Orla Kelly
Dr.
Orla Kelly is an Associate Professor in Social, Environmental and Scientific Education in the School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University, which she joined in 2016. She has worked in initial teacher education for over 15 years in both Ireland and the UK. She is currently subject leader for science education on the Primary BEd and PGCE programmes, with responsibility for the coordination of a wide range of modules. She also leads and teaches across a number of modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level in a diverse range of areas including Science Education, Sustainability, Outdoor Learning and Local Studies.
She is a highly experienced researcher and has successfully led and collaborated on a number of national and international projects. She has a growing publication record in the area of outdoor learning, which is her main focus for research. She has a national reputation as a leader in outdoor learning and regularly supports the work of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in this area for both Early Years and Primary.
Her background is in science education, and she has completed, with colleagues, a STEM Literature Review commissioned by the NCCA in Ireland that will guide primary curriculum specifications development. She has a strong passion for science education, which is reflected in her co-authored book Creative Teaching in Primary Science (2014) and the role science plays in education for sustainable development. She has worked with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to develop two publications for primary schools; Climate SOS and Guzzler’s Party, to support young learners to engage with climate issues and the role energy plays in this.
She is involved in a number of internal and external committees including the Irish Aid funded DICE (Development and Intercultural Education) Project, the Royal Society of Chemistry Education Division Ireland Region Committee and the Zoological Society of Ireland's Conservation, Education and Research Committee. She was also a member of the NCCA Development Group for Social and Environmental Education (2022-2025).
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Orla Kelly; Joan Whelan; Maura Coulter (2025) 'A pedagogy of outdoor learning in the primary school – Insights from outdoor educators in Ireland'. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, :1-19. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Whelan, Joan; Kelly, Orla (2024) 'Towards flourishing: the understanding and experience of the staff in one Irish primary school of Forest School'. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Broderick, Nicola; Kelly, Orla; Murphy, Cliona; Kerr, Karen; Whelan, Joan (2024) 'An exploration of parents’ engagement with learning about climate change through science education: learnings for future practice'. Environmental Education Research, . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Whelan, J.; Kelly, O. (2024) 'Experiential, relational, playful pedagogy in Irish primary schools–possibilities offered by Forest School'. Irish Educational Studies, 43 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Kelly, O.; Buckley, K.; Lieberman, L.J.; Arndt, K. (2022) 'Universal Design for Learning - A framework for inclusion in Outdoor Learning'. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 25 . [Link] [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-Martínez, G.; Smith, G.; Kelly, O. (2021) 'International Scaling of Sustainability Continuing Professional Development for In-Service Teachers'. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 17 (3). https://doi.org/10.21601/ijese/10936 | |
| 2009 | Kelly, Orla; Finlayson, Odilla (2009) 'A hurdle too high? Students' experience of a PBL laboratory module'. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 10 (1). [DOI] | |
| 2007 | Scopus - Elsevier (2007) 'Providing solutions through problem-based learning for the undergraduate 1st year chemistry laboratory'. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, . [Link] [DOI] |
Book Chapter
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Orla Kelly; Benjamin Mallon; Thomas McLoughlin (2024) 'Technological Affordances in Understanding Biodiversity' In: Routledge Handbook of Mobile Technology, Social Media and the Outdoors. London : Routledge. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | (2022) 'Outdoor Learning and Student Teacher Identity' In: Contemporary Approaches to Outdoor Learning. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2017 | James Bettany; Roger Cutting; Orla Kelly (2017) 'Understanding Places and People Through History and Geography Outside the Classroom' In: Children Learning Outside the Classroom From Birth to Eleven 2nd Edition. London : SAGE. | |
| 2015 | Roger Cutting; Orla Kelly (2015) '“We Weren’t Taught This Way”: Overcoming Barriers When Transitioning to New Forms of Pedagogy in Educating Initial Science Teachers for Sustainability’' In: Educating Science Teachers for Sustainability. Cham : Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16411-3 | |
| 2011 | Orla Kelly; Roger Cutting (2011) 'Understanding places and society through history and geography outside the classroom' In: Children Learning Outside the Classroom: From Birth To Eleven. London : SAGE. |