ERIC Number: EJ1447612
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2631-9179
The Professional Development Needs of Hospital Teachers in Ireland: An Exploratory Case Study
Continuity in Education, v5 n1 p50-65 2024
In Ireland, hospital schools comprise a very small component of the overall primary and post-primary education system. Indeed, there are only seven hospital schools employing a total of 21 teachers nationally. Given the size and uniqueness of this education setting, opportunities for teacher continuous professional development are limited. This qualitative research study examined Irish hospital teachers' perceptions of their continuing professional development needs using a case study approach. The research captured the perspectives of 19 teachers currently teaching in seven hospital schools in Ireland. Data consisted of responses to an anonymous online questionnaire and two focus groups designed to examine and interpret the questionnaire data. Thematic analysis was conducted on all data collected. The findings revealed that Irish hospital teachers have a clear shared perception of the professional development needs both for newly hired and currently practising hospital teachers. Hospital schools are a very small, but a very important component of education in Ireland, and the professional needs identified are specific to this unique context. Teachers working in this context must be supported so that they can provide the education that the pupils, who must access this service, deserve.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Hospitalized Children, Special Education Teachers, Case Studies, Faculty Development, Teacher Attitudes, Educational Needs, Special Schools, Prior Learning
Ubiquity Press. Ubiquity Press Ltd, Unit 3N, 6 Osborn Street, London, E1 6TD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)2073230343; e-mail: editorial@ubiquitypress.com; Web site: https://www.ubiquitypress.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ireland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A