Suzanne O’Keeffe

Dr Suzanne O’Keeffe

Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education

Lecturer / Assistant Professor

Location School of Education

Room SE326

Phone (01) 474 7404

Email suzanne.okeeffe@mu.ie

Biography

Dr. Suzanne O'Keeffe
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4344-2488
Suzanne O’Keeffe is Assistant Professor of Education in the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, Maynooth University, Ireland. Her work focuses on sociological questions in education, with a particular interest in questions of gender and masculinities. Areas of interest include care, children and childhood, teachers’ daily lives and feminist research designs. Recent publications include Masculinities and Teaching in Primary Schools (2022, Palgrave MacMillan).

Suzanne lectures in Sociology of Education and Social Personal and Health Education (S.P.H.E.). SHE has ten years teaching experience in mainstream primary school classrooms and graduated with a PhD in the field of Education from Mary Immaculate College (MIC) Limerick in 2016. Her doctoral studies examines the daily experiences of male primary school teachers. She is the recipient of the MIC Postgraduate Award 2015 and the John Coolahan Research Support Framework Bursary 2022 and 2017 (Teaching Council).

Upcoming Publications:
O'Keeffe, S. (2023). New Modes of Marginalisation: Teachers’ Ways of Knowing Themselves. In Säfström, C.A. & Biesta, G. (Eds). The New Publicness of Education: Democratic Possibilities after the Critique of Neo-Liberalism. London / NY: Routledge

Most recent publications include:

O'Keeffe, S. (2022). Masculinities and Teaching in Primary Schools. Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education. Available online at: bfm:978-3-030-93994-6/1 (springer.com)

O'Keeffe, S. (2021). Artificial boundaries? Shaping policy through empowering research, Irish Educational Studies, DOI: 10.1080/03323315.2021.1899022

O'Keeffe, S. (2021). Power and Policy: Recruiting and Educating the Best Teachers using Empowering Research Designs. In Madalinska-Michalak, J., Assunção Flores, M., Ling Low, E. and Van Nuland, S. (Eds.) Recruiting and Educating the Best Teachers: Policy, Professionalism and Pedagogy, Key Issues in Teacher Education: Policy, Research and Practice. Leiden: Brill. [Available online]: Chapter 2 Power and Policy in: Recruiting and Educating the Best Teachers: Policy, Professionalism and Pedagogy (brill.com)

Biesta, G., Heugh, K., Cervinkova, H., Rasiński, L., Osborne, S., Forde, D., Wrench, A., Carter, J., Säfström, CA., Soong, H., O’Keeffe, S., Paige, K., Rigney, L-I., O’Toole, L. Hattam, R., Peters, M.A. & Tesar, M. (2021): Philosophy of education in a new key: publicness, social justice, and education; a South-North conversation, Educational Philosophy and Theory, DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2021.1929172. Available online: Philosophy of education in a new key: publicness, social justice, and education; a South-North conve (tandfonline.com)

O’Toole, L., McClelland, D., Forde, D., O’Keeffe, S., Purdy, N., Säfström, C. A., and Walsh, T. (2021). Contested childhoods across borders and boundaries: Insights from curriculum provisions in Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in the 1920s, BERJ (British Educational Research Journal), 47 (4), DOI: 10.1002/berj.3708. Available online: Contested childhoods across borders and boundaries: Insights from curriculum provisions in Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in the 1920s

O’ Keeffe, S. & Skerritt, C. (2020) Exploring teacher identity using poststructural tools, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, DOI: 10.1080/1743727X.2020.1753691

Invited Speaker:
International Men’s Day, male underrepresentation in caring professions, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, 21st November 2022.

Academic Conferences:
O'Keeffe, S. and McClelland, D. (2021). Contesting lingering gendered attitudes about childhood, Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), November 28th - December 2nd.

Awards:
UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN TEACHING AND LEARNING (2023)
Issued by: National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Issued on:1.2.2023

Teacher Hero Award (2021)

Research Interests

Care Theory; Education; Feminist Research Designs; Gender and Gender Role Expectations; Masculinities.

Research Projects

Title	Role	Description	Start date	End date	Amount
Teaching & Learning Approaches to EDI and SDG 5 - Gender Equality	Co-investigator	VIT&L Week 2021 Dr Gemma Irvine, Vice-President for Equality and Diversity at Maynooth University will share her experiences and insights on practices to date in integrating gender in the curriculum in the HE sector. The session will be followed by audience Q&A.			1500
‘Integrating the gender dimension into teaching, learning and educational outreach in initial teacher education’	Co-investigator	The Gender Equality Taskforce1, states that HEIs have a responsibility to ensure that all their graduates are gender-aware and in particular ITE providers have a responsibility to educate teachers who greatly influence the society of the future. Pre-service teachers receive little if any specific training on the impact of gender in the classroom. As a result, educators lack knowledge around gender identity diversity . There is also a significant gender imbalance across teachers working in the Irish education system, specifically at primary level. Therefore, it is pertinent that teachers are educated in how gender influences teaching, the curriculum, and the lives of students in the classroom and how to minimise gender bias in their teaching practices . For this to be realised in the Irish education system, we need to begin with teacher educators and ensure that the above-mentioned areas are explored across all subject areas and across all levels in ITE, in-order for coherent systemic change to be achieved.			19000
Contested Childhoods across Borders and Boundaries: A North-South Comparative Study	Collaborator / Researcher	This project addresses a significant void in the literature on the under-researched topic of the history of early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Ireland. The research aims to map out and critically analyse potential variations in the developmental pathways taken by ECEC north and south of the border post-partition in Ireland. It will trace the journey from the 1908 Children’s Act and explore the Child-State relationship North and South to the present day. We are particularly interested in issues of children's voice and agency, and constructions of childhood. We wish to examine the shift in thinking from the very progressive ideals evident in the first democratic programme of the government in the Irish Free State towards the education system that subsequently emerged. It will also explore the parallel journey north of the border.	01/06/2019	30/06/2020

Book

	Year	Publication
	2022	O'Keeffe, S. (2022) Masculinities and Teaching in Primary Schools. Exploring the Lives of Irish Male Teachers. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Book Chapter

	Year	Publication
	2021	O'Keeffe, S. (2021) 'Artificial boundaries? Shaping policy through empowering research' In: Recruiting and Educating the Best Teachers: Policy, Professionalism and Pedagogy. Netherlands : Brill Publishers.
	2020	O'Keeffe, S. (2020) 'Quality Teachers and Quality Teacher Education Exploring Wellbeing, Gender and Job Satisfaction' In: Studies on Quality Teachers and Quality In-service Teacher Education. Warsaw : Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE) Publications. [Link] [DOI]

Peer Reviewed Journal

	Year	Publication
	2021	O’Toole L.;McClelland D.;Forde D.;O'Keeffe S.;Purdy N.;Säfström C.A.;Walsh T. (2021) 'Contested childhoods across borders and boundaries: Insights from curriculum provisions in Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in the 1920s'. British Educational Research Journal, 47 (4):1021-1038. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3708
	2022	O’Keeffe S. (2022) 'Masculinities and Non-human Bodies'. Palgrave Studies In Gender And Education, :61-69. [DOI]
	2021	Biesta G.;Heugh K.;Cervinkova H.;Rasiński L.;Osborne S.;Forde D.;Wrench A.;Carter J.;Säfström C.A.;Soong H.;O’Keeffe S.;Paige K.;Rigney L.I.;O’Toole L.;Hattam R.;Peters M.A.;Tesar M. (2021) 'Philosophy of education in a new key: publicness, social justice, and education; a South-North conversation'. Educational Philosophy and Theory, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2022	O’Keeffe S. (2022) 'Conclusion'. Palgrave Studies In Gender And Education, :81-90. [DOI]
	2022	O’Keeffe S. (2022) 'Introduction'. Palgrave Studies In Gender And Education, :1-19. [DOI]
	2022	O’Keeffe S. (2022) 'Identities at Work: The Staffroom, Playground, and School Environment'. Palgrave Studies In Gender And Education, :21-34. [DOI]
	2022	O’Keeffe S. (2022) 'Emotions and Reshaping Masculinities'. Palgrave Studies In Gender And Education, :39-56. [DOI]
	2022	O’Keeffe S. (2022) 'Connecting Power, Emotions, and Materiality Through Data Analysis'. Palgrave Studies In Gender And Education, :73-80. [DOI]
	2021	O'Keeffe, S (2021) 'Artificial boundaries? Shaping policy through empowering research'. Irish Educational Studies, . [DOI]
	2017	(2017) 'How do you teach like a man?'. Intouch Magazine, .
	2017	(2017) 'EQUALITY, INCLUSION AND OPPORTUNITY: CONTEMPORARY IRISH SCHOOLS AND MODERN MASCULINITIES'. European Journal Of Education Studies, . [DOI]
	2017	(2017) 'Doing Feminist Research: The Interview as Method'. Sage Research Methods Cases, . http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526403889
	2016	(2016) 'What are male teachers' understandings of masculinities?- An exploration of sex, bodies, and gender in Irish primary schools'. Palgrave Communications, . [DOI]
	2020	O'Keeffe, S;Skerritt, C (2020) 'Exploring teacher identity using poststructural tools'. International Journal of Research and Method in Education, . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2019	Ring, E.; O'Sullivan, L.; O'Keeffe, S.; Ferris, F. and Wall, E. (2019) 'Transforming the Lives of Early Childhood Teachers, Autistic Children and their Families: Findings and Recommendations from an Evaluation of a Programme of Continuing Professional Development'. The Adult Learner, . [Full-Text]
	2018	O'Keeffe, S (2018) 'Experiences of care labour, gender and work for men who teach young children'. Palgrave Communications, 4 . [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2018	O'Keeffe S.;Deegan J. (2018) 'Gendered positionality among Irish male primary teachers: the staff room as a site of performative masculinity'. Irish Educational Studies, 37 (3):373-389. [DOI] [Full-Text]
	2016	O'Keeffe S. (2016) 'What are male teachers’ understandings of masculinities?—An exploration of sex, gender and bodies in Irish primary schools'. Palgrave Communications, 2 . [DOI] [Full-Text]

Other Journal

	Year	Publication
	2017	O'Keeffe, S. (2017) 'How do you teach like a man?' Irish National Teachers Organisation Magazine, (168) :52-53. [Full-Text]
	2014	O'Keeffe, S. (2014) 'Why the decline in male primary school teachers?' Irish National Teachers Organisation Magazine, (148) :43-44. [Full-Text]

Conference Publication

	Year	Publication
	2017	O'Keeffe, S. (2017) Academic International Conference on Multidisciplinary Studies and Education . In: Dr. Ramandeep Kaur Chhina eds. *HOW DO YOU TEACH LIK E A MAN? POLITICS AN D PERCEPTIONS OF MEN WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN* London, [Link]

Conference Contribution

	Year	Publication
	2021	O'Keeffe, S. and McClelland, D. (2021) Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Contesting lingering gendered attitudes about childhood Online, 28/11/2021-02/12/2021.
	2021	O'Keeffe, S. (2021) Sociological Association of Ireland: ATOMISED SOLIDARITIES: TOGETHER / APART 2021 'Bodily Boundaries: Irish male primary school teachers’ understandings of their gendered positionality in contemporary primary schools’ Online, .
	2019	O'Keeffe, S. (2019) Education in Times of Change, Choice and Challenge ESAI Conference 2019 Radisson Blu Hotel, Sligo, Ireland, 11/04/2019-13/04/2019.
	2019	O'Keeffe, S. (2019) QUALITY TEACHERS AND QUALITY TEACHER EDUCATION: RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE TEPE Conference 2019 Poland, 16/05/2019-18/05/2019.
	2018	O'Keeffe, S. (2018) ‘Recruiting and Educating the Best Teachers: Policy, Professionalism and Pedagogy’ 2018 TEPE Conference Braga, Portugal, 17/05/2018-19/05/2018.
	2018	O'Keeffe, S. (2018) 'The Dreams, Possibilities, and Necessity of Public Education' 2018 AERA Annual Meeting New York, USA, 13/04/2018-17/04/2018.
	2017	O'Keeffe, S. (2017) Tidy Binaries vs. Prolific Paradigms: The Reimagining of Teacher Education Research 2017 ESAI Conference University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, 20/04/2017-22/04/2017.
	2017	O'Keeffe, S. (2017) Do opposites subtract? Connecting Irish male teachers' voices to school innovation and change 6th Annual Research Conference Kilkenny Education Centre, Kilkenny, Ireland, 14/10/2017-14/10/2017.
	2017	O'Keeffe, S. (2017) ‘Education for All: Issues for Teacher Education’ 2017 TEPE Conference Limerick, Ireland, 18/05/2017-20/05/2017.
	2016	O'Keeffe, S. (2016) From Hero to Zero: Male Teachers Navigate the Modern Irish Educational Landscape 2016 ESAI Conference Raddison Blu Hotel, Galway, Ireland, 31/03/2016-02/04/2016.
	2015	O'Keeffe, S. (2015) Why the decline of male teachers in Irish primary schools? 4th Annual Limerick Postgraduate Research Conference Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Ireland, 28/05/2015-28/05/2015.

Published Report

	Year	Publication
	2019	Ring, E.; O'Sullivan, L.; O'Keeffe, S.; Ferris, F. and Wall, E. (2019) An Evaluation of 'Teach Me As I Am' Early Years Programme. Centre for Early-Childhood Research at Mary Immaculate College (CERAMIC) Limerick, .

Educational Article

	Year	Publication
	2020	O'Keeffe, S. (2020) How to teach children about feminism. Online at: https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/1123/1179902-how-to-teach-children-about-feminism/: EDARTCL [Link]

Case

	Year	Publication
	2019	O'Keeffe, S. (2019) Using a Voice-Centred Relational Method of Data Analysis to Study Male Teachers’ Daily Experiences. London: CASE [Link] [DOI]
	2017	O'Keeffe, S. (2017) The Interview As Method: Doing Feminist Research. London: CASE [Link]
	2018	O'Keeffe, S. (2018) The Interview and Social Relations: Exploring How Gender Shapes the Research Process. London: CASE http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526430748

Professional Associations

Description	Function	From / To
Sociological Association of Ireland (SAI)	Member	-
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Association	Member	-
International Sociological Association	Member	01/06/2020 - 31/12/2023
American Educational Research Association (AERA)	Member	-
The Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI)	Member	-

Honors and Awards

Date	Title	Awarding Body
01/01/2017	John Coolahan Research Support Framework	Teaching Council of Ireland
01/05/2022	John Coolahan Research Support Bursary	Teaching Council
01/10/2015	MIC Postgraduate Award	University of Limerick (Mary Immaculate College)

Committees

Committee	Function	From / To
Research and Ethics Committee	Member	03/12/2018 - 06/12/2020
Departmental Doctoral Programme Committee	Committee member	-
Faculty of Social Science Ethics Committee	Nominee for the Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education	03/02/2019 - 03/03/2021

Employment

	Employer	Position	From / To
	Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick	Lecturer	03/10/2016 - 28/09/2018
	National University of Ireland Maynooth		-

Education

Institution	Qualification	Subject
University of Cambridge: Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)	Certificate of Participation	An introduction to international development: understanding contemporary issues and themes
Yoga Therapy Ireland	Children's Yoga Teacher (Recognised by Yoga Alliance)	Wellbeing
Mary Immaculate College
Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley	Certification of participation	The Science of Happiness

Languages

	Language	Reading	Writing	Speaking
	Irish-Gaeilge	Functional	Functional	Functional
	English	Fluent	Fluent	Fluent

Other Activities

	Description
	Reviewer of academic education journals
	External Examiner, Sociology of Education (2020-Present)
	Education Board Member

Outreach Activities

	Description
	This project, Leadership Clusters Initiative for Schools, is an initiative of the Department of Education and Skills and is being co-ordinated by the Centre for School Leadership (CSL). My role is to build the school's networks and to support their initiatives.

Teaching Interests

Sociology of Education
Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education
Education Department

Social, Personal and Health Education (S.P.H.E.)
Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education

Personal and Professional Student Teacher Learning (P.P.S.T.L.)
Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education

Behaviour Management workshops
Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education

Recent Students

	Graduation date	Name	Degree
	2020	Sarah Kavanagh
	2019	Aoife Hession
	2019	Lucy Brannock

Research

Undergraduate Studies

Postgraduate Studies

International

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