Aidan Mulkeen

About

My work in recent years has centred on education policy in a variety of countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. I have worked particularly on teacher policies, which are especially important given the vital role of teachers in education. For many low-income countries there are very difficult teacher challenges, including shortages of teachers, poorly qualified and equipped teachers, and the problem of finding teachers to work in practical difficult locations. As a result, many of the school students in low-income countries face a double obstacle of coming from homes that can provide little education support, and attending schools where they do not get adequate tuition. Addressing these issues is one of the great global educational challenges and is essential to ensuring that the most disadvantaged young people in the world get access to a good quality education.I am also very interested in the role of Information and Communications Technology in education. ICT has attracted ambitious claims that include promoting thinking skills, changing the way we write, promoting world peace and enabling economic development. While the technology has not lived up to the most optimistic predictions, the availability of computers and access to the internet is gradually changing the way we think about and use information, with consequent implications for education. - See more at: http://www.nuim.ie/people/aidan-mulkeen#sthash.yA1VcikR.dpuf