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Ann Higgins graduated from Mary Immaculate College in 1980 with a B. Ed degree. She worked within the primary school sector in a DEIS band 1 school for many years. In 1985 she left classroom teaching for a number of years and set up a school-based Community Project, namely, Kileely Community Project, which is a grass roots response to the learning needs of adults and young people. This evolved into a community learning centre offering learning opportunities and support to young people and adults within the community. This project has featured in national and international publications and is the subject of Ann’s PhD, ‘My School, Your School, Our School: Celebrating the Transformation of a Primary School into a Community Learning Centre, 1985-2005’. Ann returned to teaching for a number of years and worked as a principal of a DEIS band 1 primary school before joining the staff of Mary Immaculate College in 1998 where she works as co-ordinator of the Transforming Education through Dialogue (TED) Project.
Ann has been involved in the management, design, delivery and evaluation of intervention programmes within the primary and after school sector. She has also been involved in a number of research projects including ‘How Are Our Kids?’ and as author and editor a variety of TED publications including Working Together for Positive Behaviour, Voice and Choice, and the Family, School, Community Educational Partnership report.
Ann worked as Senior Facilitator, Regeneration Programme, under SIF 2 funding between 2008 –2011. She facilitates the OSCAILT forum which is a network of the 22 DEIS band 1 schools in Limerick city, the Department of Education and Mary Immaculate College. Ann is currently finalizing the Dormant Accounts funded ‘Maximising community use of school premises and facilities’ report (in collaboration with Dr. Susan Frawley and the DES).
Ann has presented nationally and internationally. She has guest lectured at both undergraduate (across several disciplines) and post graduate level (Masters and Structured PhD programmes). Her research interests include educational disadvantage, poverty, social justice, behavior management, parental involvement in schooling, after school and out of school educational provision, literacy, community empowerment and innovation in education.
E mail: Ann.Higgins@mic.ul.ie
Phone: 061 204979
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Ruth Bourke has a B.A. in English and Media and Communication Studies (M.I.C., U.L.) and completed her Masters in Adult Education in 2004 (M.I.C., U. L.). Her master’s thesis titled ‘Learners’ experiences of adult education through socially excluded communities or groups in Limerick’ explores learner’s experiences of participation in adult and community education with member groups of the Limerick Community Education Network.
She has developed much experience in the promotion of educational inclusion across all areas of the Irish education system.
In 2004 she joined T.E.D. where her role incorporates all aspects of the project including: facilitating the Networks of schools; design and delivery of summer schools for teachers; team member of research and intervention projects and working in partnership with a wide variety of stakeholders for educational change. In 2006, she acted as coordinator of the project for a period.
Prior to T.E.D., Ruth worked with a diverse range of adult learners disenfranchised from the education system. She taught English to refugees and asylum seekers with City of Limerick V.E.C., followed by coordinating an Adult Community Education Outreach initiative in Southill, Limerick.
From 2008 – 2011, Ruth was seconded as Project Manager of Ennis Regional Learning Centre, a HEA funded outreach centre of the Shannon Consortium (an educational partnership between U.L., M.I.C., L.I.T., and I.T. Tralee). This initiative aimed to bridge the interface between further and higher education in the region to open progression pathways for adults. Ruth was involved in design, delivery and evaluation of accessible, flexible and accredited progression opportunities to third level.
Since 2006 she has guest lectured on the Graduate Diploma in Adult Education (M.I.C.) on the development of adult and community education in Ireland. Her research interests include: educational inclusion, widening participation in higher education and lifelong learning.
Phone: 061 - 774715
E mail: Ruth.bourke@mic.ul.ie |