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Dr Ron Smith

Dr Ron Smith
 Cert-Ed, B.Ed (Hons), MA (Ed), MSc, EdD, PGCHET, C. Psychol, CSci, AFBPsS.

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society
Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council
Science Council Chartered Scientist

Lecturer in Education

Room 01.006
6 College Green
School of Education
Queen's University Belfast
Tel: + 44 (0)28 9097 5902
Fax: +44 (0)28 9097 5066
Email: ron.smith@qub.ac.uk

Teaching
Leadership Roles
Research / Scholarship

Assessment and Special/Additional Needs Education (MEd)
Fostering the Educational Resilience of Children and Young People in “At Risk” Circumstances (MEd)
The Psychology of Teaching –Learning (MEd)
Peace Conflict and Resolution: Social Psychological Perspectives (MEd/MSSc)
Learning: Theory and Practice (MEd)
Pedagogy for Special and Inclusive Education (MEd)
Ed.D. Psychology in Education: Current Issues
Ed.D. Educational Special Needs: Partnerships for Inclusion
Masters Dissertation Supervision
Research Degree Supervision

Co-ordinator of the Inclusion and Special Needs Education MEd option
Co-ordinator of the Applying Psychology to Education MEd option
Co-ordinator of the PGCE Co-Teaching in the Special School Project






Educational and Social Inclusion
Special/Additional Educational Needs Inclusion
Inclusive Pedagogy
Inclusive Psychology and Social Transformation
Effective Teaching - Learning






Publications
Reports


Additional Publications
Selected Conference Publications

Current Research Projects
 Bringing School Communities Together to Promote Education for Diversity. Dr Ron Smith, Professor Keith Sullivan, National University of Ireland, Galway & Dr Simon Lichman, The Centre for Creativity in Education and Cultural Heritage, Jerusalem)
 Creating Inclusive Learning Environments in Irish Schools: An Ethnographic Study. This study aimed to provide an ethnographic analysis of inclusive learning environments in a cross-section of Irish schools. Dr Michael Shevlin (TCD), Dr Ron Smith and Dr Eileen Winter (ICEPE)
Professional Development for Post-Primary SEN teachers in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Research project designed to investigate the professional development needs of second level (post-primary) teachers who have a specific remit to support the inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream school settings. Dr Ron Smith (QUB), Dr Eileen Winter (ICEPE), Professor Sheelagh Drudy (UCD), Elizabeth O’Gorman (UCD), Marin Barry (UCD) - pdf
The Post-Primary PGCE in Main Subject with Special /Additional Needs Education. New and innovatory PGCE provision (proposed) in the field of Special/ Additional Needs Education. This programme aspires to being a transformative force within the Post-Primary Education sector with respect to pedagogy that is inclusive of all learners. The focus of the Post-Primary PGCE -SANE is on raising the bar and closing the gap for those pupils who are most at risk of poor educational outcomes and most vulnerable to becoming disengaged from learning.   Dr Ron Smith and Dr Jackie Lambe (UU).
The Development of Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs about Teaching and Learning. This research project involves investigating changes in pre-service teachers’ personally-held beliefs about teaching and learning (including specific beliefs about ability, disability and inclusion) over the period of their initial teacher education. The project aims to track teachers’ beliefs about teaching-learning beyond their PGCE through early professional development into continuing professional development. Dr Ron Smith and Dr Jackie Lambe (UU).

Community Involvement & Academic Activities

  • Member of the Inter-Board Community Relations Support Panel;
  • Member of the Department of Education Northern Ireland Review of Special Educational Needs (2007-2009);
  • Member of the Department of Education Northern Ireland Advisory group tasked with developing good practice indicators and standards for Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOS) in Northern Ireland;
  • Secretary to the Northern Ireland British Psychological Society Division of Educational and Child Psychology or DECPNI;

 

 

  • Member of Coordinating Committee for ISEC2010 - the International Congress for academics, practitioners and policy makers from around the world with an interest in promoting inclusive education ( further information on ISEC2010 can be found here);
  • Appointed by the Senate of the National University of Ireland as a special External Examiner at Master’s Degree level;
  • Appointed by the Academic Board of the University of Gloucestershire as an External Examiner to the MEd Inclusive Education and MEd Supporting Learning programmes.