The ethos of the Trinity College Dublin Disability Service is to move from a transactional model of provision - where students are passive recipients of support, to a transformational model of resource usage, where students take an active part in planning their educational journey.
Research informed by this ethos will utilize Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) and instructional techniques that meet prescribed criteria related to the research design, quality, quantity, and effect size of supporting research.
These have the potential to help bridge the research-to-practice gap and improve student outcomes. Methodological inferences based on the framework of a transformational ethos reveal the potential strength of combining qualitative and quantitative methods. A qualitative dimension is needed to gather community perspectives at each stage of the research process, while a quantitative dimension provides the opportunity to demonstrate outcomes that have credibility for community members and scholars. Transformative mixed methodologies provide a mechanism for addressing the complexities of research in culturally complex settings that can provide a basis for social change.
Investigating the experiences of students with ADHD from university entrance to graduation: An evidence base for effective support systems.
Trinity College Disability Service, in collaboration with the Ability Co-op and the School of Psychology, are conducting this study to develop a deeper understanding of the student experience of managing ADHD in Trinity College, from college entry to graduation. We hope that by understanding this we can improve supports for students with ADHD. The ADHD in HE Student Participant Information Leaflet provides an outline of the project for participants. All undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive an email inviting them to participate in the study.
Research ApprovalCurrent research conducted by the Disability Service and Occupational Therapy Service follows this research ethos and is related to the approved by Trinity. Ethical approval for all research has been applied for and granted through the School of Education and Health Science Faculty Ethics Committee.
