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Simon Brennan

BA Philosophy (MITP), PGCE (BUL), M. Ed (Music in Education) (TCD), PhD Candidate (91��Ƭ��)
Assistant Professor in Education with expertise in Philosophy of Education and Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education

• Email: Simon.Brennan@mic.ul.ie
• Location: JHN204

More information

Background

Simon Brennan is an Assistant Professor in Education with expertise in Philosophy of Education and Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education (EMBVE). Simon gained a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy, a Masters in Music Education from Trinity College Dublin and a PGCE from Brunel University London. He is currently completing a PhD in 91��Ƭ�� for which he was awarded a Research Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship in 2024. 

Before taking up his current position at 91��Ƭ��, Simon was a Teaching Fellow in Philosophy of Education at 91��Ƭ�� and lectured part-time in Music Education at Trinity College Dublin. He has also worked as an educator and primary teacher across mainstream, learning support, SEN, and international contexts in Kenya, Uganda, the UK, Costa Rica, and Ireland.

Simon is an experienced facilitator of philosophical inquiry (P4wC/Socratic Dialogue), having trained with Thoughtful (formerly SAPERE) and the Society for the Furtherance of Critical Philosophy. He delivers continuing professional development for teachers on using philosophical inquiry within the Goodness Me, Goodness You! curriculum (ETBI).

In addition to his educational work, Simon has a background as a professional musician and recording artist, releasing three albums and touring extensively across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. His research interests include Philosophy for/with Children, Global Citizenship Education, EMBVE, Music and Aesthetic Education.

Course involvement

• B Ed Bachelor of Education
• B Ed Bachelor of Education and Psychology
• PME Professional Master of Education
• Master of Education in Education for Sustainability and Global Citizenship
• Master of Education in Education for Human Rights and Equality 

Research Funding & Awards (External)

Research Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship (2024-2025)

Research Funding & Awards (Internal)

LSRE Departmental Assistantship (2023-2024)

Publications 

Articles (Non-Peer reviewed)

Brennan, S., Stapleton, C and Gleasure, S. (2024). ‘Lessons from Lesotho: Opportunities presented by Ubuntu/Botho for Irish Schools’, InTouch Magazine, 219, pp. 46-47.

Book Chapter

(Forthcoming)

Brennan, S. (2026). ‘The Culture of the Curiosity Amplifier: A Research Study Exploring the Efficacy of the iPad as a tool for Musical Learning’, in European Perspectives on Music Education Vol. 14 “Traditions in Transformation”.

Book Review

Brennan, S. (2024). ‘Global Citizenship Education: Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms’, Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review, Vol. 39, Autumn, pp. 222-227.

Research Reports (Contributor)

ANGEL (2025). Global Education Digest 2024. London: Development Education Research Centre, IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society.

Educational (Contributor)

Goodness Me, Goodness You! Sample Lesson Plans Handbook (Forthcoming 2026). Education and Training Boards Ireland. 

Education and Training Board Ireland and Educate Together (2025). The Framework for Recognition of Programmes Providing Certification to Teach Ethical, Multi-Belief and Values Education (Glossary), ETBI and Educate Together. 

Media Publications

Brennan, S. (2025, December 9). Teaching difficult topics, episode 1 – with Simon Brennan In Teaching Europe by Symposium Network. Symposium Network.  

Education and Training Boards Ireland (2025). ‘Let’s Talk Ethos: Why you should teach students to “philosophise” through the patrons’ curricula and how to do it!’ [podcast], Jan. 27th: .

British Postgraduate Philosophy Association: Philosophy Matters (Panel Discussion with Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh, Peter Worley, Dr Jeremy Watkins and Jason Buckley). 16 April. Online Event. Part 1:  Part 2: 

Recent Conference Presentations

Brennan, S. (2026). 'Philosophical Inquiry as a Praxis with Preservice Primary Teachers in Global Citizenship Education.' Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Conference 2026: From Legacy to Futures. 28-30 May. University of Galway. 

Brennan, S. (2026). 'Philosophical Inquiry as a Praxis with Preservice Primary Teachers in the Context of Global Citizenship Education'. NERA Conference 2026: Courage and Agency in Education for the Present. 4-6 March. Via University College, Aarhus, Denmark.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Nurturing Negative Capability: Insights from Cycle 1 of an Action Research Self-Study on Philosophical Inquiry as a Thoughtful, Transformative Praxis in Global Citizenship Teacher Education’. SAPERE (Thoughtful) Annual Conference 2025. 15 November. University of South Wales Newport Campus, Wales.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Philosophical Inquiry, Negative Capability and the Global Citizen: A Critical Pedagogical Approach’. 9th International Colloquium on Dialogical Practice & Dialogical Philosophising: Reason Meets Emotion. 11-14 September. Marina Hotel, Prague.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Embracing Negative Capability: Initial Findings from Cycle 1 of a Self-Study Action Research Exploring the use of Philosophical Inquiry as a Transformative Praxis in the Context of Global Citizenship Education’ ATEE Annual Conference 2025: The Making of Authentic Teachers in Ages of Artificiality?. 26-29 August. Marino Institute, Dublin.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Embracing negative capability: A self-study exploring philosophical inquiry as praxis with preservice teachers in global citizenship education’, 5th International Conference of Possibility Studies: Communities of Possibility. 30 June - 4 July, Maynooth University, Kildare.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Becoming Transformative Educators: Cycle 1 Findings from an Action Research Study of Philosophical Inquiry in Global Citizenship Education’. 13th International Action Research Colloquium. June 27. Maynooth University, Kildare.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Problem-Posing Pedagogies in Action: Insights from the First Cycle of a Self-Study Exploring the use of Philosophical Inquiry with Preservice Teachers in the Context of Global Citizenship Education’. ANGEL Conference 2025: For Democracy, Peace, Human Rights, Sustainability, and Global Social Justice. 04-06 June, Berlin.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Philosophy in Education Research: Conceptual Tools for Complex Challenges’. 22 April, 91��Ƭ��, Limerick.

Brennan, S. (2024). ‘The Culture of the Curiosity Amplifier: A research study exploring the efficacy of the iPad as a tool for musical learning’, presented at the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS) Conference 2024: Traditions in Transformation, 12-15 June. Technological University Dublin.

Brennan, S. (2024). ‘Enhancing Global Citizenship Education: Exploring the use of Philosophical Inquiry to Cultivate Critical Consciousness in Pre-service Primary Teachers’,  Institute for Interdisciplinary and Engaged Philosophy (IIEP): Philosophy Research Day 2024, 22 April, 91��Ƭ��, Limerick.

Brennan, S., Stapleton, C and Gleasure, S. (2024). ‘Opportunities presented by the African philosophy of Ubuntu/Botho for Irish education: Lessons from a qualitative ethnography in Lesotho’. Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Conference 2024, Education for More Just Societies: The Roles of Imagination, Innovation and Collaboration, 04-06 April. Maynooth, Kildare.

Brennan, S. (2020). ‘Cultivating the curiosity amplifier: An investigation into the use of the iPad as a tool for learning in the Irish primary music curriculum’. Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Conference 2020: Opening up Education: Options, Obstacles and Opportunities. 03-05 September, (Online).

Seminars

The nature of Teacher Education Programmes and their Alignment with School Curricular, for Effective Teaching and Learning in Schools: NUL-91��Ƭ�� Comparative Conversation. National University of Lesotho, 20 July, Roma.

North-South Conversation on issues of Epistemology: The contribution of teacher education researchers to new knowledge, Participatory Action Research and Ubuntu/ Botho Philosophy. National University of Lesotho, 20 July, Roma.

Guest Speaker

Brennan, S. (2006). ‘The absence of God in modern society’, Sisters of Mercy Congregational Chapter 2006, Enniskillen, Fermanagh.

Workshops

Brennan S. (2025). 'Critical Dialogue and Critical Thinking.' Educate Together Teacher Conference. Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Dublin, 27th November 2025

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘The Burden of the Bell’ (Philosophical Inquiry Workshop). Ubuntu Network Dialogue Day 2025, Athlone 10 June.

Brennan, S. (2025). ‘Thinking Together: Exploring Beliefs, Values and Ideas Through Philosophical Inquiry’, philosophy workshop, Let’s Talk Ethos Symposium 2025, Portlaoise 13 February.

Memberships:

DICE Coordinator (Acting)

Thoughtful (Formerly SAPERE) (UK)

Society for the Furtherance of Critical Philosophy