A qualified primary school teacher from Doneraile, Co Cork has been granted a scholarship by the Irish Research Council to complete her PhD research project in education.
Louise Curtin is in her third and final year of her doctoral research, which examines how primary schools allocate Special Education Teachers.
She hopes that by unearthing the benefits and challenges of the current system of allocation, her research can be used to inform future policy decisions.
“I was delighted to hear I’d been granted the scholarship,” Ms Curtin said. “It’s a very prestigious award and I think it’s a recognition of the value of my research.”
Ms Curtin graduated from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick in 2017 and returned the following year to undertake her PhD.
Commenting on her research, Louise said: “Data from this study will offer an insight into how teachers, as the key stakeholders in the implementation of government policy in schools, apply this needs-based model on the ground. Therefore, the findings of my research will hopefully enhance our understanding of current inclusive education policy and help to inform the field, nationally and internationally, in the evolution of inclusive education policy and practice.”
“This funding will benefit me greatly as it will enable me to conduct my research in a timely fashion, while my research topic is current and relevant.”
Ms Curtin’s research project is one of nearly 300 projects to have been awarded €21 million in funding under the programme nationally.
Another County Cork woman, Geraldine Brassil of Ballyhea, was also granted a scholarship for her research into female Irish writers of the 19th century.
