S2 Episode Eleven: Declan Qualter “Parents as partners in education: Rhetoric and reality in an era of digital and AI transformation”

Declan Qualter is the Practice Placement Supervisor for the BEd with Gaeilge and/or Modern Languages Programme in the UCD School of Education. He also teaches on the Professional Masters in Education programme. Declan is a PhD candidate in UCD, with his doctoral research focusing on parental involvement in children's home-based digital learning. Declan's other research interests are centred on the digital transformation of education and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational settings. He serves as the Chair of the UCD School of Education’s AI in Education Sub-committee and has represented the UCD School of Education at the Council of Europe Working Conferences on Regulating AI in Education and as an invited speaker at the launch of European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025. Declan is an active member of the European Digital Education Hub, where he participates in the Well-being in Digital Education Squad as a sub-team leader. Previously, he was a member of the European Commission Selfie for Teachers Expert Group, and has led two Erasmus+ projects focused on the digital transformation of education. Prior to joining the UCD School of Education, Declan was a post-primary school teacher of Business Studies and Guidance Counselling. He later took on advisory roles, being seconded as an advisor to the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST, now Óide), and subsequently as Schools' Support Coordinator with Laois Offaly ETB. In this episode Declan highlights the challenges schools face in engaging parents, especially those who are hard to reach. His research involves a school-based intervention to enhance parents' digital literacy, facilitated by parents themselves. Preliminary findings suggest increased self-efficacy and a sense of community among participants. He also emphasized the importance of addressing digital exclusion and the need for systemic support to ensure equitable access to digital resources in education. He discusses his transition to teacher education, working with PDST, and his current role in initial teacher education at UCD. Declan reflects on his interest in sociology, particularly in the role of parents in post-school transitions and his master's research with Dr Grace O'Grady.His doctoral work focuses on the role of parents in children's digital learning and the tension between aspirational policies and practical challenges. We discuss the influence of families on educational outcomes and the importance of parental involvement and Declan shares insights from his research on the determinants of parental involvement, including life context, motivation, and self-efficacy. Declan describes the design and implementation of a five-week program from his research to enhance parents' digital literacy, facilitated by parents in the school. He highlights the importance of ethical and responsible use of AI in education and the need for ongoing professional development for teachers. He also reflects on the role of generative AI in teaching and the importance of maintaining the social construct of teaching. We discuss the concerns around AI's impact on assessment practices, particularly in senior cycle and higher education and Declan emphasizes the need for meaningful engagement and support for teachers in any educational reforms involving AI. Declan highlights the role of sociology in understanding the impact of AI on education and the importance of addressing systemic barriers. In summary, Declan reiterates the importance of engaging parents as partners in education and the need for systemic changes to support parental involvement and he concludes with a call for ongoing research and collaboration to support parents and teachers in the digital transformation of education.