Jennifer Hennessy

Jennifer Hennessy is the Assistant Dean International in the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences and a Lecturer in Educational Research Methods at the School of Education, University of Limerick. She joined UL in 2014 and has led numerous undergraduate and postgraduate modules. Her roles include Research Strand Coordinator for the Professional Master of Education programme and former School of Education representative on the EHS Research Ethics Committee (2014–2018). She also served as Course Director for the interfaculty Bachelor of Education in Languages, successfully guiding accreditation processes and student mobility initiatives. As a Visiting Professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, she contributed to the Erasmus Mundus Master of Adapted Physical Activity programme. Currently, she serves on the UL Discipline Committee as the Academic Council Nominee.

Her research focuses on pedagogy and performativity, curriculum design, high-stakes assessment impacts, poetry pedagogy, and teacher agency. Key themes include the effects of performance metrics on teaching practices and teacher identity. Her work has been featured in journals like Educational Review, Studies in Higher Education, and Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice.

Jennifer’s articles explore topics such as curriculum innovation within high-stakes frameworks, pre-service teacher anxieties, and poetry pedagogy in Ireland. Her research highlights tensions between educational policy and classroom realities, emphasizing teacher autonomy and student-centered approaches. Awards include the 2007 Advanced Scholar Award and the 2006 J.N. Oliver Perpetual Trophy.

Her advising focuses on assessment impacts, teacher research, post-primary poetry teaching, and curriculum change. She has pioneered academic mobility programs and advocates for arts integration in education. Jennifer’s interdisciplinary contributions span teacher education, curriculum studies, and educational policy.