Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain

University College Dublin | UCD · School of Mathematics & Statistics

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) over successive cycles of lesson study. Utilising the framework of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) (Ball et al., 2008), this research classifies features of PCK as utilised by post-primary mathematics teachers...

In this paper, we analyze and detail the knowledge incorporated by mathematics teachers in their participation in lesson study. Utilizing an extended theoretical framework of mathematics teacher knowledge, combining the cognitive frameworks of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching and Levels of Teacher Activity, we detail the knowledge articulated in...

This chapter combines the frameworks of Ball, Thames and Phelps (2008) and Margolinas, Coulange and Bessot (2005) to demonstrate the elements of subject and pedagogical content knowledge utilized at varying levels of teacher activity in a cycle of lesson study. Qualitative data generated in a mathematics-based lesson study, conducted with eight pri...

Lesson study is a collaborative model of professional development that provides teachers with the opportunity to learn from the planning, conduction and reflection of a specifically designed research lesson. Lesson study is increasingly incorporated in initial teacher education (ITE) and calls have been made to further detail the lesson study struc...

In this research, we investigate the concerns regarding a national mathematics curricular reform of a cohort of student teachers over the course of their 2-year postgraduate initial teacher education (ITE) programme. The concerns of 41 student teachers from four third-level institutions in Ireland were initially recorded at the commencement of thei...

This research investigates the potential of Lesson Study to develop teachers’ professional community. Situated in two case study schools, Doone and Crannog (both pseudonyms), where mathematics teachers participated in multiple, successive cycles of Lesson Study over the course of one academic year, the research details the development of teacher co...

The issue of sexual harassment of early-career academics in Ireland has recently been brought to the fore through the mainstream media. Little research has been undertaken, however, on highlighting and documenting such experiences, leading to a lack of awareness and dearth of specifically targeted initiatives for this cohort. The authors, themselve...

Lesson study has received significant attention as a model of professional development among mathematics teachers. Evidence highlights its effectiveness in improving pedagogical practices and student learning, however, less is known about the predispositions which may encourage teachers’ participation in Lesson Study or the impact of participation...

Presentation outlining the work of Ireland's Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss and sharing some of the recommendations and learnings from the Assembly.

Lesson study has received significant attention as an effective model of professional development (PD) among mathematics teachers. Evidence highlights its effectiveness in improving pedagogical practices and student learning, however, less is known about the predispositions which may be necessary for lesson study participation or the impact of part...

This research investigates post-primary mathematics teachers’ concerns and feedback around problem-solving and the associated classroom-based assessment (CBA), following significant curriculum reform. Based on a framework of concerns (Hall et al., 1977), semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 mathematics teachers from across Ireland, rep...

Social innovations are usually understood as new ideas, initiatives, or solutions that make it possible to meet the challenges of societies in fields such as social security, education, employment, culture, health, environment, housing, and economic development. On the one hand, many citizen science activities serve to achieve scientific as well as...

This study tracks the integration of public engagement within the systems, structures and culture of a university in Ireland. Public engagement, as an activity of research institutes, is gaining increased attention from policy and funding sources across Europe. However, little has been heard on the processes and practices which bring public engagem...

This study critically examines the mathematics knowledge of pre-service post-primary mathematics teachers (N = 85) on commencing their Professional Master of Education (Level 9) initial teacher education (ITE) programme across four institutions in Ireland. Given the nature of a consecutive approach to mathematics teacher education, pre-service teac...

Ireland has a rich history of public engagement with science and the growing number of national citizen science initiatives is in keeping with developments seen in other European countries. This paper explores several aspects of citizen science in Ireland, in order to assess its development and to better understand potential opportunities for the f...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-term impact of participating in school-based lesson study on mathematics teachers' professional community. Design/methodology/approach A study was conducted with six mathematics teachers, from two post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland, following up on their participation in sch...

In this paper we explore the attitudes of under-privileged secondary school pupils in Ireland towards mathematics and investigate the impact of attending a 4-week engagement programme on these attitudes. The pupils involved in this research attended schools recognized by the Department of Education & Skills as socio-economically deprived. Pupils at...

A teacher's attitude towards a subject has a major influence on their learning and subsequent teaching of that subject. This has a knock-on effect on the development of their own students' attitudes. However, despite such importance there has been a dearth of research in this area, particularly in relation to the attitudes of pre-service secondary...

Insights into the approach taken to Lesson Study in ITE in Ireland.

Our third volume of the Maths Sparks is out now. Contains activities with origami, logic programming, cryptography & other topics that you can do in class or in after-school clubs. Free to download so please share!

Learning to teach is a long-term and complex enterprise (Morris et al., 2009 ). In their commentary on initial teacher education (ITE), Hiebert, Morris, and Glass (2003) suggest that ITE programmes are more valuable when they support pre-service teachers to acquire the tools they will need to learn to teach, rather than focus on achieving complete...

We are delighted to announce that Volume II of the Maths Sparks booklet of resources for the workshops conducted in 2017 has now been published. This booklet is intended as a resource for educators conducting outreach or public engagement events including informal Maths Clubs or as a starter activity to motivate some branch of mathematics or sta...

A "sense of belonging to math" (SBM) scale has been shown to predict undergraduate mathematics students' intent to study mathematics in the future. In this study, we use the scale to examine the impact of the transition from secondary school to university on 33 first year undergraduate students' SBM. Using a cluster analysis, we identify three clus...

Lesson study was introduced in two secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) at a time of mathematics curriculum reform . The research investigated lesson study as a model of professional development which might support teachers in implementing the revised curriculum. Twelve teachers participated in the research and data included transcrip...

This study examines the potential of problem-based cooperative learning (PBCL) in expanding undergraduate physics students' understanding of, and engagement with, the scientific process. Two groups of first-year physics students (n=180) completed a questionnaire which compared their perceptions of learning science with their engagement in physics l...

In this article, we examine the impact of participating in a series of mathematics workshops on secondary-school pupils’ attitudes towards mathematics. A six-week program, entitled ‘Maths Sparks’, was run by a team of lecturers and students at a research-intensive university in the Republic of Ireland. The outreach series aimed to promote mathemati...

Based in a time of major curriculum reform, this article reports on a qualitative case study of teacher professional development (PD) in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Five mathematics teachers in an Irish secondary school were introduced to and participated in successive cycles of school-based lesson study (LS) over the course of one academic year...

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the development of teacher knowledge for mathematics through teacher participation in lesson study. Analysis is undertaken utilising an extended framework which combines both the theoretical frameworks of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (Ball et al., 2008) and Levels of Teacher Activity (Margolinas et al....

These booklets are intended as a resource for teachers running Maths Clubs in their schools or for those teaching extra-curricular content, such as to Transition Year students. Each workshop in this booklet includes a lesson plan and resources which can be used in your classroom. While the majority of content in these workshops is not taught at sec...

In 2010, a major reform of the Irish post-primary mathematics curriculum was introduced. In tandem with this reform, in-service professional development has been made available to all post-primary mathematics teachers, with over 4,000 teachers attending such training (Project Maths Implementation Support Group, 2014). However, as these specialised...

Improving the engagement of university students in wider issues of teaching and learning is now an important driver in higher education. Additionally, widening the participation of those who access higher education is a matter of increasing prominence. In this paper we report on a case study initiative addressing both of these issues in a universit...

This research contributes to knowledge by detailing the features of pedagogical content knowledge enhanced through teachers’ participation in iterative cycles of lesson study over the course of one full academic year. This research makes a further contribution in suggesting a new form of knowledge, that of teachers’ knowledge of students, which can...

This research presents features of knowledge of content and students (KCS) and knowledge of content and teaching (KCT) as empirical evidence of mathematics teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) utilised and enhanced through their participation in iterative cycles of lesson study. Over the course of one academic year, twelve teachers in two...

George Polya's book, How to solve it (1945), is likely to have been one of the first books to focus on building students' skills as problem solvers. Polya, a Hungarian professor of mathematics, realised that it was not sufficient that his students knew their mathematical facts ― they also needed to have a relational understanding of the subject in...

Since 2010 there has been a phased introduction of a new post-primary mathematics curriculum in Ireland entitled 'Project Maths'. This new curriculum places a greater emphasis on problem solving and on an investigative approach for students. This implies not only changes in the curriculum content, but also changes to teaching and learning approache...