Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

DISCUSSION AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS 147• Those who have special needs or learning difficulties;• Those who felt they were misdirected by the school into enteringLCA.While there are significant differences in the background and priorexperiences of LCA and LCE/LCVP students, it is worth noting the extentof overlap between the two groups. There is no one characteristic foundamong LCA students that is not found among LCE and LCVP students.The reasons for entering LCA were examined using both qualitative andquantitative data which yielded similar results. Again, a broad typology wasderived based on the reasons for entering the programme which includedthe following categories:• Students who wanted to take more practical subjects;• Students who felt they were ‘unable’ for the LCE programme;• Students who exercised choice without parental involvement;• Students who were encouraged to pursue the programme by theirteacher and/or school;• Students who were influenced by their peers.This typology highlights the way in which motivations for pursuing theLCA vary across students. The LCA programme would appear to target thegroups of students at which it was initially directed: those who haveexperienced difficulties with their schoolwork, those who are at risk ofearly school leaving, those who have disengaged academically and thosewho have had more negative experiences of school (in terms ofmisbehaviour and negative interaction with teachers). However, it is againimportant to note that while all of these risk factors enhance the likelihoodof entering LCA, the majority of students in these same categories, take theother Leaving Certificate programmes.9.1.4 CURRICULUM AND LEARNINGStudy respondents who had participated in LCA were generally positiveabout the content of the programme and the teaching methods used. Ourfindings indicate that LCA offers a greater emphasis on active teaching andlearning methodologies, especially group work and project work, than theLCE and LCVP programmes. Furthermore, smaller class sizes meant thatmany of our respondents reported more individual attention and supportfrom their teachers. There is also evidence to suggest that these teachingand learning methodologies go some way in re-engaging people withlearning and improving attitudes to education. Modular credit accumulationwas viewed to be a particularly positive aspect of the programme, givingyoung people greater feedback on their progress and reducing the stressassociated with a terminal examination. However, some young peoplecriticised the fact that they did not have access to certain subject areas andthere appeared to be a strong degree of gender differentiation in theprovision and take-up of vocational specialism courses. In addition, tensionexists in relation to the challenge that LCA schoolwork offers. For somestudents, finding schoolwork easier in LCA than previously in junior cycleresulted in improved self-confidence and engagement with learning.However, others felt insufficiently challenged by the coursework andexpressed surprise at the gap in standards between the LCA and other