Let's Talk About Sociology of Education

About Let's Talk About Sociology of Education

Dr. Melanie Ní Dhuinn is a Senior Lecturer in Education in Marino Institute of Education and previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education in the School of Education in Trinity College and Director of the Professional Master of Education in Hibernia College. She is a qualified post-primary teacher (Physical Education and Gaeilge) and now works across primary and post-primary teacher education as a Teacher Educator and a Researcher. In this podcast Melanie interviews leading researchers, academics, social justice activists, policy makers, curriculum specialists and practitioners as they talk about the Sociology of Education across the continuum of education and how it looks in everyday reality in its many forms and guises. This is season two of her podcast; “Let’s Talk About the Sociology of Education”, you can listen to season one episodes here. This podcast was developed initially as a resource to support student teachers and others working in Initial Teacher Education to try and make sense of and demystify what can be abstract and dense sociological theories and recognise them in real-time practice. The podcast has gone from strength to strength, now boasting global listenership and interest appealing to many, inside and outside the field of education. The podcast is broad ranging and covers a range of sociological perspectives, experiences and discussions including Social Justice, Equity and Equality, Disability, Inclusion,Cultural Capital, Schools and Schooling, education systems, technology in education, LGBTQI+ experiences in education, values, beliefs, gender in education, global citizenship, the family and school, emotion in sociology and much more. Tune in to learn from expert researchers, academics and practitioners as we discuss everything and anything sociological within the field of education.

Publisher

Let's Talk About Sociology of Education

Category

education · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Mar 2021

Latest episode

10 Apr 2025

Latest episodes

34 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Apr 2025

   S2 Episode Fifteen: Dr. Anne Marie Kavanagh "Decolonising the curriculum: Creating a more inclusive, diverse, and critically-engaged approach to education"

   In this episode I chat to Anne Marie Kavanagh (PhD, FHEA). Anne Marie’s episode is called Decolonising the curriculum: Creating a more inclusive, diverse, and critically-engaged approach to education. We discuss the concept of decolonizing the curriculum and its importance in creating a more inclusive and diverse educational approach and Anne Marie explains that decolonizing involves questioning what counts as knowledge and whose knowledge is centralized in the curriculum. Anne Marie is Assistant Professor in Ethical and Intercultural Education in the School of Human Development, DCU Institute of Education. She teaches and researches in the areas of ethical education, social justice education, intercultural education, climate justice education and human rights education. She is the DCU-lead on the ‘Literature Review on Intercultural Education’ funded by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, which will inform the development of revised Intercultural Education Guidelines for use across the education continuum. She is currently collaborating with partners at Newcastle University and the University of Northumbria along with Prof Audrey Bryan on a British Academy funded research project, ‘Classrooms for Climate Justice’. This action research project focuses on how teachers can be supported to incorporate climate justice perspectives into primary and post-primary education. She is an active member of the Faculty Research Committee, the Publication Action Plan sub-committee, and the Faculty Athena Swan Assessment Team. She is a member of the steering committee of the DCU Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education (CHRCE) and a member of the DCU Anti-Bullying Centre. In 2021, her first co-edited book (with Prof Fionnuala Waldron & Dr Benjamin Mallon) 'Teaching for Social Justice and Sustainable Development Across the Primary Curriculum' was published by Routledge. This volume supports educators in integrating meaningful education for social justice and sustainability across a wide range of curricular subjects at primary level. Her co-edited book ‘Beyond Single Stories: Changing Narratives for a Changing World’ was published in 2024 by Information Age Publishing and explores the importance of counter narratives to balance dominant social group stories in the curriculum and chapters feature examples of how to disrupt dominant curricular narratives and support teachers in incorporating diverse perspectives. In this podcast episode, Dr. Kavanagh emphasizes the need for small steps, such as diversifying teaching materials and including authors with diverse identities in reading materials. Anne Marie also discusses an E-Learning Module she developed for ETB school staff, to support students and families from diverse social class, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. The module addresses the value of equality and potential biases towards certain groups and includes stories that shape students' access to opportunities and successful outcomes, and the impact of biases on students and teachers. Anne Marie holds numerous leadership roles including leading DCU’s work on the Advisory Committee for the Framework for the Recognition of Qualification to Teach Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education (Educate Together & ETBI), a framework of recognition of qualification to teach ethical, multi-belief, and values education (EMBVE). The framework aims to support teacher education providers in developing programs to certify teachers qualified outside of Ireland to teach the patrons curriculum in educate together and community national schools. Anne Marie emphasizes the importance of relationships in teaching and the need to balance technological advancements with the human element of education. Anne Marie raises concerns about the ethical implications of generative AI in education, particularly regarding access and perpetuation of biases. Tune in to hear more!

2. 

   20 Mar 2025

   S2 Episode Fourteen: Dr. Alison Egan "Navigating the Third Space in Higher Education Institutions"

   In this episode I speak to Dr. Alison Egan in an episode entitled Navigating the Third Space in Higher Education Institutions where we discuss the concept of the "third space" in higher education, which is the juxtaposition of academic and administrative roles. Alison Egan, PhD is a Director of IT & eLearning at Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, Ireland since 2008.  Her research interests are focused on digital literacy; artificial intelligence, technological self-efficacy; national and international digital education policies and technology enhanced learning. She completed her PhD in 2018 at Trinity College Dublin, by conducting longitudinal quantitative research into how technology was used by pre-service teachers during their undergraduate programmes. She is Vice-President of the Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA) and Chair of the Consultative Council of Society for IT in Teacher Education (SITE), USA. She highlights the challenges for professional staff in gaining recognition and promotion and she emphasizes the importance of professional staff having both administrative and academic informed practice. Alison emphasises the importance of technology in education and the need for technological self-efficacy among pre-service teachers. She also discusses her PhD on technology use by pre-service teachers, the impact of COVID-19 on online learning, and ongoing research on technological self-efficacy and AI in education. Alison shares her career journey, starting with her initial interest in law and leading onto roles in English and French studies, her early work in a virus reference lab and subsequent roles at the Irish League of Credit Unions, Chambers of Commerce, and the Law Society, highlighting her focus on technology and training. We discuss the importance of technology in education, particularly in bridging the confidence and competence gap among pre-service teachers. Alison highlights the role of context in shaping the use of technology by teachers and the challenges faced by pre-service teachers. She explains the concept of technological self-efficacy and how it impacts the use of technology in the classroom. We discuss the importance of equity of access to technology in education, both historically and in the context of online learning. She discusses her current research interests, including technological self-efficacy measurement, AI glossary for educators, and digital competencies. Alison emphasizes the importance of critical thinking skills and digital literacy in the context of AI and technology and the role of technology in enhancing learning and the importance of providing multiple modes of delivery for learners. Alison highlights the role of technology in making education more democratic and accessible to a wider audience. Alison discusses the future of technology in education, including the potential impact of AI and the need for critical thinking skills and the importance of equity of access to technology and the role of educators in ensuring that technology is used effectively. We reflect on the rapid changes in technology and the need for educators to stay informed and adapt to new developments and the role of teachers in shaping the use of technology in education and the importance of trusting teachers to make informed decisions. Alison talks about the challenges faced by teachers in integrating technology into their teaching and the importance of providing support and emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach that involves teachers, administrators, and third space professionals in shaping educational technology. A really interesting episode that spotlights the importance of navigating the third space in Higher Education Institutions and the importance of research-informed practice and the role of third space professionals in supporting educational innovation.

3. 

   6 Mar 2025

   S2 Episode Thirteen: Niall Mulpeter "From Policy to Practice: Enacting Values in Publicly Managed Schools through Communities of Practice and Professional Learning Communities"

   In this episode I speak to Niall Mulpeter in an episode entitled From Policy to Practice: Enacting Values in Publicly Managed Schools through Communities of Practice and Professional Learning Communities. Niall is an Educational Policy and Development Officer with Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and a final-year PhD scholar at the University of Limerick School of Education. With over 20 years of experience in education, Niall’s expertise lies in Values Education, Curriculum Development, and the enactment of values-based policy in schools—areas in which he has been published. Niall explains his interest in sociology of education, focusing on educational structures, policies, and student learning, identity, and inclusion. Before joining ETBI, Niall worked as a full-time advisor with Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) and as an associate with the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), contributing to curriculum reform and teacher professional learning. A post-primary teacher of Music and Religious Education, Niall brings a deep understanding of classroom practice to his policy and research work. In his current role with ETBI, Niall has led the development of the Identity, Multi-Belief, and Values Education (IMBVE) curriculum, which articulates the values of publicly managed schools. He also supports the enactment of the ETBI Patrons' Framework on Ethos and leads several communities of practice in this space. A highly experienced teacher educator, he provides professional development for senior leaders and teachers across the ETB sector. Niall highlights his role in developing the ETBI Patrons Framework, a policy document articulating the core values of ETB schools. He also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and communities of practice in translating policy into practice. He discusses his PhD research on curriculum development and policy enactment, and his involvement in various research projects, including the Belong to Advisory Committee and the COST Action Group on Religious Identity, Bullying, and Well-being at Schools. He emphasizes the importance of translating policy into meaningful action and the role of collaboration in making policy work at the school level. Niall highlights the ETBI Patrons Framework, published in 2022, which articulates the core values of ETB schools. He discusses the role of communities of practice and professional learning communities in supporting the enactment of the framework. We discuss the challenges of implementing policies in diverse school contexts, referencing Stephen Ball's theory on policy enactment. He explains the four contexts of policy enactment: situated, professional, material, and external.He emphasizes the importance of ongoing adaptation and resource development to reflect changes in the political, economic, and social climate. Niall explains Wenger's theory of communities of practice, focusing on the domain, community, and practice dimensions and he shares his journey towards completing a PhD on curriculum development, community practice, and policy enactment under the supervision of his supervisors, Dr Joanne Flaherty and Dr Orla McCormack in University of Limerick. Niall's research focuses on the development of the Identity, Multi Beliefs, and Values Education (IMBVE) curriculum. He highlights the importance of advocacy and systematic change in supporting inclusive education policies.Niall reflects on the potential and challenges of generative AI in education, emphasizing the importance of keeping educators abreast of technological advancements. He discusses the potential of AI to personalize learning and enhance human interaction through tools like AI glasses and pens. Niall highlights the ethical considerations and the need for critical oversight to avoid widening inequalities. He concludes that AI can be a tool for inclusion but should not replace the human element in teaching, which brings empathy and collaboration.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 14 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

15

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

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