Towards a Better Future

Recommendations

Info

Chapter Three: Curriculum is allocated for oral and aural tests; in Geography and History, students may submit a written project in advance of the examinations. There are also practical/performance assessments in subjects such as Music and Art. However, unlike other countries where a proportion of marks in national (or state) examinations are allocated for continuous school-based (and teacher-marked) assessment, the Irish Leaving Certificate is entirely marked by external examiners with no involvement in marking or grading by the students’ own teachers. The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme was introduced in 1994 to help students develop business and enterprise skills as well as interpersonal, vocational and technical skills. Students must take at least five Leaving Certificate subjects, two of which must be from a specified list of vocational subjects. They must also take a modern European language as well as two so-called ‘link modules’ which focus on preparation for the world of work and enterprise education. The link modules are assessed based on a portfolio of coursework and the other subjects are assessed in the same way as the LCE. LCVP is taken by between 30% and 35% of students. The LCA was introduced in 1995 for students who are not catered for by the LCE or LCVP and who might be at risk of early school leaving. It offers a combination of general education, vocational education and vocational preparation courses, and involves a cross-curricular approach rather than a subject-based structure. The programme is offered on a modular basis and assessment includes module completion, practical tasks and written examinations. The LCA is not recognised for direct access to higher education. About 6% of Senior Cycle students take the LCA and the number has been falling in recent years. “ The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme was introduced in 1994 to help students develop business and enterprise skills as well as interpersonal, vocational and technical skills. ” As over 90% of students take either the LCE or the LCVP, the vast majority are eligible for higher education entry. In practice, more than 60% of Leaving Certificate students proceed to higher education, which is one of the highest proportions in the EU. This contrasts with the situation in many other EU countries (e.g. Germany, the Netherlands) where an academic track leading to university is open only to a minority of the student cohort (OECD 2004, cited in Smyth, Banks and Calvert, 2011). — 47 —
Towards a Better Future: A Review of the Irish School System In 2009, the NCCA issued its revised framework for Senior Cycle education in the document Towards Learning: An Overview of Senior Cycle Education (NCCA 2009). The following diagram summarises the framework: An Overview of Senior Cycle Education Teaching and learning resourceful confident engaged active LEARNERS Planning Teacher professional development School culture VALUES human dignity and respect equality and inclusion justice and fairness freedom and democracy PRINCIPLES quality inclusive education continuity choice and flexibility participation, relevance and enjoyment well-being creativity and innovation lifelong learning THE SENIOR CYCLE CURRICULUM learning outcomes key skills subjects short courses transition units assessment certificaiton guidance This framework recognises the need for greater emphasis on key skills. It states that ‘the five key skills of information processing, being personally effective, communicating, critical and creative thinking, and working with others will be embedded in Senior Cycle curriculum and assessment, thus helping learners to think critically and creatively, to innovate and adapt to change, to work independently and in a team and to reflect on their learning’. — 48 —
Page 1 and 2:
Towards a BETTER FUTURE A Review of
Page 3 and 4:
Published in Ireland by IPPN (the I
Page 5 and 6:
Towards a Better Future: A Review o
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12: Towards a Better Future: A Review o
Page 61: Towards a Better Future: A Review o
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198:
Page 199 and 200:
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Page 205 and 206:
Page 207 and 208:
Page 209 and 210:
Page 211 and 212:
Page 213 and 214:
show all

Towards a Better Future

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?