My Biography

Dr. Lucy Hearne is a Lecturer in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, Waterford Institute of Technology campus, SETU. She is a qualified guidance counsellor with over 20 years experience as a practitioner, lecturer and researcher. She is an International Fellow of the National Institute of Career Education and Counselling (UK).

Research

Dr. Hearne's research areas are lifelong lifelong learning, lifelong guidance, career development and reflective practice. From 2006 onwards Dr. Hearne has been a recipient of numerous research funding awards from the Irish Research Council (IRC) and Higher Education Institutional Seed Funds. She is currently the Principal Supervisor of a SERD PhD Scholarship investigating the role of adult learners in the co-creation of curriculum design in SETU. She has been a team researcher on a recent Erasmus+ policy experimentation research project in WIT in collaboration with stakeholders from Ireland, Malta and Norway. She is a member of two journal editorial advisory panels; International Journal of Educational and Vocational Guidance and British Journal of Guidance and Counselling. Dr. Hearne is an academic researcher on the Teaching Council's Researcher in Residence Scheme for 2022-203 working on a project on restorative practice in Piper's Hill College, Naas, Co.Kildare. 

Teaching

Dr. Hearne's teaching areas include lifelong learning, adult education policy, lifespan and career development, research methods, and research integrity and ethics.  She is also a reserarch supervisor of Masters and PhD students encompassing the areas of lifelong guidance, lifelong learning, post primary, further and adult education.

Professional

Academic Qualifications

2010:  Doctor of Philosophy, WIT.

2000:  Higher Diploma in Careers Guidance, UCD.

1998:  BA in English and Applied Psychology, UCC. 

Selected Publications and Conferences

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles (2012-2022):

O’Toole, E., O’Flaherty, J. & Hearne, L. (2022) ‘Student support teams: Perceptions of the nature, scope and function in post-primary education’, Irish Educational Studies, DOI:10.1080/03323315.2022.2088594.

Hearne, L., Elftorp, P., DePaor, C. & Ryan, K. (2020) ‘An exploration of adult guidance practitioners’ experiences of policy and practice in the reformed Further Education and Training (FET) sector in Ireland’, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling,  DOI:10.1080/03069885.2020.1811838.

 Elftorp, P. & Hearne, L. (2020) ‘Understanding guidance counselling needs of adults with dyslexia through the lens of a critical-recognitive social justice perspective and a biopsychosocial model of disability’, Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling, DOI: 10.20856/jnicec.4504.

Hearne, L. & Neary, S. (2020) ‘Let’s talk about career guidance in secondary schools! A consideration of the professional capital of school staff in Ireland and England’, International Journal of Educational and Vocational Guidance, DOI:10.1007/s10775-020-09424-5. 

Hearne, L., King, P., Geary, T. & Kenny, N. (2018) 'Science of the singular'; An explanatory single case study of whole school guidance counselling in Ireland, International Journal of Educational and Vocational Guidance, DOI:10.1007/s10775-018-9363-8.

Hearne, L., Geary, T. & Martin, N. (2016) ‘Guidance counselling as a whole school responsibility in the Irish post primary sector’, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2016.1254725.

Leahy, E., O’Flaherty, J. & Hearne, L. (2016) ‘The ‘tyranny of time’: getting to the heart of the impact of educational cuts on the provision of guidance counselling in Ireland’, British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, DOI:10.1080/03069885.2016.1254722.

Hearne, L.  & Galvin, J. (2014) ‘The role of the regular teacher in a wholeschool approach (WSA) to guidance counselling in Ireland’. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2014.952622, pp.1-12.

Bimrose, J. & Hearne, L. (2012) ‘Resilience and Career Adaptability: Qualitative Studies of Adult Career Counseling’, Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 81(3) pp.38-344.

Hearne, L. (2011) ‘The Consideration of a Constructivist Evaluation Framework in Adult Guidance Practice’, Australian Journal of Career Development, 30, (3).

Research Reports (2012-2022):

Bates Evoy, S., Dooly, Z., Flynn, S., Hearne, L. & Murphy, H. (2022) CITO 3: Policy Impact Evaluation Report. Available at: https://citoproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/3.2-CITO-Policy-Evaluation-Report-February-2022-WIT.pdf

Bates Evoy, S., Brett, V., Hearne, L., Murphy, H., O’Grady, M., Widger, L. & Dooly, Z. (2022) CITO Phase 2 Field Research Report. Available at: https://citoproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CITO-Phase2-Field-Research-Report.pdf

Bates Evoy, S., Brett, V., Dooly, Z., Hearne, L., Murphy, H., O’Grady, M. & Widger, L. (2021) CITO Phase 1 Mapping Report. Available at: https://citoproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Phase-1-CITO-research-report.pdf

Hearne, L., King, P., Kenny, N. & Geary, T. (2016) A Case Study Analysis of a Whole School Approach to Guidance Counselling in a Voluntary School in the Irish Post Primary Sector. Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10344/5389

Hearne, L., Geary, T. & Martin, N. (2016) A Single Case Study of a Whole School Approach to Guidance Counselling in an Irish Post-Primary School: Case Report. Available at: http://www.ul.ie/soedu/sites/default/files/Hearne%20et%20al%20WSA%20to%20GC%20Case%20Report%20UL%202016_0.pdf

Hearne, L. (2012) The Resilient Adult Guidance Practitioner: A Study of the Impact of High Touch Work in Challenging Times.  Available at: http://www2.ul.ie/pdf/232957089.pdf

Hearne, L. (2010) Measuring Individual Progression in Adult Guidance: An Irish Case Study. Waterford: WIT.  Available at: http://www.regsa.org/images/stories/pdf/MeasuringIndividualProgression_IrishCaseStudy.pdf

Chapters and Handbooks (2012-2022):

Einarsdóttir, S., Hearne, L., Rammo, M., Weber, P. & Wikstrand, F. (2016) Peer learning for the quality enhancement of degree programmes, in C. Schiersmann, S. Einarsdóttir, J. Katsarove, J. Lerkkanen, R. Mulvey, J. Pouyaud, K. Pukelis & P. Weber (Eds.) European competence standards for the academic training of career practitioners, NICE Handbook Volume 11. Berlin: Barbara Budrich Publishers, pp. 88-105. 

Hearne, L. (2013) Ethical Research in Guidance Counselling. Available: http://schoolguidancehandbook.ncge.ie/document-detail/Ethical-Research-in-Guidance-Counselling/4

Practice Based Articles (2012-2022):

Hearne, L. (2021) Whole-school guidance in Irish secondary schools; Testing the limits. Blog article at: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/experts/whole-school-guidance-in-irish.htm

King, P. & L. Hearne (2019) The provision of Guidance Counselling in a changing landscape in Irish secondary education – some implications for practitioners of guidance counselling. IJEVG Newsletter Issue 84, August 2019. 

Elftorp, P., Hearne, L., & Coughlan, B. (2018) ‘What adult learners with dyslexia can tell us about the ‘temperature’ of adult learning’, The Adult Learner 2018; The Irish Journal of Adult and Community Education, pp.36-49. Dublin: Aontas.

Hearne, L., Geary, T. & King, P. (2017) Teacher’s perceptions of whole school guidance counselling; Why teacher’s perceptions matter. Ireland’s Yearbook of Education 2017-2018, p.223-227. Available: http://educationmatters.ie/downloads/YB20172018-Second%20Level.pdf

Elftorp, P., Hearne, L. & Coughlan, B. (2017) Supporting adults with dyslexia. NCGE News (48), NCGE: Dublin.

Hearne, L., King, P., Geary, T. & Kenny, N. (2017) Whole school approach. NCGE News (47), NCGE: Dublin.

Elftorp, P. & Hearne, L. (2014) ‘An Investigation of the Guidance Counselling Needs of Adults with Dyslexia in the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative (AEGI)’. The Adult Learner 2014; The Irish Journal of Adult and Community Education. Dublin: Aontas.

Hearne, L. (2012) ‘Challenging times: Research on professional resilience in the adult guidance sector’, NCGE News, Autumn 2012, Issue 38.

Conference and Symposium Papers (2012-2022):

Bates Evoy, S., Brett, V., Dooly, Z., Flynn, S., Hearne, L., Murphy, H., O’Grady, M. & Widger, L. (2022) Check In, Take Off (CITO) Project: Study of the use of a self-assessment skills audit tool by adults with low basic skills using a policy experimentation methodology. South East Research Sparks. (0nline), WIT & ITCarlow, 5 April, 2022.

O’Leary, P., Ledwith, A. & Hearne, L. (2022) A Grounded Theory Study of the Values, Beliefs, and Assumptions in Recognition of Prior Learning, Implementation, Assessment and Articulation of Recognition of Prior Learning Conference (Online), University of the Western Cape, 31st March.

Bates Evoy, S., Brett, V., Dooly, Z., Flynn, S., Hearne, L., Murphy, H., O’Grady, M. & Widger, L. (2022) CITO Research Project, Final CITO Conference (online), 16 February, 2022.

O’Leary, P., Ledwith, A. & Hearne, L. (2021) The study of values, beliefs and assumptions in Recognition of Prior Learning, ECER Geneva (Online Conference), 2nd September, 2021.

Hearne, L., Bates-Evoy, S., Brett, V. & Murphy, H. (2021) A study of the use of a self-assessment skills audit tool by adults with low basic skills using a policy experimentation methodology. International Practice-Focused Research in Education Conference, University of Sunderland, 8 July, 2021.

Hearne, L. (2021) Reflections on the Practitioner-Researcher Journey, National Research Conference for Career Practitioners; Demystifying Research – Encouraging Curiosity, CDI and ICEGS, University of Derby, 25 Feb.

Hearne, L. (2019) What can guidance counselling practice tell us about adult learners lifelong learning and career develpment? Hellin Conference, Waterford Institute of Technology, 11 Dec 2019.

O’Leary, P., Ledwith, A. & Hearne, L.  (2019) Recognition of prior learning: A consideration of the primary findings of a critical constructivist grounded theory study of the values, beliefs and assumptions present. Hellin Conference, Waterford Institute of Technology, 11 Dec 2019.

Hearne, L., DePaor, C., Ryan, K. & Elftorp, P. (2019) Propositions for an Integrated Adult Guidance and Information Service (AGIS) in the FET sector: Research Findings from the Field of Practice. Paper presented at Institute of Guidance Counsellors Conference, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, April 5-6.

Hearne, L., DePaor, C., Ryan, K. & Elftorp, P. (2018) Guidance in Flux: A consideration of the delivery of an integrated adult Guidance and Information Service to learners in the Irish Further Education and Training (FET) sector. Paper presented at International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance, Gothenberg, Oct 2^nd.

Hearne, L., King, P., Geary, T., & Kenny, N. (2016) A Case Study Analysis of a Whole School Approach to Guidance Counselling in the Irish Post-Primary Sector. . Paper presented at International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance, Madrid, Nov 16.

Hearne, L., King, P., Geary, T., & Kenny, N. (2016) A Whole School Approach to Guidance Counselling in the Irish Post Primary Sector: Findings from a Holistic Single Case Study. Paper presented at European Conference on Educational Research, UCD, Aug 24.

Elftorp, P., Hearne, L., & Coughlan, B. (2016) A Mixed Methods Study of the Guidance Counselling Needs of Adults with Dyslexia within a Social Justice Framework. Paper presented at European Conference on Educational Research, UCD, Aug 21.

McDonnell, E., Hearne, L., & Mannix-McNamara, P. (2016) An exploration of the phenomenon of resilience of guidance counsellors in Irish post-primary schools.  Paper presented at European Conference on Educational Research, UCD, Aug 21.

Elftorp, P., Hearne, L. & Coughlan, B. (2016) Providing guidance and support to the adult learner with dyslexia; Evidence from the field. Paper presented at Institute of Guidance Counsellors Conference, University of Limerick, Feb 26-28.

Connor, B., Delaney, G. & Hearne, L. (2015) Inquiries into the Implications of the 2012 Removal of the Ex-quota Allocation for Guidance Counselling for Post-Primary Guidance Counsellors in the East of Ireland. Poster presented at Institute of Guidance Counsellors Conference, WIT, Waterford, Feb 27-28.

Elftorp, P. & Hearne, L. (2015) An examination of the guidance counselling needs of adult learners with dyslexia from a social justice perspective. Poster presented at Institute of Guidance Counsellors Conference, WIT, Waterford, Feb 27-28.

Elftorp, P., Hearne, L. & Coughlan, B. (2014) Where is the justice? An examination of the guidance counselling needs of adult learners with dyslexia from a social justice perspective. Paper presented at Hellin Conference, UCC, December 1-2.

Hearne, L. & O’Grady, E. (2014) An Investigation into the nature of professional resilience of career guidance practitioners’ in the Irish Local Employment Service (LES). Poster presented at International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance, Quebec, June  4-6.

Hearne, L. (2013) A Critical Consideration of the Professional Resilience of Adult Guidance Practitioners in Challenging Times. Paper presented at Larios Conference, Padua, June 20.

Galvin, J. & Hearne, L. (2013) An investigation into the impact of Budget 2012 policy changes in guidance counselling provision on the role of the regular teacher in the post-primary sector. Paper presented at Educational Studies Association of Ireland, Limerick, April.

Hearne, L. (2012) An exploration of resilience in guidance professionals engaged in high-touch work with clients of adult career services. International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance, Mannheim, Oct 4-6.