This article is based on a research study completed as part of an Ed. D dissertation which explored the experiences of career change teachers (CCTs) in Irish primary and post-primary schools. Their motivations for changing career, both intrinsic and extrinsic, along with the influence of family in career changers' decisions to change career were…

In Ireland state funded support services provide Continuing Professional Development for teachers and school leaders. These services are staffed with teachers seconded from their schools on an annual basis for a maximum of five years. This study investigated the learning and experience of teachers seconded to a national support service, the…

Irish Further Education and Training (FET) is presently undergoing a period of transformation after years of experiencing issues related to identity and precarious employment, among others. This paper explores the experiences and motivations of 16 student teachers who, despite the sectoral challenges, have chosen to teach in FET as a second…

"Out-of-field teaching" is an international phenomenon that seems particularly prevalent in mathematics. Our study is evaluating the impact of a national professional learning program for out-of-field secondary mathematics teachers in Ireland. Using the Productive Pedagogies framework, we compared the pedagogical practices of three pairs…

Out-of-field teaching refers to the practice of assigning teachers to teach subjects that do not match their training or education. This paper reports on a study evaluating the impact of a national professional development programme for out-of-field teachers of post-primary school mathematics in Ireland -- the Professional Diploma in Mathematics…

Academics in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE), similar to their counterparts in other disciplines, receive little formal preparation when they take on academic leadership positions. Yet such career changes require different skill sets and expose academics to complex challenges of leadership. We (three academics) initiated this study to…

This study narrates the role of education/training in the career success stories of twelve women on an Irish active labour market programme, Community Employment (CE). All from lower socio-economic groups, having early school-leaving backgrounds, and, prior to CE, were long-term unemployed. CE enhances the employability of the long-term unemployed…

The research for this paper focused on the career paths and career progression of men and women in management occupations. The study set out to explore the extent to which the traditional career has been replaced by the so-called "boundaryless" career. In particular it sought to establish whether such new career patterns have been more…

Background: The provision of professional development (PD) for teachers in schools is now a major concern of most national government and teaching organisations. To provide quality PD for teachers, we must understand the aspirations, needs and interests of teachers, as they are key factors in the complex world of teaching and learning. Therefore…