Dr. Delma Byrne

Professional Career to Date

I joined the Department of Sociology in September 2010 and also lecture at the Department of Education. My academic career to date has focused on social stratification and the sociology of education in particular. I did a BA in Sociology and French at NUIM and an M.Sc. in Applied Social Research and the University of Dublin, Trinity College. I was awarded a PhD for research conducted at the Centre for Educational Sociology at the University of Edinburgh. My PhD research focused on the determinants and effects of work undertaken by young people before leaving school through part-time job holding and school organised work experience as part of the curriculum. From 2007-2010 I was a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

Research Interests

My primary area of interest is in social stratification in education and the labour market. This work spans examination of inequality in primary, second-level and higher education as well as post secondary education and training; transitions between education and the labour market, and the evaluation of educational interventions.

Much of my research to date has examined education and labour market issues with particular reference to youth. Research at primary level considers gender differences in the uptake and impact of extra-curricular activities on educational attainment. At second-level, my research to date has focused on school-to-work transitions, the dynamics of early school leaving, curriculum differentiation, the integration of newcomer (immigrant) students in Irish primary and second-level schools, school choice, parental involvement, and the evaluation of educational programmes (Transition Year, Leaving Certificate Applied). I have also worked on Higher Education issues related to access, class inequalities, student experience and persistence/drop out. In relation to wider labour market issues, I have worked on issues relating to youth unemployment, the impact of over-education, job search strategies and the impact of employer-led training on wages.

Current Research Projects 

1. International Study on Educational Inequality

I am currently Coordinator of an Equalsoc Research Group on Effectively Maintained Inequality: A Cross National Assessment of Educational Inequality’, a thematic work programme of the Equalsoc International Network of Excellence, funded under the EU 7th Framework Programme.

2. European Study on Preventing University Non-Persistence and Academic Underperformance

More detail to follow.

Teaching

I currently teach on the following modules:

Undergraduate:

• SO330 Sociology of Education


• SO203 Structures of Inequality


• S0303 Education and Society


• SO303g Education and Society


• ED305 Sociology of Education

Postgraduate:

• Supervision of Masters Theses' (MA Society and Space, MA Societies in Transition, MLitt in Education)


• Supervision of PhD Theses


• ED505 Sociology of Education (PDE)

Other Activities

Reviewer:

• Irish Educational Studies


• Sociology of Education


• Journal of Youth Studies  

Member: 

• International Sociological Association Research Committee 28 on Social Stratification and Mobility (RC28)


• European Transitions in Youth Network (TIY)


• British Sociological Association (BSA)


• Executive Board Member and Treasurer Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI)


• American Educational Research Association (AERA)


• Sociological Association of Ireland (SAI)

Other

• Member of Joint Oireachtas Committee Expert Group on Underachievement at second-level education 2008/2009

Publications:

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Byrne, D. and McCoy, S. Forthcoming 'Identifying and Explaining Hidden Disadvantage among the Non Manual Group in Higher Education Access', Comparative Social Review: Special Issue on Class Analysis

Byrne, D., Banks, J., McCoy, S., and Smyth, E. Forthcoming 'Comforts and Costs: Student Experience of Participation in a Lower Track at Upper Secondary Education', British Journal of Sociology of Education

O'Connell, P.J., and Byrne, D. 2012. 'The Determinants and Effects of Training at Work: Bringing the Workplace Back in', European Sociological Review 28(3): 283-300.

Darmody, M. Byrne, D., and McGinnity, F. 2012. 'Cumulative Disadvantage? Educational Careers of Migrant Students in Irish Secondary Schools' Forthcoming in Race Ethnicity and Education

McCoy, S., and Byrne, D. 2011. 'The sooner the better I could get out of there: Barriers to Higher Education Access in Ireland', Forthcoming in Irish Educational Studies: Special Issue on Transitions In and Out of Higher Education Published Online June 2011.

McCoy, S., and Byrne, D. 2011. 'Too much of a good thing?' Gender, Concerted Cultivation and Unequal Achievement in Primary Education', Forthcoming in Child Indicators Research Published Online 20th June 2011.

Byrne, D., McGinnity, F., Smyth, E., and Darmody, M. 2010. 'Immigration and School Composition in Ireland', Irish Educational Studies: Special Issue on Race, Migration and Education in a Globalised Context 29(3): 271-288.

Byrne, D. and Ozga, J. 2009. ‘BERA Review 2006: Education Research and Policy’, Research Papers in Education 23, 4: 377-405.

Grimes, M., Thoutenhoofd, E.D. and Byrne, D. 2007 ‘Language Approaches Used with Deaf Pupils in Scottish Schools: 2001-2004’, Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 12, 4: 530-551.

Darmody, M., and Byrne, D. 2006. 'An Introduction to Compusterised Analysis of Qualitative Data', Irish Educational Studies, 25(1): 121-133.

Books

Byrne, D., and Smyth, E. 2010. Behind the Scenes? A study of Parental Involvement in Second-Level Education, The Liffey Press in association with The ESRI, NCCA & Department of Education and Science.

Byrne, D. and Smyth, E. 2010. No Way Back? The Dynamics of Early School Leaving, The Liffey Press in association with The ESRI, NCCA & Department of Education and Science.

Smyth, E., Byrne, D., and Hannan, C. 2005. The Transition Year Programme: an Assessment, Dublin: The Liffey Press in association with the ESRI

Book Chapters

M. Darmody, Smyth, E., Byrne, D., and McGinnity, F. 2011. ‘New School, New System? The experiences of immigrant students in Irish schools’, in Bekerman, Z., and Geisen, T. (Eds) ‘Migration, Minorities, and Learning – Understanding Cultural and Social Differences in Education’ Springer.

Research Reports

• McCoy, S., and Byrne, D. 2011. 'Non Progression among Higher Education New Entrants: A Multivariate Analysis', Chapter 6 in Patterson, V., Mooney, O., O'Connor, M., and Chantler, A. A Study of Progression in Higher Education Dublin: Higher Education Authority


• Banks, J., Byrne, D., McCoy, S. and Smyth, E. 2010. Engaging Young People? Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied, ESRI Research Series 15, ESRI/NCCA


• McCoy, S., Byrne, D., O’Connell, P.J., Kelly, E. and Doherty, C. 2010. Hidden Disadvantage? A Study of the Low Participation in Higher Education by the Non Manual Group, Dublin: Higher Education Authority


• O’Connell, P.J., Russell, H., Watson, D., and Byrne, D. 2010. Changing Workplace: A Survey of Employees’ Views and Experiences Dublin: National Centre for Partnership and Performance


• Byrne, D., McCoy, S. and Watson, D. 2009. School Leavers’ Survey 2007, Dublin: ESRI and Department of Education and Science


• Smyth, E., Darmody, M., McGinnity, F. and Byrne, D. 2009. Adapting to Diversity: Irish Schools and Newcomer Students, Dublin: ESRI Research Series 8


• Byrne, D. and Raffe, D. 2005. Establishing a UK ‘home international’ comparative research programme for post-compulsory learning LSRC Research Report London: Learning and Skills Development Agency

Research Bulletins

• McCoy, S., and Byrne, D. 'Progression in Higher Education: The Value of Multivariate Analyses', ESRI Research Bulletin 2010/04/03


• Byrne, D. and Smyth, E. 'No Way Back? The Dynamics of Early School Leaving', ESAI Newsletter Research Bulletin


• Banks, J., Byrne, D., McCoy, S. and Smyth, E. ‘Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme’ ESRI Research Bulletin 2010/2/3


• McCoy, S. and Byrne, D. ‘Identifying the Barriers to Higher Education Participation’ ESRI Research Bulletin 2010/15


• Smyth, E., Darmody, D., McGinnity, F. and Byrne, D. ‘What do we know about large scale immigration and Irish Schools? ESRI Research Bulletin 2009/2/6


• Byrne, D. and McCoy, S. ‘School Leavers: How Are They Faring?’ ESRI Research Bulletin 2009/1/2


• Raffe, D. and Byrne, D. ‘Policy Learning From ‘Home International’ Comparisons’ Centre for Educational Sociology Briefings 34, May 2005

Conference Papers

2011

• 
  with Lucas, S.R. 'Theory and Method in the Assessment of  Effectively Maintained Inequality in Comparative Perspective’ Plenary Session on Equalsoc Research Group ‘Effectively Maintained Inequality: A Cross National Assessment of Educational Inequality’ at International Sociological Association (ISA) Research Committee on Social Stratification and Social Mobility (RC28) 'Opportunity, Meritocracy and Changing Patterns of Social Inequality', University of Iowa, Iowa City, August 2011.


• 
  with McCoy, S. 'Effectively Maintained Inequality in the Republic of Ireland: The Stratifying Effects of How Math Teaching is Organised' Plenary Session on Equalsoc Research Group ‘Effectively Maintained Inequality: A Cross National Assessment of Educational Inequality’ at International Sociological Association (ISA) Research Committee on Social Stratification and Social Mobility (RC28) 'Opportunity, Meritocracy and Changing Patterns of Social Inequality', University of Iowa, Iowa City, August 2011.


• 
  with McCoy, S., and Banks, J. 'Boys are Good at Maths! Gender Stereo-typing in Parents' and Teachers' Evaluations of Childrens' Math Performance', Paper presented at American Educational Research Association (AERA), New Orleans, April 2011 [Delivered by Selina McCoy].

2010

• ‘What Makes Effectively Maintained Inequality (EMI): A Review of Empirical Study Findings’ Equalsoc Research Group ‘Effectively Maintained Inequality: A Cross National Assessment of Educational Inequality’ International Sociological Association, Gothenburgh, July 2010


• with McCoy, S. ‘Hidden Disadvantage in Higher Education Access in Ireland’ European Network on Transitions in Youth Conference ‘Transitions in and out of Higher Education – A Changing Context? Dublin, September 2010


• with Banks, J., Smyth, E. and McCoy, S. ‘Curriculum Differentiation in an Irish Context: Do Tracks Shape Students or Do Students Shape Tracks? ECER 2010, Education and Cultural Change, Helsinki, August 2010


• with Darmody, M. and McGinnity, F. ‘Academic sphere and immigrant children in Ireland’ Trinity Immigration Initiative International Conference 2010 ‘New Migrations, New Challenges’ Dublin, July 2010


• with Banks, J., McCoy, S. and Smyth, E. ‘Student Experience of the Leaving Certificate Applied’ Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference ‘Borders, Boundaries and Identities: Education in Changing Times’, Dundalk, March 2010

2009

• with O’Connell, P.J. ‘The Determinants and Effects of Training at Work: Bringing the Workplace Back In’ Equalsoc Research Group ‘The Training Gap’, Barcelona, September 2009


• with Smyth, E. and McCoy, S. ‘The Dynamics of Credentialism: Ireland from Bust to Boom (and Back Again?)’, Transitions in Youth Conference, CNRS/University of Burgundy, Dijon, September, 2009


• ‘Inclusion and Diversion in Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland?’ Equalsoc Research Group ‘Differentiation in Higher Education and its consequences for social inequality’, Tallin, June, 2009


• ‘Inclusion and Diversion in Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland?’ Equalsoc Research Group ‘Differentiation in Higher Education and its consequences for social inequality, Mannheim, March 2009


• with Smyth, E. ‘The Dynamics of Early School Leaving’ Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference ‘Professional education: research, practice and learning’, Kilkenny, April 2009

2008

• ‘Declining significance of social networks over time? The influence of job search strategies on the short term labour market outcomes of Irish school leavers 1983-2003’ Transitions in Youth Conference, Bamberg, September 2008


• ‘Participation in and outcomes of early work experiences: The case of work experience acquired before leaving school’ Combat Poverty Agency, September 2008


• with Kucel, A.‘Are over-educated people insiders or outsiders?’ RC28 ‘Social stratification and insiders/outsiders: cross-national comparisons with and between continents’ Florence, May 2008


• with Smyth, E. 'School choice and social selection: an examination of school diversity and competition in the Republic of Ireland 1981-2002’ Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference ‘Research Ethics and Diversity: Interrogating a New Ireland’ Galway, March 2008


• with Smyth, E. 'Parental Power? Investigating parental knowledge of curriculum differentiation in the Republic of Ireland' American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference ‘Research on Schools, Neighbourhoods and Communities: Towards Civic Responsibility’, New York, March 2008


• 'The problem with developing educational tracks from youth employment initiatives: the effects of tracking on employment outcomes among Irish youth’ American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference ‘Research on Schools, Neighbourhoods and Communities: Towards Civic Responsibility’, New York, March 2008