Academic biography

Dr Patrick Burke is an Assistant Professor in the School of Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education at Dublin City University. His academic background spans education, psychology and literacy studies. He started his career as a primary school teacher.

Patrick's research on literacy education has been published in a range of leading national and international journals, focusing on both classroom practice and policy. As well as being a founding member of the DCU Centre for Literacy Research, Policy and Practice, he is an active member of SEALBHÚ, the DCU Research Centre for the Teaching and Learning of Irish. He has led recent research projects on the application of AI to support children's writing development (AILIT, funded by Erasmus+) and the teaching of Irish in English-medium schools nationally (funded by the Department of Education and Youth). His research (with Dr Paula Lehane) on curriculum integration, pedagogy and assessment,  commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, has informed the redeveloped primary school curriculum and a new Routledge volume published in 2026. His scholarship has been recognised in awards from organisations including the American Educational Research Association and the International Literacy Association.

Patrick holds a number of senior leadership roles outside of DCU. He serves as Chairperson of the NCCA Primary Language Development Group and recently completed his term as President of the Literacy Association of Ireland, during which he led the organisation through its 50th anniversary celebrations. Internationally, he serves as chairperson of the International Literacy Association Dina Feitelson/Albert J. Harris Award Committee and as a member of the five-person executive of the AERA Research in Reading and Literacy SIG. He serves on the editorial board of three quartile 1 journals: Reading and Writing Quarterly, Literacy and Active Learning in Higher Education. In 2026, he was elected to the Royal Irish Academy’s (RIA) Young Academy, an interdisciplinary organisation that brings together early career researchers who work collaboratively for the benefit of society.