CHANGING THE WAY WE DO JUNIOR CYCLE EDUCATION

PORTMARNOCK COMMUNITY SCHOOLAUGUST 2012

New Junior Cycle Framework

Donal O' Mahony

Why change?

Changing the Junior Cycle student experience...from a dress rehearsal for the Leaving Certificate to a

learning experience in its own right...

Evidence base from the

NCCA’s own consultation processESRIPISA

All the educational partners are on-board to date...

Donal O' Mahony

From late August 2014 we will teach subjects and / or

short courses for the Junior Cycle

Donal O' Mahony

Central to the subjects and short-courses

24 Statements of Learning and 6 Key Skills

Continued emphasis on literacy and numeracy

Look at the handout...

That is the key message – 24 statements form the new core of learning...

Donal O' Mahony

Assessment

Students present evidence of learning in:

Eight subjectsORSeven subjects and two short coursesORSix subjects and four short courses

Evidence of learning must be presented in the subjects English, Irish and Maths.

Any other subject can be one of the six, seven, or eight...

Donal O' Mahony

Taught over Two Years

...the evidence of learning from First-year will not feature in the assessment for qualification (Read the ESRI research)

...whatever flexibility you want within First-year, as a transition from Primary to Secondary

Donal O' Mahony

Higher level?

The only subjects with Ordinary and Higher levels will

be Irish, English and Maths

No written exam will be longer than two hours

There will be five grading points (for subjects and

short courses)

Donal O' Mahony

National Framework of Qualifications

Award aligned with NFQ Level 2 for students with particular educational needs (centred around Priority Learning Units)

Award aligned with NFQ Level 3 will replace the existing Junior Certificate

The NFQ Level 3 is “...smaller than the Junior Certificate...” ...allows focus on “...learning, skills, innovation and creativity...”

Donal O' Mahony

The Subject Teacher – assessment – current thinking

60% of marks for coursework taught over Second and Third Year.

40% of marks for portfolio work (digital or otherwise) gathered over Second and Third Year – assignments, projects, case-studies, performances, practical-activities/tasks...

The SEC will set the exam for the 60%,

We will assess the 40% with SEC moderation

Donal O' Mahony

Starting?

Now...Some schools may have reduced the number of JC subjects this school year and started to develop short courses

At the latest... August 2014- students going into Fifth Class next week

Teachers, Parents, Students, the Board have all to be consulted about our start date...

Donal O' Mahony

Subjects

English has been announced as the first subject to be revised.

Existing junior cycle subjects will be reviewed and new specifications developed to reflect the new Framework for Junior Cycle.

They term ‘specification’ will replace what we previously called a ‘syllabus’ and will apply to both subjects and short courses. 

Donal O' Mahony

Subjects

The subject specifications will be shorter

partly in response to concerns that existing syllabuses are in some cases just too extensive

to contribute to creating the space for the school to develop its junior cycle programme.

Donal O' Mahony

Subjects

Most new subject specifications will be designed for approximately 200 hours of learner engagement.

Specifications in the subjects English, Irish and Mathematics will continue to be designed with a minimum allocation of 240 hours in mind.

All existing subjects will be revised and their new, shortened specifications will be made available in advance of their introduction in the new junior cycle.

Subject content will remain familiar.

Donal O' Mahony

Short-courses

Short courses (100 hours approximately) will be less familiar

Both an NCCA template for particular short-courses and the opportunity for custom-built school courses

Assessment of short courses is school-based on a portfolioof work - assignments, projects, case-studies, performances,

practical-activities/tasks...

The school will issue the results to the SEC for inclusion onthe NFQ award...

Donal O' Mahony

Examples of short-courses

History – local oral history projectChinese language and culture Geography - Development educationWeb designP.E. - Sports Science (hurling / camogie focus)Home Economics – restaurant menu developmentArt - AnimationMusic – instrument tuitionEngineering – a course in roboticsMaterials Technology Wood – a wood design projectBusiness – personal financeIrish, English and Maths teachers may want to teach short -

courses

Donal O' Mahony

The Teacher

Generating and gathering evidence of learning

Judging and reporting evidence of learning

New report-card templates for communication with parents

Donal O' Mahony

What now?

You all received an invitation to join JC2.0, the JC Network

Look in on what is happening particularly under the tab, Resources and FAQ’s

Introducing Key SkillsThinking about Short CoursesProgramme Planning Consulting with your students

Donal O' Mahony

What now?

Management issues: subjects timetabling teachers, parents, students and the Board of Management

Evaluation of existing Junior Cycle: identification of strengths and challenges, what we want to keep...

Discussion amongst ourselves - to be on agenda for Subject meeting 4 – 5 PM Tues. 4th September

Looking at what other schools are doing...

Donal O' Mahony

What now?

Will we reduce the number of subjects, Junior Certificate students take, on entry, next year, 2013? Which ones? What short courses will we introduce?

Dr. Anne Looney

Donal O' Mahony

What now?

Subjects piloting aspects of short-courses

Short-course training by the NCCA – teachers in-service on 5th and 7th November

Thinking through Portfolio development

Report back to the NCCA on progress

Donal O' Mahony

Smith. E. 2006. Junior Cycle Education: Insights from a longitudinal study of students. NCCA:Dublin.

Frequently Asked Questions. JC2.0. Online: http://juniorcyclenetwork.ning.com/page/faq

Towards a Framework for Junior Cycle. NCCA: Dublin. 2011.

Donal O' Mahony

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Ireland License. To view a copy of this license, visit

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ie/.