Student Experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme

68 ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE?I found it [Maths] a lot easier with the LCA.Did you think it was too easy or just right?It could have been a small bit harder.For all subjects or just those, just Maths?Just with the Maths because it was kind of like a small bit babyish, but I thinkit suited an awful lot of us at the time. … Because we weren’t very good withMaths like, but they did work with it in a good way but I think it could havebeen stepped up a small bit like. (Mary, 22, completed LCA, home duties)I used to actually argue with one of my teachers over it because she used toconstantly want me to use a calculator and I don’t, like, unless … you’d tosquare something or something like that, I used to never like using calculators Ithink it’s far more beneficial to use the brain like for Maths and stuff. So thatwas the only thing you know, I thought the Maths was pretty easy. (Sarah, 21,completed LCA, employed)This chapter has so far indicated the way in which the content andstandards of schoolwork in LCA is quite different from that in the otherLeaving Certificate programmes; the extent to which teaching methods aredistinctive in nature is explored in the following section.5.4TeachingMethodsUsedThe use of active teaching and learning methodologies is a core principleof the LCA programme. The move towards a learner-oriented pedagogyrepresents a shift away from the instructional pedagogy previouslyassociated with the Leaving Certificate (Gleeson et al., 2002). Analyses ofthe approaches used in fifth and sixth year classrooms confirm that suchmethods are much more commonly used with LCA students than withtheir counterparts taking LCE or LCVP. Figure 5.7 indicates significantdifferences in the approaches taken to teaching and learning in fifth yearLCA and LCE/LCVP classes. LCE/LCVP classes tend to be characterisedby students copying notes from the board and the teacher reading from atextbook. In contrast, LCA classes are characterised by a greater use ofgroup work and project work. LCA classes are also more likely to use ICTFigure 5.7: Approaches Used in Fifth Year Classes (% ‘Every/Most Lessons’), asReported by Students100% every/most lessons806040200Project work Group work ExpressopinionsTeacherexplains wellTeacher readstextbookCopy notesfrom boardTeacher talksmostLCALCE/LCVPSource: Post-Primary Longitudinal Study (PPLS) database.