The world-wide COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted education, with school closures leading to a shift to remote learning. Existing and emerging research has shown that even a relatively short period of missed school has negative consequences for academic and social outcomes among children and young people, especially for those from more…

Many concerns exist about potential long-term psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people. While the school has been identified as having a vital role in psychological recovery post-disaster more generally, it is unclear as yet how young people have adapted to the return to in-person education. This paper reports on the…

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the functioning of education systems in a multitude of ways. In Ireland schools closed on March 12th and remained closed for the remainder of the academic year. During this time educators engaged with students, families and colleagues in new and diverse ways. The purpose of this study was to explore…

The COVID-19 pandemic posed major challenges for the lives of children in terms of school closures, loss of routine, reduced social contact, bereavement and trauma. The pandemic also gave rise to a focus on play as a fundamental support for children's wellbeing. This study examined early childhood teachers' reported practices of using play upon…

The current study explored how children's social interactions during a six-month period of school closures impacted the development of their social and emotional functioning on return to school. A sample of 81 primary school children (age 8-12 years) in Ireland completed measurements of social and emotional functioning before and after the school…

Educational disruption due to COVID-19 ushered in dramatically different learning realities in Ireland. Our research explored the experiences of children, young people and parents during the first period of 'schooling at home' (SAH) at the end of that academic year. An anonymous online survey, guided by social constructivist emphases, yielded…

Worldwide, millions of children have missed out on early childhood education and care (ECEC) due to the closure of their settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the socio-emotional impact of these closures on young children. This paper draws upon a study of 506 parents of children aged 1-10 years in Ireland who…

Home School Community Liaison Coordinators (HSCLs) play an essential role in the Irish education system to address systemic educational disadvantage by supporting children and families. This paper focuses on the experiences of HSCLs during Covid-19 school closures in Ireland in 2020. Research questions focus on challenges and enablers for HSCLs in…

The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt education in unprecedented ways. The first school closures in Ireland took place in March 2020, affecting many students, but especially those who were preparing for their end-of-school Leaving Certificate (LC) examinations. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which COVID-19 had impacted…

Early school leaving (ESL) is considered a significant societal issue globally due to the negative effect on young people's health, affect, and quality of life. Continued absenteeism is a risk factor for ESL. This study aimed to explore Irish children's health and wellbeing experiences during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread adaptations and unprecedented realities in the way teaching and learning in physical education (PE) is currently being implemented and experienced globally. Understanding the similarities and differing realities of some of these experiences across contexts and countries can help to inform…

The present study, using a sample of Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) representatives from five Higher Education European institutions (England, Finland, Greece, Ireland, and Portugal) sought to investigate the proposed measures of change required for programme delivery during the academic year of 2020-21. Each team completed a SWOT…

The aim of the International Society for Technology, Education, and Science (iHSES) conference is to offer opportunities to share ideas, discuss theoretical and practical issues, and connect with the leaders in the fields of "humanities," "education" and "social sciences." It is organized for: (1) faculty members in…