Fiona Bailey

Fiona completed her Master’s Degree in Global Development Studies at Kimmage Manor Development Studies Centre, Dublin and conducted research for her Master’s thesis in Ecuador, South America. She has considerable research experience, having conducted two research projects, one related to development education, at Mary Immaculate College. Fiona spent three years working in development projects with rural communities in Guatemala, Central America. She has also worked in community development projects in Ireland.

Research Topic:

Fiona plans to carry out research for her Ph.D. on ‘Teacher Education Partnerships and their Location within Global Development Discourse and Theory’. This study will explore the impacts of partnerships in North South teacher education development, particularly in relation to the development of education and teacher education initiatives and practices appropriate to the African context.  The case studies which have been selected for this research are; the Centre for Global Development through Education (CGDE) & the Zambian Irish Teacher Education Partnership (ZITEP).  Both case studies actively promote ‘partnership’ as a strategy for achieving their principal objectives of North South teaching and teacher education development.  Partnership has now become an accepted way of operating within the spheres of political, economic, local, national and international development.  This study will explore models of partnership in education in the context of the two proposed teacher education case studies.

Deirdre O’Rourke

Deirdre O’Rourke is a graduate of NUI Galway in English and Social and Political Studies. She went on to complete a Master of Art’s degree in Peace and Development Studies at the University of Limerick. In 2005 she joined Mary Immaculate College (MIC)  as Project Officer on the “Educating the Development Educators” project. In 2007 she took up the position of Development and Intercultural Education (DICE) Lecturer at MIC. She has spent time in Ghana, the Gambia and Zambia. While her current role is lecturing based, it also encompasses the organisation of final year B.Ed students on teaching placements in Africa.

Research Topic:

The working title for Deirdre’s research is ‘A narrative inquiry into the experiences which comprise the ‘instigating force’ that motivates teachers who engage in Development Education in the classroom.’ This study explores what it is that carries practicing teachers across ‘the Rubicon’ from merely interested to engaged, in integrating Development Education into the classroom. The aspect of motivation the study will focus on is the instigation force, that which initiates action, as distinct from the motivation that sustains interest in said action. The research will explore both the personal and professional experiences which comprise the ‘instigating force’. It seeks to develop new understandings and insights into the motivation of those engaged in Development Education.  The research will use a grounded theory approach, coupled with a narrative inquiry methodology. The study will contribute to the development of knowledge in the area Development Education.