Cliona Murphy
Dr
Dr Cliona Murphy is an Associate Professor in Science Education at DCU’s School of STEM EducationInnovation and Global Studies within the Institute of Education. She is deeply committed to teacher education, focussing on empowering both student and practicing teachers to enhance their confidence, skills and passion for teaching science. Cliona has a strong research background and has contributed significantly to the fields of Nature of Science, Inquiry-Based Science Education, Education for Sustainability and Climate Change Education. Cliona is the Director of the Centre for the Advancement of STEM Teaching and Learning (CASTeL). www.castel.ie.
Cliona welcomes queries from prospective Masters and PhD students who are interested in researching the following areas: STEM Education; Science Education; Science and Technology Education; Nature of Science; Teacher Professional Development; Climate Change Education: Education for SustainabilityPeer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cordaro, J.A., Murphy, C., & Redman, E. (2025) 'Bridging STEM education and Sustainability: Insights from Pennsylvania Educators'. Education Sciences, . https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030282 | |
| 2024 | Broderick, N., Kelly, O., Kerr, K., Murphy, C., and Whelan, J (2024) 'An Exploration of parents' engagement with learning about climate change through science Education: Learnings for future practice'. Environmental Education Research, . [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Murphy, C.; Mallon, B.; Smith, G.; Kelly, O.; Pitsia, V.; Martinez Sainz, G. (2021) 'The influence of a teachers’ professional development programme on primary school pupils’ understanding of and attitudes towards sustainability'. Environmental Education Research, 27 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Redman, E.; Murphy, C.; Mancilla, Y.; Mallon, B.; Kater-Wettstaedt, L.; Barth, M.; Ortiz, M.G.; Smith, G.; Kelly, O. (2021) 'International scaling of sustainability continuing professional development for in-service teachers'. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 17 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2021 | Murphy, C.; Smith, G.; Broderick, N. (2021) 'A Starting Point: Provide Children Opportunities to Engage with Scientific Inquiry and Nature of Science'. Research in Science Education, 51 . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-019-9825-0 | |
| 2020 | Murphy, C.; Smith, G.; Mallon, B.; Redman, E. (2020) 'Teaching about sustainability through inquiry-based science in Irish primary classrooms: the impact of a professional development programme on teacher self-efficacy, competence and pedagogy'. Environmental Education Research, 26 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Gilligan, T., Lovett, J., McLoughlin, E., Murphy, C., Finlayson, O., Corriveau, K., Mc Nally, S. (2020) '‘We practise every day’: parents’ attitudes towards early science learning and education among a sample of urban families in Ireland'. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, . https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836588 | |
| 2020 | Cliona Murphy, Nicola Broderick, Benjamin Mallon (2020) 'Primary science in Ireland – 17 years on'. Irish Teachers' Journal, 8 (1):141-156. [Link] | |
| 2013 | Varley, J.P.; Murphy, C.; Veale, O. (2013) 'At the Crossroads: The Impact of New Irish Science Curricula on First Year Post-Primary Students'. Research in Science Education, 43 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2012 | Murphy, C.; Varley, J.; Veale, O. (2012) 'I'd rather they did Experiments with us.... Than just Talking: Irish Children's Views of Primary School Science'. Research in Science Education, 42 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2012 | Murphy, C.; Smith, G. (2012) 'The impact of a curriculum course on pre-service primary teachers' science content knowledge and attitudes towards teaching science'. Irish Educational Studies, 31 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2011 | Murphy, C.; Murphy, C.; Kilfeather, P. (2011) 'Children Making Sense of Science'. Research in Science Education, 41 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2007 | Murphy, Cliona; Kilfeather, Paula; Murphy, Colette (2007) 'An exploration of issues surrounding teaching the nature of science to pre-service primary school teachers'. Irish Educational Studies, 26 (1). [DOI] |
Book Chapter
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cordaro, J. A., & Murphy, C. (2025) 'Parallels Among Competencies of STEM Education and Education for Sustainability' In: North American and European perspectives on sustainability in higher education. USA : Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80434-2 | |
| 2014 | Cliona Murphy (2014) 'Science Items: Context and curriculum' In: National Schools, international contexts: Beyond the PIRLS and TIMSS test results. Dublin : Education Research Centre. [Link] |
Published Report
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mathijs Vleugel; Cliona Murphy; H. Venkat; M. Leahy; N. Broderick; O. Kelly; D. Butler; L. Haribson; C. Lawlor; Y. Naughton (2024) “ALLEA Statement on early learning opportunities for shaping a scientifically literate society”. NCCA, . [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Murphy, C., Vleugel, M. (2024) “ALLEA Statement on early learning opportunities for shaping a scientifically literate society”. All European Academics, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Cliona Murphy, Gabriela Martínez Sainz, Maija Aksela, Gerd Bergman, Michael Jones, Pierre Léna, David Wilgenbus. B (2020) A Snapshot of Climate Change Education Initiatives in Europe: Initial findings and implications for future climate change education. ALLEA, . [DOI] | |
| 2015 | Murphy, C. , Humby, P. & Losty, S (2015) An Evaluation of the Impact of the DPSM / ESERO Programme and Ancillary Resources on Primary Teachers' APprocahes to and Confidence in Teaching Science. Science Foundation Ireland, . | |
| 2009 | Waldron, F., Pike, S., Greenwood, R., Murphy, C., O, Connor, G., Dolan, A., & Kerr, K. (2009) Becoming a teacher: Primary student teachers as learners and teachers of history, geography and science: An all-Ireland study. ScoTENS, . [Link] | |
| 2008 | Varley, J., Murphy, C., & Veale, O. (2008) Science in Primary Schools ( Phase 1. Final Report). NCCA, . [Link] | |
| 2008 | Varley, J., Murphy, C., & Veale, O. (2008) Science in Primary Schols ( Phase 2. Final Report). NCCA, . [Link] | |
| 2023 | Cliona Murphy; Hamsa Venkat; Margaret Leahy; Nicola Broderick; Orla Kelly; Deirdre Butler; Lorraine Harbison; Caoimhe Lawlor; Yvonne Naughton (2023) STEM Education_Curriculum & Literature Overview and Primary Science Education_Systematic Literature Review. NCCA, . | |
| 2020 | Cliona Murphy, Gabriela Martínez Sainz, Maija Aksela, Gerd Bergman, Michael Jones, Pierre Léna, David Wilgenbus. B (2020) A Snapshot of Climate Change Education Initiatives in Europe: Initial findings and implications for future climate change education. ALLEA, . |
Book
Conference Publication
Conference Contribution
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | John White, Cliona Murphy, Damien Burke (2024) ESAI 2024 What do the children think? Using Embodied Cognition to Learn Science in Infant Classes DCU, . [DOI] | |
| 2024 | John White; Cliona Murphy; Damien Burke (2024) SMEC 2024 What do the children think? Using Embodied Cognition to Learn Science in Infant Classes DCU, . | |
| 2023 | Murphy C. (2023) GLOBE EU: Navigating the Shifting Landscape: Developing Skills and Education for a Sustainable Eur A closer look into obstacles impacting effective Climate Change Education. Invited Speaker: GLOBE EU: Navigating the Shifting Landscape: Developing Skills and Education for a Sustainable European Future European Parliament. Brussels, . | |
| 2022 | Murphy C. (2022) UNESCO's Office For Climate Education International Seminar on Climate Change Education Obstacles for Climate Change Education and how to overcome them. Keynote. UNESCO Paris, . | |
| 2020 | Cliona Murphy (2020) Can Climate Change Education save the planet? Euroepan perspectives International webinar on climate change education Dublin - Online Webinar, 22/11/2020-. | |
| 2019 | Cliona Murphy (2019) United Nations Conference on Climate Change: COP 25 A snapshot of some preliminary findings from the ALLEA European Survey on Climate Change Education Madirid, . | |
| 2018 | Cliona Murphy, Benjamin Mallon, Greg Smith (2018) Science and mathematics Education Conference (SMEC) Education for sustainable development through inquiry-based science: Exploring a programme of professional development for Irish primary teachers Dublin, . | |
| 2018 | Cliona Murphy, Greg Smith, Benjamin Mallon (2018) The 8th Science and Mathematics Education Conference (SMEC) Education for Sustainable Development through Inquiry-Based Science: Exploring a Programme of Professional Development for Irish Primary Teachers Dublin City University, . | |
| 2019 | Cliona Murphy, Greg Smith, Benjamin Mallon, Orla Kelly (2019) European Conference on Educational Research The Impact Of Teacher Professional Development On Irish Primary School Children’s Sustainability Competencies And Engagement With Scientific Inquiry Hamburg, . | |
| 2019 | Cliona Murphy (2019) Iris Science Teachers' Association ( ISTA) Conference What is this thing called science? Helping children to understand science and inspiring them to work like scientists Dublin, . |
Pamphlet
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cliona Murphy (2020) ALLEA (2020) ' A snapshot of Climate Change Education Initiatives in Europe: Initial Findings and implications for future Climate Change Education' - its Relevance for Ireland. Dublin: PAMP [Link] |
Guidelines for Practice
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Lydie Lescarmontier, Mathalie Morata, Mariana Rocha, Jenny Schlüpmann Mathilde Tricorie David Wilgenbus (2020) The Climate in our Hands - Ocean and Cryosphere: Teachers' guide book for primary and secondary school. France: GFP | |
| 2014 | Murphy, C. Smith G., Glynn, M., Kavanagh, R., Losty, S. and Butler, D. (2014) Exploring Our Energy. Dublin: GFP [Link] |
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2025) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.
Professional Associations
Committees
Enterprise Engagement
Outreach Activities
Research Interests
Dr. Murphy's research interests include:
- Science Education
- STEM Education
- Nature of Science
- Climate Change Education
- Education for Sustainability
- Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE)
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Research Projects
Internal Collaborators
External Collaborators
Teaching Interests
Science Education
Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE)
Nature of Science
Nature of Science through inquiry
Sustainability Education
Controversial topics in science
Climate Change
Teacher as a reflective Practioner
Action Research
Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE)
Nature of Science
Nature of Science through inquiry
Sustainability Education
Controversial topics in science
Climate Change
Teacher as a reflective Practioner
Action Research