Leaving Cert reform to introduce project work

LEAVING Certificate students will have to carry out a project in all subjects before their written exams as part of an extensive reform of the system being finalised.

The syllabus for two new exam subjects — physical education and politics and society — will also be sent to schools in the next year, with work also underway on a non-exam social, personal and health education (SPHE) course. Details are also being finalised for short courses in enterprise and psychology for Leaving Cert students and new programmes for transition year students, such as soap operas and popular culture, media and communications, and discovering Irish art.

The plans are in the final stages of development by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), the official advisory body to Education Minister Mary Hanafin.

The reforms have been the subject of debate between the NCCA and Ms Hanafin, who has described the council’s initial 2005 proposals as a Rolls-Royce model of change.

However, the details being presented in a bulletin due to arrive in schools in the coming weeks set out a significant level of change to the current structure of how senior cycle students are assessed and examined.

The plans include a second component for assessment in most Leaving Cert subjects, such as those already required in geography in the format of field study reports, or practical exams held a few months before the written exams in subjects such as metalwork.

“This will be particularly important for subjects like physics, chemistry and biology, where students will get an opportunity to show what they can do as well as what they know,” the NCCA will tell teachers.

Proposals for revised assessment of the three science subjects will be circulated early next year, along with planned changes to the relevant syllabuses.

The short courses include an enterprise syllabus about to be sent for Ms Hanafin’s approval and a psychology course for which content and assessment plans are being worked on. However, discussions between NCCA, Department of Education officials, school managers and the State Examinations Commission will have to decide issues like whether courses will have higher and ordinary level exams and what points, if any, they will be worth for college applications.

The transition units being finalised will not be examinable subjects and will probably be taught in just one term, but are intended to give schools some uniformity on provision during transition year (TY).

The TY option is available in around two-thirds of second-level schools but most of them co-ordinate their own programmes and courses independent of any set curriculum.

The outline plans will arrive in schools in the coming weeks, around the same time as the revised Leaving Cert timetable is issued for next year’s written exams.

TEACHERS will not support reforms that are not properly resourced or in the best interest of students, a union leader has warned.

John White, general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers’ Ireland (ASTI), said while teachers have a responsibility to be open-minded about educational changes, they will not support reform for the sake of reform.

He was speaking at an ASTI conference focused on planned changes to the senior cycle.

Proposals for new Leaving Cert subjects and changes in assessment methods were discussed.

“Teachers will not support ill-judged, superficial or inadequately resourced reform. They will support change that is valid in itself, is in the interests of their pupils, and which does not undermine the strengths of our education system,” he said.

The backing of the two teacher unions — ASTI and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland — are vital to the success of any changes in Leaving Cert courses and assessment.

They are particularly concerned members might be expected to assess their own students.

Mr White stressed the education system must balance personal growth with the legitimate drive for economic advance.