Job Title: Assistant Professor in Inclusion, Intellectual Disability and Special Education
School/Department: School of Education
Job Category and Level: Academic, Assistant Professor (Specific Purpose contract)
The Purpose of the Role
The School of Education seeks to appoint an Assistant Professor in Inclusion, Intellectual Disability and Special Education. The successful candidate will be expected is to provide teaching and administration in relation to the Arts, Science and Inclusive Applied Practice (ASIAP) programme as part of the Path4 Phase 2 project. The ASIAP programme is aimed at students who have an intellectual disability. It is located in the School’s Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities. The successful candidate will also be expected to contribute to a research profile for the Centre and support the School’s existing programmes in the area of intellectual disability and inclusion.
The Specific purpose of this role is to provide teaching, administration and research as an Assistant Professor in Inclusion, Intellectual Disability and Special Education as part of the Path4 Phase 2 project. Employment is not offered on an indefinite duration basis as once the Path4 Phase 2 project comes to an end, this post will no longer be required.
Trinity College has provided a sustained commitment to the education of people with intellectual disabilities over many years with the establishment of the National Institute for Intellectual Disability (NIID), which was subsequently incorporated into the School of Education and renamed the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID). The School of Education itself has a longstanding and strong commitment to supporting the establishment of inclusive learning environments in mainstream settings and ensuring that children and young people with disabilities and/or special educational needs receive appropriate educational support. As part of this mission, the School has been at the forefront of developing capacity to respond appropriately to the learning and social needs of children and young people with an intellectual disability. The NFQ Level 5 certificate Arts,Science and Applied Disability Practice (ASIAP) is based within TCPID. This is a highly innovative programme which pioneers an approach that offers specially designed study opportunities in a third level setting for persons with intellectual disabilities. The programme is aimed at transforming the possibilities open to people with an intellectual disability, as they make transitions towards workforce participation and adult life.
The Assistant Professor in Inclusion, Intellectual Disability and Special Education position has been identified firstly, as being critical in supporting educational provision for young people with an intellectual disability in a third level context. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the School of Education’s IES (Inclusion in Education and Society) research group. Established in 2010, the IES operates from the central principle of supporting through focused research, the inclusion within education and society of people from marginalised groups. In addition, the successful candidate will also be expected to make a contribution to the School’s masters programmes in Inclusion (PME and M.Ed.).
Context
As one of the largest professional schools in Trinity College, the School of Education is committed to engaging in teaching and research at all levels of provision, from initial teacher education, graduate/postgraduate education and research, and continuing professional development for teachers and other educational professionals. Our courses reflect the position of Trinity as a premier University well-established on the world stage, with a tradition of scholarship spanning more than 400 years. Our graduate programmes for educators are situated at the forefront of international best practice and attract students from around the world. The School is dedicated to undertaking high quality research that permeates our teaching. The results of this scholarly activity have gained international recognition in both academic and professional communities, and contribute to the understanding and practice of contemporary education nationally and internationally.
With 550 students across 2 undergraduate, 7 postgraduate programmes (representing 23 different strands) and a range of CPD courses reaching hundreds of education practitioners each year, we are the top ranked School of Education in Ireland and in the top 70 in the world.
Main Responsibilities
The postholder will be expected to contribute to teaching and learning through the following activities:
•Support the ongoing programme development of the Arts, Science and Applied Disability Practice programme (ASIAP);
•Teach on, assess and review existing ASIAP modules as well as those related to inclusive education;
•Contribute to teaching on relevant modules on the B.Mus. Ed., PG Certificate, PME, M.Ed., D.Ed. and Structured Ph.D.;
•Undertake the assessment of student course work;
•Undertake the supervision of masters students;
•Support other team members where necessary and undertake such other duties as may be required from time to time by the Head of School.
In conjunction with the School’s policy on research it is expected that the successful candidate will:
•Engage in research, knowledge generation and dissemination in the area of inclusion, intellectual disability and special education;
•Engage in, and when appropriate initiate, national and international research projects in educational inclusion;
•Engage with a range of stakeholders including policy makers, governmental and non-governmental organisations in the field of education, inclusion and special education;
•Disseminate knowledge generated through research in national and international publications and through public outreach;
•Present at relevant conferences nationally and internationally;
•Generate research funding, where appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
•Must hold a doctoral qualification in education or a cognate discipline (essential).
Teaching: Knowledge & Experience
Essential
•Knowledge of research in the field of intellectual disability, special education and inclusion in Ireland and internationally;
•Demonstrate a commitment to research-informed and research-based teaching and learning in the context of intellectual disability, special education and inclusion;
•Demonstrate the application of pedagogical knowledge and experience in the area of the education of children and young people who have an intellectual disability and special educational needs;
•Demonstrate an openness to new and innovative pedagogical practices;
•Demonstrate a collaborative working style with students, administrators and academics, also with an openness to engaging with colleagues in other disciplines;
•Demonstrate a commitment to student care;
•Demonstrate experience of masters and/or doctoral research supervision.
Desirable
•Experience of working collaboratively and effectively in an interdisciplinary environment;
•An appropriate and recognised qualification in teaching and learning.
Research: Knowledge & Experience
Essential
•Knowledge of research in the field of intellectual disability, special education and of related educational and curricular developments and reform nationally and internationally;
•Demonstrate research plans which complement the goals of the School of Education and IES;
•Demonstrate evidence of participation in dissemination activities such as conferences, seminars and public outreach.
Desirable
•Proven experience in conducting research within the area of intellectual disability, special education and inclusion, and contributing to the development of knowledge within this area;
•Show evidence of research achievements in the field of intellectual disability, special education and inclusion;
•Ability to attract external grant funding.
•The recruitment of research postgraduate students.
Administration: Knowledge & Experience
Essential
•Demonstrate a capacity for strategic thinking in relation to research and programme development.
•Demonstrate a commitment to student care.
•Demonstrate a commitment to own professional development.
•Experience in managing and implementing academic programmes for professional learning (CPD, micro credentials).
•Capacity to manage and develop modules and programmes in a university setting.
•Experience of communicating with a range of stakeholders both inside and outside of a higher education environment.
Application Information
Candidates should submit by e-Recruitment:
•Cover letter (1-2 pages);
•Full curriculum vitae, your list of publications and include the names and contact details of 3 referees (email addresses if possible);
•A short research plan summarising research to be carried out during the year of the post and including details of funding to be sought where appropriate (max. 2 pages);
•A teaching and learning statement summarising your teaching experience, approaches used and underpinning philosophy (max. 2 pages).
PLEASE NOTE: Candidates who do not submit this additional information may not be considered for shortlisting.
Informal enquiries should be made to: Professor Ann Devitt (HeadofEducation@tcd.ie )
See also School of Education: https://www.tcd.ie/education/
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities: https://www.tcd.ie/tcpid/