Amanda McCloat

Amanda McCloat is the President of St. Angela’s College. Prior to this she was the Head of Home Economics and Senior Lecturer. Amanda McCloat holds an undergraduate Bachelor of Education (Home Economics and Religious Education) from St. Angela’s College NUI; a Master of Arts (Education) from the University Limerick and a Masters in Science (Food Policy) from the University London (City), where she is currently completing her PhD studies. Amanda has over 10 years senior management experience within the College having held the position of Head of the Home Economics Department and Senior Lecturer since 2009. She was initially appointed to the academic staff of the College in 2005 as a Lecturer in Home Economics and prior to that she was a post-primary teacher. Ms Mc Cloat has extensive experience in academic leadership internationally and is the Vice President of the European Association of Home Economics. She represents Europe on the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Home Economics (IFHE), an organisation which has 1,500 members internationally across 60 countries. At a national level Ms McCloat sat on the inaugural Healthy Ireland Council, a position she was appointed to by the then Minister for Health in May 2014. She was also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Safefood and is a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Association of Teachers of Home Economics (ATHE) since 2009. She is actively involved in regional activities including a member of the NUI Galway Governing Body (Údaras); a Board member of Sligo Leader; member of the IBEC Regional Executive Committee; a committee member of the Sligo Economic Forum; and a member of the HEA National Committee on Gender Equality. She is involved in a wide range of research projects nationally and internationally, and has work collaboratively with, and published with, researchers from Queens University Belfast, University Ulster, IT Sligo, University London (City), South West College and the University Surrey. Her research interests are in the areas of Home Economics and food education; food literacy; and Education for Sustainable and Responsible Living.

Amanda works collaboratively, nationally and internationally, with a wide range of research teams across higher and further education institutions including Queens University Belfast, University Ulster, IT Sligo, University London (City), South West College and the University of Surrey.

Her research areas focus on Home Economics; food education; food literacy; community food interventions; and Education for Sustainable and Responsible Living.

Publications (Book Chapters, Refereed Journal Articles, Policy Papers, Research Reports)

McCloat, A. and Caraher, M. (2020). Home Economics Education in Secondary School Settings: Lessons from Education Policy on the Island of Ireland. IN (eds) Rutland, M., and Turner, A. (2020) Food Education and Food Technology in School Curriculum. Switzerland: Springer.

McCloat, A. and Caraher, M. (2019) An International Review of Second-level Food Education Curriculum Policy. Cambridge Journal of Education. In-Press.

Benson, T., Lavelle, F., McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Bucher, T., Egan, B., Dean. M (2019) Are the claims to blame? A qualitative study to understand the effects of nutrition and health claims on perceptions and consumption of food. Nutrients. In-Press

Lavelle, F.; Benson, T.; Hollywood, L.; Surgenor, D.; McCloat, A.; Mooney, E.; Caraher, M.; Dean, M. (2019) Modern Transference of Domestic Cooking Skills. Nutrients 2019, 11, 870.

Didham, R.; McCloat, A.; Torkar, G. Food for Thought. Responsible and Sustainable Living, Images and Objects Active Methodology Toolkit 10.

Benson, T., Lavelle, F., Bucher, T., McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Egan, B., Collins, C., Dean. M (2018) The Impact of Nutrition and Health Claims on Consumer Perceptions and Portion Size Selection: Results from a Nationally Representative Survey. Nutrients, 10, 656

McCloat, A and Caraher, M (2018) The evolution of Home Economics as a subject in Irish primary and post-primary education from the 1800s to the twenty-first century. Irish Educational Studies. Irish Educational Studies, 38:3, 377-399

Maguire, H. and McCloat, A. (2017) Home Economics Education: Preparation for a Sustainable and Healthy Future. IN State of the World Rethinking Education on a Changing Planet. The Worldwatch Institute. April 2017 

Hollywood L, Surgenor D, Reiks M, McGowan L, Lavelle F, Spence M, Raats M, McCloat A, Mooney E, Caraher M, Dean M. (2017) Identification of Behaviour Change Techniques applied in interventions to improve Cooking Skills and Food Skills among adults. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

Lavelle F, Hollywood L, Caraher M, McGowan L, Spence M, Surgenor D, McCloat A, Mooney E, Raats M, Dean M. (2017). Increasing intention to cook from basic ingredients: A randomised controlled study. Appetite. 116: 502-510.

Lavelle F, McGowan L, Hollywood L, Surgenor D, McCloat A, Mooney E, Caraher M, Raats M, Dean M. (2017). The development and validation of measures to assess cooking skills and food skills. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. Vol. 14, p.118.

Surgenor D, Hollywood L, Furey S, Lavelle F, McGowan L, Spence M, Raats M, McCloat A, Mooney E, Caraher M, Dean M, (2017). The impact of video technology on learning: A cooking skills experiment. Appetite, 114, pp.306-312.

Safefood (2017) Cooking and Food Skills Report. Available at: http://www.safefood.eu/Publications/Research-reports/Cooking-and-food-skills-%E2%80%93-the-current-picture.aspx#sthash.eYUAZVOX.dpuf (member of research team) 

McCloat, A. and Caraher, M. (2016) Home Economics as a food education intervention: lessons from the Irish secondary education context. Education and Health Vol.34 No.4, 2016 http://sheu.org.uk/x/eh344finalam.pdf

NCCA (2016) Background Paper for Junior Cycle Home Economics. Dublin, NCCA. (Sole author on the paper for the NCCA)

McCloat, A., Mooney, E., & Hollywood, L.E. (2016) Have Irish parents put cooking on the back burner? An island of Ireland study of the food skills, cooking confidence and practices of parents. British Food Journal, Vol. 119 Issue: 5, pp.992-1002

Lavelle F, McGowan L, Spence M, Caraher M, Raats M, Hollywood L, McDowell D, McCloat A, Mooney E, Dean M. (2016) Barriers and facilitators to cooking from ‘scratch’ using basic or raw ingredients: A qualitative interview study. Appetite 107 (2016) 383-391

Lavelle F, McGowan L, Spence M, Caraher M, Raats M, Hollywood L, McDowell D, McCloat A, Mooney E, Dean M. (2016) Learning cooking skills at different ages: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (2016) 13:119

McGowan, L., Pot, G., Stephen, A., Lavelle, F. Spence, M., Raats, M., Hollywood, L. McDowell, D., Mooney, E. McCloat, A., Caraher, M., Dean, M.  (2016) The influence of socio-demographic, psychological and knowledge-related variables alongside perceived cooking and food skills abilities in the prediction of diet quality in adults: a nationally representative cross-sectional study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 13(1), 1-13  

McGowan, L., Caraher, M., Raats, M., Lavelle, F., Spence, M., Hollywood, L., McDowell, D., McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Dean, M. (2015) Domestic cooking and food skills: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 

Safefood (2014) Food Skills: Definitions, Influences and Relationship with Health. Available at: http://www.safefood.eu/SafeFood/media/SafeFoodLibrary/Documents/Publications/Research%20Reports/Food-Skills-Edited-Final-Report.pdf (member of working group who prepared the research report)

Maguire. H., McCloat, A., Cusack, M. & O’Donoghue M. (2013) ‘Images and Objects A Tool for Teaching Education for Sustainable Development and Responsible Living in Home Economics. IN Schrader, U.; Fricke, V.; Doyle, D.; Thoresen, V.W. (Eds.) Enabling Responsible Living (2013) Springer, Germany (Book Chapter)

Safefood (2012) Bodyweight Perception on the Island of Ireland. Available at: http://www.safefood.eu/Publications/Research-reports/Bodyweight-Perception-on-the-Island-of-Ireland.aspx (member of working group who prepared the report)

Mooney, E., Kelly-Blakeney, E., McCloat, A. & Black, D. (2011) Primary School Teachers’ experiences of teaching healthy eating within the curriculum: A report for the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS). Armagh: Centre for Cross Border Studies.

Tormey, R., Liddy, M., McCloat, A., Maguire, H. (2008) Working in the Action Research Nexus for ESD. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. June 2008

McCloat, A. & Maguire, H. (2008) Reorienting Home Economics Teacher Education to address Education for Sustainable Development IN Global Sustainable Development: A Challenge for Consumer Citizens.  IFHE July 2008 

Selected from 2014-2020

• Dean, M., McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Issartel, J., and Lavelle, F. (2020). Guidelines for designing age-appropriate children’s cooking interventions: the development of evidence-based cooking recommendations for children, a multidisciplinary approach. Virtual Nutrition and Cooking Education Symposium, University Newcastle Australia on 12^th June 2020.
• Benson, T., Lavelle, F., McCloat, A., Mooney, E. and Dean, M. (2020). Measuring success, the need for validated measures in cooking skills and nutrition education. Virtual Nutrition and Cooking Education Symposium, University Newcastle Australia on 12^th June 2020.
• McCloat, A. (2019) Invited Keynote Address at Cook and Health Research Conference, Lisbon, Oct. 2019. Is Food Education on the Burner? The position of Food and Cooking on the Formal Curriculum in School.
• Dean, M., McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Issartel, J., and Lavelle, F. (2019). Co-created Children’s Cooking Camp – Design and initial results. Cook and Health Research Conference, Lisbon, Oct. 2019.
• Dean, M., McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Issartel, J., and Lavelle, F. (2019). The developmental process of a Children’s Perceived Cooking Competence Measure. Cook and Health Research Conference, Lisbon, Oct. 2019.
• McCloat, A. (2019) Building a Healthy Nation: Food Education on the Curriculum – An International Review. NUI Galway Health Promotion Conference, June 2019
• Kane, B.; Bradshaw, C; Breen, A; Lydon, R; McCloat, A; McLoone, M.; McMonagle, G; Mooney, E; Martin, L; Stoddart, L. (2019) It’s in the education”: Advocating for education to facilitate mothers to breastfeed. NUI Galway Health Promotion Conference, June 2019
• McCloat, A. (2017) Keynote Address: Home Economics in the context of Junior Cycle Reform. Association of Teachers of Home Economics (ATHE) National Conference, Athlone, October 2017
• McCloat, A. & Regan, C. (2017) Recipes for Success. Healthy Ireland Network Launch in Dublin Castle & Panel Discussion with the Taoiseach; Minister for Health; Minister for Health Promotion (May 2017)
• Mc Cloat, A. & Maguire, H. (2017) Transformative Pedagogies for ESD & GCED: Using Visual Literacy. Third UNESCO Forum on Global Citizenship Education (GCED): The Role of Teachers, March 2017.International Workshop (by the invitation of UNESCO)
• McCloat, A., Mooney, E., & Hollywood, L.E. (2017) Is cooking on the back burner for Irish parents. An Island of Ireland (IOI) study of the food skills, cooking confidence and practices of parents. Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyles: Policy, Pedagogy and Practice Conference, St. Angela’s College. March 2017
• McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Kelly-Blakeney, E., Lydon, R. (2017) Recipes for Success: The Promotion of Home Economics in a Community Sports Setting. Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyles: Policy, Pedagogy and Practice Conference, St. Angela’s College. March 2017
• Benson, T., Dean, M., McCloat, A., & Mooney, E. (2017) How Do Nutrition and Health Claims Impact on Consumer Perceptions of Food? Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyles: Policy, Pedagogy and Practice Conference, St. Angela’s College. March 2017
• Lavelle F, Spence M, Hollywood L, McCloat A, Mooney E, Caraher M, Raats M, Dean M. (2017) When should you learn to cook? Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyles: Policy, Pedagogy and Practice Conference, St. Angela’s College. March 2017
• O’Donoghue, M., McCloat, A., & Maguire, H. (2016) Using Visual Literacy Pedagogies in Home Economics to cultivate hope for sustainable and responsible futures. XXIII IFHE World Congress, Daejeon, Korea, July 2016
• McCloat, A. (2016) Junior Cycle Home Economics – the past, the present and the future. XXIII IFHE World Congress, Daejeon, Korea, July 2016
• Cullen, E. & McCloat, A. (2016) Home Economics and Health. Natural Partners? XXIII IFHE World Congress, Daejeon, Korea, July 2016
• McGowan, L., Spence, M., Caraher, M., Raats, M., Hollywood, L., McCloat, A., Mooney, E. Dean, M. (2016) The design and effectiveness of a cooking skills intervention to enhance consumers' home cooking intentions: a comparison of different behaviour change techniques. International Society for Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) June 2016 Cape Town, Africa 
• Maguire, H & McCloat, A. (2015) Building Education for Sustainable Development Capacity - Pre-Service Home Economics Teachers Response to Pedagogies & Practices for Sustainable Living IFHE Conference jointly hosted by the Nutrition, Family & Consumers Studies Programme, University of Malta & European Association for Home Economics, University of Malta, March 2015
• McCloat, A. (2014) “Healthy Ireland - Working in Partnership to improve Health and Wellbeing. The potential for Home Economics”. ATHE National Conference November 2014
• McCloat, A., Mooney, E., Coffey, S., Lydon, R. & O’Hara (2014). A community-based food education intervention amongst disadvantaged families in the North-West of Ireland. IFHE International Home Economics Conference, IFHE Council 2014, Brescia College, July 2014
• McCloat, A., Maguire, H. & O’Donoghue, M. (2014) Teaching Education for Sustainable Development and Responsible Living to individuals and families. IFHE International Home Economics Conference, IFHE Council 2014, Brescia College, July 2014

Honours and Awards

• Recognised as an International Professional Home Economist (IPHE) IFHE (November 2016)

Professional Associations

• Member of IFHE and ATHE

Committees & Community Engagement

• Member of the Board of Directors of St. Angela’s College (2019 – present)
• Member of the HEA National Committee on Gender Equality
• Member of NUI Galway Governing Body (Údaras)
• (Elected) Vice President of European Association of Home Economics (EAHE) (Sept. 2018 – present)
• (Elected) European Representative on Executive Committee of IFHE (2016 – present)
• Board member of Sligo Leader Ltd
• Member of the IBEC Regional Executive Committee
• Committee member of the Sligo Economic Forum
• (Elected) Member of the Board of Directors of St Angela’s College (Sept. 2016 – Sept. 2017)
• (Co-Opted) Member of IFHE Executive Committee (co-opted by President IFHE 2012 – 2016)
• (Invited Expert) Member of International Advisory Board for PERL/UNITWIN (2016 – present)
• (Invited Expert) Member of International Expert Quality Board for Erasmus Project ProfESus (2017)
• Member of IFHE Research Committee and Congress 2020 Research Review Committee
• (Appointed by North-South Ministerial Committee) Member of safefood Scientific Advisory Committee 2010 – 2016
• International Chair of the IFHE Young Professional Network (YPN) (February 2011 – present)
• Member of the National Central Executive Committee of the Association of Teachers of Home Economics (ATHE) (2009 – Present)
• Co-Coordinator of National Cookery Competitions for Post primary students: Healthy Home Chef (2020& 2019) Super Chef (2015); Fine Dine @ Mine (2013/2014); Take Away My Way (2011, 2012 & 2013); Smart Chef (2010)

International Conference Chair:

• Co-Chair of 2017 STACS / IFHE Healthy & Sustainable Lifestyles International Conference, St. Angela’s College
• Co-Chair of 2014 PERL International Conference, St. Angela’s College
• Co-Chair of 2010 Irish Organising Committee for IFHE Council 2010, Ireland & Research Conference