Dr Derek Barter

Adult and Community Education, ALL Institute

Co-ordinator of Continuing Education Programmes and Manager BA Local Studies and BA Community Studies

Maynooth University School of Education
1st
118
(01) 708 3948

Biography

Dr Derek Barter is the Continuing Education Co-Ordinator in the Dept. of Adult and Community Education (DACE) Maynooth University and Director of the Communiversity. Completing a PhD in modern history in 2009, his dissertation focussed on identity politics in Ireland, nationalism, de-Anglicisation, unsettled social and constitutional relationships through the competing discourses of culture in the popular song tradition. While undertaking his doctoral research, Dr. Barter began working for the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee as an Education Development Worker in the Soilse Drug Free project in Dublin’s north inner city. He initiated the NUI Maynooth Return to Learning Programme in Soilse which helped the programme to with two Aontas Star awards. At the same time he began working in the Canals Community Partnership managing, designing and developing community based educational programmes in the south inner city in Bluebell, Dolphin’s Barn, Fatima Mansions, Rialto and Inchicore. It was in these posts that main areas of interest  ‘Community Engagement and Widening Participation within HE’ began.

In his post as Academic Co-ordinator of Continuing Education in the Department of Adult and Community Education in Maynooth University his main aim is to facilitate the entry into higher education of mature students who may or may not be first time entrants to university and foster a culture of lifelong learning for personal, community and professional development. This includes the night-time/part-time degree for adults the BA Local Studies/BA Community Studies. Dr Barter works with different statutory, voluntary and especially community organisations in order fulfil the university’s strategic goal for Community Engagement and Widening Participation. Initiatives, such as the Communiversity, which brings higher education out of the campus in a partnership arrangement between MU, Leader Partnership Companies and Local Public Libraries, is a good example of this work in action. He is also collaborating with the Education Dept. in MU in piloting a version of this programme for Transition Year students in a Secondary School in North Dublin called the CommuniversiTY. 

He concieved of a series of Life Skills modules for First Year students which where later developed in the Maynooth University new curriculum for undergraduate students as Critical Skills. He delivers the modules A Social Analysis of Everyday Life: Reflective Practice and A Social Analysis of Everyday Life: Experiential Learning as part of this programme. He was a member of the steering committee for the HEA PATH 1 Turn to Teaching. Through dialogue with community partners he proposed the Think About Teaching module of the programme 2017 designed to attract adults from marginalised communities into Initial Teacher Education. These links to the community partners proved invaluable in securing the highest tranche of funding for MU from any of the submitting HEIs.

In 2021 he secured funding through the Europe for Citizens programme under the Democratic engagement and civic participation strand where he has led a consortium of six partners, three universities and three civil society organisations, from across the European continent to engage both students and members of the general public in the conversation on social Europe. The Foundations for Futures Europe project provided space for people to consider issues concerning poverty, disability, migration, identity, employment, education and climate etc. This project is now being considered by the EU Commission as a 'model of best practice' for social inclusion and citizen engagement. 

Research Interests

My philosophy of education is to create safe dynamic learning spaces where through dialogue, exploration and reflection meaningful learning relevant to the person’s life world and life conditions can emerge in the process of ‘becoming’. My aim is to create an environment that is conducive for the student to realise their own strengths and capabilities.

As a late entrant into Higher Education my research interests stem from my own life experience as a mature student with a working class background entering into a world that was alien and unfamiliar and because of that, difficult to navigate. It has been my previlige to find myself in a position whereby this experience has been useful in working with people who have similar 'outsider' or 'imposter' feelings. These can be the biggest and most intractable obstacles to adults returning to education.

Teaching in Addiction Recovery services, or community based inter cultural groups on certificate programmes has allowed me to witness the real transformational power of education in 'non traditional' settings. This has prompted me to bring the work of the university out to the wider community to create space for civic engagement and widening participation through programmes like the Communiversity and the Foundations for Futures Europe.

 Education as tool for personal development, emancipation and liberation and for the wider public good as a democratising and a consciousness raising process have become the focus of my research interest recently. Trying to understand the social nature of learning, the knowledge and wisdom that is held within groups and how this gets communicated or not have become central to my current thinking on the nature of experiential learning across the lifespan.  

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2020 Derek Barter, Bernie Grummell (2020) 'Learning to live with it: reflections on surviving critical times from Irish adult education'. eucen Studies: eJournal of University Lifelong Learning, Vol 4 (01):31-35. [Link] https://doi.org/10.53807/0401mrfq [Full-Text]
2010 Derek Barter (2010) 'Return to education for recovering drug addicts: the Soilse Project'. The Adult Learner, :132-149. [Link]
2023 Barter D and Hyland S (2023) 'The Communiversity: A partnership approach to community engaged adult education'. eucen Studies: eJournal of University Lifelong Learning, Vol 7 . [Link] https://doi.org/10.53807/0701f8fs
2023 Barter, D (2023) 'The Slow Learner: Feeling our way to Thinking about Lifelong learning'. PRISM: Casting New Light on Learning Theory & Practice, 5 (2). https://doi.org/10.24377/prism.article722 [Full-Text]

Blog

Year Publication
2021 Derek Barter (2021) Change One Thing: The Leaving Cert. needs a rethink. Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute Maynooth University: [Blog] [Link]

Policy Contribution

Year Publication
2021 Derek Barter, Anne Cassidy, Freeda Garman, Aofie Kerrigan, Antoinette Patton (2021) The Communiversity Network: Access All Areas. Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: [Policy Contribution] [Link] [Full-Text]
2020 Barter, Derek, Bernie Grummell and Michael Kenny, (2020) Submission to Consultation for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Statement of Strategy 2021 – 2023. Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: [Policy Contribution] [Link]

Report

Year Publication
2020 Derek Barter/Sinead Hyland (2020) The ComMUniversity A review of the Communiversity: The university for All. [Report] [Link] [Full-Text]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Description Function From / To
European University Continuing Education Network MU Representative -
Higher Education Lifelong Learning Ireland Network Board member -
Assistive Living and Learning Institute Board member -

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/01/2009 2009: NALA ACE award winner for Soilse/NUIM Return to Learn
01/01/2010 2010: Aontas STAR award winner.
01/01/2008 2008: Aontas STAR award winner Dublin and Leinster region.

Outreach Activities

Organisation Type Description
Communiversity Civic Society The Communiversity is a first point of contact pre-access programme where people can attend higher education courses in the familiar surroundings of their local libraries. To date Maynooth University has set up Communiversities in Dublin, Kildare, Louth and Monaghan. Each course begins with a taster session at which the tutors outline their planned programme also explaining to the student that they can ask for specific topics or other subjects to be explored. The tutors use short hand-outs on different subjects to stimulate discussion but they are directed by the interests of the group and are encouraged to follow their lead by being flexible with the modules they teach. The use of the public libraries as venues mean that university education can be brought out and delivered to people in their own communities. One of the aims of the project is to de-mystify the idea of higher education in the minds of people who might feel alienated from universities and academics and to date the feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive. When asked what they liked most about the course people spoke about the variety of subjects that were covered. They also commented on the fact that, they were not patronised but were being '... taught to think and not being told what to do.' This aspect of critical thinking and self directed learning is of enormous importance for adult learners. The social aspect and the intergenerational make up of the groups play a very significant part towards community development. This project is a good example of what can be achieved through partnership between different sections of the public service in implementing policy for the benefit of wider society. The Communiversity is partnering with the Dept. of History in Maynooth University and SPCM to deliver a series of Local History modules in the JPII Library that is planned to become an annual endeavour. [Link]

Teaching Interests

I teach the study skills  on both the night-time degree for Adult Students BA Local Studies/Community Studies and the Retun to Learning programme. Teaching adults returning to education or entering university for the first time is immensely rewarding and to witness the journey that people undertake within their first semester let alone the from beginning study to graduation and beyond is an incredible privilege. 

Besides giving people the expected mechanical skills of reading academic texts, note taking, research and writing skills I strive to create a learning environment wherein the student can, through dialogue with their peers and the course material, develop their ability to think critically about the social, political and economic forces that impact upon their lives and reflect upon their own position in relation to these phenomena. Critical reflection in this sense being the impetus for action.

I am also currently teaching first year undergraduate Critical Skills Reflective Practice and Experiential Learning.  The new curriculum has given me the opportunity to engage with a younger aged cohort and use pedagogical methods that I have built up over the years to encourage these students to explore their life world as emerging adults with a critical eye.The Critical Skills modules that I deliver are very much process driven.  They are designed to not so much de-programme Leaving Certificate students as so many critics of the second level exam based system suggest is necessary but to allow space for decompression and personal development. 

Modules I teach: 
NUI Cert. in Return to Learning.
Sk114 Critical Skills: A Social Analysis of Everyday Life, Reflective Practice
SK115 Critical Skills: A Social Analysis of Everyday Life, Experiential Learning.
CM1 Study Skills and Student Support.

Modules I co-ordinate as part of my job of Co-ordinator of Continuing Eudcation are: 
The National University of Ireland Level 7 Certificates (20 ECTS) in: 
Addiction Studies 
Community Education and Equality Studies
Community Development and Leadership 
Creative Writing for Publicaiton 
Disability Studies 
Directing for Theatre
Equality Studies
Local History 
Psychology
Training and Continuing Education.

Level 8 Cert. in Adult and Community Education (20 ECTS)
Level 8 Dip. in Addiction Studies (40 ECTS)

I also co-ordinate the following modules as manager of the MH803 BA Local Studies / Community Studies: 
CM28 CRITICAL THINKING (LEVEL 1)
 CM6 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & LEARNING
 CS02 MODELS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
 CS3 INTRO.TO ADULT DEVELOPMENT & LEARNING
 LS2 INTRODUCTION TO MAPS & LANDSCAPES
 LS01C INTRODUCTION TO LOCAL HISTORY FOR LOCAL STUDIES
 CM9 RECOGNITION OF LEARNING GAINED FROM EXPERIENCE
 CS1A SOCIAL ANALYSIS 1:THEORISING SOCIETY
 CS1B SOCIAL ANALYSIS 2:LOCATING MOD.IRELAND
 CS1C SOCIAL ANALYSIS 3:SOCIAL CHANGE & EVERYDAY LIFE
CM5 INTRO.TO LOCAL STUDIES & COMMUNITY STUDIES
 CM14 PROJECT PLANNING & MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
 CM20 USING ICT FOR RESEARCH & LEARNING
 CM22A INTRODUCTION TO RADIO PRODUCTION
 CM22B TELEVISION PRODUCTION
 CM39 THEOR.& PRACTICE OF WORKING WITH GROUPS
 CM40 THE REFLECTIVE LEARNER CM41 DEVELOPMENT THEORIES
 CM42 DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING COMM.ED.PROGS.
 CM43 PHILOSOPHY OF ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION
 CM44 DRAMA FACILITATION
 CM45 THEATRE OF THE OPPRESSED:THEORY & METHODS
 CM46 DRAMA IN EDUCATION
 CM47 DEVISING ISSUE BASED THEATRE
 CM48 GROUPWORK & FACILITATION SKILLS
 CS/SS1 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CASE STUDY
 CS/SS2 RURAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
 CS018 COMMUNITY EDUCATION AS PRAXIS
 CS024 CREATIVITY & PERFORMING ARTS
 CS12 COUNSELLING THEORIES
 CS21B ADULT COMM.EDUC.:POLICY & PRACTICE
 CS27 SUBSTANCE MISUSE & DEPENDENCE
 CS33 GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING IN ADULT LEARNING
 CS39 EXPLORING ETHNIC IRELAND
 CM17 THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF SPORT & LEISURE
 CM18 NATIONALITY & LANGUAGE CM19 ANTHROPOLOGY OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES
 CM32 ETHNOGRAPHIC THEORY & PRACTICE
CM34 INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY
 CM35 ANTROPOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT
 CM36 ANTROPOLOGY OF EUROPE
 CS07B MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
 CS34 ANTHROPOLOGY,IDENTITY & REPRESENTATION
 CS35 THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF ETHNICITY
 CS36 CULTURE & SUICIDE
 CS37 INTRODUCTION TO QUEER THEORY
 CS38 'POST-SOCIALIST TRANSITION'EAST.EUROPE
 CS43 CULTURE & RISK
 CS48 YOUTH CULTURE:THE MEANING OF STYLE & RITES OF PASSAGE
 CS49 MATERIAL CULTURE
CS017 CONTEMPORARY YOUTH WORK ISSUES
 CS023 COMMUNITY WORK:POLICIES & ISSUES
 CS05 COMMUNITY WORK: PRINCIPLES & APPROACHES
 CS07A INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL POLICY
 CS11 COMMUNITY WORK & SOCIAL EXCLUSION
 CS14 DEVELOPMENT OF IRISH YOUTH WORK
 CS50 YOUTH & COMMUNITY STUDIES
 CS51 YOUTH WORK IN IRELAND
 CS8 THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY WORKER
CM30 FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE
 CM10 URBAN SOCIETY:GLOBAL PROCESSES LOCALLY
 CM12 CONTINUITY & CHANGE IN RURAL IRELAND
 CM13 EVOLUTION OF THE IRISH LANDSCAPE
 CM16 LOCAL & REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 CM26 SPATIAL ASPECTS OF IRISH ELECTIONS
 CM27 THE MANAGEMENT & USE OF IRISH HERITAGE
 CM8 PLACE-ING IRISH ELECTORAL BEHAVIOUR
 LS10 THE LOCAL PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
 CM15 IRELAND 1800-PRESENT
 CM23 THE ORIGINS OF MODERN NATIONALISM
 CM24 GENDER STUDIES IN LOCAL CONTEXT
 CM37 GENDER IN TWENTIETH CENTURY IRELAND
 CM7 TOWN MAPPING
 LS11 IRELAND 1014-1400
 LS12 LANDSCAPE ARCHAEOLOGY
 LS15 IRELAND 1400 - 1603
 LS16 IRISH ART & ARCHITECTURE BEFORE 1600
 LS19 IRISH HISTORY 1603-1800
 LS20 IRISH ART & ARCHITECTURE 1600-1900
 LS24 CASE STUDY IN URBAN HISTORY
 LS3 SOURCES FOR LOCAL HISTORY
 LS32 EUROPE 1770-1870 LS32H EUROPE 1770-1870
 LS33 20TH CENTURY EUROPEAN HISTORY:INTRO.SURVEY
 LS33H 20TH CENTURY EUROPEAN HISTORY:INTRO.SURVEY
 LS34 PRACTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
 LS35 IRISH CULTURAL NATIONALISM
 LS37 THE BIG HOUSES & LANDED ESTATES OF IRELAND
 LS39 THE IRISH COUNTRY HOUSE IN THE 20TH CENTURY
 LS4 INTRODUCTION TO IRISH ARCHAEOLOGY 1
 LS42 HISTORICAL SKILLS FOR LOCAL HISTORY
 LS43 INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMIC & LOCAL HISTORY
 LS44 THE IMPACT OF ELECTRICITY ON LIFE IN IRELAND
 LS45 LOCAL TREASURE HOUSES:INTRO TO DECORATIVE ART
 LS46 IRISH ART 1746 - 1922
 LS5 RESEARCH METHODS FOR HISTORIANS
 LS53 HISTORY OF DUBLIN (A)
 LS7 IRELAND 431-1014
 LS8 INTRODUCTION TO IRISH ARCHAEOLOGY 2
  LS14 IRISH LANGUAGE,LITERATURE & FOLK TRADITION
 LS21 IRISH PLACE NAMES LS29 ASPECTS OF IRISH LITERATURE 1
  LS40 THE SINGING COMMUNITY LS6 IRISH FOR LOCAL HISTORY1
 LS9 IRISH FOR LOCAL HISTORY 2
 CM25 CULTURE,IDENTITY & THE MEDIA
 CM33 VISUAL RESEARCH
 CM49 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS:THEORY & PRACTICE
 CM50 DEMOCRACY & ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
 CS/SS7 CHANGING FACETS OF CONTEMPORARY IRELAND
 CS019 EQUALITY & IDENTITY CS030 COMMUNITIES IN A GLOBAL WORLD
 CS28 SOCIAL RESEARCH
 CS29 LIVING IN A CONSUMER SOCIETY
 CS30 TRANSNATIONAL COMMUNITIES
 CS31 STATE,GOVERNANCE & COMMUNITY
 CS40 CLASS & COMMUNITY
 CS42 FOOD,KNOWLEDGE & POWER
 CS52 SOCIOLOGY OF THE BODY & SEXUALITY
 CS53 CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORY