NUI Maynooth Eprint Archive
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The role of psychosocial factors in explaining sex differences in major depression and generalized anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textBackground: Understanding how pandemics differentially impact on the socio-protective and psychological
outcomes of males and females is important to develop more equitable public health policies. We assessed whether
males and females differed on measures of major depression and generalized anxiety during the COVID-19 the
pandemic, and if so, which sociodemographic, pandemic, and psychological variables may affect sex differences in
depression and anxiety.
Methods: Participants were a nationally representative sample of Irish adults (N=1,032) assessed between April 30th
to May 19th, 2020, during Ireland’s first COVID-19 nationwide quarantine. Participants completed self-report measures
of anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9), as well as 23 sociodemographic pandemic-related, and psychological variables. Sex differences on measures of depression and anxiety were assessed using binary logistic regression analysis
and differences in sociodemographic, pandemic, and psychological variables assessed using chi-square tests of independence and independent samples t-tests.
Results: Females were significantly more likely than males to screen positive for major depressive disorder (30.6%
vs. 20.7%; χ
2
(1)=13.26, p<.001, OR=1.69 [95% CI=1.27, 2.25]), and generalised anxiety disorder (23.3% vs. 14.4%; χ
2
(1)=13.42, p<.001, OR=1.81 [95% CI=1.31, 2.49]). When adjusted for all other sex-varying covariates however, sex
was no longer significantly associated with screening positive for depression (AOR=0.80, 95% CI=0.51, 1.25) or GAD
(AOR=0.97, 95% CI=0.60, 1.57).
Conclusion: Observed sex-differences in depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of
Ireland are best explained by psychosocial factors of COVID-19 related anxiety, trait neuroticism, lower sleep quality,
higher levels of loneliness, greater somatic problems, and, in the case of depression, increases in childcaring responsibilities and lower trait consciousnesses. Implications of these findings for public health policy and interventions are
discussed
The impact of gender-role-orientations on subjective career success: A multilevel study of 36 societies
No full textWe investigate the relationships between gender-role-orientation (i.e., androgynous, masculine,
feminine and undifferentiated) and subjective career success among business professionals from
36 societies. Drawing on the resource management perspective, we predict that androgynous
individuals will report the highest subjective career success, followed by masculine, feminine, and
undifferentiated individuals. We also postulate that meso-organizational culture and macro-
societal values will have moderating effects on gender role's impact on subjective career suc-
cess. The results of our hierarchical linear models support the hypothesized hierarchy of the
relationships between gender-role-orientations and subjective career success. However, we found
that ethical achievement values at the societal culture level was the only variable that had a
positive moderating impact on the relationship between feminine orientation and subjective
career success. Thus, our findings of minimal moderation effect suggest that meso- and macro-
level environments may not play a significant role in determining an individual's perception of
career success
An emergent taxonomy of boundary spanning in the smart city context – The case of smart Dublin
No full textSmart cities emphasize the use of advanced technology to deliver better services to and improve the well-being of
their residents. Since the administrative authorities that manage cities often lack the knowledge and skills needed
to transform their operations in this way, smart city initiatives usually involve a complex set of actors, from local
urban authorities and their technical departments to small and large IT firms, academics, and civic organizations,
as well as individual citizens. Mediating organizations are often set up to coordinate and manage such in-
teractions. However, little is known about the roles and activities of such bodies. Using data from the Dublin
smart city projects, this study draws on the concept of boundary spanning to develop a taxonomy of the work of
such intermediaries. Divided into technical, political, social, and cultural domains, the study demonstrates the
critical role of the work done by such bodies in enhancing collaboration among and the participation of a diverse
group of citizens, IT and digital strategy departments of local authorities, universities and local/international IT
companies (e.g., Google, Facebook or Airbnb), leading to a bottom-up governance style of leading smart city
initiatives and projects
Non-financial corporations and systemic risk
No full textWe investigate the systemic importance of U.S. non-financial corporations and analyse the firmspecific characteristics that identify systemically important non-financial firms. We compute two
firm-specific measures of systemic risk for 1145 non-financial corporations and confirm that these
firms are both vulnerable to systemic shocks and contribute to system-wide risk, though firms that
are high in one dimension of risk are not necessarily high in the other. Systemic risk measures
exhibit substantial variation across firms and over time. The firm's beta, value-at-risk, size, debt
and trade credit are related to both dimensions of systemic risk, while a range of other firm
characteristics are associated with systemic risk in at least one direction. The differences between
the dimensions of risk and their associated characteristics underline the importance of analysing
both measures of risk
When trauma comes to school: Toward a socially just trauma-informed praxis
No full textGiven the prevalence and devastating consequences of childhood trauma, there has been a surge in
initiatives to help schools become trauma-informed. However, despite the growing adoption of such initiatives, a number of concerns have been expressed. These include the lack of attention paid to issues of power and inequality including poverty, racism, and community violence as well as the power of adults to neglect, mistreat or abuse children. Contemporary approaches can also serve to inscribe deficit-based perceptions of children, reinforcing negative stereotypes and stigmas; and they tend to overlook the
possibility that schools themselves can contribute to students’ distress, especially in the context of
accountability and target-driven agendas. This paper examines current terminology in relation to
adversity, trauma, and trauma-informed practice. It shows how current approaches are entangled with a
dominant medical model, which views emotional distress as symptoms of mental disorder, rather than as
reasonable and intelligible strategies to ensure survival. An alternative approach, co-authored by
psychologists and service users/survivors and published by the British Psychological Society, known as
the Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF) is then discussed. The PTMF is an approach for understanding emotional and psychological distress and troubled or troubling behavior, based primarily on issues of power and inequality. It was chosen in order to forefront social justice concerns, whilst
remaining attentive to state-of-the-art and evidence-based understandings of psychological trauma and trauma-informed care. Furthermore, by drawing on the anti-oppression educational theory of Paulo Freire, it is argued a trauma-informed praxis guided and informed by the PTMF, can help redress many of the criticisms of existing approaches in schools
How can computational thinking be used as a problem-solving methodology to improve the teaching and learning in my classroom?
No full textThis thesis explores the question: can Computational Thinking (CT) be used as a problem-solving strategy to improve the teaching and learning in a classroom? The research was conducted using a self-study approach within an action research paradigm to reflect on myself as a professional and the learning taking place in my classroom, with a view to enhancing it. The study took place in a co-educational, rural multigrade 1st/2nd classroom. The epistemological and ontological values underpinning the research and explained throughout are: child-centred approach, perseverance, adaptability and guided discovery. I believe that, as educators, we must focus on the needs of the learners in our classroom and that allowing them time to explore and discuss different topics will aid in the development of important life skills.
Myself and the 1st/2nd class, as co-participants, conducted the research over two cycles. I decided to explicitly teach the 6 different CT concepts before modelling their use with the class. This was done as a means of scaffolding the children’s learning experience. The class then participated in challenges to kindle the development of CT. A range of qualitative data was collected throughout both cycles. My reflective journal acted as a means of critical reflection and greatly added to the data collected. Whole class discussions, group interviews and voice recordings provided me with an insight into the children’s’ learning experience, development and opinions. Through a number of conversations with my critical friends, validation groups and observations from my colleagues, I gained a variety of perspectives on my research and my practice. Ethical standards were followed throughout the research and ethical approval was granted by the school and the University.
The data analysis revealed that the children developed confidence and independence when problem-solving. The children appeared happier and were more efficient with their time. As an educator, I developed a deeper understanding of my values and learned the true benefits of CT.
Having completed the self-study action research process, I have developed a deeper understanding of CT. I have come to appreciate the intrinsic value of creating problem-solving tasks for the children to complete independently. I now understand the benefits of allowing the children agency in group work and independence in the classroom. Throughout this process, I have also deepened my understanding of critical reflection and will continue this practice regularly to further my development as a professional
Irish Unity: Lessons from Germany?
No full textWhat lessons could Ireland learn from German reunification? Its study demon-strates the sheer legal complexities an Irish unification process would herald. Like German reunification, Irish unity would require the completion of negotiations at different levels: internal, bilateral and international, including at EU level. Irish unification would meet a similar degree of legal complexity. Thus legal techniques deployed in Germany—such as frontloading, transition periods and conflict rules—could usefully be employed in Ireland. Some of the substantive questions to be resolved would be very similar, for example questions around the merger of two distinct legal, administrative and judicial systems. Others, such as how to deal with the legacies of the past, would also arise, but are more context-specific and require bespoke solutions. Some issues are unparalleled, such as the need to introduce a completely different economic order in East Germany or the protection of a unionist minority in a united Ireland
How Can I use Professional Agency to Enhance my Teaching of Gaeilge?
No full textThis thesis outlines my engagement with a practitioner based form of research, Self Study Action Research (SSAR). I explore how I use professional agency to enhance my teaching of Gaeilge with my Senior Infant pupils. Empowerment, positivity and creativity are the core values which underpin my research.
Two research questions are investigated. Research question one focusses on how I reflect on policy developments to enhance my teaching of Gaeilge. Suggested best practice is contextualised with reference to the Primary Language Curriculum (PLC) (NCCA, 2019). Research question two seeks to inform whether my engagement with implementing ‘suggested best practice’ can impact upon my sense of professional agency. Policies such as the Cosán Framework (TC, 2016) and the Looking at our Schools document (DES, 2016) situate the conceptualisation of professional development in the current political environment.
In line with the SSAR methodology, three cycles of targeted reflective interventions were trialed within my classroom to enhance my teaching of Gaeilge. This included the use of the Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methodology (NCCA, 2019), alongside an emphasis on empowerment of pupils. Data was collected through the use of a reflective journal and focus group pupil interviews.
Cultivating empowerment to impact upon learning, as well as the benefits of responsive reflective practice, surfaced as findings. The learning environment was identified as a key factor which influences learning experiences and outcomes in the classroom. This finding transferred to possibilities for teachers’ use of professional agency, with school culture highlighted as an enabling factor for such. Findings, in relation to language learning,
highlighted the need for meaningful opportunities to use Gaeilge as a living language. Additionally, the need to cultivate positive dispositions towards Gaeilge was identified. Interestingly, I noted that my study’s findings relating to enhancing my teaching of Gaeilge were very similar to recommendations for the teaching of Gaeilge found within the recent Inspectorate report’s (DES, 2022). More significantly, however, it is noted that the experiential process of identifying this learning highlighted the importance of experiential learning to positively impact upon teachers’ motivation and perceived ability to implement positive change. It is concluded that professional agency is not just a renewed focus within policy to overcome accountability (DES, 2021), but an essential element of promoting teacher professionalism, an integral component for innovation in education to flourish and a reminder of the inherent importance of teacher voice for positivity and hope within the profession
Novel Methods for Calibration in Raman Spectroscopy
No full textRaman spectroscopy can probe the chemical structure of a material providing an
optical ’fingerprint’ unique to the sample. Such is the capacity of Raman spectroscopy
to identify differentmaterials, it be to classify biological cells and tissue and can provide
an ’optical biopsy’ for various types of disease. A key component in Raman diagnostics
is the use of multivariate statistical algorithms that can be trained using datasets of
known samples to classify the groups based on the subtle differences between them.
Despite the great progress in this field in recent decades, Raman spectroscopy has
never been adopted clinically. The key reason for this is the poor resproducibility of
Raman spectroscopy across instruments; in other words the same material can produce
different spectra when recorded using different spectrometers. These differences can
include small movement of the Raman peaks along the wavenumber axis (wavenumber
miscalibration) or modulation in the amplitude of the peaks (intensity calibration). Such
changes can render a multivariate classifier trained on one instrument to be completely
useless in identifying samples recorded from another instrument. The overall goal of
this thesis is to develop new methods for wavenumber and intensity calibration that
can help Raman spectroscopy penetrate into the clinic
Bridging the Epistemic Divide: A Design Based Research Project on Laboratory Work at Upper Second Level in Ireland
No full textPractical work in science education has been the subject of much international criticism over the last four decades for its use of recipe-style didactic instruction. Recent advances in education policy and academic literature have not been translated into practice in the science classroom. The Irish biology curriculum, first introduced at upper secondary level two decades ago, explicitly states that practical lessons should be enquiry-based, and that they should follow a scientific method of enquiry, however scoping stage investigations conducted at the beginning of this research indicate that neither of these two stipulations are enacted in practice.
The Design Based Research methodology used in this study addresses the policy-practice divide by accommodating iterative research cycles of design and development of an educational artefact, each preceded by a comprehensive literature review and followed by evaluation of the artefact in two target settings – the senior cycle biology classroom with in-service teachers, and the third level biology laboratory with pre-service teachers. The resulting artefact, the Framework for Teaching Enquiry Activities, is supported by two further research outputs, a theory of enquiry specific to practical activities, grounded in the work of John Dewey, and a programme for professional development grounded in the work of Etienne Wenger.
The findings add new knowledge to the field of science education in terms of articulating the complexity of enquiry as a pedagogical construct, and of presenting a form of enquiry that bridges the epistemic divide between policy and practice. Within the epistemology proposed here for the Irish biology curriculum, is a pragmatic, future-oriented approach to knowledge acquisition that promotes teachers as curriculum makers. This timely research has the potential not only to inform upcoming changes to senior cycle science curricula, but also to support teachers in making the transition to a new, more equitable, signature pedagogy