Principal Lecturer

I am currently the Portfolio Leader for the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education and English Portfolios in the School of Education.

I was previously the Portfolio Leader for Postgraduate Education, having been a Course Leader for our MA Education Courses for over 10 years. These courses support the continuing development of practicing educators, as well as supporting the academic development of recent graduates, both British and International.

I teach across a range of our postgraduate courses and units, as well as supervising PhD students. I have also worked as link co-ordinator for the MA Education (Leadership) course that is running at a partner institution in Guyana.

I am an member of the Institute of Research in Education at the University of Bedfordshire, and regularly publish across a range of educational research areas.

Other References

• LinkedIn profile: Cathal Butler
• ResearchGate: Cathal Butler

Qualifications

• PhD in Cognitive Developmental Psychology - University of Hertfordshire
• MSc Research Methods in Psychology - University of Hertfordshire
• BA Psychology - Trinity College Dublin

Teaching Expertise

My teaching broadly covers four areas:

• I lead and have taught on our Postgraduate Research Methods units for many years, which have consistently received positive feedback from Bedfordshire Unit Surveys. This unit has supported students in producing methodologically sound and original pieces of work at dissertation level.
• Within our MA Pathways, I focus on developing new and innovative approaches to support Teacher Professional Development, through units such as “Enhancing Practice in Educational Settings”.
• My teaching also covers international perspectives, particularly within the unit Education and International Development.
• I also contribute to the very strong suite of postgraduate units that cover Special Educational Needs, particularly the unit Meeting Diverse Needs, which provides an overview of a cross-section of current topics of relevance to a range of diverse needs, and which has produced strong pieces of student work over the last few years.

Research Interests

• Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education
• Teaching and Learning for those with Severe Learning Difficulties, and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
• Leadership in Higher Education

Current and Recent Research Projects

• I am looking at conducting further research into student perceptions of plagiarism, particularly in relation to the use of AI.
• I am looking at conducting further research looking at the experiences of Teaching Assistants and Support Staff from a range of diverse communities. 
• I am working with a number of recent MA graduates, alongside a recently completed PhD student, and supporting them to write up research articles, based on their dissertations.

External Roles

• UCET – Member of Research and International Committee
• BERA – Member of SIG for Inclusive Education
• Member of Editorial Advisory Board – Journal of Global Education and Research
• External Examiner: University of Cumbria (Postgraduate Certificate, SENCO Award, 2014-2018)
• External Examiner: University of Roehampton (MA Education, Distance Learning: 2016-2020 ),
• External Examiner: London South Bank University (MA Education, 2018-2021)
• External Examiner: Liverpool Hope University (MA Education, 2020-)
• External Examiner: University of East London, 2021-2025.
• External panel member for approval / review events: I have done a number of these in the last few years.

Publications

• Butler, C. (Submitted). Who supports the support staff? The experiences of BAME Teaching Assistants and Supply Staff? In Goodwyn, A. et al. (Eds) Race and Education: Regional Experiences of Minoritised UK Educators. Emerald Publishing

• Kalicharan, L., & Butler C (Accepted) Tertiary Education Students’ Perceptions of Plagiarism in Academic Writing" Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education.

• Loveys, M., & Butler, C. (2023). Teachers’ and students’ perspectives on the extent to which assistive technology maximises independence. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/0264619623121273

• Vare, P., Dillon, J., Oberholzer, L., & Butler, C. (2022) “UCET Discussion paper on Continuing Professional Development. A think piece working paper”, CollectiveED Working Papers, 15, pp. 29-39, available at https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/-/media/files/research/collectived/collectived-issue-15-final.pdf

• Wearmouth, J. and Butler, C. (2022) ‘Special educational needs co-ordinators’ perceptions of effective provision for including autistic children in primary and middle schools in England’, ch 5, pp. 59-78, in P. Wood (ed) Policy, Provision and Practice for Special Educational Needs and Disability: Perspectives across Countries, London: Routledge

• Butler, C. (2021). Exploring Accessible Curricula for Learners with PMLD. In Wearmouth, J., and Lindley, K. (eds). Bringing the curriculum to life. Open University Press.

• Berisha-Kida, E., & Butler, C. (2020) ‘Emotions and Professional Reflections in a Post-War Community: Teachers’ perspectives from Kosovo’ Health Education Journal. doi.org/10.1177%2F0017896920971327

• Goodchild, A., & Butler, C. (2020). ‘Building the foundations for academic success: learning from the experiences of part-time students in their first semester of study’. Widening participation and lifelong learning

• Goodwyn, A., Butler, C., Hopkins, N., Lindley, K., Majid, N., & Thompson, C. (2020). Investigating the development of The Chartered College for Teaching. Report Submitted to the Chartered College

• Butler, C. (2019). Education for Democratic Citizenship in Ireland. In (Raiker, A., Rautiainen, M, & Saqiupi, B. (Eds.). Teacher Education and the Development of Democratic Citizenship in Europe. London: Routledge.

• Butler C (2018). Developing the capacity to recognize the capabilities of pupils with PMLD, to promote learning opportunities and to reduce isolation. (Report funded by the Harpur Trust, Bedford).

• Butler, C. (2018). Outcomes Based Education: A handbook being developed for the University of Pristina as part of an EU funded TEMPUS project focusing on the development of MA Level teacher training qualifications in Kosovo.

• Travers, J. Savage, R, Butler, C., & O’Donnell, M. (2017) Mapping research in the field of special education on the island of Ireland since 2000. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs.

• Butler, C., & Naukkarinen A. (2016). Inclusion and Democracy in England and Finland. In Raiker, A., & Rautiainen, M., (eds). Educating for Democracy in England and Finland. Principles and Culture. London: Routledge.

• Butler, C. (2016). The effectiveness of the TEACCH approach in supporting the development of communication skills for learners with severe intellectual disabilities. Support for Learning 31 (3), 185 – 201.

• Butler, C. (2015). Practical ways to promote the active involvement of young people with severe learning difficulties in their local living and learning community by developing effective post-school transition provision. Bedford: Harpur Trust.

• O’Sullivan, H., McConnell, B., McMillan, D, & Butler, C. (2012). Continuous Professional Development and its Impact on Practice: A North-South Comparative Study of Irish Teachers’ Perceptions, Experiences and Motivations. Armagh: Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South.

• Ware, J, Butler, C, Robertson, C, O’Donnell, M., & Gould, M. (2012) Access to the Curriculum for Pupils with a variety of special educational needs in junior infants to second class: An exploration of the experiences of young pupils. Trim: National Council for Special Education.

• Travers, J., Balfe, T., Butler, C., Day, T., Dupont, M., McDaid, R., O’Donnell, M., & Prunty, A. (2011). Addressing the challenges and barriers to inclusion in Irish Schools. Dublin: St. Patrick’s College.

• Ware, J., Balfe, T., Butler, C., Day, T, Dupont, M., Hatern, C., Farrell, A-M., McDaid, R., O’Riordan, M., Prunty, A., & Travers, J. (2010) Research report on the role of special schools and classes in Ireland. Trim: National Council for Special Education.

Presentations

• Butler, C. (2024). Autism in the Classroom. NAPE Presentation, Bedford, 26th April. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ABDqhv66aM   

• Goodwyn, A. C., Majid, N., Hopkins, N., Thompson, C. L., Butler, C. & Lindley, K. (2020, Apr 17 - 21) Can the English, Chartered College of Teaching Lead the Profession's Development for the Public Good? [Roundtable Session]. AERA Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA (Conference Canceled)

• Butler, C. (2018) Using Quest for Learning to understand and assess learners with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. Presented at the BERA English in Education conference, 21^st June, 2018, Bedford.

• Chaudry, J, & Butler, C (2018): The Prevent Agenda: Exploring the awareness and impact of this policy on British Pakistani students and secondary school teachers. Presented at the BERA English in Education conference, 21^st June, 2018, Bedford.
  
  
• Laurier, K., & Butler, C. (2018): Great expectations: The contextual relationship between students as consumers and the impacts on the work/life balance of lecturers, through the evolution of email accessibility. Presented at the BERA English in Education conference, 21^st June, 2018, Bedford.

Contact Details

E: cathal.butler@beds.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1234 793045