Applied Ethnochoreology, creative processes and competition culture within the Irish step dance idiom; music and dance of the Diaspora;the relationship between music and dance; Music , dance and education;Limerick Soundscape and Arts in Health.

I have lectured at the University of Limerick since 2004 and I have creatively combined theory, practice and performance when teaching Irish and international students in a range of laboratory, lecture, and workshop settings. I have taught a diverse range of modules from Irish Music and Dance Studies, to popular culture. These modules combine the artistic and the academic, the theoretical and the practical and the philosophical and the technological. Thus, a diverse range of teaching tools is required including blended learning and research-led teaching. I see my role as facilitating student learning. My role is to design the framework in which learning can take place. I then motivate and cultivate the students' development by providing assistance in terms of knowledge, techniques (critique/analysis) and encouragement. I recognise that students learn in different ways and I adapt my teaching strategies to engage the students in learning. It is very important that students recognise the best way in which they learn. A performing arts education not only imparts knowledge and facilitates a honing of skills, but also helps students develop a host of transferable skills which resonate with our graduate attributes, namely, students learn to research, study and develop acute analytical and reasoning skills as well as to enhance creativity, performativity and explore the potential of the arts for developing citizenship and agency. I see my role as a teacher as facilitating students in their acquisition of lateral thinking and problem solving skills and to develop the ability to reflect upon and critique their own performances as well as those of others. I believe that I should expose my students to a range of materials and approaches and I strive to create a collaborative learning environment, which will cater to the range of abilities present within each cohort. I strive to encourage my students to be self- motivated, to work as part of a team and to assume different roles and responsibilities when engaging in group-work. For me, it is very important to integrate my own research interests into my teaching. I believe that research and teaching are synergistic activities. I am fair,firm and available to meet with students if they need further clarification or guidance relating to material covered in class. Prior to lecturing at the University of Limerick, I trained as a primary teacher and taught all ages at primary level. I also taught Irish and French to Leaving Certificate level and in 2002 was seconded from my primary school post and I taught teaching skills and supervised teaching practice at Mary Immaculate College of Education. Furthermore, I have been teaching Irish music and dance to communities all over the world for in excess of thirty years. Therefore, I have had ample opportunity to reflect upon and develop my practice over time, adapting to societal needs and evolving technologies, while bringing the diverse experience gained from teaching a variety of ages, classes and races to my current post. In line with the Irish World Academy ethos,and guidelines in best practice in teaching which encourage us to teach a wide range of subject matters based on our research based and arts practice based expertise, I deliver lectures, tutorials and practical dance and related disciplines classes (Labs) in all Academy undergraduate  modules,  which include Erasmus Students, BA Arts students and exchange students, and on four MA programmes in the areas of my particular expertise. This is reflected in the diverse hours of delivery as seen from the vast range of modules listed above. It demonstrates a challenging, yet rewarding teaching schedule, combining theory and practice across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. I am committed to research led teaching and also to cocreating a knowledge democracy with my students. I am committed to employing a Universal Deisgn for Learning Approach and I a especially keen to facilitate community engaged learning as evidenced by my approach to delivering the Actice Living module on the CWELL program.

Dr Orfhlaith Ní Bhriain is an ethnochoreologist and Course Director of the MA Ethnochoreology and MA  Dance Studies programmes at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland, where she teaches Irish dance skills, Irish music and dance studies, Western Art Dance History, Music and Dance education and ethnochoreology to undergraduate and postgraduate students. As an accomplished performer and teacher of Irish music song and dance, she delivers workshops and seminars internationally and is a recognized expert in the Irish traditional music and dance world featuring in many broadcasts and documentaries on radio and television as cultural commentator. Her book Jigs to Jacobites (2018) was co-authored with designer and illustrator Michael McCabe and was funded by The Arts Council. An earlier bookandnbsp;The Terminology of Irish Dance was published in 2008 by Macater Press and in 2013 she was commissioned by Dance Ireland to write and article on Contemporary Irish step dance. Her current research involves collaborative work with physiotherapist Amanda Cliffordandnbsp;investigating theandnbsp;potential benefit of music and dance for older adults.andnbsp;They have published extensively on arts and health interventions.