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DCU Changemaker Schools Network

Overview of Research

Overview of Research

  1. Overview of research 

 

The report presents a summary of the DCU CSN, a nationally representative network of primary schools in Ireland. The DCU CSN is now in its fourth year at DCU, and currently funded fully until December 2025. The DCU CSN will have fifty schools by 2025 and currently has twenty-eight. In these schools, each school principal is asked to complete an online questionnaire to ascertain data as required for funding KPI’s. Children are also asked two questions and there are two age cohorts of children involved in each school (ages 8/9) and (10/11).

 

Eight of the primary schools taking part are case study schools. Here researchers explore the experiences of everyday life of a DCU Changemaker School in depth. The study has a number of overarching themes: 

 

  1. Exploration of the value of empathy, creativity, teamwork and leadership in children’s and teachers/ principals learning
  2. Exploration of how empathy, creativity, teamwork, and leadership is promoted in the DCU CSN 
  3. Exploration of teacher / principal identity in the DCUU CSN
  4. Exploration of teacher / principal agency in the DCU CSN 
  5. Exploration of the cultures in the DCU CSN

 

5: Key findings Qualitative data: Teacher’s agency and identity

Key Findings:

The study revealed a consistent sense of agency among all eight interviewed teachers in the case study schools, driven by the following factors:

  • Teachers actively shape policy and decision-making within their schools.

  • School culture aligns with teachers' cherished values.

  • Teachers appreciate the school's holistic approach to child development in a supportive environment.

  • Teacher reflections emphasise active, constructivist learning experiences, pupil voice, collaborative discourse, self-evaluation, emotional reflection, and creative learning opportunities.

  • Teachers feel valued, supported, and heard in their roles.

  • Teachers are provided with leadership opportunities and engage in collaborative efforts.

  • The four pillars of empathy, creativity, leadership, and teamwork positively influence professional practices.

  • Teachers perceive their work as ethically and professionally rewarding, with autonomy in their teaching approaches.

  • A culture of trust and openness encourages innovation and stepping out of comfort zones.

  • Pupil affirmation significantly contributes to teachers' professional affirmation.

Despite these positive aspects, challenges to promoting agency among teachers in CSNs include time constraints for creative activities, effective workload management, and staying updated with modern pedagogical approaches.

Conclusions:

The data affirms that teachers in CSNs possess a strong sense of personal agency. This agency stems from active participation in decision-making, leadership opportunities, collaborative discourse, and a supportive environment valuing teacher voice and the four pillars of empathy, creativity, leadership, and teamwork. Recognising the need to address specific challenges, the study underscores the importance of sustaining and further enhancing teacher agency within these innovative learning environments.