Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: Navigating Uncertainty: A Narrative Inquiry into the adaptive leadership experiences of post-primary school principals in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022)
Supervisor(s): Dr Maija Salokangas & Dr Anthony Malone
Short Biography: School Principal of the Holy Family Secondary School (Newbridge, Co. Kildare) since 2018. Former Deputy Principal and former teacher of English and History in the post-primary sector (B.A. English and History and Higher Diploma in Education, University College Dublin). Sarah also holds an M.A. in Twentieth Century Irish History (University College Dublin) Sarah has a strong record for developing and leading educational initiatives. Previous postgraduate studies have included; Diploma in Legal Studies (Technological University Dublin) Diploma in Catholic Education (St Patrick’s College, Maynooth) Postgraduate in Educational Leadership and Management (Maynooth University)
Currently pursuing an Education Doctorate at Maynooth University, specialism in Educational Leadership. Sarah has a strong interest in the area of strategic planning leadership. In particular, exploring how the school leader can be supported at times of crisis and critical incident management with strategic foresight planning. Times of rapid change and unpredictable uncertainty have challenged traditional forecast-based planning models for schools. Her research study examines the toolkit support school leaders require for effective and timely crisis response during periods of sustained crisis response leadership.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: Exploring Student Collegiality in Group Assessment within Business Programmes in Higher Education
Supervisor(s): Dr Majella Dempsey & Dr Keith Young
Short Biography: Michael Dillane is a Lecturer with experience of teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level. He also taught hospitality industry practice as European Training Manager. A graduate of Technological University Dublin and Trinity College Dublin, currently employed in the Faculty of Business at Technological University of the Shannon, Michael leads modules in marketing management, entrepreneurship, and strategy development on business programmes with specialisms in Travel and Tourism Management, Event Management, and Wellness Management. Michael previously attained an IRCHSS Government of Ireland Scholarship for research on Innovation Optimisation in Irish SMEs.
Michael’s current research interests are focused on student engagement, curriculum development, and Students as Partners in pedagogy. Michael commenced the Doctor of Education (Curriculum Studies Specialism) programme in 2021, researching the development of collegiality capability amongst student peers completing formal group assessments. With the positive impact of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies in Higher Education, Michael’s thesis aims to determine how a framework for student collegial partnerships could be facilitated during different stages of undergraduate programmes. This research thesis thereby extends the conceptualisation of collegiality, from faculty to students, through Maxine Greene’s conceptions of knowledge, conceptions of human beings, and conceptions of social order, to explore students’ lived experiences of the relational values of respect, reciprocity and shared responsibility.
Two recent publications:
DILLANE, M. 2024. Looking Back, Moving Forward - Exploring Graduates’ Reflections of Group Assessment to Develop a Theory of Student Collegiality in Higher Education. European Conference on Educational Research. University of Cyprus, Nicosia.
DILLANE, M. & DEMPSEY, M. 2024. Daring to Fail or Achieve Greatly: Measuring Student Collegiality in Higher Education. Educational Studies Association of Ireland Conference. Maynooth University, Ireland.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: Curriculum Theory and Practice for Online Higher Education
Supervisor(s): Dr Majella Dempsey & Dr Elizabeth Meade
Short Biography: Sean McGagh is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Lecturer at the Atlantic Technological University Sligo with over 25 years of industrial and educational experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from Ulster University, a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from Waterford Institute of Technology and is an associate member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI). He has developed and chaired Level 7 and 8 programmes in Quantity Surveying (QS) and Construction Management and developed modules for and lectures on online part-time programmes.
Sean’s research interests include curriculum theory, practice and development, learning theories, alternative pedagogical approaches, multidisciplinary collaborative learning, reflective practice and methods of remote learning using technology. His doctoral research concerns curriculum theory and practice for online higher education. Although online education is growing at an accelerating rate there does not appear to be any curriculum theory guiding the design and pedagogy of this recent phenomenon.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: Educating for Social Justice in programmes of primary Initial Teacher Education in Ireland
Supervisor(s): Dr Joe Oyler & Dr Suzanne O'Keeffe
Short Biography: Bríd Murphy is Head of Policy & Communications with the Teaching Council, where she oversees the development and revision of standards and policy relating to initial teacher education (Céim), the induction of newly qualified teachers (Droichead) and teacher’s learning (Cosán). She also oversees the professional accreditation of programmes of initial teacher education and is responsible for the Councils’ communications and research functions.
Bríd has a background in management and social sciences research. She holds a degree in Business Studies & Sociology, and a Masters in Applied Social Research, both from Trinity College Dublin. Bríd held managerial and research roles in private sector consulting and media production before joining the Teaching Council in 2016. Bríd has also acted as the Council’s Head of Teacher’s Learning & Research in 2020 and was Head of Initial Teacher Education and Induction from 2021-2024.
Bríd is particularly interested in the sociological and philosophical underpinnings of initial teacher education and the role of the teacher educator within ITE. Bríd is exploring what it means to educate for social justice in programmes of primary initial teacher education in Ireland.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: Enhancing Collaborative Professionalism in the Dyad of the Pre-Service teacher and Cooperating Teacher in the Mathematics classroom.
Supervisor(s): Dr Zerrin Doğança Küçük, Dr Celine Healy
Short Biography: Patricia Nunan is the Programme Director of the Professional Master of Education (PME) on the Post Primary programme in Hibernia College. Her background is as a Post Primary teacher of Mathematics and French. While on secondment to the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), she worked across many areas including Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), Numeracy and Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). During this time, she led the design of teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the newly revised curriculum in Mathematical Applications. Patricia holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Higher Diploma in Education in Mathematics and French. She previously completed two postgraduate programmes in Maynooth University, namely the Higher Diploma in Educational Management and Administration (2003) and the Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership (2009). She graduated from Waterford Institute of Technology in 2019 with a Master of Arts Management in Education (MAME).
Patricia’s research interests include initial teacher education and the role both mentoring and reflective practice play within. In her doctoral studies, Patricia is exploring the potential of the collaborative relationship between a Pre-Service teacher and Cooperating teacher in the Mathematics classroom. Using a design-based research methodology, she explores the dialogic opportunities for reciprocity in this relationship.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: ‘Learning to teach student teachers in school’: An exploratory case study of the learning associated with the role of cooperating primary teacher in the Irish context.
Supervisor(s): Dr. Rose Dolan, Dr. Fiona Nic Fhionnlaoich
Short Biography: Mark O’Sullivan is a primary school teacher, currently seconded to the Department of Education’s support services. He has research interests in the areas of teacher education across the continuum, professional development and learning, and inclusive education. He holds a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management (PGD ELM) from Maynooth University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs, specialising in Autism (PGD SEN) from the University of Galway. Mark has held a variety of roles in education to date, including in in-school management, as an Assistant Principal, in Initial Teacher Education, as a Research Supervisor with Marino Institute of Education, in Teacher Induction, as a part-time Associate with the National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT), and in Teacher Professional Learning and School Support as an Advisor with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
Mark is currently a doctoral student in Maynooth University’s Department of Education. His research is concerned with the professional development, preparation and learning experiences and needs of cooperating primary teachers who work with student teachers on school placement. In the current landscape of policy change and role reconceptualisation for cooperating teachers in Ireland, he is particularly interested in the learning experiences which inform cooperating teacher engagement with and enactment of the role, the spaces where this learning occurs, and the structures required to support this learning.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Landscape of Professional Development for Guidance Counsellors: Insights from Ireland and the United States
Supervisors: Dr. Ece Gökmenoğlu & Dr Rose Dolan
Short Biography: Joanne Parry is a Guidance Counsellor currently seconded to the teacher support services as a Professional Learning Leader in Guidance. Her research interest is teacher education across the career span, with a particular emphasis on the professional development of Guidance Counsellors. She has extensive experience in post-primary education, having worked as a Guidance Counsellor and Assistant Principal I, with responsibility for coordinating provision for students with additional educational needs and inclusion.
Beyond post-primary education, Joanne has contributed to various educational settings, including Prison Education, Department of Education Visiting Teacher Service and Home, School Community Liaison.
In her doctoral studies, she is conducting a mixed-methods study examining the landscape of professional development for Guidance Counsellors in Ireland and the United States. Her research aims to explore the approaches to professional development for guidance counsellors and the impact of professional learning opportunities in guidance with reference to international best practice.
Currently undertaking: Doctor of Education
Thesis Title/ Topic area: How can adult educators work collaboratively to embed trauma-informed practices and pedagogies within an adult and community education organisation?
Supervisor(s): Dr Catriona O’Toole, Dr Bernie Grummell
Short Biography: Leslie Ann Webster is an Early Childhood Care and Education lecturer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Teaching and Learning (BA) and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from Maynooth University. Leslie-Ann is currently in year three of her Doctoral research at Maynooth University. Her research is focused on trauma informed practices and pedagogies. She brings a deep passion for fostering supportive learning environments. Leslie-Ann brings a wealth of experience in early education and a deep commitment to addressing the impact of trauma on the learning process. Her research is driven by the desire to contribute meaningful insights to the field of education, aiming to enhance educational practices that promote empathy, compassion, healing, and resilience for both educators and learners. Leslie-Ann’s interdisciplinary approach combines both education, psychology, and research on trauma to create a holistic understanding of trauma informed practices in educational settings. Leslie-Ann’s work reflects a commitment to positive change in the realm of education, placing a strong emphasis on the importance of empathy and trauma awareness in creating inclusive and nurturing learning environments.
