International Conference on Human Rights and Citizenship Education

A number of St. Patrick’s College staff were involved in the presentation of two papers at an international conference on Human Rights and Citizenship Education held in London on July 10th.  Research from 13 countries on various dimensions of the topic was presented at the conference, which was hosted by the Institute of Education at the University of London and the University of London, Birkbeck.

Brian Ruane and Dr Catherine Maunsell, Education Department St Patrick’s College, presented a paper on teachers’ understandings of human rights and human rights education and the implications for teacher education.  The paper drew on the preliminary findings of a national research study carried out by the members of the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education in collaboration with the Irish Human Rights Commission.  It also described course frameworks which have been introduced into the B.Ed and Post Graduate Diploma in Primary Education at St Patrick’s College to meet the needs of student teachers in relation to human/children’s rights and citizenship education.

Dr. Anita Prunty of the Special Education Department, also a member of the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, presented her work on current practice in Ireland in relation to consideration of the views of children with special educational needs in the IEP process.  Dr. Prunty’s paper looked at how Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child deals with the Rights of children to a voice in matters which affect them and could be used as a guide to improved practice in this area.

 

Last Updated: Monday July 13 2009