Dr Margaret Flood

    Education

    Assistant Professor

    Biography

    Margaret is an Assistant Professor in Inclusive Education and the MAP Academic Advisor for the Education Department. Her experience in inclusive and special education includes teaching, teacher professional learning design and delivery, policy development and curriculum design.  Before joining Maynooth University in 2022 Margaret was the Education Officer with responsibility for Inclusive Education and Diversity at the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). She led and collaborated on inclusive curriculum review and design projects across primary and post-primary. Margaret also worked in the teacher professional development service, Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) where she designed and delivered continuous professional development training on specific curriculum programmes for students with intellectual disabilities, inclusive practices in the mainstream classroom, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
       As a Fulbright Scholar, in 2021 Margaret worked with Lynch School of Education and Humanities at Boston College and CAST to explore equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice through the lens of UDL. Margaret is the creator and host of #UDLchatIE and of the Podcast ‘Talking about all things Inclusion’.

    Research Interests

      Margaret’s research interests include contextual dimensions and the role of teachers in inclusive policy and practice enactment, teacher engagement with professional learning for inclusion, student voice, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Her EdD research focused on the impact of a collaborative whole-school model of professional development on the enactment of an inclusive curriculum programme (Level 2 Learning Programmes) in a mainstream post-primary school.

    Peer Reviewed Journals

      Year Publication
    2021 'Universal Design for Learning: Is it gaining momentum in Irish education?'
    Flood, M.; Banks, J. (2021) 'Universal Design for Learning: Is it gaining momentum in Irish education?'. Education Sciences, 11 (7):341-352 [DOI] [full-text] [Details]
    2021 'Where we were then: An illuminative evaluation of teacher knowledge, beliefs and practices in relation to Level 2 Learning Programmes and inclusion in a mainstream post primary school'
    Flood, M.; Logan, A. (2021) 'Where we were then: An illuminative evaluation of teacher knowledge, beliefs and practices in relation to Level 2 Learning Programmes and inclusion in a mainstream post primary school'. REACH: JOURNAL OF SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION IN IRELAND, 34 (2):34-48 [full-text] [Details]

    Thesis

      Year Publication
    2019 Exploring the Impact of a Collaborative Whole-School Model of Continuous Professional Development on the Enactment of Level 2 Learning Programmes in a Mainstream Post-Primary Schoo.
    Flood, M. (2019) Exploring the Impact of a Collaborative Whole-School Model of Continuous Professional Development on the Enactment of Level 2 Learning Programmes in a Mainstream Post-Primary Schoo. Ireland: Thesis [full-text] [Details]

    Podcast

      Year Publication
    2022 Talking about all things inclusion.
    Flood, M. (2022) Talking about all things inclusion. Ireland: Podcast [Details]
    2021 The Glass Half Full... Honouring Every Learner at Every Level through Universal Design for Learning.
    Garland, S.; Flood, M. (2021) The Glass Half Full... Honouring Every Learner at Every Level through Universal Design for Learning. Ireland: Podcast [Details]

    Honours and Awards

      Year Title Awarding Body
    2019 Fulbright Research Scholar Award Fulbright Commission Ireland
    2020 International Professional Development Association Prize International Professional Development Association (IPDA)

    Committees

      Committee Function From / To
    Office of Ombudsman for Childrens' Office Beyond Limits Advisory Committee Chairperson 2018 / 2019
    National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Consultative Forum Committee Member 2017 /
    CAST Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Stakeholder Council Council Member 2022 /

    Employment

      Employer Position From / To
    Dublin and Dun Laoighre ETB Special Educational Needs Development Officer 01-SEP-15 / 31-AUG-17
    Junior Cycle for Teachers Associate for Level 2 Learning Programmes 06-OCT-14 / 31-AUG-17
    Greenhills College Teacher, Assistant Principal, Special Educational Needs Coordinator 01-SEP-09 / 31-AUG-17
    Greenhills College and St. Peter's BNS School Completion Coordinator 07-JAN-02 / 31-AUG-09
    Central Remedial Clinic Training and Education Manager/Teacher 01-MAY-01 / 23-DEC-02
    Stewarts Care Team Member 02-MAY-00 / 01-MAY-01
    Jobstown Community College Teacher 01-SEP-99 / 28-APR-00
    National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Education Officer with responsibility for inclusive education and diversity 01-SEP-17 / 02-SEP-22
    Trinity College Dublin (TCD) Adjunct Teaching Fellow 06-DEC-19 / 02-SEP-22
    Royal Roads University, Canada Associate Faculty 01-SEP-21 / 21-JAN-22

    Education

      Year Institution Qualification Subject
    2020 The Honorable Society of Kings Inn Advanced Diploma in Law and Education The Law and Education
    2019 Dublin City University Doctor of Education Special and Inclusive Education
    2013 Church of Ireland College of Education Post Graduate Diploma in Learning Support and Special Education Special education
    2010 St Angela's College Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education Autism
    1999 Maynooth University Higher Diploma in Education Education
    2007 Maynooth University Masters in Education Education
    2005 Froebel College and School of Practical Childcare Certificate in Therapeutic Play Education and play
    2003 Irish Management Institute Certificate in Supervisory Management Human Resources
    1997 Maynooth University Batchelor of Arts History, Sociology, English