Cliona Murphy, BEd(NUI) MEd(DCU) PhD(DCU)

Lecturer in Science Education

Contact Details
Email: Cliona.Murphy@spd.dcu.ie
Phone: +353 (01) 884 2153
Office: E310

Courses Taught
ED253 Science
GD503 Primary Science
In-Service Certificate/Diploma in Science
MEd Science
Bioscience

Research Interests

• The history, philosophy and sociology of science education
• The development of prospective and practising teachers' conceptions of Nature of Science
• Developing contemporary Nature of Science conceptions amongst primary school children
• The integration of science, history and geography in the primary school

Recent Publications / Conferences

Murphy, C. & Varley, J. (2010) The Building Expertise in Science Teaching (BEST) Project.  Paper presented at the Irish Association of Social Scientific and Environmental Education (IASSEEE) Annual Conference, Belfast.

Murphy, C., Murphy, C. and Kilfeather, K. (2010). Children making sense of science. Journal of Research in Science Education, Springer. 

Waldron, F., Pike, S., Greenwood, R., Murphy, C., O, Connor, G., Dolan, A., and Kerr, K. (2009). Becoming a teacher.  Primary student teachers as of history, geography and science: An all-Ireland Study. Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS). 

Murphy, C. (2009) Teaching about nature of science: Impact on beginning primary teachers and their pupils. Paper presented at the BERA annual conference. Manchester

Murphy, C., Varley, J. and Veale, O. (2009) Examining the impact of the Irish primary science curriculum. Paper presented at the BERA annual conference, Manchester.

Varley, J. Murphy, C. and Veale, O. (2009) Looking back, looking forward: Irish pupils’ views of primary and post-primary school science. Paper presented at the BERA annual conference, Manchester.

Murphy, C. (2009). Student teachers’ issues of confidence and concern regarding teaching primary science.  Paper presented at the Irish Association for Social Scientific and Environmental Education (IASSEE) annual conference, Dublin.

Murphy. C. (2009). Building primary teachers’ confidence and expertise through the nature of science. Paper presented at the ESAI annual conference, Kilkenny

Murphy, C., Varley, J. and Veale, O. (2009) What children say about school science. Paper presented at the ESAI annual conference, Kilkenny

Varley, J. Murphy, C. and Veale, O. (2009) Prospect and retrospect: Irish pupils’ views of primary and post-primary school science. Paper presented at the ESAI annual conference, Kilkenny

Murphy, C. (2008). The importance of teaching about the Nature of Science in the primary classroom. Ph.D. Thesis. Dublin: Dublin City University.

Murphy, C. (2008).  Does teaching teachers about the nature of science matter? Paper presented at Science and Mathematics Educational Conference (SMEC), Dublin City University.

Varley, J., Murphy, C. and Veale, O. (2008). Science in primary schools, Phase 1. Final report. Research commissioned by the NCCA [National Council for Curriculum and Assessment]. Dublin: NCCA.

Varley, J., Murphy, C. and Veale, O. (2008). Science in primary schools, Phase 2. Final report. Research commissioned by the NCCA. Dublin: NCCA.

Kilfeather, P., Murphy, C. and Varley, J. (2005-2010). Eureka. The Irish Independent science supplement for primary schools. 80 issues published over the past three years in English and Irish. Circulation: 20,000 primary pupils. Dublin: Irish Independent.

Murphy, C., Kilfeather, P. and Murphy, C. (2007). An exploration of issues surrounding teaching the nature of science to pre-service primary school teachers. Irish Educational Studies, 26(1), 27-38.

Murphy, C. (2007) Can Irish primary school children obtain contemporary conceptions of the nature of science within the Irish primary school curriculum? Paper presented at the Association of Science Education (ASE) annual conference, Birmingham University.

Murphy, C. (2005) 'Do explicit approaches to teaching about the Nature of Science (NoS) affect the conceptions of NoS of prospective primary school teachers?' (Paper presented at ESAI annual conference, University College Cork).

Murphy, C. (2005). ‘The Development of Irish Primary Teachers’ Conceptions of the Nature of Science and their Translation into Classroom Practice: A Yearlong Study', Conference Proceedings, ATSE annual conference.

Murphy, C. and Jeffrey, H. (2001-4) Switch on science: Teachers’ handbooks and pupils’ books for Junior Infants to Sixth Class (Primary). Published in English and Irish. Dublin: Carroll Heinemann.

Last Updated: Wednesday July 21 2010