Aisling Twohill

Dr.

Profile Photo
Aisling Twohill is a lecturer in Mathematics Education, in the School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies. In 2012 Aisling was awarded the Michael Jordan Fellowship of St Patrick's College, and she held this position until September 2015.

Aisling completed her PhD in DCU, wherein she examined the algebraic thinking of children attending primary school in Ireland, within the context of shape patterning. Her research interests encompass the role of shape patterning in children's developing thinking; and assessment of children's thinking through task-based interviews. Other interests include the complex interplay between theory and practice in teacher education, interventions to stretch the thinking of all children, and the potential of mathematical literacy to support critical thinking and active citizenship.

Aisling teaches on all Mathematics Education modules of the BEd, PMEP and MEd programmes and is a year head on the BEd programme. She supervises students at postgraduate level, where she has a particular interest in practicing teachers (primary and secondary) exploring progressive approaches to support children's thinking.

Aisling's ongoing research projects include an international collaboration to develop materials for the teaching of algebra in senior primary and junior secondary school; and a collaborative project in DCU investigating the efficacy beliefs of student teachers about the teaching of mathematics.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2022 Aisling Twohill; Siún NicMhuirí; Lorraine HArbison; Anastasios Karakolidis (2022) 'Primary Preservice Teachers’ Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs: the Role Played by Mathematics Attainment, Educational Level, Preparedness to Teach, and Gender'. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-022-10259-5
2022 Mary Kingston; Aisling Twohill (2022) 'Young children’s use of subjective thinking in response to probabilistic tasks'. Statistics Education Research Journal, 21 (3). [Link] https://doi.org/10.52041/serj.v21i3.8

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2021 Aisling Twohill and Labhaoise Ní Shuilleabháin (2021) 'Meaningful mathematics: Applying mathematical thinking to issues of social justice and sustainability' In: Teaching for Social Justice and Sustainable Development across the Primary Curriculum. Abingdon : Routledge. [Link]
2018 Aisling Twohill (2018) 'Observations of Structure within Shape Patterns' In: Teaching and Learning Algebraic Thinking with 5- to 12-Year Olds. Chennai, India : Springer. [Link] https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-68351-5_9

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2023 (2023) Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland MEI9: Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland Dublin, .
2022 Aisling Twohill; Siún NicMhuirí; Lorraine Harbison; Anastasios Karakolidis (2022) ATEE 2022 Annual Conference Mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers: A quantitative analysis of factors that promote efficacy beliefs Riga, .
2022 Aisling Twohill; Sharon McAuliffe; Anna Steinweg (2022) ATEE 2022 Annual Conference Exploring the relationship between Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching and enactment in the domain of functional thinking Riga, .
2022 Aisling Twohill; Sharon McAuliffe; Anna Steinweg (2022) 2022 CASTeL 9th STEM Education Research Conference Learning to teach algebraic thinking: An intervention targeting subject content knowledge of student-teachers https://smec.castel.ie/schedule/, .
2022 Mary Kingston; Aisling Twohill (2022) ESAI Conference 2022 Affordances and constraints of developmental pathways as a framework for assessment Ireland, .
2019 (2019) Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland MEI7: Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland Dublin, .
2019 Aisling Twohill (2019) BSRLM Invited presentation on mathematics education in Ireland Belfast, 09/11/2019-.
2016 Twohill, A. (2016) 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education 2016 The approaches to solution of shape patterns adopted by children attending Irish primary schools University of Hamburg, 23/07/2016-31/07/2016.

Other Journal

Year Publication
2020 Twohill, A. & Fitzgerald, E. (2020) 'Using shared picture books in mathematics' (194) :54-55. [Link]
2020 Twohill, A. & Neary, P. (2020) 'An algebra lesson using shape patterns' (194) :52-53. [Link]

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2021 Mary Kingston; Aisling Twohill (2021) Proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland (MEI 8) . In: Paul Grimes;Mary Kingston eds. Young children’s Identifications of the Most and Least Likely Outcomes of Experiment [Link] [DOI]
2019 Fitzgerald, E. & Twohill, A. (2019) MEI 7 - Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland . In: Harbison, L. & Twohill, A eds. Investigating the effects of shared picture book reading on parental involvement in mathematics Dublin, 11/10/2019- 12/10/2019
2019 Twohill, A., NicMhuirí, S., & Kingston, M (2019) 43rd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education . In: M. Graven, H. Venkat, A. Essien, & P. Vale eds. Micro-ethnography of collaboration: sharing perspectives and broadening lenses within a community of practice Pretoria, South Africa, 07/07/2019- 12/07/2019
2019 Twohill, A., Breen, S., Venkat, H. & Roberts, N (2019) 43rd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education . In: M. Graven, H. Venkat, A. Essien, & P. Vale eds. Working group: Task design for early algebra Pretoria, South Africa, 07/07/2019- 12/07/2019
2019 Twohill, A., McAuliffe, S., & Steinweg, A. (2019) 43rd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education . In: M. Graven, H. Venkat, A. Essien, & P. Vale eds. Comparison and critique of early algebra in the curricula of South Africa, Germany and Ireland Pretoria, South Africa, 07/07/2019- 12/07/2019
2019 Harbison, L. & Twohill A. (Eds) (2019) MEI 7 - Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland . In: Harbison, L. & Twohill, A eds. Proceedings Dublin, [Link] [DOI]
2019 Siún NicMhuirí, Aisling Twohill, Lorraine Harbison (2019) Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland . In: Lorraine Harbison and Aisling Twohill eds. INVESTIGATING MATHEMATICS TEACHER EFFICACY BELIEFS IN PRIMARY INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION https://zenodo.org/record/3580787#.XkK7zMiny2c, [Link]
2018 Aisling Twohill (2018) 42nd Annual Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education . In: E. Bergqvist, M. Österholm, C. Granberg, & L. Sumpter eds. Shape patterning tasks: The role played by collaboration in supporting children’s thinking Umea, Sweden, 03/07/2018- 08/07/2018 [Link]
2017 Aisling Twohill (2017) CERME10 Shape patterning tasks: An exploration of how children build upon their observations when asked to construct general terms Dublin, 01/02/2017- 05/02/2017 [Link]
2016 Twohill, A. (2016) 9th Congress of European Research in Mathematics Education (CERME 9) . In: Konrad Krainer; Naďa Vondrová eds. Generalising from visual spatial patterns Charles University, Prague, [Link]
2014 Twohill, A. (2014) 8th British Congress of Mathematics Education (BCME 8) . In: S. Pope eds. Designing a clinical interview to assess algebraic reasoning skills Nottingham, UK, [Link]
2014 Twohill, A. (2014) The British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics . In: G. Adams eds. Exploring the generalisation strategies children apply to visual spatial patterns Southampton, [Link]
2013 Twohill, A. (2013) 5th Conference on Research in Mathematics Education . In: T. Dooley, S. Nic Mhuirí, M. O'Reilly & R. Ward eds. Exploring the role of patterns: Early algebra in the Irish primary mathematics curriculum Dublin, [Link]
2013 Twohill, A. (2013) The British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics . In: C. Smith eds. Algebraic reasoning in primary school: developing a framework of growth points Sheffield, UK, [Link]

Published Report

Year Publication
2020 Twohill, A. (2020) Algebra in the senior primary classes: Commissioned research paper. NCCA, . [Link]

Newspaper

Year Publication
2015 Twohill, A. (2015) SCOPE. NEWSA

Guidelines for Practice

Year Publication
2020 Aisling Twohill (2020) Science at Home Teaching Materials. Tullamore, Co. Offaly: GFP [Link]

Video recording / TV

Year Publication
2020 Aisling Twohill (2020) Mathematical Moments. Tullamore, Co. Offaly: VID [Link]

Research Tool

Year Publication
2023 Aisling Twohill; Anna Steinweg; Sharon McAuliffe (2023) ZADIE Functional Thinking through Patterning: Assessment of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Functional Thinking. RT [Link]

Teaching Resource

Year Publication
2023 Sharon McAuliffe; Aisling Twohill; Anna Steinweg (2023) ZADIE Functional Thinking through Patterning Teacher Manual. Dublin: TEACH [Link]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2023) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Member -
International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) Member -
British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics BSRLM -
European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (ERME) Member -

Honors and Awards

Date Title Awarding Body
01/09/2012 Michael Jordan Fellowship St Patrick's College, Drumcondra

Committees

Committee Function From / To
Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education -
Quality Promotion Committee 17/05/2019 -
MEI 7 - Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland 01/09/2018 - 30/04/2020
CERME10 2017 Local Organising Committee 01/02/2016 - 06/02/2017

Reviews

Journal Role
Irish Educational Studies Reviewer

Other Activities

Description
Year head for the 4th year of the Bachelor of Education.

Enterprise Engagement

Year Engagement Type Client Description
2023 Consultancy NCCA Invited by the NCCA to act as critical friend in the development of the revised Primary School Mathematics Curriculum Algebra Strand. Supported the translation of research and theory into the description of prescribed content for teaching.

Outreach Activities

Year Engagement Type Organisation Description
Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Midlands Science Board member of Midlands Science, an NGO dedicated to engaging society in STEM.
Presentations/Talks to an external audience National Adult Literacy Agency Presentation at the NALA literacy conference 2020 on everyday interepretations and applications of algebra for adult learners.
Other VSI Chair of the Board of Voluntary Service International (VSI), an NGO working to promote peace and solidarity by engaging people in volunteering programs. VSI supports the engagement of people of all ages, with and without fewer opportunities.

Media

Title Year Type Authors
SCOPE: A mathematics supplement for primary school teachers and pupils 2016 Newspaper article (Print) Aisling Twohill

Research Interests

Mathematics Education
Education
STEM Education
Algebraic thinking
Assessment
Formative assessment
Inquiry based learning
Equity within mathematics education

Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Early Algebra Principal Investigator 01/01/2019 31/12/2019
The Design Challenge of Programme Change in Initial Teacher Education Researcher 01/09/2017 30/06/2018

Internal Collaborators

Type Name Company Role
Internal Siún Nic Mhuirí DCU Academic
Internal Lorraine Harbison DCU Academic
Internal Therese Dooley DCU Academic

External Collaborators

Type Name Company Role
External Professor Anna Steinweg University of Bamberg Academic
External Dr Sharon Mc Auliffe Cape Peninsula University of Technology Academic

Teaching Interests

Mathematics Education: Undergraduate and Postgraduate
BEd1: ED1016: STEM and Social Studies, Mathematics Education component
BEd3: ED3013: Local Studies and Mathematics, Mathematics Education Component

PME1: ED8034: Inquiry-based learning in STEM, Mathematics Education component
PME2: ED8053: Inquiry-based learning in STEM, Mathematics Education component

Masters of Education: Mathematics Education Specialism





Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2020 Mathematics Education ED2031
2020 Engaging in Lesson Study SG815
2022 Mathematics Education ED8090
2022 Doing Mathematics (Subject Matter Knowledge) SG216
2021 Mathematics Education ED8046