‘The Accommodation and Representation of ‘Non-Religious’

views in Irish Primary Education, with particular reference to a

Multi-Denominational Approach.’

Supervisors: Prof. Marie Parker-Jenkins

Dr. Paul McLaughlin

Valerie Desirotte 0708283 – Structured PhD Education

Feedback from first presentation –

points to be addressed

Ontological and epistemological assumptions (slide 4)

Positionality / Reflexivity (slide 5)

Working definitions of concepts (slide 8)

Sampling criteria (slide 11)

Who and what is being observed (slide 13)

Purpose of the Study:

- to evaluate and challenge the theory of the Educate Together multicultural

ethos in relation to the representation of non-religious views;

- to assess the realities of practice, and the commitment of principals and

teachers to the teaching of non-religious views as part of the Educate Together

Ethics Curriculum.

- to determine whether Irish Primary Education, with a particular reference to a

multi-denominational model of education (Educate Together), can lead to

‘equitable’ treatment and representation of ‘non-religious’ views;

Ontology and Epistemology

Subjectivity of social reality – multiple facets - culture is not neutral (Rabinow& Sullivan 0000)

Co-creation of knowledge (participants and researchers) – interpreting phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them (Denzin and Lincoln 2011)

Research situated in time and space – specific historical and political context (Gadamer 1989)

Determinism and voluntarism - Human nature – intersubjectivity of discourse (Ricoeur 1974)

Positionality - Reflexivity

Myth of the neutral observer (Wolcott 1995)

Social and cultural background, gender and personal politics impacts

on researchers’ interpretation (Creswell 2011)

Privilege of the oppressed - universality

‘Horizon of meaning’ built on our tradition (Gadamer 1989) – pre-

condition for understanding – cannot eliminate prejudices – need to

be made explicit and transparent – pre-understanding is essential

Reflexivity – values and prejudices – role and place of participants in

research process – political and cultural forces at play (Pillow 2003)

Peer debriefing – critical friend (Lincoln and Guba 1985)

Research Questions

HOW DO PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF MULTICULTURAL AND

MULTI-DENOMINATIONAL EDUCATION IN AN EDUCATE TOGETHER SCHOOL AND THE PLACE

OF NON-RELIGIOUS VIEWS?

TO WHAT EXTENT, IN PRACTICE, ARE NON-RELIGIOUS VIEWS BEING REPRESENTED BY THE

PRINCIPAL AND THE TEACHERS AS PART OF THEIR ROLE IN UPHOLDING THE MULTI-

DENOMINATIONAL ETHOS OF EDUCATE TOGETHER?

TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE REPRESENTATION OF NON-RELIGIOUS VIEWS LINKED TO THE PRINCIPAL

AND TEACHERS’ CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND PERSONAL BELIEFS?

TO WHAT EXTENT ARE PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS AWARE OF THEIR CAPACITY FOR CHANGE

IN RELATION TO THEIR PRACTICE AND THE TEACHING OF NON-RELIGIOUS VIEWS?

‘Non Religious’ Beliefs(representation in

practice)

Principals Teachers

Conceptual Framework

Multi-Denominational education Educate Together Ethos

Ethics Curriculum

Multicultural Education in Ireland McGlynn 2009, Sen 2006, Parekh 2006

STRUCTURERules and ResourcesPower relationsGovernance/patronNormative representation in society

AGENCYActive and reflective nature of actorTransformation/preservation

HABITUS (Bourdieu 1990)

Durable system of definitionsLogic of practiceCultural capitalInstitutional Habitus

FIELD/POWERSocial SpacePower struggle

Logic of Practice

Recognitive and distributive

practices

Concepts: working definitions

‘Intercultural education’

It is education which respects, celebrates and recognises the normality of diversity in all areas of

human life. It sensitises the learner to the idea that humans have naturally developed a range of

different ways of life, customs and worldviews, and that this breadth of human life enriches us. It is

education, which promotes equality and human rights, challenges unfair discrimination, and

promotes the values upon which equality is built. (NCCA 2005, p. 3).

‘Multi-denominational’

Children of all social and cultural groups and of all religious and non-religious backgrounds [being]

equally respected’ (Educate Together 2004, p. 7).

‘Non-religious views’

No belief in a supernatural power, responsible for the creation of life in the universe

No devotional and ritual observances to supernatural powers

No adherence to a set of moral codes originating from a supernatural power through ‘rules’ or ‘law’

(positive aspects of non-religious beliefs – moral principles based on reason, shared

human values and respect for others, e.g. Humanism)

Research aims

Conduct a critical literature review on the historical, factual, conceptual and theoretical

background of this piece of research;

Undertake a document analysis of relevant documentation, specifically of the Educate

Together Ethics curriculum (e.g. ethos, online CPD courses);

To carry out school and classroom observations in Educate Together primary schools;

To obtain the perspectives of stakeholders, management and teaching staff through

individual interviews

Collect and analyse the data, ensuring ‘credibility’, ‘dependability’ and ‘confirmability’

(Creswell 2013, p. 246).

Critical Literature Review

Historical background to primary education and the overbearing influence of the

denominational patronage model, leading to the present day situation in relation to non-

religious groups;

The institutional/structural discrimination against people of no religion supported by the

State in the educational field and in general (HAI – Equality for the non-religious 2009);

Identifying the gap; prior research on the rights, place, and visibility of the ‘non-religious’

groups in primary education (Daly 2009, Lodge & Lynch 2002, Fischer 2010, 2011,

Mawhinney 2007, DCU Report 2012);

Types of Multiculturalism and education – approaches to cultural diversity (McGlynn 2009,

Sen 2006, Parekh 2006)

The multi-denominational / inter-cultural education model and its claim for equality and

integration – The Educate Together ‘Learn Together’ Ethics curriculum;

Pierre Bourdieu – ‘Habitus’ – transformation and preservation – Structure, Agency and

practice.

Design Frame: Case Study‘the intent in qualitative research is not to generalise information,but to elucidate

the particular, the specific’ (Creswell 2013)

Case study involves the ‘study of a case within a real-life contemporary context or

setting’ (Yin 2009)

Exploratory research (few prior studies – need to further understanding)

‘Multisite’ study (Creswell 2011) – 4 Primary Educate Together Schools (incl. the pilot)

Instrumental case study – actual case is used to further our understanding of a ‘bigger’

issue (Wellington 2000) – i.e. the representation of ‘non-religious’ groups in a multi-denominational

environment.

Criteria for selection – random purposeful – no prior knowledge of the schools –

geographical selection

In-depth understanding through the use of multiple forms of data gathering, i.e. document

analysis, observations, semi-structured interviews.

Weaknesses of case studies: generalizability, validity and sampling (Wellington 2000)

Data Gathering and Data Analysis

Research Methods Data Gathering (iterative process) Data Analysis

Sampling Methods/Resources

Document Analysis

Educate Together ‘Learn Together’ Ethics

Curriculum – CPD courses

Communications to schools, reports,

conferences reports, meeting notes

Schools’ internal guidelines, lesson plans,

pictures, artefacts.

Interpretive approach texts as ‘socially

situated products’, with no ‘single inner

meaning or essence’ (Wellington 2000, pp.

115-116).

Online/written/visual

Interpretative (hidden

meaning) and discourse (use

of language) analysis

Coding

Nvivo (Bazeley 2009)

Observations

3 primary schools + pilot (4)

Central area (4),

playground (4),

Classrooms - 1st to 6th class (one class per

year) - total of 24

Direct and participant observation

Visual / photos

Observation protocol form

4 sets of observational data: (Cohen &

Manion 2011, p. 466)

- notes in situ (descriptive)

- expanded notes (reflexive)

- journal notes

- record of ongoing analysis

Early coding and theme

identification - similarities,

patterns and frequencies –

ensuring conceptual

coherence (Cohen & Manion

2011, p. 468)

Manual

Nvivo

Interviews

Main stakeholders (NCCA, ESRI, Educate

Together, Atheist Ireland, HAI)

Principals (4)

Teachers (1/year, 6/school – 24)

Semi-structured interviews (Kvale 1996,

2006)

Interview protocol form

Tape/video recording (non-verbal

communication)

Focus Groups Creative Methodology

Transcription

Coding and identification of

themes (Bazeley 2009)

Nvivo

Who / What is being observed

Principals in their leadership role;

Teachers inside and outside the classroom;

Interaction between teachers and students to bring clarity to teacher’s teaching content/methods

Students’ reactions to teacher’s teaching content / methods

Schools – physical environment:

Classrooms – central areas .

Data Analysis – Reliability and Validity or:‘credibility’, ‘dependability’ and ‘confirmability’ (Creswell 2013)

Data analysis as part of the design (Creswell 2013)

Iterative process

Researcher’s integrity – ‘trustworthiness’

Dependability : data will be subject to change and instability (Creswell 2011)

Credibility – structural corroboration, consensual validation, referential adequacy (Eisner 1991)

‘Validity checks’ (Maxwell 2008) or ‘credibility’ and ‘dependability’ (Guba & Lincoln 1985),

- Intensive, long involvement, rich data, respondent validation, triangulation, multisite studies.

‘Ethical validation’ and ‘substantive validation’ (Angen 2000)

‘Confirmability’ rather than ‘objectivity’ in establishing value of data (Creswell 2013)

Member checks / peer debriefing (Lincoln and Guba 1985)

Research Ethics

Informed by: SAI ‘Ethical Guidelines’, BSA ‘Statement of Ethical Practice 2002’, BERA

‘Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research2011’, UL Ethical Guidelines

Professional Integrity (BSA 2002);

Respect for: ‘the person, knowledge, democratic values, quality of ed. research and

academic freedom’ (BERA 2011, p. 4);

Voluntary informed consent;

Openness and disclosure , right to withdraw - Anonymity / confidentiality;

Beneficence / maleficence (Cohen & Manion 2011);

Participant validation / clearance.

‘Ethics is never done’ – Ethics really begins with fieldwork

Timeframe for completion

•Ethics CLearance

•Further research on Lit. Review, concepts/theories – data gathering/analysis design

Jan –Sept 2015

• Pilot Project

• Stakeholders’ interviews

Sept –Dec 2015

Field Research

Jan –Jun 2016

• Data analysis

• Writing up

Jul –

Sept

2017

Journey to date… Completion of the 10 taught modules (B1 average);

Collection of 4 ECTS Credits:

Attendance at Doctoral Workshops (Ethics – Mixed Methods)

CSTAR courses (research design and data analysis - NVivo)

Poster Presentation at Winter School 2013

Attendance at the Sociology Department Winter School (Jan. 2015) –

Qualitative Stream (2 weeks + assignment = 10 ECTS)

And future plans… Present at Irish Conferences and submit papers (RCEPP, Mary I, Race,

ethnicity and Education, Irish Educational Studies)

More training on Nvivo and other relevant tools.

References and Bibliography

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BAGGINI, J. (2003) ATHEISM: A VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION, OXFORD: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.

Central Statistics Office (2014) Census 2011 [online], available: http://www.cso.ie/en/census/index.html, [accessed: 17 March 2014].

Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K. (2011) Research Methods in Education, ed.7, London: Routledge.

Coolahan, J., Hussey, C., Kilfeather, F. (2012) The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Report of the Forum’s Advisory Group’ [online], available: http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Conferences/Patronage-and-Pluralism-in-the-Primary-Sector/The-Forum-on-Patronage-and-Pluralism-in-the-Primary-Sector-Report-of-the-Forums-Advisory-Group.pdf [accessed 15 Dec 2013].

Constitution of Ireland (1937) [online] available: http://www.constitution.org/cons/ireland/constitution_ireland-en.htm [accessed 05 Dec 2013]

Creswell, J.W. (2013) Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design, ed.3, Thousand Oaks California: Sage.

Daly, E. (2009), ‘Religious freedom as a function of power relations: dubious claims on pluralism in the denominational schools debate’ Irish Educational Studies, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 235-251.

Darmody, M., Smyth, E., McCoy, S. (2012), ‘School Sector Variation Among Primary Schools in Ireland’ [online], available: http://www.esri.ie/publications/search_for_a_publication/search_results/index.xml [accessed 03 Dec 2013].

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Continued…. ETIENNE, R., TOZZI, P., VERKEST, H. (2009), EDUCATIONAL POLICIES THAT ADDRESS SOCIAL INEQUALITY, THEMATIC REPORT : RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, [ONLINE], AVAILABLE :

http://www.epasi.eu/ThematicReportREL.pdf, [ACCESSED: 20 OCTOBER 2014).

Fischer, K (2010) ‘Les « sans religion » en République d’Irlande : une « communauté » invisible ?’, Identités et cultures minoritaires dans l’aire anglophone –Entre ‘visibilité et invisibilité, Lucienne Germain et al. L’Harmattan, pp. 131-146.

Fischer, K. (2011) Ecole et religion: Hiérarchies identitaires et égalité citoyenne en République d’Irlande, Presses universitaires de Caen : Caen.

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Thank you!