Maja Haals Brosnan PhD

Contact

Rannóg

Department of Arts, Maths, PE and Early Childhood Education

Role

Head of Department

Senior Lecturer

Course Leader, BSc Early Childhood Education

Course Leader, MES Early Childhood Education

Biography

Dr. Maja Haals Brosnan is a senior lecturer in early childhood education in Marino Institute of Education. Dr. Haals Brosnan has a PhD in social anthropology, with a focus on childhood. Her doctoral thesis explored the social and political dynamics of community support for children experiencing severe adversity in post-genocide Rwanda. Since moving to Ireland, Dr. Haals Brosnan has worked primarily with research on policy and evidence informed practice in the field of children, young people and families, and in recent years specifically on early childhood education. Research projects have included national quality standards for youth work, the use of evidence in the policymaking cycle, the experiences of unaccompanied minors in Ireland and more recently research specifically relating to early childhood education, including support for children with additional needs, use of screens in the early years and evaluations of a range of quality improvement initiatives. Current research interests and projects include the impact of Covid-19 on quality practice, in particular inclusion and wellbeing in early childhood education and consulting with children on curriculum developments.

Dr. Haals Brosnan acted as chief editor of the Children’s Research Network’s Research Digest for a number of years and led the publication of Research Digests on topics including children and young people’s transitions, resilience and social support, play and participatory research with children and young people. Prior to taking up her position in Marino Institute of Education, Dr. Haals Brosnan worked as a freelance research consultant, amongst others on a review of the National Quality Standards Framework for Youth Work.

Dr. Haals Brosnan currently lectures on early childhood education policy, research methods, inclusive and intercultural education (cultural diversity and educational disadvantage), as well as the sociology of childhood. She also lectures on the Masters in Early Childhood Education, specifically in the areas of policy, play pedagogy and curriculum.

Dr. Haals Brosnan supervises research at undergraduate and masters level. Research projects currently being supervised include research in Early Start Units, early childhood educators’ job satisfaction, the implementation of national policies in local settings, addressing educational disadvantage through early childhood education, and the role of play herein, as well as intercultural education in the early years, including socio-linguistic diversity and multilingualism, the integration of Aistear and Montessori and the use of Aistear in infant classes in primary school.

Teaching

ORCID iD

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3342-3694

Publications and other outputs

Book Chapters

Haals Brosnan, M., Stallard, R. and O'Donnell, N. (forthcoming) "The children are grand!" - Educators' perspectives on educator and child well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Resilience and Wellbeing: Children, Families and Communities. Edited volume. (full reference not yet available).

Haals Brosnan, M. (2016). Different Childhoods, Different Ethnographies: Encounters with Children in Post-Genocide Rwanda. In C. Allerton, ed., Children: Ethnographic Encounters. BloomsburyPress.

Journal Articles

Lynch, A., Haals-Brosnan, M., McCauley-Lambe, S., Colum, M., Farrelly, M., Horn, C., Mc Daid, R., Minnock, M., Ní Dhuinn, M. & Ó Laighin, F. (2023). Placement during a pandemic? Exploring the experiences & perspectives of students completing educational placement during the COVID-19 pandemic. All Ireland Journal of Higher Education, 15(2).

Thesis

Haals-Brosnan, M., (2017). Claims to Orphanhood: An Ethnographic Investigation of childhood adversity in post-genocide Rwanda. [Doctoral dissertation, London School of Economics]. LSE Thesis Online. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3654/.

Educational Resources

SiDiT methodology and teacher training course. https://www.siditproject.eu/

Research Reports

Cartwright, A., Martyn, D., McGrath, K., Redmond, R., O’Donnell, N., Stallard, S. & Haals-Brosnan, M. (2024). Evaluation of the Better Start Quality Development Service: Final Evaluation Report. Centre for Effective Services.

Kiely, J., Haals Brosnan, M., Colum, M., Uí Chianáin, A. and Dunne, C. (2022) Child’s voice: Consulting with children on the draft primary curriculum Framework. NCCA.

Kiely, J. O’Toole, L. Haals-Brosnan, M., O’Brien, E. Z., O’Keeffe, C. and Dunne, C. (2021) Parental Involvement, Engagement and Partnership in Children’s Education during the Primary School Years: Final Report. Marino Institute of Education.

Conference Contributions

Haals Brosnan, M. Stallard, R. Oke, M. Barr, A. Mellon, C. & O'Donnell, N. (2022, April 7-8). The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on ECEC practice and children's wellbeing. [Paper presentation]. ESAI Annual Conference 2022, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin.

Haals Brosnan, M., McCauley Lambe, s., Oke, M., Barr, A., Hayes, N., Garland, S.A., & O'Siorain, C.A. (2022, April 7-8). NEART: New Educational Approaches to Reflective Teaching. [Paper presentation]. ESAI Annual Conference 2022, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin.

Ui Chianain, A., Haals-Brosnan, M., McCauley-Lambe, S., Colum, M., Farrelly, M., Horn, C., McDaid, R., Ni Dhuinn, M., & O'Laighin, F. (2022, April 7-8). Placement in a Pandemic: Exploring the Impact of Covid-19 on Students' Experience of Educational Placement. [Paper presentation]. ESAI Annual Conference 2022, Marino Institute of Education, Dublin.

Kiely, J., Haals Brosnan, M., Uí Chianáin, A., Dunne, C. & Colum, M. (2022, April 7-8). Consulting with children on the draft primary curriculum: Methodological approach. [Paper presentation]. Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) conference, Dublin.

Haals Brosnan, M., O’Brien, E. & O’Toole, L. (2019). Supporting children's home learning environment through partnerships with parents. Conference proceedings from the 2019 Early Childhood Ireland National Research Conference. https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ECIResearchDayProceedings2019.pdf.

Whelan, E. & Haals Brosnan, M. (2019). The Benefits of the Early Start Programme. Conference proceedings from the 2019 Early Childhood Ireland National Research Conference.  https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ECIResearchDayProceedings2019.pdf.

Kenny, S. & Haals Brosnan, M. (2019). The role of the Early Start Programme in preparing disadvantaged children for primary school. Conference proceedings from the 2019 Early Childhood Ireland National Research Conference. https://www.earlychildhoodireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ECIResearchDayProceedings2019.pdf .

Blog

Early Childhood Ireland Scéalta (2022): Time to Talk, Parts 1. Time to Talk: Part 1 - Early Childhood Ireland

Early Childhood Ireland Scéalta (2022): Time to Talk, Parts 2. Time to Talk: Part 2 - Early Childhood Ireland

Early Childhood Ireland Scéalta (2017): Studying enquiring minds: the challenges of early childhood practice research. Studying enquiring minds: the challenges of early childhood practice research

Research/Professional Interests

Early childhood education, impact of Covid-19 on ECEC, early childhood policy, diversity and inclusion in ECEC, intercultural education and social justice in ECEC.

Membership

Children’s Research Network

Plé