School of STEM Education, Innovation & Global Studies header
School of STEM Education, Innovation & Global Studies

Dr
Margaret
Farren

Primary Department
School of STEM Education, Innovation & Global Studies
Role
Academic Staff
Phone number:
01 700
9167
Campus
St Patrick's Campus
Room Number
C404 A

Academic biography

Associate Professor in the School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies and Co-Director of the International Centre for Innovation and Workplace Learning (ICIWL), a centre that is fully engaged at the local, European and international level. Founding member of the International Journal for Transformative Research - an open access, peer reviewed journal. The creation of the journal emerged out of a belief that professionals in any work setting can research their own practice with transformative outcomes for themselves and others.I currently lead the FRONTIERS project, an ERASMUS+ Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices which includes 6 project partners from across Europe. 

I have supervised and continue to supervise Masters degree students and have always appreciated the inspiration they give to my research. Over the past 12 years I have supported PhD students who have used research approaches that contribute to personal knowledge and knowledge in the field of practice. I have acted as external examiner for PhD research for Universities in Ireland, UK, Australia and South Africa.
I completed my PhD 'How am I creating a pedagogy of the unique through a web of betweenness' at the University of Bath in 2005. My doctoral research showed how technology far from displacing the educator, opens up new creative possibilities provided we see learning as collaborative and cooperative, not only involving student-teacher dialogue but including student-student dialogue and moving toward the wider social dimension of a web of betweenness that technology can facilitate. Pedagogy of the unique recognises the enquiry element of pedagogy. Each individual has a distinctive constellation of values that motivate their enquiry and that sets a distinctive context within which their own enquiry proceeds.

I have led a number of programme initiatives since the beginning of my work in DCU. In 2002 I established the MSc in Education and Training Management (eLearning) programme which attracts participants from a range of work contexts. In 2005 I developed digital media and learning modules for DCU's newly established Post Primary Initial Teacher Education programme.  In collaboration with the Global eSchools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI) - a Kenyan based NGO - a unique initiative in the form of a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership Development in ICT and the Knowledge Society for African leaders was accredited by DCU in 2012. I currently chair the MSc. in Education and Training Management (Leadership), a programme which is designed for practising and aspiring leaders and managers.





Research interests

The use of technology in education. Dialogue and technology in learning. Reflective practice. Educational values in action. Inquiry based learning. Research, Learning and Leadership in the workplace.  I particularly focus on action research approaches.
I have designed and evaluated online learning modules (eTutoring and Open, Online and Distance Learning Environments) in collaboration with the Professional Development Service for Teachers Technology in Education Unit (PDST TiE), Charles Sturt University in Australia and with a number of European project partners.