Aoife Prendergast | Limerick Institute of Technology (original) (raw)
Conference Presentations by Aoife Prendergast
McAnarney L. and Prendergast A. (2015)”Crossing the threshold from Social care practice to theory... more McAnarney L. and Prendergast A. (2015)”Crossing the threshold from Social care practice to theory.” Social Care Ireland National Conference, Rosses Point, Sligo, Ireland – 24- 26 March 2015.
Prendergast A. (2015)”Examining the Use of Narrative Inquiry in sustainable and innovative practi... more Prendergast A. (2015)”Examining the Use of Narrative Inquiry in sustainable and innovative practice education.” Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference 2015, Maynooth University, Ireland – 19-20 March 2015.
Relationships in Successful Teaching and Learning: An Exploration of attitudes in contemporary pr... more Relationships in Successful Teaching and Learning: An Exploration of attitudes in contemporary practice – “That’s not my role!”
Author and Affiliation:
Aoife Prendergast, Lecturer, IT Blanchardstown
A wide range of relationships are integral to education for students with special educational needs. There is an extensive body of literature on traditional attitudes and perceptions to special education needs. However, to date, there has been limited research on alternative educational methodologies such as inter-professional learning and supervision.
This presentation will contribute to the discourse in the examination of inter-professional learning and identity of relationships that exist in contemporary special needs educational practices. This presentation will incorporate evidence-based teaching strategies for inclusive education of children with special needs in teacher education programmes.
Successful education outcomes for children with disabilities and special education needs depend on individual, school, and environment, external relationships and teacher-related factors. It is crucial that a commitment to effective and relevant methodologies is constantly adapted to realise the evolving and diverse collaborative work practices in special education. The development and constant maintenance of successful relationships is an essential component in achieving positive outcomes for children with special educational needs in Ireland.
"This presentation will contribute to the identification and development of the core identity of ... more "This presentation will contribute to the identification and development of the core identity of the social care profession in Ireland. It aims to clarify an appropriate model of supervision in practice education. Professionalization has emerged onto the agenda for policy-makers in the Irish social care field. Much of the debate and discussion on the topic is teleological: it is generally assumed that a) social care practice will ‘eventually’ become a ‘professional’ activity and b) that this is a good thing. In a sense the question of ‘what is a profession?’ has been bracketed and the discussion over ‘what type of profession should it be?’ has begun to take over. Inevitably, however, the two questions are inextricably linked. The literature has identified a number of barriers to the emergence of profession¬alisation in social care in Ireland. This has included a lack of professional and academic identity. However, there has been limited progress since 2005. Much is known about the purpose of practice educators, but how their role is implemented is subject to conflicting expectations, partly created by the structure in which they work. Collaboration between universities, institutes of tech¬nology and practice provide an opportunity for academia and practice settings to collaborate in a partnership to enhance practice learning and fulfil one of the main aims of the practice educator role in any contemporary setting: to narrow the theory-practice gap. However tensions and conflict will exist. Perhaps it should not be surprising that the lack of robust and generally agreed articulation of what constitutes professional practice in the first place has resulted in the absence of a body of literature and the development of appropriate academic identity for practice educators in contemporary social care practice in Ireland.
Group: Transformations in Higher Education Institutions
"
McAnarney L. and Prendergast A. (2015)”Crossing the threshold from Social care practice to theory... more McAnarney L. and Prendergast A. (2015)”Crossing the threshold from Social care practice to theory.” Social Care Ireland National Conference, Rosses Point, Sligo, Ireland – 24- 26 March 2015.
Prendergast A. (2015)”Examining the Use of Narrative Inquiry in sustainable and innovative practi... more Prendergast A. (2015)”Examining the Use of Narrative Inquiry in sustainable and innovative practice education.” Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference 2015, Maynooth University, Ireland – 19-20 March 2015.
Relationships in Successful Teaching and Learning: An Exploration of attitudes in contemporary pr... more Relationships in Successful Teaching and Learning: An Exploration of attitudes in contemporary practice – “That’s not my role!”
Author and Affiliation:
Aoife Prendergast, Lecturer, IT Blanchardstown
A wide range of relationships are integral to education for students with special educational needs. There is an extensive body of literature on traditional attitudes and perceptions to special education needs. However, to date, there has been limited research on alternative educational methodologies such as inter-professional learning and supervision.
This presentation will contribute to the discourse in the examination of inter-professional learning and identity of relationships that exist in contemporary special needs educational practices. This presentation will incorporate evidence-based teaching strategies for inclusive education of children with special needs in teacher education programmes.
Successful education outcomes for children with disabilities and special education needs depend on individual, school, and environment, external relationships and teacher-related factors. It is crucial that a commitment to effective and relevant methodologies is constantly adapted to realise the evolving and diverse collaborative work practices in special education. The development and constant maintenance of successful relationships is an essential component in achieving positive outcomes for children with special educational needs in Ireland.
"This presentation will contribute to the identification and development of the core identity of ... more "This presentation will contribute to the identification and development of the core identity of the social care profession in Ireland. It aims to clarify an appropriate model of supervision in practice education. Professionalization has emerged onto the agenda for policy-makers in the Irish social care field. Much of the debate and discussion on the topic is teleological: it is generally assumed that a) social care practice will ‘eventually’ become a ‘professional’ activity and b) that this is a good thing. In a sense the question of ‘what is a profession?’ has been bracketed and the discussion over ‘what type of profession should it be?’ has begun to take over. Inevitably, however, the two questions are inextricably linked. The literature has identified a number of barriers to the emergence of profession¬alisation in social care in Ireland. This has included a lack of professional and academic identity. However, there has been limited progress since 2005. Much is known about the purpose of practice educators, but how their role is implemented is subject to conflicting expectations, partly created by the structure in which they work. Collaboration between universities, institutes of tech¬nology and practice provide an opportunity for academia and practice settings to collaborate in a partnership to enhance practice learning and fulfil one of the main aims of the practice educator role in any contemporary setting: to narrow the theory-practice gap. However tensions and conflict will exist. Perhaps it should not be surprising that the lack of robust and generally agreed articulation of what constitutes professional practice in the first place has resulted in the absence of a body of literature and the development of appropriate academic identity for practice educators in contemporary social care practice in Ireland.
Group: Transformations in Higher Education Institutions
"
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences, 2018
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences, 2015
The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage ... more The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the con stant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any change in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, repro duced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the pub lisher or, in the case of photocopying, direct payment of a specified fee to the Copyright Clearance Center (see 'Information for Readers and Sub scribers').
Innovations in Higher EducationTeaching and Learning, 2014
Abstract One of the most widely accepted goals of social studies education is to produce knowledg... more Abstract One of the most widely accepted goals of social studies education is to produce knowledgeable and caring citizens. It is, therefore, imperative that students have the opportunity to participate in public issues and have a meaningful voice within their community. Students must learn how to gather information, solve problems and make civic decisions (Saxe, D. W. (1997). The distinctive mission of social studies education. In E. W. Ross (Ed.), The social studies curriculum: Purposes, problems and possibilities (pp. 39–55). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press). Thus, educators and staff in higher education institutions should encourage their students to create their own questions, cultivate investigative strategies, formulate theories and apply new concepts to their own lives in a variety of methods (Fitzsimmons, P. F., & Goldhaber, J. (1997). Siphons, pumps, and missile launchers: Inquiry at the further and higher education [online]. Edinburgh: Scottish Funding Council). Inquiry-based instruction is a pedagogical strategy that places the educator in the role of a facilitator where students are pushed to think critically and construct meaningful knowledge. Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a crucial practice for students to grasp and the earlier they are exposed to this style of learning, the better the educational results will be in regard to cognitive development. For instance, (Frederiksen, White, & Shimoda, 1999) found that students who take part in inquiry-based learning outperform those students in traditional classrooms on standardised assessments. This chapter explores a theoretical discussion of IBL and a subsequent theory of change focusing on the potential desired impact on the student learning experience in Irish higher education. The core themes include the following: How educators in the social sciences conceptualise, design and facilitate IBL? The location and commencement of the development of an IBL ‘mind-set’. Informal theories of change in the social sciences, and a discussion on disciplinary patterns and the discernation of differences. What have educators learned about designing and facilitating IBL? The challenges of designing and facilitating IBL, in the social sciences. Plans for further developing IBL practice in an international context.
Practice and Evidence of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2017
Social sciences and humanities undergraduate education, particularly in the areas of early childh... more Social sciences and humanities undergraduate education, particularly in the areas of early childhood education and applied social studies must engage with professional practice education. There is urgency for the need for practitioners and educationalists to communicate, and for practitioners to be aware of developments in educational theory. The idea of ‘threshold concepts’ is currently widely discussed by educationalists. Threshold concepts are described as areas of knowledge without which the learner cannot progress, and which, when grasped, lead to a transformation in the learner’s perspective and understanding. Threshold concepts have been criticized on conceptual grounds, and there is a lack of clarity as to how to identify them empirically. While they may represent a fruitful approach to the task of engaging humanities students in teaching, it is suggested that further development of the idea is required before it could be usefully applied. However empirical studies in other ...
Humanities education, particularly in the areas of early childhood education and applied social s... more Humanities education, particularly in the areas of early childhood education and applied social studies must engage with professional practice education. There is urgency for the need for practitioners and educationalists to communicate, and for practitioners to be aware of developments in educational theory. The idea of ‘threshold concepts ’ is currently widely discussed by educationalists. Threshold concepts are described as areas of knowledge without which the learner cannot progress, and which, when grasped, lead to a transformation in the learner’s perspective and understanding. Much is known about the purpose of placement educators, but how their role is implemented is subject to conflicting expectations, partly created by the structure in which they work. Collaboration between practice education settings between universities, institutes of technology and practice provide an opportunity for academia and practice settings to collaborate in a partnership to enhance practice lear...
It is vital in contemporary practice that interprofessional education is effective and it require... more It is vital in contemporary practice that interprofessional education is effective and it requires engagement from students from a variety of different professions using interactive learning methodologies to develop social care professional student’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, behaviours and perceptions. Interprofessional education is a complex adult learning (andragogy) approach that is most effective when integrated throughout a programme of study moving from the basic to the most complex learning activities that bridge the gap from post-secondary to practice education settings. Educational accreditation standards being developed to stimulate the advancement of interprofessional education will have an impact on policies in both academic and practice settings.
Humanities education, particularly in the areas of early childhood education and applied social s... more Humanities education, particularly in the areas of early childhood education and applied social studies must engage with professional practice education. There is urgency for the need for practitioners and educationalists to communicate, and for practitioners to be aware of developments in educational theory. The idea of ‘threshold concepts’ is currently widely discussed by educationalists. Threshold concepts are described as areas of knowledge without which the learner cannot progress, and which, when grasped, lead to a transformation in the learner’s perspective and understanding. Much is known about the purpose of placement educators, but how their role is implemented is subject to conflicting expectations, partly created by the structure in which they work. Collaboration between practice education settings between universities, institutes of technology and practice provide an opportunity for academia and practice settings to collaborate in a partnership to enhance practice learn...