Karolyn McDonnell is a Post-graduate Fellow and Researcher with the Institute of Technology, Carlow in Ireland. She has completed a Masters by Research in Teaching and Learning and Digital Pedagogy, and has undergraduate awards in Finance, Law, Social Studies and Community Work.
Her current research explores the attitudes of staff and learners towards using technology to maintain connectedness on placement and investigating learner’s interaction and engagement patterns in this digital space. She has conducted primary research into facilitators and barriers to effective interagency working in social and community services at a local level, in addition to mapping youth disadvantage to inform targeted youth funding on a regional level for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in Ireland. She also conducted a research campaign through the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning to capture student perspectives on enhancing practices in Irish higher education and enablers of student success.
Karolyn is a student representative on two institutional and two national boards. She advocates for student interests across the spheres of post graduate research policy and procedures, and enhanced and authentic student engagement. She also represents student interests on both National Advisory Boards for Student Success and Teaching and Learning in a Digital World
