Research

CASTeL’s research priorities are:

1

Evidence based research in STEM curriculum, pedagogy and learning

2

Inquiry and innovation in STEM education practices and policies at all levels

3

Science and mathematics initial teacher education

4

Practitioner research and continuing professional development in STEM education

e^4 (tools in higher Education for and Embodied and creative Energy Education

This Erasmus plus project is aimed at supporting primary and second level Initial Teacher Education in raising awareness of possible solutions and measures needed to address global challenges posed by climate change. In particular the project will focus on energy solutions, energy and the environment and energy and society.
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2022 - 2025

Cliona Murphy, Margaret Leahy, Greg Smith

Remote Inquiries in Science Education (RISE)

The ERASMUS+ project Remote Inquiries in Science Education (RISE) directly supports science teachers carrying out experimental investigations under remote conditions. Results of the project will also be applicable in other remote learning conditions e.g. supporting pupils’ with long-term illness. Online professional learning opportunities will be offered to support teachers in enhancing their knowledge and…
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2021 - 2023

Eilish McLoughlin, Paul Grimes, James Lovatt

Climate, Our Oceans and Primary STEM Education: Climate and Ocean Literacy Network Ireland and Mauritius (COLNIM) Project

This research project, funded by the Irish Research Council (New Foundations) is part of a larger project, which seeks to develop a transnational network for collaboration on climate and ocean literacy), and mobilise climate change education (CCE) expertise and resources within two island states, Republic of Ireland and Mauritius. This current research project is…
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2021 - 2022

Cliona Murphy, Benjamin Mallon

Supporting Transitions Across Mathematics and Physics Education (STAMPEd)

This ERASMUS+ project is focused on Supporting Transitions Across Mathematics and Physics Education. Transitions in education can provide several challenges for both students and teachers. Between the ages of 10 and 16 students undertake several transitions in their school lives. These include transitions across school systems (e.g. primary level to second level), transitions between…
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2020 - 2023

Paul Grimes, Eilish McLoughlin

Maths4All.ie

Maths4All.ie, funded by SFI Discover, is a website designed for and with teachers. It contains activity plans, continuous professional development materials and video clips based on activities carried out in Irish primary and preschool classes.
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2019 - 2024

Siún Nic Mhuirí; Thérèse Farrell, Córa Gillic, Lorraine Harbison, Mary Kingston, Miriam Ryan, Aisling Twohill

ENERGE – Energizing Education to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

With the aging of the existing post-primary school building stock (new schools/deep retro-fits can take years from planning to completion) there is a need for low-cost solutions that enable long-term resource efficiency in schools & reduced greenhouse gas emission (GHG). EU building energy directives & climate actions to 2020 & 2030 underpin this necessity.
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2019 - 2022

Eilish McLoughlin, Suzan Gunbay

Assessment of Transversal Skills in STEM (ATSSTEM)

Assessment of Transversal Skills in STEM (ATSSTEM) is an innovative policy experimentation project  being conducted across 8 EU countries and involving a partner network of 12 educational institutions. ATS STEM aims to provide teachers and students with efficient and necessary digital assessment approaches in development of second level students’ transversal skills in STEM (Science, Technology,…
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2019 - 2022

Eamon Costello, Eilish McLoughlin, Deirdre Butler, Mark Brown, Michael O’Leary

Let’s Talk about STEM

Let’s Talk about STEM is a pilot project, funded by Science Foundation Ireland, and led by DCU’s Institute of Education in conjunction with the Centre for the Advancement of STEM Teaching & Learning (CASTeL) in DCU.
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2019 - 2020

Sinead McNally, Eilish McLoughlin, Odilla Finlayson, Cliona Murphy

Characterising and building capacities for teaching mathematical problem-solving

In this project, we are studying the development of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required by post-primary mathematics teachers to teach mathematical problem solving. The subjects of the study are pre-service mathematics teachers (PSMTs) in DCU, and the context is a module on mathematical thinking – with an emphasis on problem solving. Drawing on…
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2018 - 2022

Brien Nolan, Emma Owens

Improving Gender Balance

Improving Gender Balance is a pilot project designed to address issues around gender and physics in schools. It seeks to take a holistic approach to changing students’ experience with physics in order to encourage more students, especially girls, to choose to take it.
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2017

Eilish McLoughlin, Deirdre O’Neill, Georgina Fagan

Sustainability Education

This Education project is aimed at supporting primary school teachers from Ireland, Germany, USA and Mexico to effectively teach about sustainability. The project will involve 80 primary school teachers from the four countries participating in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme, based on competencies-oriented sustainability education (Wiek et al., 2011).
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2017

Dr. Cliona Murphy, Dr Greg Smith & Dr Orla Kelly

Enhancing Student Engagement through the Outdoor Spaces and the St Patrick’s Campus Community Garden (SPCCG)

This project aims to further develop the existing community garden on the DCU St Patrick’s Campus and to develop the use of outdoor spaces as a resource to enhance student engagement. This builds on the work on outdoor learning which the students experience across a number of modules and programmes. This project is led…
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2017

Orla Kelly, Dr. Susan Pike