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Faculty Research

Faculty members currently engaged in research include:


Dr. Siobhán Cahillane-McGovern

Hibernia College, HDAPE Programme Director

Siobhán is a graduate of MICE, Limerick and also holds an M.A. in Education from the Open University and a Ph.D. from Leeds Met. University. Having started her career as a primary teacher, she then worked with the Primary Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP) in the initial phase of the Revised Curriculum. Subsequently, she lectured at St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra where she had particular responsibility for literacy on the undergraduate and graduate programmes. She also taught on the Current Issues, Teacher Identity and Qualitative Research Methods modules of the online M.Ed. programme. Her research interests are in the areas of Literacy, Assessment and Teacher Identities; she has presented papers at national and international research conferences and is a member of the Reading Association of Ireland, the United Kingdom Literacy Association and Educational Studies Association of Ireland.


Selected Presentations and Publications

  1. Factors that affect student engagement on a Teacher Education Programme


Melanie Ní Dhuinn

Hibernia College HDAPPE Programme Director

Melanie is a graduate of the University of Limerick where she qualified as a post-primary teacher of Gaeilge and Physical Education. She taught Gaeilge and Physical Education for 12 years during which time she acted as an assistant written examiner and oral examiner in Gaeilge at Junior and Leaving Certificate level. She worked as a Junior Certificate Schools Programme Co-ordinator and as a School Completion Co-ordinator before being seconded into the role of Education Co-ordinator (DES) at Wexford Area Partnership and subsequently Wexford Local Development.

She has worked at local, national and international levels co-ordinating, designing, developing and evaluating education programmes in primary, post-primary, third level and adult education and has extensive experience of working on programmes focusing on educational disadvantage. She has lectured at Wexford Campus, Carlow IT in Research Methods where she had responsibility for thesis supervision for undergraduate students.

Malanie holds a Masters in Health Education Promotion from Waterford Institute of Technology and she is currently completing her PhD in Education in Trinity College Dublin. Her doctoral research work is a sociological study focusing on the impact of family cultures on educational attainment in post-primary education.

Her research interests are in the areas of family and school cultural capital and life chances, learning styles and online educational provision. She has presented papers at national and international research conferences and has a number of publications in various education and physical activity journals.

Invited Conference Speaker

  • Canada International Conference on Education, Toronto, Canada, April 2011
  • All-Island Conference “New Ideas, New Directions” (Joint Conference Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland-an initiative of the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Pobal, Drogheda, October 2010.
  • All Ireland Education Conference, Queens University Belfast, May 2010
  • Physical Activity Conference, University of Limerick, June 2006
  • Melbourne Convention Centre, International Physical Activity Conference Melbourne, Australia, October 2005
  • Waterford Institute of Technology, (Research Methodologies 2004/2005
  • London International Conference on Education, London, September 2010.

Research and Publications

  • “Evaluating the Influence of Family Cultures on Educational Outcomes of Irish Second Level Student” Canada International Conference on Education, Melanie Ní Dhuinn, Andrew Loxley, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. April 2011

  • “Pixel Power- Visual Methodology as a constructive element of a suite of     methodologies in an exploration of the impacts of cultural elements of Irish families on education and schooling in Ireland”  Melanie Ní Dhuinn, Andrew Loxley
  • “An evaluation of the influence of Families on Education and Schooling in Ireland” London International Conference on Education (LICE) Melanie Ní Dhuinn & Andrew Loxley, London, September 2010.
  • “Promoting Physical Activity in Irish Teenage girls: an intervention with a focus on bone health” Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, October, 2005, Volume 8, Issue 4, Melbourne, Australia. Sports Medicine, Australia.
  • “Physical Activity for Bone Health in Inactive Teenage Girls: Is a Supervised, Teacher-Led Program or Self-Led Program Best?” Journal of Adolescent Health official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, October 2006, Volume 39, Issue 4, Elsevier Publications


Michael Hallissy

Hibernia College MATL Programme Director

Michael HallissyMichael Hallissy graduated from Coláiste Mhuire Marino with a BEd Degree (1986) and he subsequently completed his honours degree in TCD the following year (1987) where his research project focused on managing the microcomputer in the primary school.  He subsequently enrolled as a graduate student in the Boston College School of Education (1989) where he obtained his MEd (1992) where his work focused on the use of education technology.  On returning to Ireland (1994) he was seconded by the Department of Educationas a researcher to work on developing their first ICT in schools policy,  Schools IT 2000 (1997).  He later worked (1998) in the newly constituted National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) as a National Coordinator for Interactive Software in the Curriculum from 1998 to 2002.  On leaving the NCTE he and his colleague John Hurley established H2 Learning to focus on ICT in education initiatives.  During that time he has worked with a range of organisations such as The Digital Hub Development Agency, TeachNet, Discover Science and Engineering, The World Bank, Microsoft, Intel and others on ICT initiatives.  In April 2010 he was appointed Course Director for the MATL Programme within Hibernia College.  Michael is currently enrolled as a doctoral student in Institute of Education (IOE) in London where his research is focusing on the professionalism issues associated with online tutors.

Current Research Interests

  • 21st century teaching, learning and assessment
  • Teacher professional development
  • Teacher professionalism online

Selected Presentations and Publications

  • Casey, L., Bruce, B. C., Martin, A., Reynolds, A., Shiel, G., Coffey, L., Brown, C. and Hallissy, M. (2009). Digital literacy:  New approaches to participation and inquiry learning to foster literacy skills among primary school children. Dublin: Centre for Research and Innovation in Learning and Teaching, National College of Ireland.
  • Fastrack to Employment, City of Dublin VEC, Hallissy, M. and Hurley, J. (2010). ETQF Framework, A Framework to Support Teachers’ CPD in the Use of ICTs. [Online]. Available at: http://etqfproject.ning.com/page/etqf-framework-1. [Last accessed February  2011].
  • Global e-Schools Community Initiative, Hallissy, M. and Hurley, J. (2009). Planning Toolkit for ICT in Teacher Professional Development. [Online]. Available at: http://www.gesci.org/knowledge-tools.html#tpd. [Last accessed February 15 2011].
  • Hallissy, M. and Hurley, J. (1996). Classroom of the Future – Guide to Using the Internet in Irish Schools. Dublin: Broadcom.

Presentations

  • Hallissy, M. (2011). Teaching in an online environment: strategies for engagement. Dublin eLearning Summer School: Challenging the 21st Century Learner, Dublin Institute of Technology.
  • Hallissy, M. (2011). Designing CPD interventions to increase student & tutor interactions in synchronous tutorials, an EdD Thesis Proposal. Learning and Sustainability: The New Ecosystem of Innovation and Knowledge, University College Dublin, EDEN.
  • Hallissy, M. (2010). Developing Self-directed Teachers. National Academy for Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) Conference Presentation. College of Surgeons, Dublin.


Jeremy Whitty

Jeremy WhittyJeremy Whitty is Director of Pharmaceutical Medicine @ Hibernia College which is the first college or university  to be designated a “Centre of Excellence” by the European Union’s Innovative Medicines Initiative, Pharmatrain programme.

Jeremy is also Professor of Operations and Quality in the Life Sciences at IE Business School, Madrid.

He has 17 years industry experience working in both Operations and Development and is currently working on projects with Novartis, Pfizer, ECPM, the European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine in Basel, the Innovative Medicines Initiative and EFPIA, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations .  He is currently researching developments in Regulatory Sciences, Pharmaceutical business management, Ethics and the application of Operations Management to drug development, especially from Proof of Concept to the end of Phase IIb.

He has a M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Technology from Trinity College Dublin, an MBA from IE Business School and is conducting his doctoral research at Trinity College Dublin.


Dr. Nicholas Breakwell

Dr. Nicholas BreakwellDr. Nicholas Breakwell is the Vice-President for Academic Affairs & Knowledge Management at Hibernia College with overall responsibility for teaching and learning strategy and e-learning infrastructure. He has been responsible for the development of the next-generation learning tools that now power all Hibernia College online programmes. Supporting this role, he has consulted widely with international experts in e-learning to bring best international practice to Hibernia’s e-learning strategy.

Dr. Breakwell has a B.Sc. in Psychology and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Birmingham. He also spent five years in the internationally respected neuroscience laboratory of Professor Roger Anwyl at Trinity College Dublin, publishing numerous research papers in leading science journals. During this time, Dr. Breakwell also worked for the Open University where he gained extensive experience of studying and teaching from a distance.


Anna Davitt

Ceann na Gaeilge/Head of Irish

Is céimí í Anna de chuid Choláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath, áit ar bhain sí MA amach sa Nua-Ghaeilge. Chaith sí sé bliana ag comhordú chúrsaí Gaeilge i Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge mar Chúntóir Teanglainne agus mar Stiúrthóir na Teanglainne. In 2007 ceapadh Anna mar Stiúrthóir ar Chomhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, an eagraíocht a fheidhmíonn mar thaca do mhúinteoirí atá ag múineadh Gaeilge nó atá ag múineadh trí mheán na Gaeilge. Le linn a tréimhse mar Stiúrthóir ar Chomhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge d’fhorbair sí seirbhísí éagsúla do mhúinteoirí Gaeilge – cúrsaí cruinnis, seimineáir, foilseacháin agus tograí trí mheán na Gaeilge sna scoileanna. Le linn na tréimhse sin, rinne Anna comhordú ar shuirbhé náisiúnta, trí Ipsos MRBI, a léirigh meon an phobail i leith na Gaeilge mar ábhar scoile ag leibhéal na bunscoile agus na meánscoile. Tá suim ar leith ag Anna i bhforbairt agus stiúradh cúrsaí i gceantair Ghaeltachta ar fud na tíre. Léirigh sí acmhainní teagaisc éagsúla agus d’oibrigh sí ar thionscadail liteartha agus sna meáin trí Ghaeilge. Faoi láthair, tá Anna ar Bhord Stiúrtha Comhar, iris litríochta na Gaeilge.

Réimsí spéise
Meoin chomhaimseartha i leith na Gaeilge
Na Meáin Ghaeilge san Oideachas
An Nuafhilíocht

Eagarthóireacht ar fhoilseacháin
Ó Laoire, M., Ní Laoire, M., Ó Máirtín, M. & Davitt A., Teagasc na Gaeilge 9 (Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, 2010)

Anna is an MA graduate in Modern Irish of University College Dublin. She spent six years coordinating Irish language courses in the Department of Modern Irish, University College Dublin, as Language Laboratory Assistant and as Director of An Teanglann (Irish Language Laboratory). In 2007, Anna was appointed Director of Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, a support organisation for teachers who are teaching Irish or through the medium of Irish. In her capacity as Director of Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, she developed various services for Irish teachers including language courses, seminars, publications and Irish language projects for schools. During this period, Anna coordinated a national survey, through Ipsos MRBI, which revealed the public’s attitude towards Irish as a school subject at primary and secondary level. Anna has particular experience in developing and delivering courses in Gaeltacht areas throughout Ireland. She has produced several educational resources and has worked on many media and literary projects through the medium of Irish. Anna is currently on the Board of Directors of the Irish language literature journal, Comhar.

Current Interests
Contemporary attitudes towards Irish
Irish Language Media in Education
Irish Language Poetry

Editorship of Publications
Ó Laoire, M., Ní Laoire, M., Ó Máirtín, M. & Davitt A., Teagasc na Gaeilge 9 (Comhar na Múinteoirí Gaeilge, 2010)


Teresa McHale

CPD and Summer Course Programme Director

Teresa Mc HaleTeresa Mc Hale graduated from Sion Hill, Dublin in 1982 with the AMI Diploma in Montessori teaching. In 1983, she graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Special Education, from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minnesota. Teresa then taught in mainstream and special education for over twenty five years, teaching pupils with mild, moderate and severe/profound learning disabilities. Recently, Teresa received a Post-Graduate Diploma in the Education of Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). She taught for over ten years on the St. Nicholas Montessori teacher training course, tutoring in special education. Teresa has also worked with Hibernia College, as an onsite tutor in special education and classroom management, and as a teaching practice supervisor on the HDAPE programme. Teresa is currently the CPD and Summer Course Programme Director at Hibernia College, and is carrying out research in the area of CPD delivery and participation. Teresa is also the manager of the Hibernia College Westport office in Co. Mayo.