http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1002-5119
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ABSTRACT
The lack of diversity in the teaching profession is recognised internationally [Schleicher, A. 2014. Equity, Excellence and Inclusiveness in Education: Policy Lessons from around the World. Paris: OECD]. Research shows consistently that teachers from majority socio-economic and ethnic groupings dominate, often in contrast to school populations. While studies in the USA and the UK have shown that teachers with disabilities are significantly under-represented compared to the general population, there has been a dearth of research in this area in Ireland, including in relation to initial teacher education (ITE). Following a review of the literature and an overview of the study’s methodology, we present findings exploring 2014 ITE applicants and entrants with respect to their dis/ability status and intersections with other socio-demographic variables based on data gathered in the Diversity in Initial Teacher Education in Ireland national research project, establishing the first national dataset about disability in Irish state-funded ITE. While we identified increases in the proportion of disabled students entering ITE, especially at postgraduate level, applicants with disabilities were significantly less likely to be accepted into undergraduate primary ITE than were those without, and there was considerable variation in the proportions from different categories entering ITE. We end by discussing the significance and implications of our findings in terms of practice, policy, and further research.
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the very helpful comments on a draft of this paper by Andrea Higgins.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Dr Elaine Keane is a Lecturer and Director of Doctoral Studies in the School of Education at NUI Galway. Her research and publications focus on widening participation in higher education.
Dr Manuela Heinz is a Lecturer and Director of Teaching Practice in the School of Education at NUI Galway. Her research interests and publications centre on initial and continuous teacher education.
Dr Patricia Eaton is a Lecturer in Education (Psychology and Special Educational Needs) in the School of Education, NUI Galway. Her teaching and research focus on educational policies and practices for inclusion.
ORCID
Elaine Keane http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1002-5119
Notes
1. See Keane and Heinz (Citation2015) for more detailed discussion of the rationale for diversifying the teaching population.
2. AHEAD figures refer to students who have chosen to declare a disability which has been verified by medical/psychological assessment, and who are registered with disability/access services.
3. The target groups for the 2015–2019 period are certain lower socio-economic groups, first time, mature entrants, students with disabilities, part-time/flexible learners, further education award holders, and Irish Travellers (HEA Citation2015a, 34). The Plan identifies a target for the participation of students with disabilities in general (8%), as well as three specific under-represented disability groups (those with a physical/mobility disability (N = 570), those who are deaf/hard of hearing (N = 280), and those who are blind/have a vision impairment (N = 200)).
4. Our Irish Research Council (IRC)-funded (DITE) national research project aims to explore and compare the socio-demographic backgrounds, career motivations, and educational and diversity experiences, of applicants and entrants to state-funded initial teacher education (ITE) programmes in Ireland. A key objective is to contribute to national and international policy regarding ITE selection mechanisms and diversifying the teaching population. For further information on the background to and rationale for the project, including in relation to arguments for diversifying the teaching population, see Keane and Heinz (Citation2015, Citation2016) and Heinz, Keane, and Davison (Citation2017). See also section two of this paper.
5. The questionnaire was made available to all undergraduate ITE applicants who listed an ITE programme as one of their 10 HE CAO preferences. Applicants for postgraduate programmes through the national PAC system apply for as many specific postgraduate programmes as they wish. Offers are made to successful applicants, who then accept their place and enter the relevant ITE programme, and become ‘entrants’ (or an individual may decline an offer). An applicant who does not receive an offer is a non-entrant.
6. Before offers of ITE places were made to applicants. The CAO has also made available their application data to DITE on an anonymous and confidential basis. In terms of disability, two items are of interest, applicants’ medical conditions, and applicants’ DARE eligibility.
7. See Keane and Heinz (Citation2015) for further information on the development, content, and implementation of the questionnaire.
8. This question required self-reporting of disability but did not require that respondents make a declaration of disability to the institution(s). In contrast, declaring a disability on the CAO form (all undergraduate applicants) did mean that the information was available to the institution(s).
9. Only one respondent identified as intersex. This response was left out of our analysis of the relationship between sex and dis/ability.
10. For this paper, it was respondents’ fathers’ class backgrounds that were included.
11. The PME is a two-year postgraduate post-primary teaching qualification offered by seven state-funded universities in Ireland as well as by one private provider.
12. National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), University College Cork (UCC), University College Dublin (UCD).
13. Applications for the NUI colleges and DCU are administered by the Postgraduate Applications Office. Email invitations are sent by PAC – partners of the DITE project – to all NUI and DCU PME applicants at the pre-offer stage.
14. TCD and UL administer their applications and selection at an institutional level and have supported the distribution of email invitations to all entrants at the post-offer stage.
15. Of those who listed an ITE programme as a first preference only.
16. Of those who listed an ITE programme as any one of their 10 preferences.
17. Of those who listed an ITE programme as a first preference only.
18. 7.8% in the 2015/2016 year (HEA Citation2016).
19. Note that for df = 1 the chi-square value reported is the Yates chi-square, corrected for continuity.
20. Yates chi-square, corrected for continuity.
21. Few, if any, undergraduate applicants have teaching experience.
22. While the above numbers are small, this finding relating to a significant percentage of those with a disability having gained prior teaching experience is important as it can contribute to considerations about ‘fitness to teach’ criteria and, possibly, to the changing of perceptions in this respect. This is an issue worthy of more in-depth exploration in a qualitative study; the role played by students with disabilities’ previous educational experiences in their career decision-making processes, for example.
23. It is of note that private ITE provision in Ireland is substantial and has increased significantly in the last decade, primarily through the provider ‘Hibernia College’ which employs a ‘blended’ learning approach, combing online and in-person tuition. Up-to-date data and graduate numbers are not available for this sector; data are not available from Hibernia about provision (including in relation to student diversity) and Teaching Council Review Panel Reports do not include relevant numbers. Hyland (Citation2012) indicates that there were 375 primary teaching graduates in 2011 and the first post-primary cohort graduated in 2013. Subject to the availability of adequate information and data, it will be important to investigate both the representation of various student groups, including students with disabilities, and how the blended format may accommodate and/or constrain different groups, in this sector.