

experiments to examine the sources of information that influence decision-making during

male-male contests of the jumping spider ‘Servaea incana’.

A second member of the STEAM Research Centre, Deirdre Robson, presented a conference

paper at the International Journal of Art & Design Education Conference which focused on

an Esmée Fairbairn Foundation funded pilot project to explore interdisciplinary teaching and

learning of art and science with 11-14 year old pupils. It was inspired by the success of The

Leonardo Effect teaching methodology in primary schools, the existing art science

collaborations such as STEAM originating from Rhode Island School of Design, projects

including Catalytic Clothing by fashion designer Helen Storey and physical chemist Tony

Ryan, and an increasing prevalence of incubators for nurturing art science collaborations

such as David Edwards’ Le Laboratoire in Paris. The paper reported on the responses from

pupils and teachers to interdisciplinary art and science and the challenges for teachers and

school managers. It focused on whether it was beneficial for the teaching and learning of art

via a collaborative approach and whether there was a realistic future for collaborative

teaching in secondary education. Deirdre presented another conference paper at the British

Educational Research Association Annual Conference on a similar topic focusing on schools

facilitating art science collaborations.

Another member of the STEAM Research Centre, Kieran McGeown, produced another type

of research output during the 2014-2015 academic year. This was his doctoral dissertation

based on research carried out during the previous three years. The research investigated the

perceptions held by pupils, across four Northern Ireland based schools, towards routine

school-based practical work activities and project work in Technology and Design and also

that which had been contextualized within an industrial setting. The views of the heads of

departments of each school and four local industrialists were also considered in relation to

the practical work that had an industrial link.

Two projects, with research embedded in each, began during the course of the 2014-2015

academic year. The first project received funding from the European Union Erasmus+

Strategic Partnership Framework and among the many partners are Joe Hughes, John

Rafferty and Dr Catherine Quinn who will represent St Mary’s. The project will aim to

promote the integration of gender into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and

30

Mathematics) education via an ambitious teacher development programme. The integration

of gender is a way to improve STEM education. Ultimately the goal is that teachers will be

willing to adapt and change their practice by taking gender into account in STEM education.

The project will aim also to foster quality improvements, innovation excellence and

internationalisation in teacher training of gender for STEM teachers, in particular through

enhanced transnational cooperation between schools, science centres, teacher training

organizations and policy makers. The main objective of this project will be to promote and

share good science education practices for gender balance through innovative teacher

training modules, involving not only teachers but also schools, teacher trainers, companies,

policy makers and other educational stakeholders.

The second project involved Dr Katrina Mulholland and Kieran McGeown who worked with

colleagues on a research project that received funding from Sentinus (a not for profit

educational charity). Their research entailed the formulation of instruments (a series of

applied Mathematics and Science problems) given to Year 7 children before and after use of

the ‘Microbot’ and ‘SMART’ technology. Albeit a pilot study, comparative data have been

obtained from a substantial number of pupils and will be analysed at item-level to determine

the statistical significance, if any, of the changes in the marks obtained. In collaboration with

colleagues, the researchers will investigate the possibility of a correlation between 'right-'

and 'left-brain' thinkers in their approach and ability to problem-solve. This will require the

collation of data obtained from the research instruments with the results of psychometric

testing undertaken at the outset of the project by the same group of pupils.

Conclusion

The community of researchers in St Mary’s has been proactive during the 2014-2015

academic year and is contributing to the advancement of a research culture and profile

comparable to many other small, specialist higher education institutions. Evidence has been

presented to show variety in research output and also unity in Research Centres/Groups. This

report shows also that research findings are disseminated effectively through conferences,

public lectures and seminars. The research produced by the community of researchers in St

Mary’s has the potential to impact upon the practice of relevant stakeholders, especially in

31

schools, as well as policy initiatives in government and non-government organisations. Much

of what is learned from academic staff’s research is used to inform lectures in the various

teaching programmes. This can influence and enhance the learning experiences of students

when they embark on their own practice of conducting research for their academic studies.

The research environment in St Mary’s is improving constantly and during the 2014-2015

academic year this was apparent by the work of a dedicated Research Committee, the

expertise of a meticulous Research Ethics Committee and the guidance of a competent

Research Office. The research seminar series, research newsletters, research section of the

website and research budget, all contributed to a more robust research environment.

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Research Output

Authored Books

MacBlain, S., Long, L. and Dunn, J. (2015) Dyslexia, Literacy and Inclusion: Child-Centred

Perspectives. Sage, pp 232.

Edited Books

Coll, N. (to be published 2015) Ireland & Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and

Educational. Columba Press, pp 354.

McCann, G. and McCloskey, S. (2015) From the Local to the Global: Key Issues in

Development Studies (3rd Edition). Pluto Press, pp 352.

Chapters in Books

Clarke, L. and Magennis, G. (to be published 2015) Teacher education policy in Northern

Ireland: impediments, initiatives & influences. In Teacher Education Group (Eds.) Teacher

Education in Changing Times. Policy Press.

Collins, P. (to be published 2015) British labour and developments in Ireland in the

immediate post-war years. In Marley, L. (Ed.) The British Labour Party and Twentieth-Century

Ireland. Manchester University Press, pp 88-103.

Collins, P. (to be published 2015) The view from the North. In MacNamara, C. and Yeates, P.

(Eds.) The Dublin Lockout. Four Courts Press.

Fleming, P. (to be published in 2015) Mary and her role in the Church today. In Coll, N. (Ed.)

Ireland & Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and Educational. Columba Press, pp 239-

252.

Haughey, S. (to be published 2015) Spirituality in school: encouraging young faith. In Coll, N.

(Ed.) Ireland & Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and Educational. Columba Press, pp

274-282.

33

Mac Corraidh, S. (2014) Gnéithe den Ghaeilge a labhair Seán Bán Mac Grianna as Rann na

Feirste. In Ó Corráin, A. and Ó Néill, M. (Eds.) Teangeolaíocht na Gaeilge XIII. Uppsala,

Uppsala Universitet, pp 123-157.

Magennis, F. (to be published 2015) From Dei Verbum to Verbum Domini: the sacramentality

of the Word. In Coll, N. (Ed.) Ireland & Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and

Educational. Columba Press, pp 226-238.

Martin, Matthew (2015) What are Teach Meets? In Salome T.E., Burgess, D., Bretzmann, J.,

Bosch, K., Daniels, K., Conley, L., Gustafson, B., Wilkoff, B. and Currie, B. Personalized PD:

Flipping Your Professional Development. The Bretzmann Group.

McCann, G. (2014) Development education in a European context. In McCloskey, S. (Ed.)

Development Education in Theory and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan, pp 249-265.

McGee, E. (to be published 2015) Towards a fuller participation in the Liturgy: embracing the

mystery of God. In Coll, N. (Ed.) Ireland & Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and

Educational. Columba Press.

Schippers, B. (2015) Butler, Judith (1956 - ). In Wright, J.D. (Ed.) International Encyclopedia of

the Social & Behavioural Sciences (Second Edition, Vol. 3). Elsevier, pp 56-60.

Schippers, B. (2015) Violence, affect and ethics. In Lloyd, M. (Ed.) Butler and Ethics. Edinburgh

University Press, pp 91-117.

Vaupel, A. (2015) Feuchtwanger goes Europe? The legacy of Lion Feuchtwanger’s work in

European contexts. In Davis, G.V. (Ed.) Feuchtwanger und Berlin. Peter Lang, pp 451-471.

Journal Articles

Coll, N. (2015) Light from the West – the year of St Columbanus. The Furrow, 66 (9), pp 459-

464.

Downey, P. (to be published 2015) The Nendrum Cross-Slab and the ‘Glory of Creation’.

Lecale Review: A Journal Of Down History.

34

Hagan, M. (under review 2015) Professionalism and the governance of teacher education: a

Northern Ireland perspective. European Educational Research Journal.

Hagan, M. (to be published 2016) Learning and teaching in a Catholic college: the

importance of ethos. International Studies in Catholic Education, 8 (1).

Lombard, M. (2015) Only connect - meaning and coherence in holistic education. The

Pastoral Review, September/October 2015.

Mac Corraidh, S. (2015) St Gallen’s Irish connection. Le Chéile: A Catholic School Ethos

Journal. St Mary’s University College Belfast, Issue 23, pp 14-15.

Mac Corraidh, S. (2015) Translation studies. An tUltach, Iml 92, Uimh. 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8.

Magennis, G. (2014) Browsing books, breaking bread & becoming. Le Chéile: A Catholic

School Ethos Journal. St Mary’s University College Belfast, Issue 22, pp 11-13.

Magennis, G. and Fitzpatrick, G. (under review 2015) Reading for pleasure: preferable or

peripheral? Primary pupils’ perspectives. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy.

McCann, G. (2015) Protectionism and the ‘economic war’ in interwar Ireland. The Journal of

European Economic History, XLI (3), pp 39-68.

McCann, G. and Hainsworth, P. (2014) The renewal of mandates: the 2014 European elections

in Northern Ireland. Irish Political Studies, 29 (4), pp 590-604.

McGinley, R.H., Prenter, J. and Taylor P.W. (2015) Assessment strategies and decision making

in male-male contests of Servea incana jumping spiders. Animal Behaviour, 101, pp 89-95.

McLaughlin, E. (under review 2015) Can fitness be an indicator of academic achievement?

Mhic Aoidh, E. (2014) Turas Gaeltachta: Aistear Foghlama / A gaeltacht trip: a learning

journey. Le Chéile: A Catholic School Ethos Journal. St Mary’s University College Belfast, Issue

22, pp 13.

35

Reports

McPhillips, T., Hazzard, D., Casserly, A.M., Tiernan, B. and Beck, G. (2015) Dyslexia in Ireland: a

review of current provision of support since the publication of the task force reports, North

and South (2002). End of project report for the Standing Conference on Teacher Education

North and South.

Ó Duibhir, P., Nig Uidhir, G. and Ó Cathalláin, S. (to be published 2015) Anailís ar mhúnlaí

soláthair gaelscolaíochta. End of project report for An Coiste Seasta Thuaidh Theas ar

Ghaeloideachas.

O’Mahony, K., Bedding, M., Coll, N., Collins, P., Hurley, M., Keogh, P., Lynch, P., McDermott, K.,

Nichols, T., Moran, J. and Codd, A. (2014) Evangelise today: sharing the good news of Jesus

Christ. Report prepared for the Council for Pastoral Renewal and Adult Faith Development.

RSM McClure Watters, Mhic Aoidh, E., Nic Iomhair, A. and Nig Thuairisg, L. (to be published

2015) Research on the educational outcomes of pre-school Irish-medium education. End of

project report for the Department of Education Northern Ireland.

Conference Papers

Cash, T. and Gilliland, C. (2015) Exploring the role of historical fiction through engagement

with active approaches to comprehension. ‘Literacy Association of Ireland’, Dublin, Ireland.

Gilliland, C. (2014) Tell children a story, show them their world. ‘Reading Association of

Ireland 38th International Conference’, Dublin, Ireland, September 2014.

Gilliland, C. (2015) Rhyme, rhythm and repetition make the wheels of the language bus go

round and round!!!! ‘British Educational Research Association Annual Conference’, Belfast,

Northern Ireland.

Gilliland, C. (2015) Tell me a story, show me the world. ‘51st United Kingdom Literacy

Association International Conference’, Nottingham, England, July 2015.

Hagan, M. (2014) ‘Professionalism’ and the governance of teacher education across the

British Isles. ‘European Educational Research Association Annual Conference’, Porto, Portugal,

September 2014.

36

Hagan, M. and Cree, D. (2015) Developing research capacity in initial teacher education: a

new approach to early professional learning. ‘6th Teacher Education Advancement Network

Annual Conference’, Birmingham, England, May 2015.

Hanratty, B. (2015) A critical evaluation of the literature of the troubles project: philosophy,

methodology, findings/outcomes. ‘Educational Studies Association of Ireland Conference’,

Maynooth, Ireland, April 2015.

Hanratty, B. (2015) Imagining education: selected representatives of teachers and teaching in

20th century Irish fictions and autobiography. ‘Literacy Association of Ireland’, Dublin, Ireland.

Hanratty, B. (2015) Literature of the troubles project: implications for local and global

citizenship. ‘TEESNet: Teacher Education for Equity and Sustainability Network, 7th Annual

Conference’, Liverpool, England, Published in Conference Proceedings May 2015.

Hanratty, B. (2015) Teaching Heaney’s troubles poetry to upper secondary school pupils in

Northern Ireland’s divided schools: some explorations. ‘38th Annual Reading Association of

Ireland Conference’, Dublin, Ireland, Published in Conference Proceedings May 2015.

Hennessey, F. (2015) The St Mary’s entrepreneurial learning certificate: a case study of

curricular reform designed to promote and integrate entrepreneurship education within

initial teacher education. ‘6th Teacher Education Advancement Network Annual Conference’,

Birmingham, England, May 2015.

Mac Corraidh, S. (2015) The professional knowledge and skills a teacher needs to apply a

phonics approach in the Irish language. ‘First All-Ireland Research Conference on Immersion

Education’, Limerick, Ireland, May 2015.

Mac Labhraí, S. (2014) Pilib Ministir alias Parson Brady: Saol agus Saothar. ‘Éigse Loch Lao

Annual Conference’, Belfast, Northern Ireland, October 2014.

Martin, Matthew (2015) Engaged learning: from writing centres to blended learning.

‘Teaching Awards’.

Martin, Matthew (2015) Research lesson study, the way forward in teacher professional

development. ‘NSPCC Colloquium on Teacher Professional Development Relating to Child

Abuse’, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

37

Martin, Matthew (2015) The benefits of research lesson study. ‘Belfast TeachMeet’, Belfast,

Northern Ireland, March 2015.

Martin, Matthew (2015) Writing as research: research methods and the writing process.

‘Research-Teaching Nexus’, Dublin, Ireland.

Martin, Matthew and Hagan, M. (2015) Engaged learning: the capstone project, the STRE@M

conference and student research. ‘Student Research Conference’, Belfast, Northern Ireland,

May 2015.

McCann, G. (2015) The European Union’s development education policy. ‘International Week

Conference’, Krosno, Poland, April 2015.

McGee, E. (2014) Science and religion in the classroom. ‘Workshop on Science and Religion’,

Belfast, Northern Ireland, October 2014.

McGee, E. (2015) Mission of the Churches in Northern Ireland. ‘Annual Theological Lectures

2015’, Belfast, Northern Ireland, February 2015.

McGinley, R.H., Prenter, J. and Taylor, P.W. (2015) Assessment strategies in jumping spider

contests. ‘Behaviour 2015’, New South Wales, Australia, August 2015.

McKee, D. (2015) Perspectives on students’ opinions of their competence and needs in

relation to teaching in the Irish-medium primary sector. ‘First All-Ireland Research

Conference on Immersion Education’, Limerick, Ireland, May 2015.

McPhillips, T., Hazzard, D., Casserly, A.M., Tiernan, B. and Beck, G. (2015) Dyslexia in Ireland: a

review of current provision of support since the publication of the task force reports, North

and South. ‘Literacy Association of Ireland’, Dublin, Ireland.

McPhillips, T., Hazzard, D., Casserly, A.M., Tiernan, B. and Beck, G. (2015) Dyslexia in Ireland: a

review of current provision of support since the publication of the task force reports, North

and South (2002). ‘Dyslexia Association of Ireland Conference’, Dublin, Ireland, March 2015.

McPhillips, T., Hazzard, D., Casserly, A.M., Tiernan, B. and Beck, G. (2015) Dyslexia in Ireland: a

review of current provision of support since the publication of the task force reports, North

38

and South (2002). ‘51st United Kingdom Literacy Association International Conference’,

Nottingham, England, July 2015.

McPhillips, T., Hazzard, D., Casserly, A.M., Tiernan, B. and Beck, G. (2015) Provision for pupils

with dyslexia: how provision can impact on pupils. ‘Irish Association of Teachers in Special

Education Conference’, Dublin, Ireland, June 2015.

Mhic Aoidh, E. (2015) Cleachtas Múinteoirí i gComhair Measúnú Ranga i Suíomhanna

Bonnchéime na Gaelscolaíochta / Teachers’ classroom assessment practices in Irish-medium

foundation stage classrooms. ‘First All-Ireland Research Conference on Immersion

Education’, Limerick, Ireland, May 2015.

Nig Uidhir, G. and Ó Cathalláin, S. (2015) Anailís ar Mhúnlaí Soláthair san Oideachas Lán-

Ghaeilge. ‘First All-Ireland Research Conference on Immersion Education’, Limerick, Ireland,

May 2015.

Nig Uidhir, G. and Ó Cathalláin, S. (2015) An Tumoideachas in Éirinn: Láidreachtaí agus

Dúshláin. ‘Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta Annual Conference’, March 2015.

Nig Uidhir, G. and Ó Duibhir, P. (2014) Soláthar don Ghaeloideachas: Léargas ar Mhúnlaí

Éagsúla. ‘Gaelscoileanna Annual Conference’, Enfield, Ireland, November 2014.

Nugent, O. (2015) Student teachers’ perceptions of their competence to teach in a new

phase primary school placement - the value of pre-placement exposure. ‘6th Teacher

Education Advancement Network Annual Conference’, Birmingham, England, May 2015.

Robson, D. (2014) Piloting art science collaboration in secondary education. ‘International

Journal of Art & Design Education Conference’, Liverpool, England, October 2014.

Robson, D. (2015) Does 11-14 schooling in the UK have the flexibility to respond to

innovations such as SCIART or STEAM education? Should schools facilitate art science

collaborations? ‘British Educational Research Association Annual Conference’, Belfast,

Northern Ireland.

Schippers, B. (2015) Engaging the paradox: human rights and the performative constitution

of the human. ‘MANCEPT Workshops in Political Theory’, Manchester, England.

39

Schippers, B. (2015) International studies and widening participation agenda in higher

education. ‘International Studies Association Annual Convention’, New Orleans, USA,

February 2015.

Schippers, B. (2015) Liveable lives and grievable deaths: theorizing the body in global politics.

‘International Studies Association Annual Convention’, New Orleans, USA, February 2015.

Schippers, B. (2015) Towards a posthumanist conception of human rights? ‘British

International Studies Association Annual Conference’, London, England, June 2015.

Book Reviews & Review Articles

Collins, P. (2014) Review of ‘Locked-Out: A Century of Irish Working Class Life’ by David

Convery (Ed.). In Familia, December 2014.

Collins, P. (to be published 2015) Review of ‘The Catholic Workers’ College Dublin, A History’

by Aidan Seery and Liam McKenna SJ. In Saothar.

McCann, G. (2014) Review of ‘Karl Marx’ by Paul Thomas. In Socialist History Journal, 45, pp

112-115.

Vaupel, A. (2014) Review of ‘Frontiers of Screen History: Imagining European Borders in

Cinema, 1945-2010’ by Raita Merivirata, Kimmo Ahonen, Heta Mulari and Rami Mähkä (Eds.).

In The Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 22 (4), pp 537-538.

Vaupel, A. (2014) Review of ‘Northern Irish Poetry and the Russian Turn: Intertextuality in the

Work of Seamus Heaney, Tom Paulin and Medbh McGuckian’ by Stephanie Schwerter (2013).

In The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies, 38 (1&2), pp 288-291.

Vaupel, A. (2015) Review of ‘Polish Cinema in a Transnational Context’ by Ewa Marzierska and

Michael Goddard (Eds.). In The Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 23 (2), pp 310-

311.

Vaupel, A. (2015) Review of ‘The Europeanization of Cinema: Interzones and Imaginative

Communities’ by Randall Halle. In The Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 23 (1), pp

153-154.

40

Funded Research from External Awards

Hughes, J., Rafferty, J., Quinn, C. et al. (2014) STEM teacher training innovation for gender

balance modular teacher professional development programme. Funded by the European

Union Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership Framework.

Martin, Matthew et al. (2015) Promoting European awareness and key competences (PEAK).

Funded by the European Union Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership Framework.

McKay, T., Vaupel, A. et al. (2014) BE-SMaRT (Border education - space, memory and

reflections on transculturality) Project. Funded by the European Union Erasmus+ Strategic

Partnership Framework.

Mulholland, K., McGeown, K. et al. (2015) An investigation of the impact of the use of the

microbot and SMART technology in promoting improved levels of understanding and

problem-solving capabilities in mathematics and science at key stage 2. Funded by Sentinus.

Schippers, B. (2014) After the war: identity, human rights and commemoration. Funded by

the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council.

Tiernan, B., Casserly, A.M. and Nig Uidhir, G. (2015) Meeting the needs of children with

special educational needs in multi-grade classrooms. Funded by the Standing Conference on

Teacher Education North and South.

Walsh, C. et al. (2015) Teacher educator professional learning: shaping the conversation of

teacher education. Funded by the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and

South.

Other Research Activity

Collins, P. (2014) Church And Politics In Ireland In The Late 19th Century: A View From

Maynooth. Keynote speaker at the Launch of the Diary of Fr Daniel O’Loan 1886-1893.

Collins, P. (2014 & 2015) Labour History. Talks to the Shared History Project at Whitehouse

Community Development Association and the Gilnahirk Men’s Association.

41

Collins, P. (2015) Ulster History Circle, Blue Plaques And The New Dictionary of Ulster

Biography. Talk to the Men’s Welfare Group.

De Bléine, P. (2015) Anne Frank - Dialann Cailín Óig. Translation of Michael Morpurgo's ‘War

Horse’ into Irish, CCEA Na hEalaíona (Litríocht).

Feeney, B. (to be published 2017) Irish Revolution 1912-23 County Series. Commissioned to

write a book and currently researching material.

Gilliland, C. (2015) Making Literacy Addictive. Keynote speaker at the Literacy Association of

Ireland’s International Conference.

Gilliland, C. (2015) Rhyme, Rhythm And Repetition Make The Wheels Of The Language Bus

Go Round And Round!!!! Article in Literacy News, pp 23-25.

Mac Corraidh, S. (2014) Foghraíocht, Fuaimniú agus Foghlaim na Gaeilge (Phonetics,

Pronunciation And The Teaching Of Irish). Keynote speaker at Tionól Teagaisc 2014.

Mac Labhraí, S. (2014) The Collection Of Gaelic Manuscripts Returned To Leabharlann Uí

Fhiaich From St Patrick’s Library Maynooth. Guest speaker at the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Memorial

Library and Archive.

Mac Labhraí, S. (2015) Ó Duibheannaigh, Seán (1920–2013). Online article available at

‘Ainm.ie’.

Martin, Matthew (2014) Dr Matthew Martin: The Blended Learning Toolkit In Action. Online

video for the Regional Support Centre Northern Ireland, RSCniTV.

Martin, Matthew (2015) Belfast TeachMeet. Organised professional development conference,

St Mary’s University College Belfast.

Martin, Matthew (2015) Flipping The Classroom: On The Road To Independent, Critical

Reading In First Year English. Outline of a project for the Compendium of Effective Practice in

Directed Independent Learning, Higher Education Academy.

McGeown, K. (2015) A Study Of Northern Ireland Post-Primary Pupils’ Perspectives On

Practical Work In Technology And Design. EdD dissertation, Queen’s University Belfast.

42

McKee, D. (2015) A Case-Study Investigation Into The Experiences And Perspectives Of Year

8 Pupils Who Have Transferred From An Irish-Medium Primary To An Irish-Medium Stream In

A ‘Host’ English-Medium Post-Primary. Draft research proposal for EdD dissertation, Queen’s

University Belfast.

Nig Uidhir, G. and Ó Cathalláin, S. (2015) An Gaeloideachas: Aistear Fáis agus Forbartha.

Conference Proceedings.

Ó Duibhir, P., Ní Thuairisg, L., Nig Uidhir, G. and Ó Cathalláin, S. (2015) Tionchar na

Scoileanna LánGhaeilge ar Chruthú Chainteoirí gníomhacha Gaeilge. Article funded by Coiste

Thuaidh-Theas don Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge.

Vaupel, A. and McKay, T. (2015) Annotated Bibliography On Border And Memory Studies

With A Focus On Northern Ireland. Working paper for the BE-SMaRT Website.

Research Seminar Series

Mac Corraidh, S. (November 2014) Tá nead [ne:d] thuas ar an díon: teaching and learning the

pronunciation of the Irish language. St Mary’s University College Belfast.

McGeown, K. (October 2014) STEM and teacher education. St Mary’s University College

Belfast.

Nig Uidhir, G. (December 2014) Irish-medium schools: is there a best model? St Mary’s

University College Belfast.

O’Reilly, D. (November 2014) A walk through time in the Belfast hills. Stranmillis University

College Belfast.

Purdy, N. (January 2015) ‘Disablist’ bullying: a North/South study of student teachers’

knowledge and confidence. Stranmillis University College Belfast.

Trainor, G. (December 2014) Joined up thinking - building up a head of STEAM. St Mary’s

University College Belfast.

Worley, J. (November 2014) Student-centred one-on-one tutoring in writing: a practical

approach. St Mary’s University College Belfast.

43

Worley, J. (December 2014) Pedagogical strategies for teaching Wordsworth’s ‘Tintern

Abbey’. St Mary’s University College Belfast.