Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Menu Search


Trinity College Dublin By using this website you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with the Trinity cookie policy. For more information on cookies see our cookie policy.

      
Profile Photo

Dr. Julie Byrne

Assistant Professor (Social Studies)
      
Profile Photo

Dr. Julie Byrne

Assistant Professor (Social Studies)

 byrnej18@tcd.ie

 


Julie is Assistant Professor in Online Education & Development at Trinity College Dublin. She was Trinity"s Academic Lead (2019-2021) on the national Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning project and is currently part of European Commission funded Leading European Advanced Digital Skills consortium. She led the development of Trinity"s first fully online postgraduate programme and is a Lead in Trinity's Microcreds project offering an online micro credential in Digital Technologies in Human Services. Julie studied human resource management and development, at Dublin City University and University College Dublin. Her doctoral thesis at the University of Limerick focused on the meanings of success in professional careers. The career as a concept spans many occupations and professions and this has facilitated Julie's work with a variety of professions including lecturers, engineers, managers and health and social care professionals. Julie came to Trinity in 2009 to work in the National Institute for Intellectual Disability where she coordinated the successful €1.5 million euro grant from Atlantic Philanthropies and was also Acting Director. Julie was previously Director of Academic Programmes at National College of Ireland where she also lectured in Human Resource Management and Development and Business Management. Alongside her part-time academic role Julie provides consulting services to professional bodies and professional regulators on education, training and continuing professional development matters. Her research interests are online learning and education, digital technologies in human services, digital skills and maintaining competence in the professional career.
  Career Education & Planning   CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT   Continuous Professional Development for Practising Teachers   digital education competences   digital pedagogy   Education and training   Nonprofit Management   POSTGRADUATE TRAINING   PROFESSION   professional training policy (education and regulation)   Training and Development
Project Title
 Enhancing the digital teaching capabilities of experienced online instructors and the digital learning capabilities of their students.
From
April 2019
To
December 2020
Summary
Online education requires both students and lecturers to acquire skills and display behaviours that fit the learning environment. While research has been conducted on the design and technical skills required in an online environment there has been relatively little research on the skills and behaviours required once an online course is 'live'. How students and lecturers can build a safe and vibrant online learning space which promotes student engagement is a growing area of study associated with student satisfaction and success. This project aims to address the gap by asking experienced online graduates and lecturers in Trinity to identify the behaviours they associate with good digital learning and teaching. Through focus groups with students as well as interviews with lecturers, the research will inform the development of online resources for students and add to the range of learning resources for those in higher education to develop their skills in line with the National Professional Development Framework in domains 3, 4 & 5
Funding Agency
National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning
Programme
Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund 2018
Project Type
Research
Project Title
 The transition of newly qualified social work graduates into professional employment
From
2017
To
2020
Summary
A review of the literature shows that there are numerous factors influencing the transition into employment for newly qualified graduates. This study aims to examine the factors influencing this career transition for new social workers. Understanding career transitions has become an important topic for study given increased concerns about the retention of social workers. The study adopts a qualitative approach involving individual interviews with social work graduates who entered professional social work employment
Project Title
 Development of a continuing professional development (CPD) Strategy
From
2014
To
2014
Summary
The aim of this project was to develop a continuing professional development strategy for a professional body. The research involved both secondary research and interviews with professionals and comparable professional bodies in other countries.
Funding Agency
Professional body
Project Title
 Development of occupational standards for managers in the community and voluntary sector
From
2009
To
2010
Summary
The aim of this project was to develop occupational standards for managers in the community and voluntary sector to support continuing professional development activities for the sector. The research involved secondary research to identify a framework for the standards and primary research with managers and their employers to identify the key competences for managers working in the community and voluntary sector.
Funding Agency
Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Project Title
 Identification of the skill, education and learning needs of HRD/Training professionals in Ireland
From
2008
To
2009
Summary
The aim of this project was to identify the current skills, education and training level of human resource development and training professionals and their future needs. The project involved secondary research and primary research using a questionnaire distributed to members of the Irish Institute of Training and Development. The project recommended a career development framework for the human resource development and training profession outlining the skills required at each level.
Funding Agency
FAS and the Irish Institute for Training and Development

Page 1 of 2
Details Date
Coordinator All Ireland Social Work Student Survey 2021
Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning Project Team - TCD Representative & Academic Lead 2019
All Ireland Social Work Study Survey - School Representative 2018
QQI Accreditation Panel - Business Management in the Community & Voluntary Sector 2017
Reviewer - International Review of Open & Distance Learning 2017
Reviewer - Journal of Technology in Human Services 2017
Reviewer - British Journal of Social Work 2020
Reviewer - European Research on Management and Business Economics 2020
Reviewer - European Journal of Social Work 2020
Reviewer - Journal of Social Work Practice 2018
Reviewer - International Journal of Qualitative Methods 2021
Reviewer - Groupwork 2019
Founding Board member, Institute for Managers of Community & Voluntary Organisations in Ireland (IMCV) 2008
Steering Committee - development by Irish Institute of Training & Development of Masters programme in Training & Development 2008
Steering Committee - development by Dublin Docklands Development Authority of B.A. in Active Citizenship 2007
Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Medium Basic Basic
German Medium Basic Medium
Spanish Medium Basic Medium
Details Date From Date To
Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development 1992 2013
Flynn, S.,Caffrey, L.,Antosik-Parsons, K.,Whiting, S., Byrne, J. and Conlon, C., New-Materialist Bricolage: Presenting an Ontological Position for Qualitative Internet-Based Research, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 28, (2), 2025, p179 - 192, Notes: [DOI: 10.1080/13645579.2024.2329430], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  URL
Flynn, S., Doolan Maher, R., Byrne, J., Disability, Child Protection and the Internet: The Socio-Cultural Construction of Risk, Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, 25, (1), 2025, Notes: [https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijass/vol25/iss1/4], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Doolan Maher, R., Flynn, S. and Byrne, J., Shifting Mindsets; A Critical Commentary on Child Protection and Welfare, Disability, and Online Risk Through Critical Literature Review, Child Care in Practice, 2024, phttps://doi.org/10.1080/135752 , Journal Article, PUBLISHED  TARA - Full Text  DOI
Social Work Education and Digitalisation: The Classroom in Transition in, editor(s)Antonio Lopez Pelaez, Gloria Kirwan , Routledge International Handbook of Digital Social Work, London, UK, Routledge, 2023, [Julie Byrne ], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
"Vibrant, Open and Accessible" " Students" visions of higher education futures in, editor(s)Czerniewicz, L. and Cronin, C. , Higher Education for Good: Teaching and Learning Futures, Cambridge, UK, Open Book Publishers, 2023, pp335 - 352, [Flynn, S., Byrne, J., Devoy, M. Johnstone, J., Lowney, R., Magee, E., Molloy, K., Moloney, D., Munro, M., Ongolly, F., Ryan, J., Stone, S. Waters, M. and Wright, K.], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED  DOI  URL
Mechanisms of Power in the Digital Age: Surveillance, Privacy and Professional Boundaries in Social Work Practice in, editor(s)Antonio Lopez Pelaez, Gloria Kirwan , Routledge International Handbook of Digital Social Work, London, UK, Routledge, 2023, pp393 - 404, [Gloria Kirwan, Julie Byrne], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED
Paula McFadden, Jana Ross, Julie Byrne, Niamh Flanagan, Rose Dolan,Gloria Kirwan, Eleanor Kelly, Caroline Shore, Orla McDonald,Elaine Wilson, Paula Slavin, Audrey Roulston, Claire McCartan, Markus Ketola, The role of social work education in relation to empathy and self-reported resilience: Results from entry to exit of social work education on the island of Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic., British Journal of Social Work, 2023, p1-20 , Notes: [https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad046], Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Flynn, S., Doolan Maher, R. and Byrne, J, ., Child protection and welfare risks and opportunities related to disability and internet use: Broadening current conceptualisations through critical literature review, Children and Youth Services Review, 157, 2023, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  DOI
McCartan, C., Byrne, J., Campbell, J., Coogan, D., Davidson, G.,Hayes, D., Kirwan, G., MacDonald, M., McCaughren, S., McFadden, P.,McGregor, C.,Montgomery, L., Pentaraki, M., Roddy, S.,Roulston, A., Shore, C. Wilson. E., Social work students on the island of Ireland: a cross-sectional survey , Social Work Education, 41, (2), 2022, p228 - 247, Journal Article, PUBLISHED  URL
Digital Learning and Teaching Post COVID-19: Learning from the Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning (EDTL) Approach in, editor(s)Keane, M., McAvinia, C. and O'Sullivan, Í. , Emerging Issues in Educational Development IV: Changing Times, Changing Context , Ireland, EDIN, 2021, pp86 - 96, [Flynn, S., Munro, M., Byrne, J. et al], Book Chapter, PUBLISHED  URL
  

Page 1 of 5
Byrne, J.,, Designing a sustainable interface between industry & higher education: Lessons for advanced digital skills, European Big Data Value Conference, Valencia, Spain,, 27-29 October, 2023, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED
Byrne, J., Enhancing Interaction in Live Online Classes: What Works for Students?, Irish Universitites Association Webinar Series - Enhancing Digital Teaching and Learning, 25 January 2021, 2021, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Byrne, J., Co-Producing Interaction in Live Online Classes: Insights from Students and Educators, Professional Development Series, Online, 10 March, 2021, Dundalk Institute for Technology, Centre for Teaching and Learning, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Byrne, J., Working together to enhance interaction in live online classes , Learning online: a roundtable discussion with students and educators, University College Cork, 25 March , 2021, UCC, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Byrne, J., Learning from experience: what works in online classes?, School Learning Forum, School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences, 9 April, 2021, SLSCS, Invited Talk, PUBLISHED
Byrne, J., Enhancing Interaction in Live Online Classes: Digital Pedagogy Guidance for Educators, Social Work Research and Educators Forum, 7 - 8 January 2021, 2021, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED
Byrne, J., Creating Career Narratives through the Career History Method, 5th Irish Narrative Inquiry Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 2-3 May, 2019, 2019, Oral Presentation, PUBLISHED
Julie Byrne, Gloria Kirwan, Situated Learning: The Transition of Social Workers from Professional Learning into Practice, The Learner Conference, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland, 24-26 July, edited by Common Ground , 2019, Oral Presentation, PRESENTED
Edwina Flavin, Gloria Kirwan, Julie Byrne, Working in a Culturally Competent Way? Exploring the Perceptions of Social Workers Engaging with Children and Their Families from Minority Ethnic Groups, 7th National Child Protection and Welfare Social Work Conference , University College Cork, 24 October 2019, edited by SWCONF , 2019, Oral Presentation, PRESENTED
Gloria Kirwan Julie Byrne,, EDUCATING PROFESSIONALS: THE ROLE OF REGULATORY STANDARDS IN PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT, ICERI2019: 12th International Conference on Education, Research and Innovation , Seville, Spain, 11-12 November 2019, edited by IATED , 2019, Oral Presentation, PRESENTED

  


Page 1 of 3
Online learning in higher education and professional development; impact of technology and digitisation on human services; professional careers and continuing professional development, leadership and management of human service organisations, regulation of professionals