Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

SCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND LEARNING PROCESSES AMONG LCA PARTICIPANTS 835.8SkillDevelopmentThis section draws on the Post-Primary Longitudinal Study and on the indepthinterviews to explore the skills young people felt they had developedin the course of taking LCA. Sixth year students were asked to reflect onthe extent to which their second-level education had benefited them acrossa range of dimensions (Figures 5.14 and 5.15). LCA students were muchmore likely to report that their schooling had been a ‘lot’ of benefit interms of life after school, particularly in relation to preparation for workand for adult life (Figure 5.14). In relation to other skills and competencies,they were broadly similar to LCE/LCVP students. However, they weremuch more likely than their peers to report their schooling had been ofbenefit in the development of ICT skills (Figure 5.15). However, LCAstudents were more negative about the extent to which school hadbenefited their reading and writing skills.Figure 5.14: Perceived Benefits of Schooling in Relation to Life AfterSchool706050% 'a lot'403020100Preparing for work Preparing for adult life Deciding on post-schoolLCALCE/LCVPSource: Post-Primary Longitudinal Study- (PPLS) database.Figure 5.15: Perceived Benefits of Schooling in Relation to Skills andCompetencies706050% 'a lot'403020100Find things outAcquire a newskillInvolved insportsReading/writingskillsReading forpleasureComputer skills Thinking for selfAppreciatingart/musicLCALCE/LCVPSource: Post-Primary Longitudinal Study (PPLS) database.