Stephen O'Brien

ORCID no. 0000-0002-7629-9438

Further, Adult and Community, Training (FACET)

Global Citizenship Education (GCE)

Educational Policy Studies

Curriculum and Assessment Theory and Practice

Social Inclusion and the Theory of Social Capital

Research Methodology

Critical Narrative Inquiry

Philosophy of Education

Theories of Learning 

Sep 2006 – Present: Senior Lecturer in Education. I have recently led out, as Programme Director, on a new (level 9) Postgraduate Diploma in Further, Adult and Community Education (PDFACE) programme - see https://www.ucc.ie/en/ace-pdface/. This exciting partnership between the School of Education and Adult Continuing Education (ACE) provides for, uniquely in the history of UCC and Cork, an innovative Further Education and Training (FET) teacher qualification (it also provides a platform for further pathway programmes and international research cohort developments). The PDFACE programme has been professionally accredited by the Teaching Council of Ireland.

Sep 2002 - Sep 2006: Acting Director (2005-2006) and Senior Researcher (2002-2006) at the Centre for Adult Continuing Education, UCC.

Sep 2001 - Sep 2002: Lecturer in Cork College of Commerce, in University College Cork and in Cork Institute of Technology.

Jan 1998 - Aug 2001: Bristol University PhD Scholarship.

Sep 1991 - Jan 1998: Post-primary school teacher (Mathematics) and Head of First Year in St. Bonaventure's School, East London.

Third Level Education: (Jan 1998 - Aug 2001) PhD in Educational Policy and Management from the University of Bristol; (1994-1996) MEd in Educational Policy and Management from Goldsmiths College, University of London; (1990-1991) HDE (Higher Diploma in Education) from University College Cork; (1987-1990) BA (Honours) in Economics and Mathematics from University College Cork.

My learning and teaching interests include:

Further, Adult and Community, and Training (FACET) - particularly the philosophy of adult education

Learning theory and practice - particularly the philosophy and practice of critical pedagogy

Curriculum and Assessment - policy, theory and practice

Inclusive multicultural education - particularly engaging methodological strategies in the classroom

Global Citizenship Education - and how to apply its key prinicples and values in the Post-primary and Further Education classrooms 

Educational policy and practice - particularly, ideological change forces on teachers' work culture

Mathematics education - with particular focus on the impact of different forms of cultural literacy

Social inclusion - with specific focus on more equitable forms of educational provision

Research methodology - critical narrative inquiry and critical ethnography; seminar/individual supports e.g., connections between research purpose, theory and methodological considerations

Contemporary issues in education e.g., critical analysis and impact of the learning outcomes movement; critiquing Neoliberal effects/affects in educational policy and practice