School of Policy and Practice header
School of Policy & Practice

Dr
Alan
Gorman

Primary Department
School of Policy & Practice
Role
Academic Staff
Phone number:
01 700
9260
Campus
St Patrick's Campus
Room Number
SPC M 314

Academic biography

Dr Alan Gorman, BEd (DCU), MEd (TCD), PhD (UCC) is Assistant Professor in the School of Policy and Practice in DCU Institute of Education. Alan is the APF (Area of Professional Focus) leader for Professional Learning and Teacher Education on the Doctor of Education Programme at DCU. His research interests are in the areas of policy analysis, professional learning and teacher education. 

Alan was awarded the DCU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2022. On the EdD, he teaches the core module 'Policy Analysis' and modules ‘Pedagogies of Practice' and ‘Professional Learning Policy Analysis’ on the Professional Learning and Teacher Education APF. He supervises EdD and PhD students in the areas of teacher education, critical policy research, professional learning, and leadership. 

He also teaches qualitative research methods on the Master of Education (MEd) and supervises and assesses MEd theses in the area of leadership and policy research. At initial teacher education level, he lectures in the area of Teaching Studies in BEd1, BEd2 and PMEP1.

He is a Research Fellow of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre (ABC), where he specialises in the analysis of anti-bullying policy in schools, specialising in leadership, policy enactment and impact. 

Alan is also the PI on a SCoTENS commissioned study focussing on early-career principal identity formation. He is co-PI on a University funded projected exploring the use of AI and VR technologies in teacher professional learning. 

Prior to the DCU Incorporation, he was a lecturer in the Education Department, St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. Before joining St Patrick's College, Alan worked as a primary school teacher in Dublin. 

Research interests

Critical policy research; education policy; education leadership; teacher professional learning across the continuum; professional identity formation