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Biography

Jeremiah (Diarmuid Ó Spealáin) is a Lecturer in Education, in the Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning, where he teaches Digital Education and Digital Creativity on the Certificate in Digital Education. His work sits at the intersection of digital pedagogy, immersive technologies, and cultural practice, with a particular interest in how technology can support meaningful, learner-centred education across further and higher education contexts.

He brings over 15 years of experience in higher education across digital learning, instructional design and teaching and learning. Prior to joining SETU, Jeremiah worked as an Instructional Designer and Digital Learning Specialist with the Department of Technology-Enhanced Learning at Munster Technological University (MTU), where he also taught Instructional Design and Authoring - Digital Learning. He has also held roles as Digital Learning Specialist at the Royal College of Music (RCM) and Senior Learning Technologist (STO) at the University of Galway, and worked as an Associate Lecturer in Jazz and Popular Music Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London and Middlesex University.

He holds a PhD in Musicology from Goldsmiths, University of London, an MA in Cultural Heritage and International Development from the University of East Anglia (UEA), and a BMus and BA from University College Cork (UCC), alongside a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education. He is a Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA) and is a firm believer in value of lifelong learning, currently in year two of an MSc in Computing in Games and Extended Reality at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT).

Jeremiah's research interests centre on digital learning, immersive and extended reality (XR) in education, gamification, game-based learning, and serious games, alongside open educational resources and practices (OER/OEP). He is particularly interested in the interface between culture and technology for educational purposes, exploring how immersive and interactive media, including well-designed games, can create new creative and experiential learning spaces.

Jeremiah welcomes enquiries from prospective PhD candidates interested in digital learning, education and culture, and music education.

Jeremiah primarily teaches on the Digital Education and Digital Creativity modules, as part of the Certificate in Digital Education

Jeremiah's research sits at the intersection of digital learning, immersive and extended reality (XR), and creative/cultural practice, with particular interests in gamification, game-based learning, and serious games. He currently serves on the Department of Education’s Research Committee and Research Ethics committees, and supervises Education Research Projects (ERPs) within the Faculty of Education and Lifelong Learning.

Jeremiah welcomes enquiries from prospective PhD candidates interested in digital learning, education and culture, and music education.