Science

The Department of Science comprises three lecturers, two of whom have backgrounds in Biology and one in the Physical Sciences. Two technical support staff contribute to practical aspects of the teaching, to school-based activities and to research projects. Lecturers are involved in teaching both specialist Science and Curriculum Studies modules in the BEd undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and in supporting Irish Medium Education, as well as serving teachers within primary and post-primary schools. Teaching in the Science Department focuses on the development of conceptual understanding to inform effective teaching. Skills development is at the forefront of the wide range of practical investigations which students conduct and evaluate critically. Our aim is to make a meaningful contribution to the dissemination of best practice in the teaching of primary and post-primary science. All lecturers engage in community outreach with local nursery, primary and post-primary schools and collaborate with colleagues from other departments in the College and other universities and bodies such as CCEA, the Education for Sustainable Development Forum, the Association for Science Education and SENTINUS. Previous areas of research involved Science Education (supported by funding bodies including the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust, The Wellcome Trust, NESTA, ESCalate, SCoTENS and BBSRC) with a view to enriching students’ learning experiences. The current science team continue to build on this legacy and are actively involved in collaborative research with a number of European Partners in Stem Teacher Training Innovation for Gender Balance and the investigation of the development of conceptual understanding using SMART technology (in collaboration with SENTINUS and other colleagues in Initial Teacher Education institutions).


Course Team Leader: Dr Catherine Quinn

Associated Staff