Dr Emma O'Brien
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Dr. Emma O’Brien is Director of Taught Postgraduate Studies in Education in Mary Immaculate College and is the programme co-ordinator for the Master of Education, and the Graduate Cert/Diploma and MEd of Digital Leadership in Education. This programme is the first of its kind and is focused on supporting educational leaders in the area of AI and emerging technologies. She teaches on modules in digital inclusion, digital literacies, digital pedagogies, digital infrastructure, digital leadership and research methods, all of which have a focus on current technologies, AI and emerging technologies
Emma also leads a European Erasmus + Teacher academy on supporting Digital educational leaders in the future (IDEAL Future) that is exploring human, ethical and AI competencies to facilitate holistic approaches to leadership development. She is a member of the EU advisory group for the update to the EU Competency Framework DIGCOMPEDU. She is also a member of the European Digital Education Hub squad for Ethical AI in practice which is developing Practical Materials to Support the Use of the Updated Ethical Guidelines on AI.
Emma has worked in Digital Education since 2000 having led several large-scale European research projects. Her funding income as PI amounts to €2.6 million. She has over 50 publications in the area of digital education, digital equity, AI with education and digital leadership and continues to lead in this area through her research, teaching and engagement with the educational community.
Previously she taught in the University of Limerick, TUS and NUIG on undergraduate, postgraduate and professional programmes. Emma has developed innovative curricula to support the needs of a variety of learners, particularly those requiring flexible models of learning to support them to return to education. In addition, she has supervised 125 final year undergraduate students, 46 master's students and is currently supervising 5 PhD students. In 2005 she received her PhD in Digital learning (UL)
Emma also teaches modules on research methods and dissertation for postgraduate students in MIC. She was previously co-chair of FACILITATE - the national inquiry-based learning network, external examiner for Northampton University and is currently external examiner for Napier University.
For list of research grants awarded click here
For list of publications click here
For list of publications undergoing review click here
For list of postgraduate supervision click here
For list of programmes taught on to date click here
For list of media coverage click here
Teaching
Emma currently teaches on the MEd in Digital Leadership the MEd in Educational Leadership and Management and the Master's of Education. She has previously taught on the Bachelor of Education and MEd in Leadership in Wellbeing in Education. Below is a list of modules Emma has taught on:
- EDU668 Digital Equality Diversity and Inclusion
- EDU669 Digital Pedagogies
- EDU670 Open and Distributed Leadership and Innovation
- EDU671 Digital literacies
- EDU672 Digital infrastructures
- EDU602 Principles and Practice of Research
- EDU608 Leadership and Management Portfolio
- EDU639 Research Methods 1
- EDU643 Research Methods 2
- EDU611 Developing a digital school of distinction
- EDU605 National and International Trends and Current Issues in Education
- EDU654 Dissertation 1
- EDU655 Dissertation 2
- EDU508 Enhancing your Academic Practice 1
- EDU508 Enhancing your Academic Practice 2
- EDU454 The Role the Teacher as an ICT developer
Research interests
Emma's research involves the intersection of digital education, digital literacies, digital equity, AI, digital leadership and transformation. She explores the role of all digital tools (current and emerging) in supporting contemporary pedagogies and transformation. She is predominantly interested in pedagogical approaches using technology to support the development of twenty first century skills such as entrepreneurial mind-set, information literacy and AI.
