Contact
Telephone
01 853 5142
Location
St Marys, Room 220
Rannóg
Department of Arts, Literacy & Early Childhood
Role
B.Sc. ECE Field Placement Coordinator and Lecturer in Early Childhood Education
Biography
Natasha originally trained as a Montessori teacher, in the Montessori Education Centre in Dublin, before studying Special Education in the University of Birmingham, U.K. She worked in Early Childhood Education for 25 years, with a focus on inclusive practice. Natasha has achieved a Doctorate in Education from the University of Birmingham, U.K. Just prior to commencing lecturing in Marino Institute of Education, Natasha Co-delivered the Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) programme.
Qualifications
Ed. Doctorate in Early Childhood Education
M.Ed in Special Education
B.Phil in Special Education specific to autism
H.Dip Montessori Education birth to twelve years
Teaching
B.Sc. ECE 1: EC8109 – Field Placement 1 — Module Leader and Lecturer
B.Sc. ECE 2: EC8210 – Field Placement 2 — Module Leader and Lecturer
B.Sc. ECE 3: EC8309 – Field Placement 3 — Module Leader and Lecturer
B.Sc. ECE 4: EC8410 – Field Placement 4 — Module Leader and Lecturer
B.Sc. ECE 2: EC8204 – Models of Curriculum and Assessment — Module Leader and Lecturer
B.Sc. ECE 2: EC8205 – ECE Policy and Practice in Ireland — Lecturer
B.Sc. ECE 4: EC8406 – Organisation Learning and Skills — Module Leader and Lecturer
ORCiD
Publications and other outputs
Book Chapters
Haals , Stallard, R. and O’Donnell, N. (2023). ’The children are grand!’ Educators’ perspectives on educator and child well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. EECERA (TBC).
Journal Articles
Haals Brosnan, M., Stallard, R., & O’Donnell, N. (2025). Where are you going? Lessons learned from Irish ECEC educators’ intuitive implementation of slow pedagogy during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2025.2532552
O’Donnell, N (2018). Ireland’s Ready to Learn White Paper: then and now. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal, 9(1), 2800-2809. Irelands-Ready-to-Learn-White-Paper-Then-and-Now.pdf (infonomics-society.org)
Thesis
O’Donnell, N. (2019). A study of the identity of Early Years teachers within a Montessori context. Doctoral dissertation, University of Birmingham. ODonnell2020EdD_Redacted.pdf (bham.ac.uk)
O’Donnell, N. (2015). Can the use of experiential education with the Montessori mathematics materials teach children on the autism spectrum junior curriculum mathematics skills? M. Ed. Special Education. University of Birmingham, UK.
O’Donnell, N. (2009). Can the use of experiential education with the Montessori language materials teach children on the autism spectrum to read? B. Phil. Special Education. University of Birmingham, UK.
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.
Conference presentations
Haals Brosnan, M., Stallard, R. & O’Donnell, N. (2023). ’The children are grand!’ Educators’ perspectives on educator and child well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. EECERA (TBC).
Kelly, P. & O’Donnell, N. (2022, May 5). Can classroom conversations contribute to the curriculum? Children’s perception of the Aistear Framework. [Paper presentation]. DBS PARC Conference, Dublin Business School, Ireland.
Haals Brosnan, M., Stallard, R. & O’Donnell, N. (2022, December 8). Children need to be children-educators’ perspectives on the experiences of young children during the Covid-19 pandemic. [Paper presentation]. CRN Conference, University College Dublin, Ireland.
O'Donnell, N. (2017, October 23-26). A critical discourse analysis of Ireland's Ready to Learn White Paper. [Paper presentation]. Ireland International Conference on Education, Dublin, Ireland.
O’Donnell, N. (2017). The impact of Social Choice stories. [Paper presentation]. Early Childhood Ireland Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
O'Donnell, N. (2016). Inclusive education for children with special educational needs in Ireland – policy, practice, and impact. [Published presentation]. Papers from the Education Doctoral Research Conference, Saturday 26 November 2016. http://epapers.bham.ac.uk/2979/1/Full_Book_Research_conference_November_2016.pdf
Research/Professional Interests
Early Childhood Education and Special Education
Professional Activities
Involved with the UNICEF Right’s Respecting School Award programme
Membership
Children’s Research Network