Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Irish primary schools'
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Kelly, Anthony. "The management and administration of Irish post-primary schools." Thesis, University of Hull, 1996. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:3984.
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Demographic trends suggest that change is inevitable in the Irish post-primary sector. Closures, amalgamations and general rationalisation will increase the average size of schools. This will increase the pressure and workloads of those already in principalship.Almost twenty-five percent of Irish post-primary schools are under two hundred and fifty pupils, and the constraints on the provision of a wide curriculum in such small schools are likely to become a serious factor in their struggle for existence. The participation rate at senior level will increase and therefore curricular diversity will become essential. Many small schools are in multi-school areas and it would be unreasonable to expect the State to duplicate (or even triplicate) ever more expensive educational provision. As the curriculum widens, so its provision becomes more costly. The post-primary curriculum in Ireland was traditionally biased towards the liberal and literary, which is relatively inexpensive to provide, even in triplicate. As scientific and technological subjects take their place in the 'new' broader curriculum, so the necessity for larger schools, and thereby non-duplication of provision, becomes more imperative. Amalgamations are inevitable, but the management profession is unprepared and under-trained, and those who will join the profession anew will be unable to avail of any substantial body of experience.Clearly, intensive training for incumbent and new principals and middle management personnel is demanded. In addition, a mass of statistical data on the post-primary system as it exists, is required for this purpose.Many references were made in the Green paper (1992) and the National Education Convention report (1994) to the changing role of principalship and the management and administration of schools. One of the aims of the proposed legislative changes is to radically devolve administration and introduce good management practices to schools.It is widely acknowledged that good leadership is a prerequisite to effective school management. Devolved administration and greater autonomy will make good principalship even more necessary. Principalship has an instructional leadership role which differentiates the position from an industrial manager or a commercial executive. Research has shown however, that principals spend little time planning or in any kind of leadership role (despite the fact that they value these activities as the most important!) and most time in low value tasks. Clearly, the time has come to assess what principals actually do and how satisfied they are with the administration of their institutions.While the principalship is the pivotal position in any school, the middle management structures that surround the principal will largely determine how successful (s)he is. The principal should be free to utilise his/her expertise in the more important functions like instructional leadership and staff motivation.It was in this context and against this background that this research was undertaken: to investigate the management and administration of post-primary schools in Ireland.The aim of this research is fourfold:1. To gather information on the characteristics of post-primary schools in Ireland. Specifically, to amass data on the following aspects of school structure:(a) The physical and human environment;(b) The academic environment and policy;(c)A profile of principals in principalship.2. To examine the administration of post-primary schools, by function, and to research the styles of management currently prevalent. Management of schools is not coincident with industrial or commercial management and the management of post-primary schools is dissimilar to that of third level institutions. Furthermore, the management of Irish post-primary schools is unique as a result of its particular history. While all will have some degree of similarity, there is an ever increasing level of synonymy as the institutions become more equivalent. Scientific investigation provides the basis for theoretical development and this research aims to:(a) categorise Irish post-primary schools according to styles of management and develop new theoretical models of management and conflict, in the context of existing theory.(b)place existing management structures and theoretical developments in an historical context.3. To gauge (dis)satisfaction within the educational management profession; not so much self-assessment of principalship by principals, rather assessment by principals of the success or otherwise of the school as an institution.4. Generally:(a) To contribute to the body of factual and scientific data about the post-primary sector.(b)To contribute to the theory of management and conflict in schools.(c) To contribute to the debate on the management of and practices in, Irish post-primary schools.(d) To raise the awareness of principals and middle managers at a time of change. Managing change is as important as changing management and it is hoped to contribute to the constructive development of the Irish post-primary system.
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Mas-Moury, Mack Vanessa. "Language attitudes of parents in Irish-medium primary schools in County Dublin." Thesis, Bordeaux 3, 2013. http://www.theses.fr/2013BOR30011/document.
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Cette étude de recherche s’intéresse aux attitudes envers la langue gaélique en République d’Irlande. Le gaélique, tout comme l’anglais, est la langue nationale officielle et est enseignée comme matière obligatoire de l’école élémentaire au lycée. Bien que le nombre de personnes utilisant le gaélique dans la vie quotidienne reste faible, il existe depuis les années soixante-dix une résurgence d’intérêt dans cette langue. Celle-ci se traduit, entre autres, par une demande croissante du nombre d’écoles d’immersion en gaélique, tout particulièrement dans les régions où le gaélique n’est pas pratiqué au sein de la communauté. Cette étude cherche à éclaircir ce phénomène en analysant les attitudes envers le gaélique des parents d’élèves d’écoles primaires d’immersion en zone urbaine, et plus précisément, dans le comté de Dublin. En effet, peu de recherches ont été effectuées sur les attitudes envers le gaélique au sein des familles ayant choisi une éducation par immersion pour leurs enfants.Les personnes participant à cette étude se composent de parents d’élèves avec une expérience plus ou moins longue de l’enseignement en immersion, ainsi que d’enseignants des écoles participantes. Les données recueillies pour cette étude proviennent d’un questionnaire auto-administré ainsi que d’entretiens suivis.La question sur la motivation des parents à choisir un enseignement en immersion est centrale au thème des attitudes envers le gaélique, puisque dans ce contexte, l’anglais est la seule langue utilisée dans la communauté ainsi que dans la plupart des foyers. Les résultats d’analyse révèlent que les parents participant ont choisi ce type d’éducation car ils considèrent d’une part que le gaélique est un marqueur d’identité culturelle voire ethnique pour certains, et d’autre part qu’il permet d’acquérir du capital culturel. En effet, les participants s’intéressent de près à la qualité de l’éducation de leurs enfants et valorisent le bilinguisme additif. Ainsi, ils attribuent au gaélique une valeur culturelle importante. Cette étude montre également que les parents d’élèves ont une attitude positive envers la langue gaélique. Ceci s’explique de par leur enclin naturel mais aussi de par leur contact avec ces écoles d’immersion, environnement dans lequel le gaélique est mis en valeur. Cependant, malgré les efforts des parents à intégrer la langue gaélique à la maison ou dans les activités récréatives de leurs enfants, ce milieu ne semble pas être déclencheur de pratiques bilingues au sein de la famille. Néanmoins, cette étude indique que les écoles d’immersion favorisent la création de liens entre quelques familles communiquant entre elles en gaéliqueThis study explores attitudes towards the Irish language in the Republic of Ireland. The Irish language—alongside with English—is the national official language and is taught in school as a compulsory subject from primary school through to the end of secondary level. Despite the low percentage of daily Irish-speakers in the country the demand for Irish-medium education as an alternative means of education has been growing since the 1970s, especially in English-speaking areas. This current study focuses on the language attitudes of parents whose child attends an urban Irish-medium primary school in County Dublin and analyses the reasons for choosing such an education. Although there has been a considerable number of research studies conducted on language attitudes towards Irish in the Republic of Ireland, very few have recently concentrated on families involved with Irish-medium education. Participants included parents with both short term and long term experience with immersion education through Irish. The main research instruments included a self-administered questionnaire and follow-up interviews with a sample of questionnaire respondents as well as teachers from the participating schools. One of the main focuses of this study is parental motivation for sending their child to an Irish-medium school. Results reveal that participants selected such education for their child for two main reasons: identity and cultural capital. Firstly, most participants regarded Irish as a strong cultural identity marker while others also considered the language as a strong marker of ethnic identity. Secondly and most importantly, participants expressed a strong interest in both education and additive bilingualism thus attributing a high cultural value to the Irish language. Findings also show that participants have very positive attitudes towards the Irish language. This is mainly due to their natural favourable disposition to Irish but also to their exposure to the Irish-medium school environment which tends to enhance this positive attitude. But despite participants' efforts to include some Irish in their child's life, either during recreational activities or at home, self-reports did not indicate the emergence of bilingual families. However, there is some evidence that the school facilitates the creation of Irish-speaking social networks between a few families
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Moles, Joanne A. D. "Physical education in contemporary Ireland : a case study of curriculum, continuity and change." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2003. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/36139.
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This study was undertaken in part as a response to proposed changes in the curriculum and teaching of Physical Education in Irish post-primary schools. I have been involved in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) for almost thirty years, almost entirely in Ireland, and I have a strong commitment to the promotion of child-centred Physical Education which I believe may be threatened by the proposed changes. My concerns are evident within this study which focuses on three Physical Education teachers in contemporary Ireland over a period of approximately three years during which three Draft New Syllabuses for Physical Education were written by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. These teachers share concerns and values regarding the teaching of Physical Education which broadly concur with my espoused ideology. Each is aware of their preferred pedagogical practices and is articulate in their defence of them. Within this study, the professional practices of these teachers are examined in the context of societal changes and the proposed curriculum changes in Physical Education evidenced in the new syllabuses. Inspiration is drawn from Basil Bernstein's work which Sadovnik (1995, p. 7) claims 'promised to connect the societal, institutional, interactional and intrapsychic levels of sociological analysis'. This study accepts Bernstein's analysis which provides a systematic structural theory allowing micro and macro aspects of the education system to be inter-related.
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Ó, Cathalláin Seán. "Early literacy in all-Irish immersion primary schools : a micro-ethnographic case study of storybook reading events in Irish and English." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/6509.
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This thesis examines ways in which literacy practices are shaped by local norms in all-Irish immersion schools, as evidenced in storybook reading events in Irish and English. Within a sociocultural framing, the thesis takes as presuppositions that (i) reading is not a set of autonomous, transferable skills but is embedded in social settings; (ii) contexts and literacy practices co-emerge; (iii) children learn ways of being readers through participation in classroom literacy events; and (iv) language, literacy and identity are inextricably linked in all-Irish immersion programmes. In a classroom the teacher and pupils co-construct their own particular models, understandings, and definitions of literacy through their actions and the events they engage in. In the present study literacy is theorized as a performative accomplishment co-constructed by the participants in the event including those not directly present such as authors and illustrators. A micro-ethnographic case study approach was used to examine literacy practices in infant classes in all-Irish schools. Taking a phenomenological approach data were gathered using video-recording, observation, and pupil and teacher interviews and data were analysed using inductive analysis and interpretive discourse analysis. Key findings from the study are that (1) local norms, filtered through teachers' intentions and motivations, shaped the storybook reading events; (2) classroom literacy practices constructed during the Irish events were being transferred to the English events; and (3) children selected from their first and second language linguistic resources during storybook reading events to support their reading development. These three processes together were part of how children negotiated their socially situated identities as bilinguals and bilingual readers. Parental support for speaking Irish as well as social proximity to the Gaeltacht community, were factors closely associated with positive attitudes to speaking Irish and to reading in Irish. One implication of the findings is that teachers in all-Irish schools will need to make explicit their views of knowledge and of what it means to be a reader in an all-Irish school as they consider young children's agency in constructing their interpretations of texts.
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Conneely, Suzanne. "Children's right to be heard during whole-school evaluation in Irish primary schools : student's and teachers' perspectives." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2015. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.680495.
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This study, by a practising inspector, considers the implementation of the principle enshrined In article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) in respect of whole-school evaluation (WSE), model of school inspection, in Irish primary schools, Article 12 relates to the child's right to e)(press his or her views freely and to have such views given due weight. The research was undertaken in one primary school in the west of Ireland and Involved senior-grade students (aged 10-12 years) and their teachers. It explores, from the perspectives of the participants, how Inspectors could better engage with children's views during WSE. The data set, from focus-group interviews and draw-and-write activities, was analysed qualitatively. A children's rights-based approach was employed: two distinctive elements of this approach include the deliberate steps taken to build the participants' capacity in understanding I WSE and children's right to be heard; and the Involvement of a children's research advisory group (CRAG). The CRAG took part in various stages of the research including the choosing and preparing of data collection methods, analysing data, and disseminating findings. The study found that children have views about inspection and want to express them. This thesis makes a strong argument for the importance of facilitating children to e)(press their views freely during inspection and to have their views given due weight not merely as a data source for accountability and performativity but as part of an : empowering, emancipatory process benefitting students, schools and the Inspectorate. The study proved to be successful on a number of levels, notably in the development of a methodology that allowed children to contribute fully as research participants and to present their perspectlves on inspector-student consultation. Furthermore, it contributes to the existing knowledge base regarding children's rights In education focusing in this instance on their right to be heard during school inspection.
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Long, Marie Louise. "Using creative approaches to promote inclusive cultures for literacy learning within Northern Irish primary schools." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.579777.
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This qualitative study used a case study approach to investigate the use of creative approaches in promoting inclusive cultures for literacy learning in mainstream primary schools. Phase 1 used creative methodologies to explore the views and experiences of upper- primary pupils (n=22) on their level of participation in the management of their literacy learning needs. Phase 2, which took central place in this study utilised practices from Appreciative Inquiry to explore and examine groups of teachers' (n=10), parents' (n=9) and upper-primary school pupils' (n= 12) perceptions of the visual and verbal texts produced in Phase 1 and, to investigate what participants viewed as 'best practice teaching and learning methodologies' used to meet the needs of learners who struggle with literacy and also their practical propositions for change. The total study was underpinned by ethical principles and the ethical standards set by the host institution. Key findings demonstrated that dialogical modes of professional learning had tremendous potential for unsettling common habits of mind, recognising the best of existing practices, and stimulating ideas for classroom and institutional transformation. For example, participants recognised: the interwoven nature of pupil well-being and literacy success; the benefits of variety in pedagogical and assessment practices; the centrality of teachers in school enhancement processes; the roles of parents and pupils in developing inclusive literacy practices; the potential benefits of involving pupils and parents in collaborative inquiry, and, furthermore, participants reconceptualised pupils as active social agents. Although this was a small-scale qualitative study the findings have implications for practitioners demonstrating that inclusive literacy pathways are holistic, personalised, integrated, participatory, balanced and empowering. The implications of findings for schools are that they would benefit from capacity building in action-research methodologies and leadership that supports collaborative inquiry. Policy-makers should be making time and resources available to enable schools to engage in learner-centered school improvement processes.
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Purcell, Anita Margaret. "Young children and bullying a quantitative study of perceptions of bullying in Irish primary schools." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.529817.
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Travers, J. F. "Learning Support for Mathematics in Irish Primary Schools: A Study of Policy, Practice and Teachers' Views." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.486227.
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The focus ofthe present study was to investigate learning support for mathematics in Irish primary schools by analysing policy, practice and teachers' views. It took place in the context of major concern with the level oflow achievement in mathematics in primary schools designated as disadvantaged and after the introduction of a major policy change in the organisation ofleaming support (the General Allocation Model). It was a multi-method study incorporating focus group interviews, questionnaire, analysis ofteaching practice lesson evaluations and teacher interviews. The main findings showed a decrease in the overall percentage ofpupils receiving learning support for mathematics but an increase in the level ofsupport (more in-class and small group withdrawal) since the introduction of the General Allocation Model. Furthermore pupils in non-designated schools were more likely to have their learning needs in mathematics addressed by the learning support service compared to their peers in disadvantaged contexts. Teachers perceive that the General Allocation Model policy has had a negative impact on provision for pupils with mild general learning disabilities and dyslexia and that flaws in the design of the policy have led to a disproportionately negative impact on some designated schools. Moreover, teachers reported employing a greater variety ofvalidated practices in small group withdrawal teaching compared to when they were class teachers. Schools use a wide variety of practices to circumvent barriers to collaborative consultation and planning and there is inadequate provision for early identification and intervention, in-class support and use of ICT.
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McEntee, Louise. "A mixed methods approach to examining teachers' perceptions of their role in promoting mental health in Irish primary schools." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.685043.
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Children who are mentally healthy have the ability to develop empathy and self-awareness. They can manage their feelings, are motivated, and have good social skills. Research suggests that the school is an important location for the promotion of mental health in children. However, very little is known about how teachers in Ireland feel about taking on the role of mental health promotion. Methodology: A mixed methods approach was adopted to examine this issue within one county in the west of Ireland. Questionnaires were distributed to all of the primary schools in the county. These were then analysed using SPSS. Based on these findings, four teachers were interviewed to gain a fuller understanding of some of the issues raised. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The findings suggest that, for the most part, teachers agree that mental health promotion is a part of their role. They are more likely to feel this way if they also feel that they are capable of promoting mental health, if their school has a supportive ethos, and if they believe that mental health promotion is important. In general, teachers felt that they had not received enough training in mental health promotion. As such, this was a source of some stress and can have an impact on the teachers' own well-being. These results are discussed in relation to previous research and government policy, in addition to the possible implications at a local and national level and to EP practice.
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Parkinson, Suzanne. "Unravelling Resource Teachers descriptions, perceptions and responses to pupils with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties in a sample of Irish Primary schools." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.505738.
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Parkinson, Suzanne. "What's in a label? : unravelling resource teachers' descriptions, perceptions and responses to pupils with emotinal and/or behavioural difficulties in a sample of Irish primary schools." Thesis, Durham University, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.505889.
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O'Connor, Eileen. "'There is a lot to be learnt' : assistant principals' perceptions of their professional learning experiences and learning needs in their role as middle leaders in Irish post-primary schools." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2008. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10019858/.
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This thesis explores Assistant Principals' perceptions of their professional learning and learning experiences as Middle Leaders in Irish Post-primary schools. The purpose of the study is to gain insights into and an understanding of the key enablers and inhibitors of Assistant Principals' learning, an area hitherto ignored in the Irish education research context. The study aims to contribute to the qualitative knowledge base on Assistant Principals' learning and to inform Irish discourse and policy with regard to the continuing professional development of this group of educators in Irish post-primary schools. The literature called upon is found within the fields of teacher professionalism, adult learning, and continuing professional development. It serves the dual purpose of shaping the data generated in the study and of providing a theoretical lens through which data are interrogated. Using qualitative methodology, the empirical investigation is based on semi-structured interviews with 21 Assistant Principals, incorporating the range of Irish post-primary schools, both religious and state run, both genders and a range of experience in the role. With regard to this area of professional learning, the findings are significant in that they have disrupted a prevailing silence and have made overt issues hitherto neglected in the Irish education context. They pose a range of challenges to our understanding of the complexity of Assistant Principals' learning. They highlight that Assistant Principals' learning is haphazard, time-poor, emotionally charged and neglected both by themselves and the system. The roles of school culture, school leadership and emotions emerge as significant variables which impact on Assistant Principals' learning. The outcomes of the study are challenging for Assistant Principals as professional learners, for their school communities as enablers and supporters of their learning and for those charged locally and nationally with overseeing and developing a learning agenda for middle leadership in Irish post-primary schools.
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Ó, Cuanacháin Colm. "Human rights education in an Irish primary school." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/27726.
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This thesis reports on an action research study conducted with teachers and pupils in one Irish primary school. It focuses on human rights education as a framework for a whole-school approach to participative learning that promotes citizenship, justice, and equality, in the classroom. As the principal teacher in the school, the author sought to develop a more effective, inclusive and democratic learning environment for children. The study was a response to opportunities presented for human rights education both in international human rights law, and in the Irish primary school curriculum. The needs analysis generated research aims that focused on developing a human rights school, monitoring its impact, and evaluating the outcomes. The process included the development of policies, programmes, and methodologies to achieve the identified aims. The change process ran over the course of one year, during which the children were engaged in participative learning about, in and for human rights. The praxis based implementation model involved a series of cumulative stages of action and reflection. Monitoring and evaluation methodologies included questionnaire based longitudinal cohort studies, formal and semi-formal meetings, and the use of teachers' diaries. The resultant data was analysed and interpreted with the participants, and resulted in findings across four areas: • The role and function of the school leadership in facilitating, and implementing a whole-school approach to human rights education. • Aspects of the curriculum, and the hidden curriculum, including participation, time, and evaluation. • Professional development, including pre-service, and in-service training. • Behaviour, and the framework for accountability, decision-making, transparency, and responsibility in the school. The resultant recommendations point to the need for the school partners to consolidate the human rights approach through the ongoing provision of resources and time to participative methodologies, and the responsibility on the Department of Education and Science to facilitate and support schools seeking to encourage democratic education.
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Scullion, P. A. "Quality of school life and the Irish medium primary school." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.403205.
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Ryan, Aine. "The road to democracy in Irish primary school education." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2014. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/7777/.
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This thesis explores the extent to which democratic values and ideals have informed Irish primary school education since independence in 1922. The examination reveals how undemocratic structures, principles and practices have been maintained in primary education by denying equality and freedom of conscience to those not of the majority Catholic faith. It describes how the unique predicament of religious hegemony has persisted because of legislative machinery which, by guaranteeing protection of religious ethos, allows discrimination in enrolment policies, employment practices of primary school teachers, indoctrination across the curriculum and religious control of all teacher training colleges. The social, cultural and political factors which have produced this anomaly of a democratic State having an undemocratic education system are examined, as well as why this situation persists. The possibility for evolution of the democratic discourse within education as well as the forces currently obstructing change is also considered. The arguments presented emerge from a critical policy analysis which draws on democratic theories. In particular, a historical account of Irish primary education is outlined which is informed by Dewey’s philosophy of education, theories referencing participatory democracy and those contemporary sociological concepts which emphasise the role of education in the process of social reproduction and transformation. Gramsci’s ideas on hegemony are applied to analyse the power structures controlling education and theories of selective knowledge, as propounded by Williams and Apple, are applied to the Irish context to highlight the political nature of the curriculum and how it is manipulated to exercise power. Contemporary schooling as a site of conflict and contest is analysed in the light of the potential of counter-hegemonic groups to challenge existing patterns and tradition. The main findings are that the grip which hegemonic forces have had on Irish society has produced a conservative culture contributing to a democratic deficit in terms of social reform and civic participation. Although the Irish social order has changed significantly there is still a mismatch between society’s expectations and the ideology and practice which defines primary schooling today. Education is not keeping pace with the requirements of contemporary Irish culture.
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O'Sullivan-Dwyer, Helen. "Facilitating in-school collaborative learning for teachers' professional practice in an Irish primary school." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2010. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10019951/.
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The focus of this self-study action research is the facilitation of teachers' engagement in collaborative inquiry to improve practice. The purpose of the inquiry was two-fold: primarily to improve the quality of teaching and learning of writing, within the English curriculum, in a primary school in Ireland; secondly, it was to improve my understanding of the issues and practices involved in leading school-based professional learning. In year one of the research, I worked with the school's staff to develop structures and processes supporting participants' action learning about collaborative inquiry. Following a multi-level model of intervention, teacher learning teams became the foundation stone of the intervention. While pedagogical content knowledge was the focus of much of the inquiry at base team level, critical examination of cultural norms of practice through collective reflection typified the professional dialogue at whole school level. The moral dimension of teacher professionalism anchored the intervention and was mediated through an unwavering commitment to dialogic action and inquiry. Data gathering and analysis served to assess the impact of the strategies on improving professional as well as student learning. Findings highlighted the significance of teacher-to-teacher discourse in shaping teacher learning; and teachers' commitment to adopting an incremental approach to learning illustrated in a co-created model of staged development. In year two the teachers pushed out the boundaries of current norms, by observing peer practice. The findings from data gathering in phase two, informed by discourse analysis of videoed post-observation conferences, led to the creation of conceptual models of practice for peer professional dialogue. The findings emphasise the need to create system-wide structures in Ireland to support embedded professional learning and suggest that teacher collaboration, rooted in professional values and supported by purposeful capacity building has the potential to replace autonomy as valued practice in Irish schools.
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Nolan, Sean. "An exploration of the primary to secondary school transition in an Irish context." Thesis, University of East London, 2012. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/1793/.
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Each year in Ireland, over 50,000 young people make the transition from primary to secondary school. This journey, although regarded with importance, has not been researched to any great degree in the Irish context. International research has tended to be mainly quantitative in its focus. Relatively little attention, in transition related research, has been paid to the ‘voice’ of the young people or the teachers who strive to support them along the way. This research, through a three phase mixed methods research design, explored the transition experiences of a group of young people who had made the transition from 13 small primary schools into a single large secondary school, in a rural setting in Ireland. The views of some of their primary school and secondary school teachers were also gathered. The overall aim of the research was to establish a rich picture of the lived reality of the primary to secondary school transition process. In order to achieve this, Phase 1, by means of a comparison of a pre and post transition standardised questionnaire measure, sought to investigate the effects of the transition on each young person’s self-esteem. Phase 2, through the use of a transition questionnaire with all of the young people, sought to investigate the experiences of all of the young people. It then focused more specifically, through the use of a semi-structured interview, on some who had been identified as experiencing either a decline or an increase in their self-esteem levels. Phase 3, through the use of semi-structured interviews with primary school teachers and focus groups with secondary school teachers, investigated what they had to say about the transition process they observe and experience each year. Building on the reported findings of what the young people and their teachers had to say, this research provides a number of recommendations. The unique contribution of this research is that it offers the “Transition Corridor” as a framework for action for the future.
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Crowley, Michael. "School leadership : an examination of the role of the Irish primary school principal in a period of change and rationalisation." Thesis, University of Hull, 2006. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:5673.
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This thesis is set against a backdrop of major rationalisation in primary education in the Republic of Ireland which has heralded unprecedented change in the working lives of primary school principals. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the role of the primary principal, framed as it currently is in a historical context that, arguably, limits its potential, is becoming an unattractive one due to sustained societal, curricular and educational expectations. Principals may be coping with change, but, it is clearly not managed change and increasingly their frustrations at not being able to achieve professional selfactualisation in their careers are becoming evident. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to gather evidence in support of better working conditions for the Irish primary principal and, it remains the opinion of the researcher that, unless proper training and supports are offered, the latent leadership potential within our schools will remain untapped. This would be unfortunate as leadership may well be the single most important element in school effectiveness in the future. In this thesis, which adopts a quantitative approach with supporting qualitative and statistical triangulation, the perceptions of the principals with regard to some of the core skills and competencies of their work are analysed. In particular emphasis is placed on their skill levels, the source of these skills and their training needs. Arguments are subsequently developed in support of the need for planned systematic support for all primary principals. This would, ideally, replace the current ad hoc arrangements, which put all of the responsibility on individual principals in an educational environment where they are seen as 'first amongst equals' and where the autonomy of the individual teacher is traditionally guarded. The thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter one gives a brief overview of the Irish primary school system and looks at the historical development of the role of the primary principal which still underpins their working lives. In Chapter two relevant literature is reviewed which explores aspects of leadership theory with the intention of facilitating the framing of any emergent theory within a relevant theoretical context and supporting the broad hypotheses of the research. Chapter three outlines the methodology involved in this research and explains the rationale behind the particular research approach in this thesis, i.e. quantitative analysis supported by qualitative and statistical triangulation methods. Chapter four presents the principal findings of the quantitative research which were analysed using SPSS and these results are discussed in the context of the literature as well as emerging theory in Chapter five of the thesis. In addition results are triangulated using qualitative follow-up group interviews and statistical reporting procedures. In Chapter six, which is the concluding chapter of the thesis, results are discussed in the context of optimum working conditions for the primary principal and suggestions are offered as to how the leadership potential of the current cohort of primary principals might be harnessed for the benefit of their schools.
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Stakelum, Mary Catherine Ann. "Transmission, replication and transformation in music education : case studies in practice in an Irish primary school context." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2005. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10020498/.
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This study investigates how generalist primary teachers conceive of music, how they make sense of a prescribed music curriculum and how they teach it in the course of their professional practice in an institutional setting. Following an overview of the study in chapter one, the literature review is presented. Chapter two describes the framing of music education in the Irish primary school context. In chapter three, factors influencing teacher practice are identified as official policy, the ethos of the school and teacher beliefs. In addition, and taking a multi-faceted view of knowledge, the relationship between formative experiences and practice is examined. It is argued that teacher knowledge cannot be separated from the context in which it is learned and used. A synthesis of key points is presented in chapter four. The design and methodology are outlined in chapter five. A qualitative approach was adopted where interview and observation methods were used to gain access to the orientation to practice and to the curriculum emphasis of five respondents. Data from the fieldwork were organised into categories from which, in the case of each respondent, an interpretative account of their practice was compiled and is presented in chapter six. Analysis of the data is presented in chapter seven. In the case of the five primary teachers, the study has confirmed that, whilst there are commonalities among the respondents regarding transmission of aspects of performance and music literacy, there are differences too. It is suggested that differences in teacher practice can be defined in terms of the values teachers attribute to music in their own lives and in the lives of their pupils. In chapter eight, conclusions and implications for further research are presented. Significantly, the study has provided a framework for research on practice in which commonalities and differences may be examined.
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Mulcahy, Brian J. "A study of the relationship between Ireland and England as portrayed in Irish post-primary school history text books, published since 1922, and dealing with the period 1800 to the present." Thesis, University of Hull, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.264563.
Full textAbstract:
The thesis is a study of the relationship between Ireland and England as portrayed in Irish post-primary history school textbooks, dealing with the period 1800 to the present day, and published or in use since 1922. The thesis identifies two distinct categories of texts and these are referred to as purist texts and moderate texts. The purist texts are characterised by their strong pro-Irish, and anti-English biases in their presentation of Irish history. The moderate texts, by contrast, are generally without such biases and present more neutral accounts of Irish history. The central thesis of the work is that the relationship between Ireland and England as portrayed in the purist texts is fundamentally different from the relationship portrayed in the moderate texts. Close examination of the texts revealed that the presentation of Irish history fell into three large divisions, military and revolutionary history, political history and social history. For this reason the thesis, apart from introductory and concluding chapters, is comprised of three large central chapters, dealing in turn with each of these three aspects of Irish history. Thus, Chapter II looks at the treatment of the military and revolutionary history in the texts. Chapter III deals with the political history of Ireland and Chapter IV treats of the social history of Ireland. Each of these three chapters elaborates on how the topics dealt with contribute to the overall portrayal of the relationship between Ireland and England, as presented in the texts. The thesis concludes that the relationship between Ireland and England portrayed by the purist texts is a negative and hostile one, while the relationship portrayed by the moderate texts is a positive one. Hence, a fundamental difference in the portrayal of the relationship between the purist and moderate texts is established.
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Caulfield, Ann. "The contribution of the practice of mindfulness to stress reduction among school teachers : a qualitative study of Irish primary teachers." Thesis, University of Lincoln, 2015. http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/19030/.
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The contribution of mindfulness towards occupational stress is an under-researched aspect of primary school teaching in Ireland and internationally. The purpose of this research is to investigate the consequences for teachers who practise mindfulness. A qualitative approach was used to explore the occupational stressors experienced by primary school teachers and the contribution that mindfulness makes toward stress reduction. The research, involving interviews with 20 primary school teachers in urban and rural schools throughout Ireland, was carried out in 2013. The research provides evidence of teachers’ ability to respond to occupational stress by internally regulating thoughts and emotions. The consequences of such internal self-regulation proposed by the study include the development of internal teacher attributes, a contribution to professional practice and significant classroom outcomes which contribute to teacher coping skills and resilience. The literature review exposed that there were few frameworks or models relevant to mindfulness and teaching. The ‘Mindfulness in Teaching Model’, which is presented in this thesis, addresses this gap. Few qualitative research studies have been conducted in Ireland or internationally on how mindfulness impacts on teachers’ lives. This thesis serves to illuminate, for the first time, how the practice of mindfulness affects the effectiveness and professionalism of primary school teachers in Ireland.
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Stokes, Triona. "What is 'pretend play'? : investigating the perceptions of young children and other key stakeholders in three Irish primary school settings." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2016. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.709842.
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The aim of this study was to investigate how pretend play is conceived and enacted within Irish primary school contexts. Of particular interest was the extent to which children exercised choice and control in pretend play and the factors which enable it in a school setting.
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Nolan, Kathryn. "Biodiversity Education and Sustainability Consciousness : A study on the effect of biodiversity education on the sustainability consciousness of Irish Primary School Students." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för beteendevetenskap och lärande, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-166398.
Full textAbstract:
As we come to the end of the decade declared as United Nations Decade for Biodiversity 2011-2020, the impact humans are having our planet is clear. The current primary school children are the future decision makers, consumers and electors; therefore, they must be exposed to approaches that can assist development that is sustainable and that will prevent further degradation of our planet. A key way to achieve this is to transform the education current and future generations of children will receive. Education must address sustainable development to support the formation of responsible citizens, eager to actively engage in decision-making processes, environmental issues and societal matters. This can be assisted through a focus on a specific approach to Education for Sustainable Development, Biodiversity Education. To add to current research about this approach to ESD, I investigated the effect biodiversity education had on the sustainability consciousness of primary school children. I chose a qualitative method of data collection and analysis through focus group, semi-structured interviews with 5th class students. The results showed that the participants' sustainability awareness, regarding two of the three dimensions of sustainable development, was highly developed; the environmental dimension and the social dimension. There was less evidence of a consciousness for the economic dimension of SD. Therefore, biodiversity education had a positive influence on the participants' sustainability consciousness, making them more aware of sustainability issues and action-oriented to address these issues. However, they lacked one dimension of sustainability; therefore, their sustainability consciousness was not fully developed. Further research is needed to analysis and interpret the rationale as to why the economic dimension was less developed in these participants who attended a school that promotes biodiversity education.
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O'Loughlin, Noreen G. "A complexity theory approach to understanding teacher learning in the context of a primary mathematics intervention : a case study of a disadvantaged Irish school." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.658069.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation focuses on the teaching of primary school mathematics in an Irish context through a case study analysis of a national mathematics intervention programme which the author led across the disadvantaged school sector. It deals with the complex reality of delivering a national intervention programme across a heterogeneous, widely dispersed, and multi-layered schools environment, dealing with intervention delivery in 320 disadvantaged primary schools, training 700 intervention specialists, 1300 primary teachers, and responding to thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds that had been identified as falling behind in terms ofthe mathematics curriculum. Drawing on the complexity theory literature, this dissertation provides a robust theoretical underpinning to the application of the Mathematics Recovery Programme (MRP). The thesis weaves together as a seamless garment the intervention programme, the school, the teachers and the pupils, as four segments of an indivisible whole. It utilises a heightened understanding of the concept of teacher professional learning as a driving force in the delivery of a high quality programme through teachers' professional engagement leading to a change in teachers' attitudes and practices, and improvement in pupils' mathematics learning. Through the use of a case study method, it presents a rigorous enquiry of the implementation ofthe intervention programme, highlighting its multifaceted nature while simultaneously making pertinent enquiries, and interrogating the practice on the ground against the academic literature at the micro, meso and, where appropriate, the macro levels. Finally, as a professional doctoral thesis, it reaches strong conclusions based on the evidence of the research which have ramifications for both on-going research in this area as well as for the development and implementation of successful intervention programmes across the primary curriculum.
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Deenihan, Thomas J. "Religious education and religious instruction in the Irish post-primary school curriculum in the aftermath of the introduction of an examinable, non-denominational syllabus for religious education." Thesis, University of Hull, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.272014.
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