Researcher Details |

Aisling Twohill

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]

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

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