Niamh Dennehy
Research Profile
Niamh Dennehy
Contact Details
Education
University College Cork
Cork
Ireland
T: +353-21-490-3000
E: niamh.dennehy@ucc.ie
Lecturer
T: 00353212277
E: niamh.dennehy@ucc.ie
T: 00353212277
E: niamh.dennehy@ucc.ie
Biography
Lecturer in Education and PME Deputy Director in the School of Education, UCC. Post-primary school teacher of English, Irish and LCVP from 1996-2015. Former State Examinations Commission Advising Examiner for Leaving Certificate Higher Level English. I am currently a member of the Teaching Council of Ireland.
Research Interests
Sociocultural perspectives on
curriculum, learning and assessment;
Curriculum and assessment theory and practice;
The role of psychology in education practice and research;
The role of oral language development in education;
Irish immersion education;
Innovation in research and practice in the teaching of English;
Whole-school planning for learning and assessment - policy and practices;
Curriculum and assessment theory and practice;
The role of psychology in education practice and research;
The role of oral language development in education;
Irish immersion education;
Innovation in research and practice in the teaching of English;
Whole-school planning for learning and assessment - policy and practices;
Book Chapters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | 'Assessment in English'
Dennehy, N. (2023) 'Assessment in English' In: Perspectives on the Teaching of English in Post Primary Education. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details] |
|
| (2023) | 'Introduction'
Cahill, K. & Dennehy, N. (2023) 'Introduction' In: Perspectives on the Teaching of English in Post Primary Education. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details] |
|
| (2023) | 'Feedback for Learning in the English Classroom'
Dennehy, N. (2023) 'Feedback for Learning in the English Classroom' In: Perspectives on the Teaching of English in Post Primary Education. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details] |
Edited Books
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | Perspectives on the Teaching of English in Post Primary Education
Cahill, K. & Dennehy, N (Ed.). (2023) Perspectives on the Teaching of English in Post Primary Education Cork: Cork University Press. [Details] |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2025) | 'Perspectives of graduates and principals on master's level initial teacher education in Ireland'
Máire Ní Ríordáin, Craig Neville, Mark Prendergast, Niamh Dennehy and Brian Murphy (2025) 'Perspectives of graduates and principals on master's level initial teacher education in Ireland'. Irish Educational Studies, [DOI] [Details] |
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Scotens Seed Funding | Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCOTENS) | |
| 2019 | John Coolahan Teaching Council Research Support Framework Award | Teaching Council of Ireland | |
| 2018 | UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science Research Support Fund | UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science | |
| 2017 | NUI Dr Mary L. Thornton Scholarship and Prize in Education | National University of Ireland | |
| 2013 | UCC School of Education M.Ed. Scholarship | UCC School of Education |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish National Organisation of Teachers of English (INOTE) | Member | / | |
| Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE) | Association for Teacher Education in Europe | / | |
| Literacy Association of Ireland | Member | / | |
| Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) | Member | / |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2025) | ATEE Annual Conference 2025: The Making of Authentic Teachers in Ages of Artificiality?,
Ní Ríordáin, M., Murphy, B., Dennehy, N. Neville, C. and Prendergast, M. (2025) Supporting Student Teachers to Build Connected and Inclusive Classrooms: Insights from School Placement Tutors on one Irish Masters Level Secondary ITE Programme. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], ATEE Annual Conference 2025: The Making of Authentic Teachers in Ages of Artificiality?, Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2023) | Educational Studies of Ireland Conference 2023,
Dennehy, N & O'Ceallaigh, T.J. (2023) Supporting student teachers' pedagogy in the post-primary immersion context - the development of a digital badge professional learning initiative. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Educational Studies of Ireland Conference 2023, Stranmillis University College, Belfast , 30-MAR-23 - 01-APR-23. [Details] |
|
| (2023) | ESAI conference 2023,
Dennehy, N., O'Hagan, C. & Costa, J. (2023) Developing a shared programme of support for student teachers in Ireland - North and South - in implementing best practice approaches to 'Assessment as Learning' (AAL) in post primary school. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], ESAI conference 2023, Stranmillis University College, Belfast , 30-MAR-23 - 01-APR-23. [Details] |
|
| (2022) | Educational Studies Association of Ireland Conference 2022,
Dennehy, N. (2022) Connecting through collaborative assessment practice: using student exemplars, rubrics and guided feedback to promote student learning in post-primary education. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Educational Studies Association of Ireland Conference 2022, Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2022) | European Literacy Conference on Literacy,
Dennehy, N. (2022) The role of assessment literacy in supporting lifelong learning. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], European Literacy Conference on Literacy, Institute of Education, DCU , 04-JUL-22 - 06-JUL-22. [Details] |
|
| (2022) | Educational Studies of Ireland Conference 2022,
Dennehy, N. (2022) Connecting through collaborative assessment practice: using student exemplars, rubrics and guided feedback to promote student learning in post-primary education. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Educational Studies of Ireland Conference 2022, online , 07-APR-22 - 09-APR-22. [Details] |
|
| (2021) | Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference,
O'Ceallaigh, T.J., Dennehy, N., Ní Chonaill, M. & O'Connor, A. (2021) An teagasc ábharbhunaithe san iarbhunscolaíocht lán-Ghaeilge: Dearcthaí múinteoirí faoi oiliúint agus múinteoirí luathghairme. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference, Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2021) | Literacy Association of Ireland Annual Conference,
O'Ceallaigh, T.J., Dennehy, N., Ní Chonaill, M. & O'Connor, A. (2021) An teanga agus an t-ábhar a chomhtháthú san iarbhunscoil Lán-Ghaeilge sna chéad bhlianta den teagasc: Claochlú leanúnach. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Literacy Association of Ireland Annual Conference, Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2020) | Féilte: Teaching Council Annual Festival of Education in Learning and Teaching Excellence,
O'Ceallaigh, T.J., Dennehy, N., Ní Chonaill, M. & O'Connor, A. (2020) Tús maith? Iniúchadh ar dhearcthaí múinteoirí faoi oiliúint agus múinteoirí ag tosú amach sa ghairm maidir leis an teagasc in iar-bhunscoileanna lán-ghaeilge, agus ar a dtaithí ar an teagasc sin. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Féilte: Teaching Council Annual Festival of Education in Learning and Teaching Excellence, Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2019) | Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference 2019,
Dennehy, N. (2019) The Practice of Formative Assessment in the Irish Post-Primary School Context. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Educational Studies Association of Ireland Annual Conference 2019, St. Angela's College and Radisson Blu Hotel, Sligo . [Details] |
|
| (2018) | Irish National Organisation of Teachers of English Annual Conference,
Dennehy, N. (2018) The Effective Teaching of Reading and Writing in the Second-Level English Classroom. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Irish National Organisation of Teachers of English Annual Conference, Kilkenny . [Details] |
|
| (2017) | 'Looking at our School', PME Partner Schools' Conference,
Dennehy, N. (2017) Models of assessment and their impact on student learning. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 'Looking at our School', PME Partner Schools' Conference, University College Cork . [Details] |
|
| (2018) | Literacy Association of Ireland International Conference 2018,
Dennehy, N. (2018) How Assessment Literacy is Essential for Effective Formative Assessment in Post Primary School. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Literacy Association of Ireland International Conference 2018, Marino College of Education, Dublin . [Details] |
|
| (2017) | Aigne Postgraduate Conference,
Dennehy, N. (2017) Constructing and positioning identities through formative assessment practices and discourse in the Irish post-primary school classroom. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Aigne Postgraduate Conference, UCC . [Details] |
|
| (2015) | School of Education, UCC and Reading Association of Ireland 3rd Annual Literacy Research Symposium for teachers,
Dennehy, N. (2015) An investigation of the position of English as a language in the post-primary school curriculum. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], School of Education, UCC and Reading Association of Ireland 3rd Annual Literacy Research Symposium for teachers, UCC . [Details] |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Education and Skills | Post-Primary Teacher | 01-SEP-96 / 31-AUG-15 | |
| University College Cork | Lecturer in Education | 01-SEP-15 / |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | UCC | Master's Degree in Education | Language and literacy in education; philosophy of Education; curriculum and assessment; sociocultural theories of learning; dialogic teaching | |
| 1999 | UCD | B.A. (Modular) | Gaeilge | |
| 1995 | UCC | Higher Diploma in Computer Science | Programming and applied computing technology | |
| 2018 | UCC | PhD in Education | A Qualitative Investigation of Formative Assessment in Second-Level Education in Ireland | |
| 1996 | UCC | Higher Diploma in Education | Education and English | |
| 1994 | UCC | B.A. (Hons) | English and Applied Psychology |
Languages
| Language | Reading | Writing | Speaking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irish | Fluent | Fluent | Fluent | |
| English | Fluent | Fluent | Fluent |
Other Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
I am a HEI nominee on the Teaching Council of Ireland. |
Teaching Interests
In collaboration with the PME Director Dr Brian Murphy, I am responsible for the strategic and day-to-day management of all aspects of the Professional Master of Education (PME) programme.
I am a member of several School of Education committees including: the Learning and Teaching Committee, the PME Steering Group and the Research Ethics Committee. Through this work I contribute to research-led reform of policy and practices in assessment and feedback at university level, ethical research protocols and student wellbeing.
I am a member of the college Social Research Ethics Committee (SREC).
I develop research-led syllabus and curriculum structures and administer all grades and feedback to students in a range of modules across the PME, BSc.Ed, M.Ed. and PhD programmes in the School of Education:
I am a member of several School of Education committees including: the Learning and Teaching Committee, the PME Steering Group and the Research Ethics Committee. Through this work I contribute to research-led reform of policy and practices in assessment and feedback at university level, ethical research protocols and student wellbeing.
I am a member of the college Social Research Ethics Committee (SREC).
I develop research-led syllabus and curriculum structures and administer all grades and feedback to students in a range of modules across the PME, BSc.Ed, M.Ed. and PhD programmes in the School of Education:
PME 1 and PME 2 The Teaching of English
PME 1 The Psychology of Education
PME 2 Designing Curriculum and Assessment for the Contemporary Classroom
PME 2 Professional Research Paper
M.Ed. Modes of Assessment in Contemporary Curriculum.
M.Ed. Dissertation in Education.
I also contribute to the School of Education Post Graduate Diploma in Education Leadership (PDEL) and Post Graduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs (PDSEN) programmes.
PME 1 The Psychology of Education
PME 2 Designing Curriculum and Assessment for the Contemporary Classroom
PME 2 Professional Research Paper
M.Ed. Modes of Assessment in Contemporary Curriculum.
M.Ed. Dissertation in Education.
I also contribute to the School of Education Post Graduate Diploma in Education Leadership (PDEL) and Post Graduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs (PDSEN) programmes.
Internal Collaborators
| Name | Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Dr T.J. Ó'Ceallaigh | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Dr João Costa | University College Cork | IRELAND | |
| Dr Kevin Cahill | University College Cork | IRELAND |
External Collaborators
| Name | Organisation / Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ms Celia O'Hagan | Stranmillis University College | NORTHERN IRELAND | |
| Ms Máiréad Ní Chonaill/ Ms Aideen O'Connor | Gaelcholáiste Choilm/ Gaelcholáiste Muire AG | IRELAND |