Transcript Slide 1

Curriculum: Issues and
Developments at National Level
Peter Johnson
Director, Curriculum and Assessment
23rd August 2006
Role of NCCA, how we ‘do’ curriculum
 to advise the Minister of Education on curriculum
and assessment in early childhood, primary and
post-primary schools…
Council
Minister
Committees
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Partnership Model:
representation on course committees
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ASTI (2)
TUI (2)
JMB
ACCS
Subject Association
IVEA
IUA
HETAC
DES
SEC
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Curriculum development:
the Netherlands experience
 1999 review by Inspectorate concluded that:
– the curriculum was overloaded and fragmented
– only about 60% of the attainment targets were being met
– teachers were working harder and harder, while students
were working less
 2000 Ministerial Commission set up to revise the
curriculum
– attainment targets for basic education reduced from 260 to
58 for 1st and 2nd year
– generic to encourage a more integrated approach to learning
– effective reduction of statutory curriculum by one third
 2006/7 reforms introduced in all schools
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Issues and developments:
senior cycle
History of Senior Cycle Review 1
 April 2005 - NCCA ‘advice’ to Minister
– a restructured senior cycle
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two or three year programmes of study
new curricular components
embedding of key skills
assessment reform
new certificate of senior cycle
improved educational guidance
professional development resourced at school level
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History of Senior Cycle Review 2
 June 2005 - Minister’s response
– prioritise subject review
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common template
learning outcomes
unitisation
embedded key skills
– endorsement of assessment proposals
– retain integrity of transition year
– develop transition units and first short course: enterprise
education
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Curriculum components
Component
Length
Assessment Recognition
SUBJECT
180 hours
External
(2)
CAO
SHORT
COURSE
90 hours
External
(1)
CAO
TRANSITION 45 hours
UNIT
No external assessment.
Recorded on certificate.
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Unitisation of subjects
 large chunks of learning (2-4 units)
 conform to 45/90 hour structure
 flexible approach, appropriate to nature of subject
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45
45
90
CORE
45
90
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45
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Transition Units
45 hour units of study
School devised, NCCA validated
Building on successful TY modules
Assessment built into teaching and learning in TUs
No external assessment and not reckoned for
points
 Certification on basis of completion
 One TU a requirement for matriculation
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Key skills
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First phase of the work
Subjects to
be reviewed
New
subjects
Short courses
Transition
units
Mathematics
Social and
Political
Education
Enterprise
Education
Develop
exemplars,
set up
validation
process and
produce
handbook for
schools
Applied
Mathematics
Languages
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Physical
Education
Other short
courses, e.g.
Psychology
Media &
Communication
Studies
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Issues and developments:
junior cycle
The Junior Certificate: a history 1
1989 Junior Certificate Programme
 single national programme - ending
academic/vocational divide
 broad and balanced curriculum for all, with
certification at the end of junior cycle
 flexibility in subject provision, greater autonomy
for schools
 single examination, variety of modes and
techniques to meet the needs of all learners
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The Junior Certificate: a history 2
1996-99 JC Review Progress Report
 Junior Certificate programme seen as suitable for needs
of majority of students
 JCSP intervention for those underachieving
 mismatch between aims of JC programme and current
modes/techniques of assessment
 over-emphasis on product in assessment - little
reflection on the quality of learning
 emergence of issue of the ‘overcrowded curriculum’
 identified need for support for greater flexibility in
curriculum planning at school level
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Major issues
 the impact of developments at senior cycle
 providing for the growing diversity of the junior
cycle cohort
 implications of the ESRI longitudinal study
 rethinking the junior certificate examination
 addressing curriculum overload
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Impact of developments at senior cycle
 stronger role for key skills in junior cycle
curriculum
 pressure to ‘scale back’ junior cert exams
 need to harmonise junior and leaving cert courses
 potential impact of a different school culture at
senior cycle on junior cycle
 increased demand for educational guidance
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Responding to diversity
 legislation establishing entitlement and expectations
 locating learners more and more in mainstream settings
 NCCA guidelines in support of inclusion
– SEN guidelines
– Intercultural guidelines
 suitability of JCSP for SEN students
 if Junior Certificate cannot ‘stretch’ to meet needs, what
about a different award for these students?
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Implications of ESRI longitudinal study
 evidence of a ‘dip’ in student performance in second
year
 emergence of two distinct groups of students: one
becoming more involved in school and in school work,
the other disengaging
 negative effects of streaming and its increased use,
particularly in disadvantaged school settings
 strong preference among students of all ability levels for
subjects with a practical orientation
 preference for active teaching methods that involve
students more in their learning
 importance of the ‘informal’ climate of the school in
maintaining positive relationships
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Rethinking the Junior Cert Examination
Some thoughts
 a national test at the end of junior cycle is desirable
 the Junior Cert is a ‘low-stakes’ examination
 exams test a very narrow range of competencies. This
has a limiting effect on teaching and learning styles
 there is an over-emphasis on product rather than
process and little account is taken of other key skills
 there is a need to assess process (e.g. key skills) as
well as product.
 could assessment be ‘scaled back’ to reflect the lowstakes nature of the examination?
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Rethinking the Junior Cert Examination
Some possibilities?
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alternative assessment components including e-assessment
a sharper focus on key skills in syllabus development and
assessment
some involvement of schools in assessment of students at this
level?
reduction in the number and length of papers, especially
where the same competencies are tested repeatedly
limit the number of examinations that Junior Cert students
may take in any one year
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