Project Description
The TOBAR project is a response to the Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) call to enable access for under-represented groups of students to Initial Teacher Education (ITE). TOBAR focuses specifically on supporting admission to ITE for Traveller students.
Funder
Higher Education Authority
Dates
2018 - Present
Project Team
Dr Miriam Colum, MIE (PI)
Prof Teresa O'Doherty, Dr Gene Mehigan, Dr Rory Mc Daid, Tara Niland (MIE)
Prof Michael Shevlin, Dr Lisa Keane, Dr Louise Heeran Flynn, Prof Carmel O'Sullivan, Dr Donatella Camedda (TCD)
Contact
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 087 4703729
Twitter: @TOBAR_MIE_TCD
Outputs
Book Chapters
Burns, G. Colum, M. and O’Neill, J. (2023). ‘No one sees a Traveller at the top of the class’: Experiences of Irish Travellers Accessing Initial Teacher Education. In E. Keane, M. Heinz and R. Mc Daid (Eds) Diversifying the Teaching Profession: Dimensions, Dilemmas, and Directions for the Future. (pp. 155-165). Routledge.
Colum, M., & Brennan, A. (2022). Embedding diversification practice in Irish Teacher Education; supporting Irish Traveller student access and engagement in ITE. In Meletiadou, E. (Ed.), Promising Practices for Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education (pp. 171-187). IGI Global.
Uí Choistealbha, J., & Colum, M. (2022). You can’t be what you can’t see: How the Irish education system is supporting Irish Travellers to participate in programmes of initial teacher education. In Boivin, J. (Ed.) & Pacheco-Guffrey, H. (Ed.), Education as the Driving Force of Equality for the Marginalized (pp. 113-138). IGI Global.
Journal Articles
Colum, M., & Collins, A. M. (2021). Conversations on Covid-19: a viewpoint on care, connections, and culture during the pandemic from a teacher educator and an Irish Traveller. Irish Educational Studies, 40(2), 87-98. 10.1080/03323315.2021.1916560
Conferences
Colum, M. (2023, March 14). TOBAR: An innovative initiative for widening participation in Higher Education for Irish Traveller students. Belfast City Hall.
Colum, M. (2023, March 9). TOBAR: Past, Present and Future. Oriel House, Dublin.
Colum, M., Haals Brosnan, M. and Fox, S. (2020, January 16) An exploration of quality education for Traveller children: Experiences from pre-school to primary school and beyond. [Paper presentation]. THRIECE International Conference, Carlow.
Colum, M. (2019, November 14). An exploration of Travellers accessing ITE. [Paper presentation]. Research Symposium, Galway: Ireland.
Invited Presentation
Colum, M. (2019, October 2). PATH 1 Case Study – presentation from Marino Institute on the ‘TOBAR’ Project. Invited presentation to the HEA, Department of education and Skills: Dublin 1.
TG4 Video about An Tobar
The full programme is available on the TG4 Player here