Diverse papers abound as end of exams approaches

Contemporary notes, topical issues, and everyday experiences were reflected in exam papers as diverse as economics and music yesterday as Leaving and Junior Certificate students approached the end of this year’s examinations.

The Leaving Cert economics higher-level paper was deemed fair and manageable, with most students finding the questions clear and straightforward, if occasionally challenging.

“Overall it was very nice and agreeable with interesting questions,” said Bairbre Kennedy, an ASTI member and teacher at Malahide Community School in Dublin.

Ms Kennedy was taken with the way in which the paper demanded critical thinking and felt both papers were student-centred in that the questions reflected everyday concerns.

Bríd Gleeson, a teacher at Cashel Community School, shared that assessment. “It was good to see topical issues addressed, such as the household charge, emigration, third-level fees, and, in the ordinary-level paper, the demand for Euro 2012 tickets.”

TUI member John O’Sullivan, from Ashton school in Blackrock, Co Cork, praised the choice of questions.

“This paper will reward candidates who studied well and who kept informed on economic statistics and events. The paper was an excellent mix of textbook-based knowledge and real world applications of this knowledge,” he said.

The ordinary-level paper was similar in approach, providing a good choice and including questions on issues such as the cycle to work scheme, ticket prices for Irish soccer supporters, and other current events.

In the afternoon, Leaving Cert students sat the design and communications graphics paper, which was viewed as fair and straightforward.

TUI member Hugh McGlynn, a teacher at Coláiste Cholmcille in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, felt it was a very fair exam.

“Any student who had done a reasonable amount of work would have done well,” he said

The Junior Cert technology exam also got a thumbs-up, although the marking scheme in part of the higher-level paper left something to be desired, said the TUI’s Liam Walsh.

“The short questions were very doable and well written with nothing too difficult. They were fair and there was plenty of choice, so you were not expected to know everything,” he said.

“However, some of the marking scheme was confusing. Question 3 showed that different sections attracted either 30 or 20 marks, but question 4, which is in two parts, and question 6, which is in three, show a simple flat maximum of 50 marks. That means candidates were not able to decide what time to give each of those particular sections. That would make it difficult for anyone, let alone Junior Cert students,” he said.

While the ordinary-level paper was very fair, overall, with plenty of choice, a diagram in Question 1 was unclear, he added.