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Dr. Audrey O'Grady

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Biography


Dr. Audrey O' Grady is a lecturer in Biology and Science Education at the University of Limerick since 2010. She is responsible for all of the Biology Pedagogy as well as being course director for the Science Education programme. She represents her department on the University Research Committee and is engaged in the screening of research proposals in the College of Science and Engineering. Her research expertise are in the fields of Science Education and Ecology (particularly Ant Ecology). She is currently supervising four postgraduate students and teaches on five undergraduate modules. She has been shortlisted for the Shannon Consortium Regional Teaching Excellence Award in both 2013 and 2014. At present she is the Irish PI on the Consus Tempus project Connecting Science- Society Collaborations for Sustainability Innovations.

Research Interests

My research focusses on misconceptions and active learning in Science Education and Ecology, particularly Ant Ecology.


Recent Graduates:



Elaine Feeney BSc(Ed.) MSc.


Thesis title: An Ecological Assessment of Rehabilitated Bauxite Residue to Determine Ecosystem Success




Current Students:



Elaine Galvin BSc.(Ed.). To determine and overcome misconceptions in Biology held by students and educators in the Irish schooling system. Funded by the Irish Research Council



Jennifer Butler BSc.(Ed.). Implementation of a Sustainable Health Framework into Science in Second Level Schools and its Integration in to Science Teacher Training. Funded by the Irish Research Council


Heather Merrick BSc.(Ed.). The identification of bat species and their prey items using PCR. Funded by the Department of Life Sciences Scholarship.



Gerard Finnegan BSc.(Ed.). The Use of Ecosystem Function Analysis to Determine the Rehabilitation Success of Industrial Waste Sites. Funded by the Irish Research Council



Teaching Interests

Dr Audrey O'Grady Teaches on 5 Modules

BY4001- Biology 1
BY4023- Animal Diversity
BY4104- Ecology 1
SE4024- Teaching Science 1
SE4006- Science Teaching 3

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journals

2015

An investigation into the prevalence of ecological misconceptions in upper secondary students and implications for pre-service teacher education
Butler, J,Simmie, GM,O'Grady, A
(2015) An investigation into the prevalence of ecological misconceptions in upper secondary students and implications for pre-service teacher education
In European Journal Of Teacher Education; pp. 300-319
DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2014.943394

2015

THE MITE (ACARI: ORIBATIDA, MESOSTIGMATA) ASSEMBLAGES ASSOCIATED WITH LASIUS FLAVUS (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) NESTS AND SURROUNDING SOIL IN AN IRISH GRASSLAND
Arroyo, J,O'Grady, A,Vance, H,Bolger, T
(2015) THE MITE (ACARI: ORIBATIDA, MESOSTIGMATA) ASSEMBLAGES ASSOCIATED WITH LASIUS FLAVUS (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) NESTS AND SURROUNDING SOIL IN AN IRISH GRASSLAND
In Biology And Environment-Proceedings Of The Royal Irish Academy; pp. 17-28
DOI: 10.3318/BIOE.2015.03

2015

An investigation into the prevalence of ecological misconceptions in upper secondary students and implications for pre-service teacher education.
Butler, J. ; Mooney Simmie, G. ; O'Grady, A.
(2015) An investigation into the prevalence of ecological misconceptions in upper secondary students and implications for pre-service teacher education.
In European Journal Of Teacher Education; pp. 1-20
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2014.943394

2015

Identification of Misconceptions in the Teaching of Biology
Galvin, E.; Mooney Simmie, G.; O'Grady, A.
(2015) Identification of Misconceptions in the Teaching of Biology
In Higher Education of Social Science; Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures :
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/6519

2014

An ecological assessment of rehabilitated bauxite residue
Courtney, R,Feeney, E,O'Grady, A
(2014) An ecological assessment of rehabilitated bauxite residue
In Ecological Engineering; pp. 373-379
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.09.064

2014

Why change to active learning? Pre-service and in-service science teachers' perceptions.
O'Grady, A. ; Mooney Simmie, G. ; Kennedy, T.
(2014) Why change to active learning? Pre-service and in-service science teachers' perceptions.
In European Journal Of Teacher Education; pp. 35-50
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2013.845163

2014

Why change to active learning? Pre-service and in-service science teachers' perceptions
O'Grady, A,Simmie, GM,Kennedy, T
(2014) Why change to active learning? Pre-service and in-service science teachers' perceptions
In European Journal Of Teacher Education; pp. 35-50
DOI: 10.1080/02619768.2013.845163

2013

The seed bank in soil from the nests of grassland ants in a unique limestone grassland community in Ireland
O'Grady, A,Breen, J,Harrington, TJ,Courtney, R
(2013) The seed bank in soil from the nests of grassland ants in a unique limestone grassland community in Ireland
In Ecological Engineering; pp. 58-64
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2013.09.011

2011

Observations on mermithid parasitism (Nematoda: Mermithidae) in two species of Lasius ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
O'Grady, A; Breen, J
(2011) Observations on mermithid parasitism (Nematoda: Mermithidae) in two species of Lasius ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
In Journal Of Natural History; pp. 2339-2345
DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2011.596634

2010

Trophic relationships of grassland ants based on stable isotopes
O'Grady, A; Schmidt, O; Breen, J
(2010) Trophic relationships of grassland ants based on stable isotopes
In Pedobiologia; pp. 221-225
DOI: 10.1016/j.pedobi.2009.12.002

Conference Publications

2015

NARST: A Worldwide Organization for Improving Science Teaching and Learning through Research, Chicago, USA.
Erduran, S., Kaya, E., Cetin, P. S., O'Grady, A., Leahy, K., Uworwabayeho, A., & Mutarutinya, V.
(2015) NARST: A Worldwide Organization for Improving Science Teaching and Learning through Research, Chicago, USA.

2012

22nd Annual Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium
Feeney, E. O' Grady, A. Courtney, R.
(2012) 22nd Annual Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium

2007

17th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium
O'Grady, A. Schmidt, O., Breen, J.
(2007) 17th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium

2005

15th Irish Environmental Researchers¿ Colloquium
O¿Grady, A. and J. Breen
(2005) 15th Irish Environmental Researchers¿ Colloquium
*(Ed.) pp. 108-*

2005

Proceedings of the 3rd European Congress on Social Insects
O'Grady, A., Breen, J.
(2005) Proceedings of the 3rd European Congress on Social Insects

2005

3rd European Congress on Social Insects.
O¿Grady, A. and J. Breen
(2005) 3rd European Congress on Social Insects.
*(Ed.) pp. 105-*

2005

15th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium
O'Grady, A., Breen J.
(2005) 15th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium

2004

14th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium
O'Grady, A., Breen, J.
(2004) 14th Irish Environmental Researchers' Colloquium