Research
Thesis and Essays in both Visual Culture and Education
Final Year School Placement Reflection
January 2021
If my time studying in NCAD has taught me anything, it was to be innovative, to be self-directing, and to be versatile. In turn, I feel that these things are also important in the role of a teacher.
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Over the year I feel I have progressed so much as both an artist and an Art teacher. I have had a really enjoyable time during both of my school placements and I have grown in so many ways since starting my teaching placement in February.
My confidence has improved greatly, my relationships with the students have become very strong, and I have worked so much more in differentiation in the classroom, making each student work to the best of their abilities. I have my host teachers and my tutors to thank for this.
Achieving Creativity with the Downs Syndrome Child
Thesis - January 2019
In this research essay, I examine available literature in relation to educating children and young adults with Down’s Syndrome, along with the specific teaching methodologies used to educate these pupils.
As children with Down’s Syndrome have been successfully involved and included in mainstream schools and classrooms, I try to establish whether reaching the educational needs of learners with Down’s Syndrome requires various sets of pedagogical skills with a new knowledge base or whether the range of skills typically held by an experienced teacher can be equally effective.
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I also investigate the everyday lives of young adults once they leave school. I explore the various options available to them regarding post-secondary school education, types of employment, and the different residential arrangements suitable for the individuals.
Avant-Garde Cinema and Experimental Moving Image
Visual Culture - November 2017
In this essay I explore and contrast the European avant-garde film movement of the 1920’s and the American avant-garde film movement of the late 1940’s. I examine how they are interrelated and how they have effected film productions since the 1950’s to the present day. I talk about the experimental films in each of the three time periods; the 1920’s, the late 1940’s, and from 1950 to the present day, and analyse the film makers and artists associated with these time periods.
I explore their most popular works and talk about how their work has been intertwined with the different periods of time and how film making has changed over time. I discuss the different types of films, from silent films to modern day animation, and how film making has changed over time due to the constant upgrading of technology.
