Role/Grade Research Associate
Team Test Development (Triail Litrithe Gaeilge)
Research Interests

 

 

 ·         Irish-medium Education

·         Additional Needs and Inclusion

·         Immersion Education and Family language planning

·         Indigenous Education and Community Activism

·         Educational Philosophy

·         Promotion of Educational and Social Justice
Professional profile

 

 

 

 

 

 Órla began working at the Educational Research Centre a research assistant on an Scéim Aitheantas Scoileanna Gaeltachta (The Gaeltacht Schools Recognition Scheme) in May 2024 before taking on her current role as project manager for the development of the Irish language standardised spelling test (An Triail Litrithe Gaeilge). Prior to working with the ERC, Órla was involved with Irish language community development research in her hometown, Belfast.

Órla holds a B.A. undergraduate degree in Irish and Celtic Studies and a M.Ed degree in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion from Queen’s University, Belfast. Órla was in receipt of a Department for Economy scholarship which led her to completing a PhD in 2021 at Queen’s University, Belfast based on Educational Inequality in the Irish-medium Education Sector in the North of Ireland, using a Bourdieusian theoretical framework. Órla has also completed a Postgraduate Diploma from Fiontar Scoil na Gaeilge at DCU in Management and Digital Business.

Órla is a fluent Irish language speaker and her research interests include Irish-medium and indigenous language education, educational philosophy and the promotion of educational and social justice.
Researcher Profiles ‪Orla McGurk – ‪Google Scholar