Let's Talk About Sociology of Education
Dr. Melanie Ní Dhuinn, a Senior Lecturer in Education at Marino Institute of Education, hosts this podcast exploring the Sociology of Education. She interviews researchers, academics, social justice activists, and practitioners to demystify sociological theories and connect them to real-world practice. Originally developed for student teachers, the podcast has expanded to a broader audience. Season two continues the conversation with new episodes.
Episodes
S2 Episode Fifteen: Dr. Anne Marie Kavanagh "Decolonising the curriculum: Creating a more inclusive, diverse, and critically-engaged approach to education"
In this episode I chat to Anne Marie Kavanagh (PhD, FHEA). Anne Marie’s episode is called Decolonising the curriculum: Creating a more inclusive, diverse, and critically-engaged approach to education. We discuss the concept of decolonizing the curriculum and its importance in creating a more inclusive and diverse educational approach and Anne Marie explains that decolonizing involves questioning w
S2 Episode Fourteen: Dr. Alison Egan "Navigating the Third Space in Higher Education Institutions"
In this episode I speak to Dr. Alison Egan in an episode entitled Navigating the Third Space in Higher Education Institutions where we discuss the concept of the "third space" in higher education, which is the juxtaposition of academic and administrative roles. Alison Egan, PhD is a Director of IT & eLearning at Marino Institute of Education, Dublin, Ireland since 2008. Her research interests are
S2 Episode Thirteen: Niall Mulpeter "From Policy to Practice: Enacting Values in Publicly Managed Schools through Communities of Practice and Professional Learning Communities"
In this episode I speak to Niall Mulpeter in an episode entitled From Policy to Practice: Enacting Values in Publicly Managed Schools through Communities of Practice and Professional Learning Communities. Niall is an Educational Policy and Development Officer with Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and a final-year PhD scholar at the University of Limerick School of Education. With over
S2 Episode Twelve: Professor Dympna Devine "What has social justice got to do with pedagogy?"
In this episode I speak to Professor Dympna Devine in an episode entitled, "What has social justice got to do with pedagogy?" a title which Dympna explains was inspired by a question from a student in a module that she taught on equalities and social justice.
Professor Devine is a full Professor of Education in UCD School of Education. Her specialist field is sociology, researching at the interse
S2 Episode Eleven: Declan Qualter “Parents as partners in education: Rhetoric and reality in an era of digital and AI transformation”
Declan Qualter is the Practice Placement Supervisor for the BEd with Gaeilge and/or Modern Languages Programme in the UCD School of Education. He also teaches on the Professional Masters in Education programme. Declan is a PhD candidate in UCD, with his doctoral research focusing on parental involvement in children's home-based digital learning.
Declan's other research interests are centred on t
S2 Episode Ten: Dr. Audrey Bryan “Enduring Inequalities in Education: Whither Sociology?”
Dr. Audrey Bryan is an Associate Professor of Sociology in the School of Human Development at Dublin City University’s Institute of Education (DCU IoE). Her teaching spans a number of undergraduate as well as post-graduate programmes in the sociology of childhood, sociology of education, advanced research methods and sustainability. Her most recent research advances critical perspectives on Art
S2 Episode Nine: Highlights episode
In this episode Dr. Melanie Ní Dhuinn revisits the eight episodes released in the first half of season two.
She highlights key discussions from the first eight episodes of Season Two and recaps on topics covered, including interviews with ten experts on various education-related sociological issues. Key points include the challenges of full inclusion in education, reimagining education for margin
S2 Episode Eight: Dr. Michelle Share "Food Matters: It's not just what you eat, but where, how, and with whom"
Dr Michelle Share is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin.
She is a sociologist with extensive experience in the conduct of multi-site research and evaluation projects in child and youth settings.
She has researched and published on the role of grandparents in childcare provision; children and parents who use intellectual disability services; educational a
S2 Episode Seven: Dr. Michael Hallissy Digital Education – Trusting teachers to make informed decisions to best meet the needs of their learners
Michael is a former primary school teacher who has over 25 years’ experience working in the field of digital education. He developed his interest in digital education in the early 1980s as an undergraduate student teacher in Marino by experimenting with the college’s newly acquired Apple Macintosh computer. His first research project focused on the use of a BBC Micro in Irish primary schools in th
S2 Episode Six: Deirdre Hogan and Dr. Joanne O’ Flaherty “Ubuntu Voices: Exploring possible futures for Global Citizenship Education”
Deirdre Hogan is co-ordinator of the Ubuntu Network, an Irish Aid funded strategic partnership that supports the integration of Global Citizenship Education into post primary Initial Teacher Education in Ireland. She has held this role since 2006 and her work centres on building capacity of educators to critically explore and engage with key global development issues of our time. Deirdre holds a D
S2 Episode Five: Learning as an emotional practice: emotion in the sociology of education
My guest in this episode is Dr. Roland Tormey.
Roland is a sociologist and learning scientist, researching and teaching on engineering education in EPFL, Switzerland. Prior to 2011, he worked in teacher education and in curriculum development in Ireland. His recent research focuses on diversity and equality issues in learning, on the role of emotion in science and engineering learning, and on en
S2 Episode Four: Schools as sites of tension and contradiction
Professor Gerry Jeffers’ experience as an educator has been wide ranging.
In his twenties, he taught in a school in Kenya, East Africa. That experience shaped much of his subsequent work as a teacher, guidance counselor, school leader, national coordinator of the support service for Transition Year, lecturer in the Education Department at Maynooth University and as a writer.
In the 1980s, Gerry ed
S2 Episode Three: Professor Jacquelynne Boivin and Professor Sheena Rancher
“Irish Classrooms Opening American Minds to New Aspects of Social Justice Education.”
Dr. Jacquelynne Anne Boivin is an Assistant Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA, USA, where she supervises student teachers, mentors honors thesis projects, and teaches math methods to elementary teacher candidates and seminars on deconstructi
S2 Episode Two: Professor Michael Shevlin "Reimagining Education for Young Marginalised People"
Michael is Professor in Inclusive Education and Director of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Trinity College Dublin. His teaching and research have focused on facilitating the inclusion of children and young people with special educational needs within mainstream schools, promoting the voice of marginalised people within decision making processes that affect their li
S2 Episode One: Professor Joanne Banks "All means all, but does it?"
Joanne is a lecturer and researcher in inclusive education at the School of Education in Trinity College Dublin. Joanne worked for over a decade in education research in the Economic and Social Research Institute on education research before moving to Trinity. She has a PhD in History from University College Dublin, and a degree in Geography and Sociology from Trinity College Dublin. Her research
Season 2 Trailer
Dr. Melanie Ní Dhuinn is a Senior Lecturer in Education in Marino Institute of Education and previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education in the School of Education in Trinity College and Director of the Professional Master of Education in Hibernia College. She is a qualified post-primary teacher (Physical Education and Gaeilge) and now works across primary and post-primary tea
Episode Seventeen Professor Andrew Loxley “Mucky Pictures, Visual Sociology”
My guest in this, the final episode of the ‘Let’s Talk About Sociology of Education’ podcast is Professor Andrew Loxley from the School of Education in Trinity College, Dublin. Andrew is the Director for undergraduate programmes in School of Education and he is also the Director of the Doctor of Education programme in Trinity. Andrew is one of the many colleagues I work with in the School of Educa
Episode Sixteen Dr. Rose Dolan, “One Step Beyond: Sociology and the three capitals”
My guest in this episode is Dr. Rose Dolan, Associate Professor and Teacher Educator in the Department of Education in Maynooth University. Rose led the postgraduate initial teacher education programme from 2003 to 2016 in Maynooth University and is currently the programme leader of the Doctor of Education programme in and she also leads the the Teacher Education strands on the M.Ed and the Doctor
Episode Fifteen: Dr. Kathryn Will and Dr. Robin D Johnson “The Importance of Social and Emotional Learning for Teachers: Impact on Learning Communities”
My guests in this episode are Dr. Kathryn Will, Assistant Professor of Literacy education in the University of Maine, Farmington in the USA and Dr. Robin D. Johnston, who is Associate Professor and field based experience coordinator, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, USA. I was very fortunate to meet both Kathryn and Robin a couple of years ago at the Clinical Fellows symposium in the States a
Episode Fourteen: Professor A.Lin Goodwin “Beliefs, Diversity and Social Justice for new teachers”
My guest in this episode is Professor A. Lin Goodwin. Professor Goodwin is Dean of the Faculty of Education in the University of Hong Kong and was previously the Evenden Professor of Education in Teachers College, Columbia. She is a renowned teacher education expert globally and has researched and published broadly on many aspects of teacher education and related topics. Lin’s research interests i
Episode Thirteen: Ms Chrisdina O’Neill “Dedication for Education”
My guest in this episode is Ms. Chrisdina O’Neill. Chrisdina is a Newly Qualified Teacher, a graduate of the Professional Master of Education (PME) initial teacher education (ITE) programme in the School of Education, University College Cork and she is very proud of her identity as a member of the Travelling community. Chrisdina has been teaching as a newly qualified teacher in her induction year
Episode Twelve: Mr. Alex Murphy “The Student Becomes the Teacher”
My guest in this episode is Mr. Alex Murphy. Alex is a Newly Qualified Teacher and a graduate of the Professional Master of Education (PME) initial teacher education (ITE) programme in the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin Alex has been teaching as a newly qualified teacher in his Induction Year in an Educate Together post-primary school in Dublin. His PME research was supervised by Dr.
Episode Eleven: Dr. Aimie Brennan “Challenges for Teacher Educators within the Sociology of Education modules”
My guest in this episode is Dr. Aimie Brennan. Aimie is a lecturer in Education Policy and Practice and a Teacher Educator in Marino Institute of Education where she teaches Research Methods and also teaches on the Education Studies programme and the BEd programme. Prior to working in Marino Institute of Education, Aimie spent five years teaching in Mary Immaculate College and has taught Sociology
Episode Ten: Dr. Maria Campbell, St Angela’s College, Sligo “Sociology and Education-positioning in the everyday”
My guest in this episode is Dr. Maria Campbell. Maria is a lecturer and teacher educator in the School of Education in St. Angela’s College in Sligo http://www.stangelas.nuigalway.ie/ where she teaches Sociology of Education (and other modules) and is Director of Graduate programmes. She is also the Southern co-chair of SCoTENS 2019-2022 and is a member of the Ubuntu Assembly (embedding Developmen
Episode Nine: Dr. Rory Mc Daid and Dr. Garret Campbell, Marino Institute of Education, “Interrogating the Role of Migrant Teachers and Irish Education”
My guests in this episode are Dr. Rory McDaid and Dr. Garret Campbell from Marino Institute of Education. Dr. Campbell is the project manager for the Migrant Teacher project https://twitter.com/MTPteacher in Marino Institute of Education and he is also the chief executive of Global Schoolroom. Dr. McDaid is the Migrant Teacher project coordinator and he is a senior lecturer in Sociology of Educati
Episode Eight: Dr. Gavin Murphy, TCD, Dr. Declan Fahie, UCD and Bella Fitzpatrick, Shout Out. “LGBTQI+ Issues in Education”
My guests in this episode are Dr. Gavin Murphy, Dr. Declan Fahie and Bella
Fitzpatrick.
Dr. Gavin Murphy is an Assistant Professor in Education in the School of Education
in Trinity College Dublin. As a post primary school teacher Gavin worked as a
languages teacher. He was introduced to Sociology of Education both during his
initial teacher education and before that, while studying languages, wh
Episode Seven: Professor Aileen Kennedy “Social justice in ITE… moving from aspiration to enactment”
My guest in this episode is Professor Aileen Kennedy. Professor Kennedy is Professor of Practice in Teacher Education and Director of Teacher Education in the School of Education at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. She graduated as a primary teacher and having taught for six years in Clydebank moved on to become the first ever Professional Officer at the General teaching Council
Episode Six: Dr. Dylan Scanlon “ ‘Doing' curriculum policy work and the role of teacher agency in that 'doing’ ”
My guest in this episode is Dr. Dylan Scanlon. Dylan is a member of staff in the Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS) department in the University of Limerick, he also works with the National Student Engagement Programme (NSTEP) and the National Forum. Dylan completed his PhD research in the PESS department in the University of Limerick under the supervision of Professor Ann Mac Phail and
Episode Five: Rachel O’ Connor “Inextricable link between home and school- how identifying inequality can lead to greater equity and the role the school plays in that”
My guest this episode is Rachel O Connor. Rachel is Principal in Ramsgrange Community School in Co. Wexford since 2013. Rachel is also Vice President of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), she works as a leadership associate with the Professional Development Support Team (PDST) and is also a mentor for newly appointed principals with the Centre for School Leadershi
Episode Four: Tracie Tobin “Social experiences of a primary school principal of a DEIS Band 1 infant school in Limerick City over a period of 21 years”
My guest in this episode is Tracie Tobin. Tracie is Principal of St Michael’s Infant School in Limerick City. She graduated from Mary Immaculate College in 1996 with a
B.Ed. degree and in 2008 with a Graduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs.She is particularly interested in the Maths Recovery Programme and completed a
Master’s in Education on this topic in 2009.
Tracie is dedicated to educat
Episode Three: “Inequalities in student experiences and outcomes” Professor Emer Smyth, ESRI
My guest in this podcast episode is Professor Emer Smyth, Emer is a Research Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). She is Co-Principal Investigator of Growing Up in Ireland (GUI), together with Dorothy Watson, and joint research area coordinator for education.
Her main research interests centre on education, school to work transitions, gender and comparative methodology.
Episode Two: “Social experiences - Disabled students - Initial Teacher Education” Dr. Vivian Rath
My guest in this podcast episode is Dr. Vivian Rath. Vivian is an adjunct teaching fellow in Trinity College Dublin and recently completed his Ph.D on the “social engagement experiences of disabled students in higher education in Ireland”. He obtained a Master’s in management from Smurfit Business School where he researched the employment of graduates with disabilities. He is a member of the Irish
Episode One: “Introducing your Sociological Imagination” (Mills) Dr. Shelli-Ann Garland
My guest in this podcast episode is Dr. Shelli-Ann Garland. Shelli-Ann is a teaching fellow in the School of Education in Trinity College Dublin and a research assistant on the @DEEPEN project Her research interests include Sociology and Foundations of Education, Educational Stratification, Teacher Education, Lifelong Learning and Volunteer Leadership.
In this episode Shelli-Ann introduces some
1: Trailer
This podcast includes interviews between Dr. Melanie Ní Dhuinn, an Assistant Professor in Teacher Education in Trinity College Dublin and leading researchers, academics, school principals, social justice activists, teachers and policymakers as they talk about the Sociology of Education and how it looks in day to day reality in its many forms and guises.
The podcast has been developed as a resou
Recommended
Newstalk Daily
OTB Football
Three Castles Burning
You haven't heard this music podcast
Dave Clarke's White Noise
Drivetime
America 2026: A World Cup podcast
RHISE: Real History in Simple English (B2-C1, Irish)
Blúiríní Béaloidis Folklore Podcast
The Audiobook Club
Tables of the Law and The Adoration of the Magi
Humorously Dull History for Sleep
