This service learning course explores youth engagement and education in Ireland. From both a policy and sociological perspective, this course examines the relationship between State, Church, the family and education and the impact these relationships have on youth in Ireland. The seminar analyses the role of civic engagement using the theoretical perspectives of individualism, collectivism and social capital. Community placements are with a youth club which aims to empower young adults and a homework club for children from disadvantaged areas.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Understand social capital theory, individualism and collectivism and apply such theories to social issues.
Articulate and analyse some of the key social issues related to youth and education in Ireland and compare this to the US.
Integrate with Irish peers while developing their intrapersonal and interpersonal skills by working alongside Irish youth and peers.
Connect and extend knowledge of the social issues surrounding youth empowerment and education and relate it to the volunteer placement.
Method of presentation:
Students will investigate weekly topics through student led discussion, debate, pair work and their community placement. Moodle will be used to support learning through multimedia such as video, pod casts, news articles and assigned readings.
Required work and form of assessment:
Class participation and attendance (20%); 8 directed reflective responses, 2 pages each, posted to Moodle (40%); mid-term exam (10%), final group project, 6 page newsletter (30%).
Contact hours: Seminar, 20 hrs.; Community placement, 60 clock hrs.
Newsletter: working in pairs, students produce a 6-page newsletter that addresses the needs and benefits of the projects they have worked on during the semester. Sample content will include photographs, current affairs related to the projects, interviews, announcements, overview of events, accomplishments, information about new policies/initiatives, impact of new policy on the project. The newsletter will be on display at the final class session for all colleagues, youth members and students from O’Connell Boys School to see.
content:
Session 1: Introduction to service learning and the Irish education system
During this session we will define service learning. Students will ‘preflect’ on what the course and placement might teach us. An overview of the Irish education system will be discussed.
Session 2: A closer look – Outsourcing of social responsibility
Applying information from session one, this session looks at how the placement organisations function; how and why they were founded, how they receive funding and the challenges they face in order to continue supporting youth in Ireland. We will debate where responsibilities lie, with the State or with NGOs?
Required Reading:
Curtin and Varley. “Community Action and the State,” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin,1999. Pp 379-409.
Tovey and Share. “Education,” in A Sociology of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, 2003. Pp188-227.
Clancy, Patrick. “Education in the Republic of Ireland: The Project of Modernity?” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 467-494.
Week 3: Individualism and Collectivism
This session explores the cultural elements of individualism and collectivism. Using this theory we will compare and contrast cultures; in particular the US and Ireland.
Required Reading:
Marcia Finkelsstein. “Individualism/Collectivism: Implications for the Volunteer Process,” in Social Behavior and Personality, Vol. 38 No. 4 (2010), pp. 445-452.
Burgess, Paul and Leahy, Pat. Youth Participation in the Republic of Ireland. Youth Work Ireland: Cork, 2011.
Turiel, Elliot. “Commentary: Beyond Individualism and Collectivism – A Problem, or Progress?” in New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, No 104 (Summer 2004), pp. 91-101.
Week 4: The Catholic Church
The term ‘a la carte’ Catholic is commonly used to describe the relationship of Irish who were raised Catholics with the Church – using the Church only for births, marriages and deaths. However the Irish State (public) schools are strongly connected to the Church. Historically, the Church has always played a highly significant role in the community. This session looks at the impact of the Catholic Church on education and civil society.
Required Reading:
Tovey and Share. “Religion,” in A Sociology of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, 2003. Pp 384-412.
McVeigh, Robbie. “Cherishing the Children of the Nation Unequally: Sectarianism in Ireland,” in Sociological Perspectives. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 620-651.
Phádriag, Máire. “The Power of the Catholic Church in the Republic of Ireland,” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 593-619.
Week 5: Economy
The end of the Celtic Tiger has brought an end to several youth initiatives and support services in education. This session looks at the impact of the economy on youth engagement and education in Ireland.
Required Reading:
Harvey, Brian. Downsizing the Community Sector. Dublin: Irish Congress of Trade Unions Community Sector Committee, 2012. Education International. The Global Economic Crisis and its Impact on Education. Brussels, 2010.
Kirby, Peadar. “Impact,” in The Celtic Tiger in Distress: Growth with inequality in Ireland. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2002. Pp 47-68.
Week 6: Family
Like most Western cultures, the definition of a ‘family’ has changed significantly in recent years. This session looks at the influence of the family unit on the community and education in Ireland.
Required Reading:
McDonald, Bernadette. “Sociology of the Family,” in An Introduction to Sociology in Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin 2009. Pp 81-96.
Fahey, T. “Family and the Household in Ireland,” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 205-234.
O’Connor, Pat. “Ireland: A Man’s World,” in Economic and Social Review, Vol. 31, No. 1 (2000), pp. 81-102.
Tovey and Share. “Gender, sexuality and the family,” in A Sociology of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, 2003. Pp228-268.
Week 7: Guest Speaker from Northern Ireland Youth Forum; methodologies of youth empowerment
NIYF aims to improve the lives of young people (ages 12-25). This session will look at various strategies and methodologies aimed at empowering youth.
Required Reading:
Northern Ireland Youth Forum. Don’t just think it, Do it. NIYF Annual Report, 2009.
Sorhaindo, Annik and Feinstein, Leon. The role of youth clubs in integrated provision for young people: An assessment of a model of best practice. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education, University College London: June 2007. Pp1-56.
TY Talk. “Youth clubs are boring we need a place to hang out” in The Irish Times (4 April 2010).
Week 8: Inequality/Disadvantage
Using the disadvantaged community of Finglas as a case study we explore social capital theory to discuss the obstacles that marginalised youth face during school years in Ireland and the importance of youth groups.
Required Reading:
Tovey and Share. “Inequality, Poverty and Class,” in A Sociology of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, 2003. Pp160-187.
Podcast: Newstalk 106 Radio Documentary, “Finglas Youth Service; growing up disadvantaged” (Feb 2012).
Combat Poverty Agency. “Against All Odds, Living in Deprived Communities,” Combat Poverty Agency: Dublin 8.
Horgan, Goretti. “’That child is smart because he’s rich’: the impact of poverty on young children’s experiences of school” in International Journal of Inclusive Education, Vol. 13, No. 4 (June 2009), pp. 359–376.
Week 9: Immigration
Ireland has seen an increase in immigrants since the expansion of the EU; in this session we examine the effects of the ‘New Irish’ on society and Irish immigration policy will be discussed.
Required Reading:
Bryan, Audrey. “The co-articulation of national identity and interculturalism in the Irish curriculum: educating for democratic citizenship?” in London Review of Education, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2008), pp. 47-58.
Lillington, Karlin. “Time to rethink the way we view Emigration” in The Irish Times (9 Sept 2010).
Tovey and Share. “Population and migration,” in A Sociology of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, 2003. Pp 134-159.
Week 10: Community and Citizenship
British anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, states, “The lack of social contact, the lack of a sense of community, may be the most pressing social problem of the new millennium”. This session looks at the trends and benefits of citizenship.
Required Reading:
Dunne, Joseph. “Citizenship and Education; A Crisis in the Republic,” in Reinventing Ireland. Ed. Peadar Kirby, Luke Gibbons and Michael Cronin. Pluto Press: London, 2002. Pp 69-88.
Putnam, Robert. Bowling Alone; The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster, 2001.
Week 11: Leadership, Motivation and Youth In Feb 2012, Ireland’s Education Minister approved a pilot project entitled Bridge21 aimed at encouraging youth empowerment through education.
Required Reading:
European Youth Forum. Building Bridges. Brussels: Commission of European Communities, 2006.
McCallister, Cynthia. Schooling the Possible Self. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford. 2004. Pp 426-462.
Week 12: Reflections
Invite Irish students and peers to IES for Pizza Party, celebrate and share your key memories of your time spent together! Students will distribute their Newsletter to the group.
Required readings:
Bryan, Audrey. “The co-articulation of national identity and interculturalism in the Irish curriculum: educating for democratic citizenship?” in London Review of Education, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2008), pp. 47-58.
Burgess, Paul and Leahy, Pat. Youth Participation in the Republic of Ireland. Youth Work Ireland: Cork, 2011.
Clancy, Patrick. “Education in the Republic of Ireland: The Project of Modernity?” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 467-494.
Combat Poverty Agency. “Against All Odds, Living in Deprived Communities,” Combat Poverty Agency: Dublin 8.
Curtin and Varley. “Community Action and the State,” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 379-409.
Dunne, Joseph. “Citizenship and Education; A Crisis in the Republic,” in Reinventing Ireland. Ed. Peadar Kirby, Luke Gibbons and Michael Cronin. Pluto Press: London, 2002. Pp 69-88.
European Youth Forum. Building Bridges. Brussels: Commission of European Communities, 2006. Education International. The Global Economic Crisis and its Impact on Education. Brussels, 2010.
Fahey, T. “Family and the Household in Ireland,” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 205-234.
Finkelsstein, Marcia. “Individualism/Collectivism: Implications for the Volunteer Process,” in Social Behavior and Personality, Vol. 38 No. 4 (2010), pp. 445-452.
Harvey, Brian. Downsizing the Community Sector. Dublin: Irish Congress of Trade Unions Community Sector Committee, 2012.
Horgan, Goretti. “’That child is smart because he’s rich’: the impact of poverty on young children’s experiences of school” in International Journal of Inclusive Education, Vol. 13, No. 4 (June 2009), pp. 359–376.
Kirby, Peadar. “Impact,” in The Celtic Tiger in Distress: Growth with inequality in Ireland. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2002. Pp 47-68.
Lillington, Karlin. “Time to rethink the way we view Emigration” in The Irish Times (9 Sept 2010).
McCallister, Cynthia. Schooling the Possible Self. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford. 2004.
McDonald, Bernadette. “Sociology of the Family,” in An Introduction to Sociology in Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin 2009. Pp 81-96.
McVeigh, Robbie. “Cherishing the Children of the Nation Unequally: Sectarianism in Ireland,” in Sociological Perspectives. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 620-651. Northern Ireland Youth Forum. Don’t just think it, Do it. NIYF Annual Report, 2009.
O’Connor, Pat. “Ireland: A Man’s World,” in Economic and Social Review, Vol. 31, No. 1 (2000), pp. 81-102.
Phádriag, Máire. “The Power of the Catholic Church in the Republic of Ireland,” in Sociological Perspectives. Ed. Patrick Clancy, Sheelagh Drudy, Kathleen Lynch and Liam O’Dowd. Institute of Public Administration: Dublin, 1999. Pp 593-619.
Putnam, Robert. Bowling Alone; The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Simon and Schuster, 2001.
Sorhaindo, Annik and Feinstein, Leon. The role of youth clubs in integrated provision for young people: An assessment of a model of best practice. Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Institute of Education, University College London: June 2007. Pp1-56.
Turiel, Elliot. “Commentary: Beyond Individualism and Collectivism – A Problem, or Progress?” in New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, No 104 (Summer 2004), pp. 91-101.
Tovey and Share. A Sociology of Ireland. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, 2003. Pp 134-187-268; 384-412. Podcast: Newstalk 106 Radio Documentary, “Finglas Youth Service; growing up disadvantaged” (Feb 2012).
TY Talk. “Youth clubs are boring we need a place to hang out” in The Irish Times (4 April 2010). Watch, mPower; www.mrci.ie/mPower-Youth-Project/.
Notes:
Not offered Fall 2013.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Megan Markey earned an MBA in Education Management from the Institute of Education, University of London and a Masters in Sociology from University College Dublin. She has taught qualitative research for the Sociology Department at University College Dublin. Employed by IES Abroad since 2004, she is
currently the Assistant Director.
This service learning course explores youth engagement and education in Ireland. From both a policy and sociological perspective, this course examines the relationship between State, Church, the family and education and the impact these relationships have on youth in Ireland. The seminar analyses the role of civic engagement using the theoretical perspectives of individualism, collectivism and social capital. Community placements are with a youth club which aims to empower young adults and a homework club for children from disadvantaged areas.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Students will investigate weekly topics through student led discussion, debate, pair work and their community placement. Moodle will be used to support learning through multimedia such as video, pod casts, news articles and assigned readings.
Class participation and attendance (20%); 8 directed reflective responses, 2 pages each, posted to Moodle (40%); mid-term exam (10%), final group project, 6 page newsletter (30%).
Contact hours: Seminar, 20 hrs.; Community placement, 60 clock hrs.
Newsletter: working in pairs, students produce a 6-page newsletter that addresses the needs and benefits of the projects they have worked on during the semester. Sample content will include photographs, current affairs related to the projects, interviews, announcements, overview of events, accomplishments, information about new policies/initiatives, impact of new policy on the project. The newsletter will be on display at the final class session for all colleagues, youth members and students from O’Connell Boys School to see.
Session 1: Introduction to service learning and the Irish education system
During this session we will define service learning. Students will ‘preflect’ on what the course and placement might teach us. An overview of the Irish education system will be discussed.
Session 2: A closer look – Outsourcing of social responsibility
Applying information from session one, this session looks at how the placement organisations function; how and why they were founded, how they receive funding and the challenges they face in order to continue supporting youth in Ireland. We will debate where responsibilities lie, with the State or with NGOs?
Required Reading:
Week 3: Individualism and Collectivism
This session explores the cultural elements of individualism and collectivism. Using this theory we will compare and contrast cultures; in particular the US and Ireland.
Required Reading:
Week 4: The Catholic Church
The term ‘a la carte’ Catholic is commonly used to describe the relationship of Irish who were raised Catholics with the Church – using the Church only for births, marriages and deaths. However the Irish State (public) schools are strongly connected to the Church. Historically, the Church has always played a highly significant role in the community. This session looks at the impact of the Catholic Church on education and civil society.
Required Reading:
Week 5: Economy
The end of the Celtic Tiger has brought an end to several youth initiatives and support services in education. This session looks at the impact of the economy on youth engagement and education in Ireland.
Required Reading:
Week 6: Family
Like most Western cultures, the definition of a ‘family’ has changed significantly in recent years. This session looks at the influence of the family unit on the community and education in Ireland.
Required Reading:
Week 7: Guest Speaker from Northern Ireland Youth Forum; methodologies of youth empowerment
NIYF aims to improve the lives of young people (ages 12-25). This session will look at various strategies and methodologies aimed at empowering youth.
Required Reading:
Week 8: Inequality/Disadvantage
Using the disadvantaged community of Finglas as a case study we explore social capital theory to discuss the obstacles that marginalised youth face during school years in Ireland and the importance of youth groups.
Required Reading:
Week 9: Immigration
Ireland has seen an increase in immigrants since the expansion of the EU; in this session we examine the effects of the ‘New Irish’ on society and Irish immigration policy will be discussed.
Required Reading:
Week 10: Community and Citizenship
British anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, states, “The lack of social contact, the lack of a sense of community, may be the most pressing social problem of the new millennium”. This session looks at the trends and benefits of citizenship.
Required Reading:
Week 11: Leadership, Motivation and Youth In Feb 2012, Ireland’s Education Minister approved a pilot project entitled Bridge21 aimed at encouraging youth empowerment through education.
Required Reading:
Week 12: Reflections
Invite Irish students and peers to IES for Pizza Party, celebrate and share your key memories of your time spent together! Students will distribute their Newsletter to the group.
Not offered Fall 2013.
Megan Markey earned an MBA in Education Management from the Institute of Education, University of London and a Masters in Sociology from University College Dublin. She has taught qualitative research for the Sociology Department at University College Dublin. Employed by IES Abroad since 2004, she is
currently the Assistant Director.