Dr Irene Bell

General Information

Teaching Responsibilities

• My teaching includes courses within the BEd (Primary), BEd (Post-primary – Mathematics), PGCE and MEd programmes.

External Interests / Community Service

• UK representative on the Computing in Schools special interest network within the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies
• Invited member of the International Association of STEM Leaders (Women in STEM)
• Chair for Northern Ireland of Computing at Schools
• Regional Academic Lead for Digital School House (DSH)
• Representative for Northern Ireland on British Computer Society Academy Computing Board (2019-2022)
• Invited by European Commission Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture to be part of their expert panel in working on their ‘EU Computer Science for All’ initiative. (Sept 2019).
• Teacher Education representative on Cyber Skills Group (NI).
• Invited member of CCEA Subject Advisory Group (Computing).
• Award/Pathway External Examiner for Education Degree Programmes in various universities.

Research Interests

• Underachievement in Mathematics – ‘IMPaCT Project’
• Developing and implementing computational thinking and computer science in the primary and KS3 classroom.
• Developing Numeracy through engineering

Background & Qualifications

• Dr Irene Bell has been a member of the Stranmillis University College academic staff since 1996. She is Head of STEM and a Principal Lecturer. She holds a BSc honours degree in Mathematics, a MA(Ed) degree and a PGCE from Queens University Belfast and an EdD from Exeter University. She has 11 years experience of teaching mathematics in Post-primary schools and 24 years of teaching within Initial Teacher Education. Formerly Head of Numeracy and Chair of Primary Education she now leads STEM Education at all levels within Stranmillis University College and is Chair of Post-primary Education. She has been the recipient of a Teaching Award in both 2005 and 2007 and the joint winner of the ‘Blackboard Technology Award’ (2013). Dr Bell is the recipient of a personal award from the BCS(NI) for ‘Outstanding contribution to computing education in Northern Ireland’ (Oct 2022).

Research & Scholarship

Research Reports

Bell, I., Csizmadia, A. and Dimitriadi, Y. (2021) Digital Schoolhouse: An inclusive approach to teaching computing? London: Digital Schoolhouse

Professional Periodicals

Bell, I. (2022) Digital SchoolHouse Un modello di sviluppo professionale degli insegnanti grazie alla collaborazione tra industria e istruzione. BRICKS; Il digitale e le discipline umanistiche, Number 6, pgs 184-189. http://www.rivistabricks.it/wpcontent/uploads/2022/12/06_2022_21_Bell.pdf

Bell, I. (2020) Didattica a Distanza in Europa, prima e dopo il Covid19 –  dall’Irlanda del Nord/Regno Unito. http://www.rivistabricks.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020_02_24_Ravotto.pdf p. 194-196.

Bell, I. (2018) Re na Riomheolas, Computing At School in Northern Ireland CAS (NI) – five years on! The computer science teachers’ association of Ireland (02: 18-23).

Bell, I. (2017) The STEM Commandments: http://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/the-stem-commandments.

Bell, I. (2017) Il Pensiero Computazionale nelle Scuole Primarie nell’Irlanda del Nord, Available at http://www.rivistabricks.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/19_Bell.pdf  ISSN: 2239-6187

Bell, I. (2016) Informatik an Schulen in Nordirland, Oesterreichische Computer Gesellschaft Journal, (02,41,34-35). Available at: https://www.ocg.at/sites/ocg.at/files/medien/pdfs/OCG-Journal1602.pdf 

Conference Papers and Presentations

Mc Cullagh, J. and Bell, I., (2024) Using Digital Video to Develop the teaching of STEM in the Primary School.​ Paper presented at Association of Science Education Conference, June.

Bell, I., (2024) Do teachers understand their pupils’ engagement with social media? Paper presented at the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies  (Education Group) Conference, Bratislava, May.

Mc Cullagh, J. and Bell, I., (2024) Using digital video to support and promote STEM education in the primary school. Paper presented at CASTeL, 10th Science and Maths Education Conference 2024, Dublin, June.

Bell, I. (2022) Digital SchoolHouse – A model of teacher professional development using industry and education collaboration. La trasformazione digitale nella Scuola, negli ITS, nell’Università e nella formazione professionale. Didamatica Conference Milan Nov 2022.

Bell, I. (2019) Royal Society Invited speaker. Creating Connections Conference. Belfast (Sept 2019)

Bell, I. (2017) Computational Thinking – Foundations for the future. Keynote speaker Education Training Inspectorate ICT Conference.

Bell, I. (2017) The role of Computing At School in Northern Ireland. C2KNI Annual Conference.

Bell, I. & McLaughlin, R., (2016) ‘Informatics curriculum in British schools’. Paper presented at Oesterreichische computer gesellschaft, Computational Thinking and Coding at Schools, Vienna, April 2016.

McCullagh, J.F. & Bell, I. (2014) ‘Exploring a theoretical framework for interpreting student teachers’ interaction with video’. Paper presented at 5th TEAN Annual Conference, Birmingham, May 2014.

Bell, I. & Simons, I. (2014) ‘Preparing young people for a technology based work place.’ Paper presented at 5th TEAN Conference, Birmingham, May 2014.

Bell, I. & Simons, I. (2014) ‘Is coding suitable for all children?’ Paper presented at the Higher Education Academy STEM Conference on Widening participation. May 2014

Invited Presentation / Keynote / Expert Panellist

Bell, I. (2022) Invited expert panellist for BCS Education Policy Jam.