Dr. Paula Lehane

Dr Paula Lehane is an Assistant Professor in the School of Inclusive and Special Education at Dublin City University. She is Programme Chair of the Masters of Education in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) and lectures in the areas of assessment, dyslexia, inclusive pedagogy and research methods. Her teaching has been recognised through both institutional and national awards, including the 2025 DCU President’s Award for Teaching.

Paula’s research has been published in a range of national and international journals, with a focus on assessment, teacher education and inclusive practice. Her collaborative research with Dr Patrick Burke on curriculum integration, pedagogy and assessment, commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, has informed the redevelopment of the primary school curriculum and a Routledge volume published in 2026. She currently serves on an expert advisory group supporting the development of the Primary School Assessment Guidelines, contributing to national policy and practice in educational assessment. Her work has also been recognised internationally through the Kathleen Tattersall New Assessment Researcher Award (2022 Winner).

Paula is a member of both the Centre for Assessment Research, Policy & Practice in Education (CARPE) and DCU’s Centre for Inclusive Pedagogy. Her work with the Centre for Inclusive Pedagogy involved a Research Ireland-funded collaboration with Dyslexia Ireland, through which she developed the From Myth to Mastery initiative, providing research-informed professional learning resources for teachers and contributing to national engagement in dyslexia education. Her work in this area has also informed engagement with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education.

Before joining DCU, she worked as a primary school teacher for a number of years having completed her initial teacher qualification in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. She completed her PhD with CARPE as a full time student thanks to funding from the Irish Research Council, specialising in digital assessment for post-primary learners.