Our Research

Reflexive inquiry for transformative learning

The Department of Adult and Community Education fosters critically reflexive and transformative approaches to living which support greater inclusion and social justice and wellbeing. This includes developing key initiatives in adult guidance and counselling, recovery education, disability and independent living, crisis pregnancy and CPD for greater cultural and ethnic inclusion.

Wellness and mental health in the workplace (2019) - for more information contact Dave McCormack	David McCormack David.McCormack@mu.ie Mary Ryan
NALA Social Inclusion for people with Intellectual Disabilities in Adult Literacy (2019)	Bernie Grummel Conor Magrath Meliosa Bracken	https://www.nala.ie/
HE4U2: Integrating Cultural Diversity in Higher Education (2016-2018) - innovative approaches to researching and developing inclusive pedagogy	Camilla Fitzimons Bernie Grummell Josephine Finn Maggie Noone	Erasmus + Website http://he4u2.eucen.eu/
Inclusive Learning Initiative - Facilitate inclusion of students with intellectual disabilities	Josephine Finn Saranne Magennis Laura Burke	Maynooth University, KARE, St John of God Services, Camphill and Stewarts’ Hospital
Lifelong Learning in Palestine - supporting Lifelong Learning provision in formal and informal networks across the West Bank and Gaza	Josephine Finn Tony Walsh Anne Ryan Bernie Grummell Michael Kenny.	European Commission TEMPUS Lifelong Learning

Fostering social justice through widening participation in education, employment and community.

The Department of Adult and Community Education fosters critically inclusive and transformative approaches to living which support greater inclusion and social justice. This includes developing key initiatives in adult guidance and counselling, recovery education, disability and independent living, crisis pregnancy and CPD for greater cultural and ethnic inclusion.

Project	Investigators	Research Body/Funders/Partners

AONTAS Community Development (2018-2019) -for more details contact Camilla Fitzimons	Camilla Fitzimons Meliosa Bracken Conor Magrath	AONTAS
CREATE – Competitive Regions and Employability of Adults through Education (2017 – 2019) -project objective is reducing geographic disparities in AL/VET opportunities across and within EU regions http://www.projectcreate.eu/	For further details contact Michael Kenny, michael.kenny@mu.ie	Erasmus + Plus http://www.erasmusplus.ie/ Website http://www.projectcreate.eu/
MICRO: Enhancing Competitiveness of Microenterprises in Rural Areas (2016-18) http://www.microsmetraining.eu/index.php	For further details contact Michael Kenny, michael.kenny@mu.ie	Erasmus + Plus http://www.erasmusplus.ie/ Website http://www.microsmetraining.eu/index.php
Review of the Certificate in Return to Learning (2016-2017) -for more details contact Camilla Fitzimons	Camilla Fitzimons Jerry O’Neill	Maynooth Access Programme https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/access-office
EMPLOY: Enhancing the Employability of Non-Traditional Students in HE (2015-2017) is a European project which promotes the enhancement of the employability of students in higher education from a non-traditional background to identify best practices, policies and guidelines.	For further details contact fergal.finnegan@mu.ie Fergal Finnegan Jerry O’Neill	British Council https://www.britishcouncil.org/ Website http://employ.dsw.edu.pl/language/en/
DIMA - Adult Education Strategies (2015-2017) - focuses on developing a practical and innovative toolkit for developing, implementing and monitoring Adult Education strategies, policies and practices	For further details contact Michael Kenny, michael.kenny@mu.ie	Erasmus + Plus http://www.erasmusplus.ie/ Website https://dima-project.eu/index.php/en/
Further Education teachers’ experience of assessment frameworks (2015-2016) - For further details contact Fergal Finnegan	Fergal Finnegan, Fergal.Finnegan@mu.ie
REGIONAL: Comparative analysis of Adult Learning policy formulation (2014-2015) - For further details contact Michael Kenny,	For further details contact Michael Kenny, michael.kenny@mu.ie	https://www.welcomeurope.com/european-funds/llp-grundtvig-612+512.html#tab=onglet_details Website http://www.regionalproject.eu/index.php
TEN: Transformative Engagement Network (2012-2015) - For further details contact Bernie Grummell	Bernie Grummell, bernie.grummell@mu.ie; Anne Ryan, Conor Murphy, Martin Downes, Maggie Noone	Website Masters Research Overview ICARUS Blog
DIALOGUE (Opportunities for Dialogue between Researchers, Practitioners and Policy Makers (2010 – 2013)- For further details contact Josephine Finn	Josephine Finn, Josephine.Finn@mu.ie; Maeve O’Brien, Fergal Finnegan	See Research Report AdultEducation_EUCEN_PolicyReportDoc.
Enhancing Knowledge Workers Adult Learning Solutions (EKWALS) Project (2009 - 2011) - For further details contact Michael Kenny,	For further details contact Michael Kenny, michael.kenny@mu.ie	Website http://www.ekwalslearningsolutions.com/index.php

Supporting democracy and engaged citizenship

Adult education as a field of practice is strongly orientated to democratic and active citizenship, and the Department of Adult and Community Education has a long history of analysing how education and its institutions contribute to reproduction and possibilities of power in society. This is focused on a commitment towards progressive change, equality and a desire to produce research and education that is relevant to communities, movements and practitioners.

Project	Investigators	Research Body/Funders/Partners

Embracing Diversity (2017-2018) - examines experiences of diversity, and supporting mutual understanding and dialogue between People of African Descent (PAD) and service providers in the Dublin 15 area	For further details contact Anne Ryan, Anne.Ryan@mu.ie Maggie Noone, Margaret.noone@mu.ie;	IHREC
Fourth Meeting of the Citizens' Assembly on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (2017) - For further details contact Mary Ryan	Mary Ryan, Mary.Ryan@mu.ie	Website Mary Ryan’s presentation at Citizens Assembly
Political Citizenship and Participation - This research explores how the nature of political engagement and citizenship has been transformed in recent times.	For further details contact Michael Murray Michael.J.Murray@mu.ie

Promoting transformative learning using participatory research approaches

Research methods in adult education are often a methodology and a practice simultaneously, intended to support educational and social transformation. This requires research approaches that seek to know the world in collaboration with people, linking personal and professional experiences, which challenge hierarchical relations and create new collaborative spaces of learning and research. This is evident in the innovative participatory and creative research methods and partnership relations which we seek to promote.

Project	Investigators	Research Body/Funders/Partners

Transformative Narrative Inquiry -for more details contact David McCormack	David McCormack
Feminist research methods for more details contact Brid Connolly	Brid Connolly
Biographical and life histories for more details contact Brid Connolly	Brid Connolly

Postgraduate Research

PhD in Adult and Community Education	Doctorate in Higher and Adult Education Students and Research Projects
The Structured PhD Programme in Adult and Community Education is designed to facilitate students to make an original contribution to the knowledge base in the field of adult and community education through research, in order to develop and strengthen it. PhD students come from diverse backgrounds in adult, higher, further and community education.	The Doctorate in Higher and Adult Education (DHAE) brings together experienced professionals in teaching and management roles from diverse environments and disciplines. The programme supports educational practitioners and managers to develop their research capacities and to critically reflect on their professional practices within a course that promotes transformation, critical thinking and democracy.

PhD in Adult and Community Education

Doctorate in Higher and Adult Education Students and Research Projects

The Structured PhD Programme in Adult and Community Education is designed to facilitate students to make an original contribution to the knowledge base in the field of adult and community education through research, in order to develop and strengthen it. PhD students come from diverse backgrounds in adult, higher, further and community education.

The Doctorate in Higher and Adult Education (DHAE) brings together experienced professionals in teaching and management roles from diverse environments and disciplines. The programme supports educational practitioners and managers to develop their research capacities and to critically reflect on their professional practices within a course that promotes transformation, critical thinking and democracy.

PhD

Researcher	Title	Link

Hegarty, Ann (2017)	Masculinity, fathers and family literacy: Glimpses behind the ‘hard-man’ front.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/8778/
Condon, John (2017)	The Experience of Migrant Students in an Irish Second Level School.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/8853/
Dillon, Eilish (2017)	How Critical is Talk? Discourses of Development Education among Facilitators in Ireland.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9558/
De Brún, Christa (2016)	Teaching for Thinking: an action research inquiry into the Pedagogical potential of modern literature to foster critical thinking and facilitate critical consciousness in third level students.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/7558/
Fitzsimons, Camilla (2015)	Re-Kindling Community Education in Neoliberal times.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/6420/
Ni Loingsigh, Deirdre (2015)	Minority Language Advising in the Workplace: Contextual Practices, Relational Knowing, Mandate, and Change.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/6422/
Harvey, Gerry (2015)	The Evolving Model of School Self-Evaluation in Ireland: How a Person’s Perception of Purpose and Power Determines Practice.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/6423/

Masters

Researcher	Title	Link

Nally, Patrick Alan (2017)	The insecurity for teachers entering the further education and training sector.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9551/
Connolly, Ann (2017)	Exploring how the experience of tutors and the use of visual images and web-based technology enhance critical reflection in adult learners.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9579/
Joyce, Carmel Ann (2017)	A Mixed Method Exploration of the Challenges to Inclusive and Progressive Education for Students with Dyslexia in the West of Ireland.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9592/
Sinnott, Christina (2017)	Giving a voice to lone mothers: Investigating the impact of neoliberal policies on accessing and participating in further education.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9593/
Hurley, Claire (2017)	Untangled: An auto-ethnographic exploration of my stages of life which resulted in an unravelling of identity and return to wholeness.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9595/
Curran, Ian (2017)	The experience of coercion and forced education in a labour market activation context.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9603/
Dalton, Patrice (2017)	Ability not disability: A transformative exploration of student experiences in higher education.	http://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/9628/

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Maynooth University Department of Adult and Community Education

Maynooth Adult & Community Education (MACE) publications

Research Publication from the Department of Adult and Community Education

The aim of the Centre for Research in Adult Learning and Education (CRALE) is to enhance the educational experiences of disadvantaged communities.