An investigation into the profile of entrants to concurrent (post-primary) initial teacher education in Ireland, 2009–2020

Abstract

In recent times, Ireland’s post-primary schools have experienced considerable social, cultural, economic and technological change. As a result newly qualified teachers are entering an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing school environment. Studies indicate a diversity gap between the profile of pupils, and of teachers in post-primary schools; whereby a homogenous population of teachers, teach a heterogeneous population of students. Consequently, efforts have been made to better understand the diversity, and profile, of those entering the post-primary teaching profession. This paper contributes to this body of knowledge, through an investigation of the profile of entrants to concurrent (post-primary) initial teacher education programmes (ITE) in Ireland 2009–2020. Previous studies have investigated the profile, and diversity, of entrants to consecutive (post-primary) ITE, while less is known about the profile and diversity of entrants to concurrent (post-primary) ITE programmes. Data from the Higher Education Authority is used to compile a profile of entrants to concurrent (post-primary) ITE in Ireland from 2009 to 2020. The results indicate that these entrants have a more diverse profile than entrants to concurrent (primary) and consecutive (post-primary) ITE. This paper finds, therefore, that concurrent (post-primary) ITE, contributes to the overall diversity of the teaching profession in Ireland.

Keywords:

• initial teacher education (ITE)
• concurrent ITE programmes
• student teachers
• teacher education
• post-primary teacher diversity

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance and support of the Statistics Team of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) of Ireland in providing access to the data used in this report.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The Teaching Council of Ireland is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. Teaching Council registration began in 2006, where all existing qualified teachers and newly qualified across Ireland were invited to register with the Council.

2 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits are a standard means for comparing the volume of learning based on the defined learning outcomes and their associated workload for higher education across the European Union and other collaborating European countries.

3 The National University of Ireland (NUI) Colleges are University College Cork (UCC), University College Dublin (UCD), Maynooth University (MU), and National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG).

4 In 1996 the CSO classified the entire population in Ireland into one of ten specific socio-economic groups. In addition, two further groups were then added, titled ‘Own account workers’ and N/A.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nigel Quirke-Bolt

Nigel Quirke-Bolt is a lecturer of Education, work on undergraduate concurrent (post-primary) initial teacher education and postgraduate programme at Mary Immaculate College (MIC), St Patrick’s Campus, Thurles, Ireland.

Rebecca Purcell

Rebecca Purcell a lecturer of Business and Accounting, work on undergraduate concurrent (post-primary) initial teacher education and postgraduate programme at Mary Immaculate College (MIC), St Patrick’s Campus, Thurles, Ireland.