So whats been keeping the NCCA busy in

So what’s been keeping the NCCA busy in post-primary education? Presentation to SDPI: 24/08/05 Dr. Sarah Fitz. Patrick

NCCA About the NCCA § NCCA (1987) § Statutory body (2001) § Representative structure (25 members) – representing teachers, school managers, parents, employers and trade unions § Enabling Structures of Council 1

NCCA Structures NCCA Council Overarching committees Steering committees Subject/area committees NCCA Executive 2

NCCA and ADDIE… Analyse Design Develop Implement Evaluate/Review 3

NCCA Curriculum development/review § Subject review – Mathematics § Curriculum review – Primary Curriculum Review: Phase 1 § Programme review – Senior Cycle Review 4

What is the NCCA’s Junior Cycle Review all about?

Junior Cycle: Issues § Extensive consultations on the development of Junior Cycle identified 4 issues: – Curriculum overload and overlap – Curriculum planning – Assessment for Learning (AFL) – Students’ experiences in Junior Cycle 6

Junior Cycle: Cycle Review Junior Issues 7

Junior Cycle: Curriculum overload/overlap Issue: Repetition of topics across subjects § Analysis of syllabus documents § Model template for all § Phase 1: Business studies, English, history, home economics, music. § Phase 2: Art, craft and design, Environmental and social studies, Gaeilge, geography, mathematics 8

Junior Cycle: Curriculum planning Issue: Planning JC curriculum in schools § Tools to assist schools in reviewing and planning for the curriculum § School Development Planning: Curriculum review at Junior Cycle (2002) 9

Junior Cycle: Assessment for Learninng Issue: Assessment neglected in professional and in-career development of teachers § AFL initiative based on 3 principles – Sharing learning intention – Sharing success criteria – Providing focused feedback 10

Junior Cycle: Assessment for Learning Phase 1 – 20 teachers, (2003/2004) § Effectiveness of AFL in classrooms in Cork and Sligo (English and Geography) Phase 2 – 108 teachers (2004/2006) § Effectiveness of AFL in reporting to students and parents § Development of web-based support for initiative. 11

Junior Cycle: Students’ experiences Issue: Absence of information concerning students’ experiences of JC § Phase 1: ESRI research (2002/2003) Moving Up: Experiences of first year students in post-primary education (2004) § Phase 2: ESRI research (2003/2004) Experiences of second year students 12

Junior Cycle: Students’ experiences Findings – phase 1 § Curriculum discontinuity § School culture and integration § Taster subjects in first year § Practical subjects § Lower ability students § Mixed ability groups versus streaming 13

What is the NCCA’s review of Senior Cycle all about?

Senior Cycle: Background § Developing Senior Cycle education: Consultative paper on issues and options (2002) § Developing Senior Cycle education: Directions for development (2003) § Proposals for the future of Senior Cycle in Ireland: Overview advice (2004) § Proposals for the future development of Senior Cycle Education in Ireland (2005) 15

SC: Programme of Study § is a combination of transition units, short courses and subjects taken by a SC student § subscribes to general aims SC education § characterised by choice and flexibility § can be a 2 -year or 3 -year programme § should meet interests, needs, aptitudes of individual student 16

SC: Programme of Study 2 -year programme of study: requirements § study of Irish language § inclusion of 1 transition units § meeting matriculation requirements § generation of points score § completion of 1 transition unit as part of matriculation requirement 17

SC: Programme of Study 3 -year programme of study: requirements § study of Irish language § inclusion of 11 transition units, 2 short courses § meeting matriculation requirements § generation of points score § completion of 1 transition unit as part of matriculation requirement 18

SC: Curriculum Components Subjects § § § § Review subject list Agree syllabus template Examine structure of syllabus Develop assessment options Explore potential for unitisation Explicate key skills Illustrate differentiation 19

SC: Curriculum Components Short Courses § Course descriptions § Assessment and certification Transition Units § Teaching and learning § Development of transition units § Assessment and certification 20

SC: Curriculum Components What’s new: Summary § For students – More flexible, better assessed and certificated – Improved learning experiences/environment § For schools – clear direction and realistic milestones – co-ordinated and well-resourced approach to change – Rethinking professional development and educational change 21

SC: Next steps § § Structures to review subjects School-based development of transition unit Ongoing review of subjects Subjects awaiting implementation: – Art – Technology subjects – Economics 22

Review Mathematics Education: Background § Primary School Curriculum – Mathematics Curriculum (1999) § Junior Cycle – Higher (A), Ordinary (B), Foundation (C), (1987) – Revised syllabus at all 3 levels (2000) § Senior Cycle – Higher, Ordinary (1992) – Foundation (Ordinary alternative) (1990) 23

Review Mathematics Education Issues § Low levels of mathematics skills § Uptake and participation § Methodologies – Problem solving, modelling, investigating… § Syllabus style § Examinations § Difficulty of questions 24

Mathematics: Next steps § Initiate consultation activities for root-andbranch review of mathematics education based on issues identified in discussion paper 25

Review of Languages: Background § Languages in the Post-Primary Curriculum: Discussion paper (2003) § Survey on Languages in the Post-Primary Curriculum (2004) 26

Review of Languages: Issues § § § § need for a language policy an integrated language curriculum Gaeilge: T 1 and T 2 greater diversity in the languages curriculum practices in language teaching and learning assessment engagement with the Common European Framework for Languages and the European Languages Portfolio 27

Languages: Next steps Initiate second phase of review to address: § assessment of language syllabuses § syllabus for native (T 1) speakers of Irish § pilot studies on integration, language awareness and language proficiency § ICT in teaching and learning of languages § developments at European level 28