Research at St. Nicholas Montessori Society

Research Strategy

As part of the Society’s Strategy 2025, the College has developed a comprehensive Research Strategy to underpin and inform teaching and learning across the Society. This strategy informs both staff and student research policy and procedure which have been approved by QQI as part of the College’s re-engagement process.

The SNMCI Research Strategy seeks to encourage both staff and learners to focus on those themes in education where preliminary evidence and practice suggests that the Montessori philosophy can add significant value to learning and development.

In particular, we seek to explore these themes in the broad context of the following THREE areas:

  1. The Montessori Method
  2. Special Education
  3. Well-being and Education

Research KPIs

1. Increase quantity & quality of research 80%
2. Foster a culture of professional dev. 60%
3. Adopt an interdisciplinary approach 50%
4. Provide outreach to educators 25%
5. Develop research partnerships 33%

Staff Research Interests

Dr. Fabiola Neto

Research Interests: Child psychology and wellbeing

Dr. Laura Gormley

Research Interests: Applied Behavioural Analysis, Initial Teacher Education

Dr. Siobhan Doyle

Research Interests
The philosophy of religion, applied ethics, ancient philosophy, and educational philosophy.

Audrey Johnston

Research Interests: Teacher and pupil wellbeing, Mental Health in Education

Dr. Nicholas Breakwell

Research Interests: Learning technologies, Online learner engagement

Jennifer Brush

Research Interests: Montessori Ageing and Dementia

Ella Tuohy

Research Interests: Health psychology, long-term condition management during childhood and adolescence

Siobahn O'Reilly

Research Interests: Montessori Education 3-6

Dr. Michael Flanagan

Research Interests: History of Education

Upcoming Conferences

Maria Montessori 150 Anniversary. Rome Oct 24-25 2020 https://www.operanazionalemontessori.it/congresso/en/
'Philosophy of Humour: New Perspectives. Kaunas, Lithuania, 11th - 12th Feb. 2021. https://philevents.org/event/show/84454
AMI 2021 Annual Global Meeting, Amsterdam 9th to 11th April 2021.

Global Research Papers

Mavric, M. (2020). The Montessori Approach as a Model of Personalized Instruction. Journal of Montessori Research , Vol 6, No. 2.

Dansereau, D.R. and Wyman, B.M. (2020).A Child-Directed Music Curriculum in the Montessori Classroom: Results of a Critical Participatory Action Research Study. Journal of Montessori Research,Spring 2020, Volume 6, Issue 1.

Taggart, J., Fukuda, E., & Lillard, A. S. (2018). Children’s preference for real activities:  Even stronger in the Montessori children’s house. Journal of Montessori Research, 4, 1-9.

Marshall, C. Montessori education: a review of the evidence base. npj Science Learn 2, 11 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-017-0012-7

Lillard, A.S. Montessori Preschool Elevates and Equalizes Child Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 30 October 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01783

St. Nicholas Researchers in Focus

Dr. Siobhan Doyle

Research Interests
The philosophy of religion, applied ethics, ancient philosophy, and educational philosophy.

Research Profile

Dr Siobhan Marie Doyle completed her PhD in University College Dublin 2017. The research goal was a comparative study between the philosophical ideas of Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) and Plotinus (203-270 AD).

Since completing the PhD, she has been a teaching fellow and module co-ordinator in University College Dublin and is currently a faculty member of St Nicholas Montessori College of Ireland.

She is an active participant in the P4C programme in UCD, which is designed to introduce philosophy to children. She has also co-coordinated the Irish Young Philosopher Awards since its inauguration in 2018.

Recent Publications
Doyle, S. (2020). ‘Kierkegaard’s critique of religion within the limits of reason: duty as loving practical action’. Revue Roumaine de Philosophie, vol. 64, no.2.

Doyle, S. (June 2020). Kierkegaard:The Temporal and Eternal Structure of the Process of Forgiveness.  Dialectic Journal University of York . 1-10.

Doyle, S. (2019). ‘Kierkegaard’s commitment and loyalty to true faith’, Inscriptions, vol. 2, no. 2.

Doyle, S. (2016). ‘The Nature of Kierkegaard’s Relationship with Socrates’. Kierkegaard in Process, vol. 1.

Recent Conference Proceedings
Lithuania: Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas. Conference: ‘Philosophy of Humour: New Perspectives’ (February 2021).
Paper: ‘Kierkegaard: The Power of Irony and Humour‘.

Manchester (U.K.): MANCEPT Workshops
Remembrance, Forgiveness, and Time’ (September 2020)
Paper:’ Kierkegaard: The Temporal and Eternal structure of the Process of Forgiveness’

Poland: The Presence of Plotinus Conference (June 2020)
‘The self, contemplation, and spiritual exercise in the Enneads’,
Paper: Plotinus: The Self as the Logos of the Particularized Soul

Philadelphia (USA): The American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Conference: ‘The Søren Kierkegaard Society Session’ (January 2020)
Paper: Gender and the Practical Dimensions of Kierkegaard’s Existential Philosophy

Valparaiso University, Indiana, (USA): ‘Religious Experience and Description’ (October 2019)
Paper: Kierkegaard: The True Nature of God and Faith

University of Cambridge: ‘Plato’s Alcibiades I’ (September 2018)
Paper: Re-cognizing Plato’s Concept of Self through Kierkegaard

Jennifer Brush

Research Interests
Montessori education in cognitive impairment, person centred care, ageing and dementia.

Research Profile

Jennifer Brush, MA, CCC/SLP is an award-winning Dementia Educator, author and consultant. Passionate about enriching the lives of people with dementia, Jennifer is on a mission to put the focus of care on the person’s preferences, interests and abilities. Jennifer has worked as the Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on large number of grant funded Montessori education for dementia programmes and has published widely in the area, including authoring several books.

Recent Publications

  • Meaningful Engagement Through Montessori
    Provider, December 1. Brush, J. & Benigas, J. (2019)
  • The Montessori Approach: Purposeful living in memory care.
    LeadingAge Magazine, March-April 8(2), Brush, J. Simons, C, & Van Y, R. (2018)
  • Implementation of the Montessori program in assisted living:  positive outcomes and challenges.Journal of Nursing Home Research, Brush, J., Douglas, N., & Bourgeois, M. (2018)
  • Person-centered, skilled services using a Montessori approach for persons with dementia. Seminars in Speech and Language, 39(03): 223-230, Douglas, N., Brush, J., & Bourgeois, M. (2018)
  • Negotiating risky preferences in nursing homes: A case study of the Rothschild person centered care planning approach. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, Behrens, L., Van Haitsma, K., Brush, J., Boltz, M., Volpe, D. & Kolanowksi, A. (2017)
  • Interprofessional Interventions for Participation and Quality of Life.  Hickey, Bourgeois & Brush.  In Dementia: Person-Centered Assessment and Intervention.  Edited by Hickey & Bourgeois (2018)
  • Honoring Individual Choice in Long-Term Residential Communities When it Involves Risk. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42 (8), 12-17.  Calkins, C. & Brush, J. (2016)
  • Will You Still Need Me When I’m 64, or 84, or 104? The Importance of Speech-Language Pathologists in Promoting the Quality of Life of Aging Adults in the United States into the Future. Seminars in Speech and Language, 37(3), 185-200. Bourgeois, Brush, Douglas, Khayum, & Rogalski. (2016)
  • Person Centered Care and Resident Choice: 6 Steps to Giving Elders a Voice in Their Care Long Term Living Magazine, see page 24, Brush & Calkins (2016)
  • Join the Revolution: How Montessori for Aging and Dementia Care Can Change Long Term Care Seminars in Speech and Language, Bourgeois, Brush, Elliot & Kelly (2015)
  • Developing a Signage System that Supports Wayfinding and Independence for Persons with Dementia Canadian Nursing Home, Brush, Camp, Bohach & Gertsberg (2015)

Funded Research Grants

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Trial to study wayfinding in people with dementia living in long term care.
  • Phase I Small Business Innovative Research grant to develop and test a wayfinding system for persons with dementia living in long term care communities.
  • Creating Home and Building Community II: The Urban Experience, funded by the Hulda B. & Maurice L. Rothschild Foundation.
  • Meal Time Matters at Home, funded by the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation to develop and test educational program for home health care staff about dysphagia and safe feeding techniques.
  • Improving the Quality of Family Visits, funded by the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation to develop a guide to help families have successful visits with loved ones in long term care facilities. This project was awarded the Silver Medal in the 12th Annual National Mature Media Awards honoring the best in Educational Materials for Older Adults.
  • Improving the Dining Environment for Persons with Dementia, funded by the Extendicare Foundation to assess the impact of lighting on oral intake and behaviors in persons with dementia.

Dr. Fabiola Neto

Research Interests
ADHD, Applications of Grounded Theory, Montessori approaches in higher education.

Research Profile

Dr Fabiola Neto completed her PhD in University College Dublin 2019. The research focussed on the attitudes and practice of clinicians when treating children living with ADHD.

Since completing the PhD, she has been a lecturer at St. Nicholas Montessori College whilst also developing her own clincial practice and assessment service for children with ADHD and other needs. More recently, Fabiola has developed a new B.Sc. in Psychology at St. Nicholas which has been submitted for accreditation with the Psychological Society of Ireland, having been validated by QQI.

Recent Publications

2020 – Neto, F. Attitudes and reported practice of paediatricians and child psychiatrists regarding the assessment and treatment of children with ADHD in Brazil. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry (under review)

2020 –Neto. F. Montessori Approach to Teaching in Third Level Education: Theories and Practice in Active Learning. Active Learning in Higher Education Journal (in preparation)

2020 –  “Misunderstood classic grounded theory researchers in the medical field”. Authors: Ecarnot F., Honorio Neto, F; O’Connor, N.  (in preparation) 

2017 – Honorio Neto, F., Tatlow-Golden, M., Mulligan, A., Gavin, B., & McNicholas, F. (2017). Attitudes and reported practice of paediatricians and child psychiatrists regarding the assessment and treatment of ADHD in Ireland. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. http://doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2017.29.

Recent Conference Proceedings

2019 –”Think big, start small”: Improving Montessori teaching from the inside through research” at Montessori Europe Congress (October 2019)- organized by the Montessori Europe Research Group MERGe

Panel discussion (speaker): Pilot Study: A Case Study of Action Research in a College of Teacher Education
Conference Paper (speaker): Montessori from a therapeutic perspective: Exploratory play for children with ADHD. Authors: Honorio Neto,F.; Ward S.

2017 – Conference Paper (speaker): Methodological and theoretical framework presentation at QMiP Conference. Establishing credibility of methods variance in qualitative research: Comparing telephone and face-to-face in-depth interviews. Conference: British Psychological Society Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section Conference 2017

2016 – Oral presentation: ”The ADHD Tsunami?” Global Perspectives – Inaugural International Conference of UCD Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Launch the outcomes of the National ADHD Survey – at UCD (Oct/ 2016)

2015 – Poster presentation: Children’s Research Network for Ireland and Northern Ireland Conference: Better Outcomes for Children in Dublin (Dec/ 2015) – Research Study Day at Saint John of God Hospital (Nov/ 2014 & Nov/ 2015)

2015 – Poster presentation: Conference on “Mapping Out Existing and New Service Models and Systems of Care for Youth”- at UCD (Aug/ 2015) – Youth Mental Health Conference – at St Patrick’s Hospital (Aug/ 2015)

2015 –  Poster presentation: OLCHC Research and Audit Day – at Crumlin Hospital (May 2015). Transition from CAMHS to AMHS Research Day- at Lucena Rathgar Clinic (May 2015) – ADHD Research Day- at Lucena Rathgar Clinic (Oct/ 2014)

Ella Tuohy

Research Interests
Health psychology, long-term condition management during childhood and adolescence

Research Profile

Ella holds a BA (Hons.) in Applied Psychology from University College Cork. In 2015, Ella completed an MA in Applied Psychology in University College Cork. Her MA research dissertation focused on the effect of viewing nature on sustained attention in older adults. Ella is currently completing her PhD at Dublin City University. The PhD is part of a Health Research Board funded project. Her PhD research is exploring adolescent perspectives on negotiating self-management responsibilities for type 1 diabetes with their parents using mixed methods.

Recent Publications

Tuohy, E., Rawdon, C., Gallagher, P., Glacken, M., Murphy, N., Swallow, V., & Lambert, V. (2019). Children and young people’s experiences and perceptions of self-management of type 1 diabetes: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Health Psychology Open, 6(2).

Cassarino, M., Tuohy, E., & Setti, A. (2019). Sometimes Nature Doesn’t Work: Absence of Attention Restoration in Older Adults Exposed to Environmental Scenes. Experimental Aging Research, 45(4), 372-385.

Recent Conference Proceedings

Tuohy, E., Gallagher P., Rawdon, C., Glacken, M., Murphy, N. & Swallow, V. & Lambert, V. (2019). Examining the relationship between adolescent type 1 diabetes-specific quality of life and parent-adolescent communication. 43rd Annual International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes. Boston, USA October 30 – November 2, 2019 (Poster Presentation).

Tuohy, E., Gallagher P., Rawdon, C., Glacken, M., Murphy, N. & Swallow, V. & Lambert, V. (2019). Investigating the relationship between adolescents self-managing their type 1 diabetes and diabetes-specific conflict with parents. 33rd Annual Conference of European Health Psychological Society. Dubrovnik, Croatia September 3-7, 2019 (Oral Presentation).

Tuohy, E., Gallagher P., Rawdon, C., Glacken, M.,Murphy, N. & Swallow, V. & Lambert, V. (2019). Investigating the relationship between adolescent self-management of type 1 diabetes and open parent-adolescent communication. British Psychological Society Health Psychology Annual Conference. Manchester, UK, July 10-11, 2019 (Poster Presentation).

Tuohy, E., Lambert, V., Gallagher P., Rawdon, C., Glacken, M., Murphy, N. & Swallow, V. (2018). Barriers and Facilitators to Talking about Type 1 Diabetes Self-Management: Adolescent Perspectives. 16th International Conference on Communication in Healthcare. Porto, Portugal, September 1-4, 2018 (Oral Presentation).