Joe Usher

Dr

Contact Details


C105
T:Ext. 9129

E:Joe.Usher@dcu.ie

Assistant Professor

E:Joe.Usher@DCU.ie

Assistant Professor In Geography Education


T: +353 1 8842034

E:joe.usher@dcu.ie

C105

T:Ext. 9129

E:Joe.Usher@dcu.ie
Profile Photo
Dr Joe Usher is an Assistant Professor in Primary Geography Education and Social, Environmental and Scientific Education. He works in the area of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Professional Learning. He has previously worked as a primary school teacher in Co. Meath, Co. Louth and Co. Dublin. Prior to working as a primary teacher, Joe worked as a transport planner in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport as well as a planning officer for the National Heritage Council. 

Dr Usher's research interests include; exploring children's rights and participation in local decision making through primary geography (doctoral thesis completed on this area), using digital resources in the teaching of primary geography (including GIS, Google Earth, LEGO Education and Minecraft Education), enquiry-based teaching and learning in primary geography, and the development of educational resources for primary geography education.

He completed his Doctorate at Queen's University, Belfast which involved the first ever nationwide review of the teaching of primary geography in Ireland. Here he also worked with urban planners and senior class primary teachers to develop a framework through which children could be consulted on local planning decisions through primary geography lessons on their local areas. 

Dr Usher is a member of the Geography Association (GA), the Geography Society of Ireland (GSI), and the European Association of Geographers (EUROGEO). He is a member of the steering committee for the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education at DCU.

Dr Usher welcomes contact from organisations and individuals interested in all areas outlined above and all areas related to geography education. 

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2023 Anne Dolan; Joe Usher (2023) 'Climate Change and Geoliteracy' In: Teaching Climate Change in Secondary Schools. London : Routledge.
2021 Joe Usher and Nicola Broderick (2021) 'Chapter 12: SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production' In: Teaching respect, hope and advocacy in schools: a focus on the sustainable development goals. London : Routledge.
2017 Joe Usher (2017) 'Finding my place within primary geography education: Exploring a transitional moment in my professional identity' In: Reflections on Primary Geography. Oxford : Oxford Brookes University Publishing.
2012 Joe Usher (2012) 'Proposal for the Protection of the Souterrain at Crossdrum Lower, Oldcastle, Co Meath' In: Ríocht na Midhe XXIII. Navan : Meath Archaeological and Historical Society.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2023 (2023) 'Conceptual framework for the participation of children in local area planning decision-making processes through primary geography education'. Irish Educational Studies, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2023.2260998
2023 Joe Usher (2023) '‘I hate when we learn off the mountains and rivers because I don’t need to know where they all are on a blank map?!’ Irish Pupils’ Attitudes Towards, and Preferred Methods of Learning, Primary Geography Education'. Irish Educational Studies, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2023.2196257
2023 Usher, J. (2023) 'Africa in Irish Primary Geography Textbooks: developing and applying a Framework to investigate the potential of Irish Primary Geography textbooks in supporting Critical Multicultural Education'. Irish Educational Studies, 42 . [Link] [DOI]
2022 Usher, J. (2022) 'How is geography taught in Irish primary schools? A large scale nationwide study'. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 31 . [Link] [DOI]
2021 Joe Usher (2021) 'Africa in Irish Primary Geography Textbooks: developing and applying a Framework to investigate the potential of Irish Primary Geography textbooks in supporting Critical Multicultural Education'. Irish Educational Studies, .
2021 Joe Usher (2021) 'How is geography taught in Irish primary schools? A largescale nationwide study'. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, . http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2021.1978210
2021 Joe Usher (2021) 'Powerful primary geography: a toolkit for 21st century Learning'. Irish Educational Studies, . [Link] [DOI]
2021 Joe Usher and Anne Dolan (2021) 'Covid-19: teaching primary geography in an authentic context related to the lived experiences of learners'. Irish Educational Studies, .
2021 Usher, J.; Dolan, A.M. (2021) 'Covid-19: teaching primary geography in an authentic context related to the lived experiences of learners'. Irish Educational Studies, 40 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Usher, J. (2020) 'Is geography lost? Curriculum policy analysis: finding a place for geography within a changing primary school curriculum in the Republic of Ireland'. Irish Educational Studies, 39 . [Link] [DOI]
2015 Enda Murphy and Joe Usher (2015) 'The Role of Bicycle-sharing in the City : Analysis of the Irish Experience'. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 9 (2):116-125. [Link]
2015 Joe Usher; Enda Murphy (2015) 'The Role of Bicycle-sharing in the City: Analysis of the Irish Experience'. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 9 (2):116-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2012.748855

Other Journal

Year Publication
2022 Joe Usher; Denis Moynihan (2022) 'The future is mine: Geography Education and Minecraft Edcation' Primary Geography, 108 (2) :26-28.
2022 Anne Dolan; Joe Usher (2022) 'The geography of COVID-19: a case study in geoliteracy' Teaching Geography, 47 (2) :50-52.
2022 Joe Usher; Lesley Burnett (2022) 'Critical multicultural geography: moving beyond the ‘Four Fs’ of fairs, festivals, food and folktales' Primary Geography, 107 (1) :18-20.
2022 Joe Usher; Anne Dolan (2022) 'Linking localities Teaching and learning about contrasting parts of Ireland' In Touch, 207 (1) :38-39. [Link]
2021 Anne Dolan and Joe Usher (2021) 'Where in the world is Covid-19?' 104 (1) :10-13. [Link]
2021 Anne Dolan and Joe Usher (2021) 'The geography of Covid 19: a case study in geo-literacy' .
2021 Joe Usher (2021) 'Counties: Developing Sense of Space and Sense of Place with Google Earth' 105 (3) :43-44. [Link]
2020 Anne Dolan and Joe Usher (2020) 'The Geography of Covid19' (3) :52-53. [Link]
2019 Joe Usher (2019) 'Brexit and borders: topical geography' 44 (3) :111-114. [Link]

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2011 Enda Murphy and Joe Usher (2011) Irish Transportation Network Conference 2011 An analysis of the role of bicycle-sharing in a European city : the case of Dublin

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2023 Joe Usher (2023) Educational Studies Association of Ireland (2023 Conference, Belfast) Local Area Planning and Primary Geography: Enabling children’s active participation in the local area planning processes through primary geography education in Ireland Belfast, 30/03/2023-02/04/2023.
2023 Denis Moynihan, Deirdre Butler, Joe Usher, Nicola Broderick (2023) Computers in Education Society of Ireland (CESI) First LEGO League Explore Teacher Guide for Ireland Galway, .
2023 Joe Usher; Denis Moynihan; Nicola Broderick; Deirdre Butler (2023) Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference 2023 The Phlegm of STEM: could Geography be the silent ‘G’ in STEM? Presenting the SUPERPOWERED Integrated STEM LEGO Project underpinned by Primary Geography Education? Charney-Basset, Wantage, UK, 24/02/2023-26/02/2023.
2022 Joe Usher (2022) Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference 2022 Designing Community Spaces for the Entire Community: Geography Education and Minecraft Education Charney Bassett, 18/02/2022-20/02/2022.
2022 Joe Usher (2022) Conference of Irish Geographers 2022 How is Geography taught in Irish Primary Schools? What does the future hold? Results from a nationwide survey as well as examples of best practice and moving forward University of Limerick, 18/05/2022-20/05/2022.
2022 Joe Usher (2022) Geographical Association Annual Conference and Exhibition April 2022 Local area planning and primary geography: enabling pupils’ active participation in local decision-making Guildford, .
2021 Joe Usher and Anne Dolan (2021) Geography Association eConference 2021 Covid19 and Primary Geography Manchester (online), 09/04/2021-10/04/2021.
2021 Benjamin Mallon & Joe Usher (2021) Leading in the Primary Humanities, Art and Science Conference Border, boundaries and conflict University of Roehampton, .
2021 Benjamin Mallon and Joe Usher (2021) Charney Primary Geography Conference Borders, boundaries and conflict Charney, UK, .
2021 Joe Usher; Anne Dolan (2021) Geographical Association Annual Conference and Exhibition April 2021 Where in the world is Covid19? Sheffield, 15/04/2021-18/04/2021.
2020 Joe Usher (2020) Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference 2020 Local Area Planning and Primary Geography Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference, 22/02/2020-23/02/2020.
2019 Joe Usher (2019) Geographical Association Annual Conference 2019: Celebrating Geography Presentation on incorporation of Topical Geography and Controversial Issues into the teaching of Primary Geography: BREXIT and the Irish Border Manchester, 18/04/2019-20/04/2019.
2018 Joe Usher (2018) EUROGEO European Association of Geographers Annual Conference Geography for All: Investigating Primary Geography Textbooks' Potential to Support Critical Thinking, Enquiry and Intercultural Education Cologne, 15/03/2018-17/04/2018.
2018 Joe Usher (2018) Charney Annual Conference for Primary Geography Researchers Multicultural Education and Primary Geography: Presentations of Africa in Irish Primary Geography Textbooks Charney Bassett, UK, 23/02/2018-25/03/2018.
2016 Joe Usher (2016) Charney Primary Geography Conference 2016 Making the Familiar Unfamiliar: exploring the local built environment Charney Bassett, UK, .

Book

Year Publication
2022 Deirdre Butler; Nicola Broderick; Joe Usher; Denis Moynihan (2022) First LEGO League Explore Cargo Connect Teacher Guide for Ireland. Stevenage: The Institution of Engineering and Technology. [Link]
2022 Deirdre Butler; Denis Moynihan; Joe Usher; Nicola Broderick (2022) SUPERPOWERED: FIRST LEGO League Explore Teacher Guide for Ireland. Stevenage: The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
2022 Deirdre Butler; Nicola Broderick; Joe Usher (2022) SUPERPOWERED: FIRST LEGO League Explore Teacher Guide for Ireland. UK: Stevenage: The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
2022 Deirdre Butler; Nicola Broderick; Joe Usher (2022) First LEGO League Explore Cargo Connect Teacher Guide for Ireland. UK: Stevenage: The Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2023) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
European Association of Geographers (EUROGEO) Member -
Geographical Society of Ireland Member -
Geographical Association (GA) Member -

Research Interests

Dr Usher's research interests include; exploring children's rights and participation in local decision making through primary geography (doctoral thesis completed on this area), using digital resources in the teaching of primary geography (including GIS, Google Earth, LEGO Education and Minecraft), enquiry-based teaching and learning in primary geography, and the development of educational resources for primary geography education.

He his Doctorate at Queen's University, Belfast which involved the first ever nationwide review of the teaching of primary geography in Ireland. Here he also working with urban planners and senior class primary teachers to develop a framework through which children could be consulted on local planning decisions through primary geography lessons on their local areas. Dr Usher's research interests include; exploring children's rights and participation in local decision making through primary geography, using digital resources in the teaching of primary geography, enquiry-based teaching and learning in primary geography, and the development of educational resources for primary geography education.




Teaching Interests

Joe teaches on a wide range of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Professional Master of Education (Primary) (Level 9)
PMEP1: ED8089 Science, History and Geography Education
PMEP1: ED9057 Primary Geography Elective
PMEP1: ED9047 School Placement and Reflection
PMEP1: School Placement Supervision
PMEP2: School Placement Supervision
PMEP2: ED8057 Research Project

Bachelor of Education (Level 8)
BEd1: ED1023 SESE and Teacher as a Person: Primary Geography Education
BEd1: ED1018 Teacher as Reflective Practitioner  
B.Ed2: ED2026 SPHE, Ethics, Geography and History Education
B.Ed2: SG214 Geographical, Environmental and Outdoor Education: Spaces
B.Ed3: ED3053 Global Citizenship and Local Studies
B.Ed3: SG304 Geographical, Environmental and Outdoor Education: Agency and Action
B.Ed4: SG404 Subject Leadership within Geography Education
B.Ed4: ED4015 Research Project

BEd1, 2, 3 and 4 - School Placement Supervision  

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2022 SESE/Teacher as a Person ED1023
2022 Description of 2021_SG304 SG304
2021 Primary Geography Education ED9057
2022 Geographical Environmental & Outdoor Ed1 Plac SG213
2022 Geographical, Environmental & Outdoor Ed 2 Sp SG214
2022 Science, Geography & History Education ED8089
2022 Subject Leadership within Geography SG404
2022 Sustainability & GEO Education SG303