HSS - Church of Ireland Centre header
Church of Ireland Centre

staff research

Staff Research

The agreed functions of the Church of Ireland Centre include:

  • Maintaining and developing active links with the primary schools under Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and Society of Friends patronage and with the broader Reformed Christian communities across the Republic of Ireland. 
  • Provision and development of Religious Education for the Church of Ireland Centre students and to support the Protestant school network.
  • Provision of teaching and development of expertise to support leading, teaching and learning in small schools.
  • Celebrating the history, values and culture of the Church of Ireland College of Education. 

The research focus of the Centre follows from those agreed functions.  

Current projects in the Centre include: 

  1. Faith in the Public Square of the University – developing an Anglican voice in a secular space (Anne Lodge) 
  2. Exploring an Anglican educational ethos in the Irish context (publication in preparation edited by Anne Lodge, Michael Jackson and Jacqui Wilkinson)
  3. Children’s attitudes towards Christianity and Spiritual Wellbeing (Jacqui Wilkinson)
  4. 2017-2018 SCoTENS funded research project with Dr Anita Gracie of Stranmillis College, Belfast. ‘Spirituality in the Classroom: Assessing the impact of student teachers’ own religious identity’.

Publications by Centre staff:

Wilkinson, J. (2017) “Pupil attitudes toward Christianity: a study amongst 4th – 6th class pupils”  Search 40.3, 207-216. 

Lodge, A. and Tuohy D. (2016) 'Teaching and learning in Small Schools' 

Lodge, A., Tuohy, D. and Fennelly, K. (2011) 'Our Schools Our Communities'  

Lodge, A. and Tuohy, D. (2011) ‘Parental Values in Protestant Primary Schools: a new survey’, Search, 34, 3, pp. 188-195.  

Lodge, A. and Dunne, D. (2010) ‘Crossing the Boundaries – implications for leadership in the Church of Ireland’, Search, 33, 3, pp. 176-182.

Wilkinson, J., Francis, L. J. and McKenna, U.  “Personal prayer, worship attendance and spiritual wellbeing: A study among fourth, fifth and sixth class students attending Church of Ireland schools in the Republic of Ireland” Journal of Religious Eductaion. Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40839-018-0068-6. Available at https://rdcu.be/baAsB

(For full lists of publications and research activity by Centre staff please see our individual DCU staff profiles).

Affiliations

The Centre is a member of the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC).