Poster presentations of current research projects
by EPI•STEM researchers
Venue: EPI•STEM Lecture Room – A1065, Main Building
Date: Tuesday 3rd May, 13h00 -14h00, Room A1-065
followed by a talk by Dr Louise Lehane
Researcher in Science Education: EPI•STEM, University of Limerick
Tuesday 3rd May, 14h00 - 14h3o, Room A1-065, Main Building
The conversation following Dr Lehane’s talk will continue in the EPI•STEM meeting room over finger food from 14h30 to 15h00
Title of Talk:
Insights into the FP7 funded project Chain Reaction- A Sustainable Approach to Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE): Lessons learned and impacts made
Abstract:
This talk will focus on presenting an overview of the Chain Reaction project, its key objectives and how team members from EPI•STEM modified the implementation of the project to suit the landscape of science education in Ireland. This talk will also look at the experiences of an early career researcher’s involvement in working with in-service teachers and at the impacts made as well as the lessons learned from this involvement. Consideration is made towards how, in future, we can engage teachers in sustainable professional development having reflected on the lessons learned from the Chain Reaction project. This is particularly important given the changing curriculum in Ireland where teacher professional development is at the heart of the change process.
Biography:
Louise Lehane is a researcher in Science Education in EPI•STEM whose primary role involves working on the Chain Reaction project both in terms of project management and teacher professional development. Louise graduated from the University of Limerick with a BSc in Education with Biological Sciences in 2010 and embarked on a PhD focused on developing pre-service science teachers’ understandings and enactment of scientific inquiry through their involvement in a professional learning community. Louise began working in EPI•STEM midway through her PhD completion on the Chain Reaction project and has since taken up a number of additional roles, such as school placement tutor, final year project supervisor and module tutor. These roles have also served to enhance her understanding of the science education landscape in Irish post-primary schools.