About Us
CASTeL developed organically within DCU, and latterly across DCU and SPD, through shared interests in science and mathematics education. This interest was first ignited in DCU by a concern about the decline in student preference for science subjects at second level, and by long-term difficulties with mathematics for many students. The initial DCU response was to develop a broad range of events and activities for second-level pupils aimed at demonstrating the inherent attractions and benefits of science subjects, an activity that was replicated by all third-level colleges. Uniquely, however, DCU moved from this response-mode behaviour to a proactive approach involving a deeper analysis of the underlying reasons for the current status of mathematics and science in schools. From this approach, a team of scientists at DCU with a strong interest in education formed the core of CASTeL in 2000. Postgraduate students were recruited, and science education research commenced within the Faculty of Science & Health. At the same time, the focus in SPD was on the implementation of the 1999 Revised Curriculum in primary schools.
The launch of the BSc in Science Education at DCU in 1999 provided the first stimulus for cooperative DCU-SPD work in science education. This developed gradually from 2000 through cooperative teaching, joint outreach activity (for example at RDS Science Live lectures), and cooperative research. In 2003, the new primary science curriculum was launched and this provided a further impetus in SPD to address the need for a clear understanding of science education both from the point of view of teacher education, and of research. The first Science & Mathematics Education Conference (SMEC04) was organised and hosted in DCU by CASTeL in 2004. CASTeL was recognised as a University Designated Research Centre by DCU in 2005, and in 2006 the second SMEC conference was hosted by CASTeL at SPD (SMEC06). CASTeL is now a research group encompassing the sciences and mathematics and with many national and international partners and collaborators and will host the third SMEC conference (SMEC08), entitled Sciences serving science: Cross-disciplinary issues in mathematics and science education in DCU in September 2008.
