Education - Reports
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Item Review of the structure of teacher education in Ireland(Higher Education Authority, 2018-01-13) Hyland, ÁineThis paper documents the changes that have occurred in initial teacher education provision (ITE) in Ireland since the report of the International Review Panel was published in 2012. It summarises the extent to which the recommendations of the review panel were implemented in each of the six ITE clusters.Item The design of Leaving Certificate science syllabi in Ireland: an international comparison(Irish Science Teachers’ Association (ISTA), 2014) Hyland, ÁineThe Leaving Certificate syllabi in physics, chemistry and biology are currently being revised by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). During the course of the revision, concerns about the proposed design and content of the new syllabi were raised by the Irish Science Teachers Association (ISTA). In particular, ISTA is of the view that it is not sufficient to present the draft syllabi only in terms of broad topics and learning outcomes. I was asked by ISTA to undertake research on the design and specification of syllabi, and to identify international best practice in curriculum design and particularly in the design of science syllabi. This report is the outcome of the research. In benchmarking the format, design and content of the proposed new syllabi against international comparators, this report has focused on centralised (not school-based) systems of assessment and certification. In each of the three systems chosen - Scotland, Victoria (Australia) and the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) – the assessment and certification of pupil performance at senior cycle is centralised. The three systems are also similar to the Irish system in terms of the breadth of the curriculum at senior cycle, i.e. pupils take six or more subjects for award purposes. They are also systems which are regarded as high-stakes, in that their awards are accepted by prestigious third level institutions for the selection of students. And in all three cases, the curriculum and syllabi have either been recently revised or are in the process of revision. The main focus of comparison in the report is on the format, extent and depth of treatment of the topics associated with the examination syllabi. Comparing senior cycle science syllabi in the three systems chosen with the NCCA draft Leaving Certificate science syllabi, the report notes a significant difference between the three systems and the NCCA draft syllabi. While the NCCA documentation resembles the national curriculum and assessment guidelines of Education Scotland, and of the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, it differs significantly from the detailed examination syllabi provided by the examining and awarding bodies in Scotland (the Scottish Qualifications Authority), in Victoria, Australia (the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) and the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). It would appear that for international benchmarking purposes, the NCCA has used the curriculum framework Curriculum for Excellence of Education Scotland, and the national curriculum framework for the whole of Australia, set by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), rather than the examination syllabi provided by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and by the state of Victoria’s Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), which in the view of this researcher are the more relevant benchmarks. The report concludes that it is not sufficient to describe a high-stakes examination programme in terms merely of topics and learning outcomes, as the NCCA has done in the draft syllabi. More detailed information about the depth of treatment of subjects and the requirements for examination must be provided at national level in Ireland to bring the syllabi into line with international good practice. Such information could be in the form of course and unit support notes (as in Scotland) or study design (as in Victoria) or a comprehensive chemistry interactive syllabus (as in the IBO). The “depth of treatment” approach with which Irish chemistry teachers have been familiar for the past decade would be another option. In every public examination system identified for this report, the syllabi for the end of senior cycle examinations include considerable detail about depth of treatment, examination specification, practicals and laboratory experiments and other advice for teachers and pupils. While learning outcomes are specified in all the syllabi, they are only one element of the detail provided. This researcher has not come across any centralised or public examination syllabus at this level which provides only a list of topics and learning outcomes. The report argues that while learning outcomes are a very valuable tool for identifying what learners should know and be able to do at the end of a course or programme, it is not appropriate to use learning outcomes alone to define a syllabus and its assessment. Learning outcomes are statements of essential learning, and as such they are written at minimum acceptable or threshold (pass / fail) standard. If teachers focus only on learning outcomes, there is a real risk that the teaching and learning targets will be at a minimum rather than a maximum level, that the bar will not be set high enough for student learning, and that as a result, standards will fall. The draft syllabi for physics, chemistry and biology have now been submitted by the NCCA to the Minister for Education and Skills who (under the terms of the 1998 Education (Ireland) Act) is the ultimate decision-maker in relation to curriculum and examinations. It is a matter for the Minister to decide on the next steps. He can accept or decline the advice of the NCCA or he can refer the draft syllabi back to the NCCA for further elaboration on the basis suggested above. Alternatively, he can seek more elaboration on the syllabi elsewhere, e.g. from the inspectorate or the SEC. Whichever approach the Minister decides to take, the full range of syllabus documentation (including teachers’ notes, examination specifications etc.) should be officially published at the same time as the syllabus itself, under the logo of the DES as has been the case in the past. This elaborated documentation should be available well before the syllabus is due to be implemented, to enable teachers to become familiar with the new material and to undergo appropriate professional development and up-skilling.Item Entry to higher education in Ireland in the 21st century(Higher Education Authority and National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, 2011) Hyland, ÁineThis paper will discuss the selection of school leavers for third level education, and the role of the Leaving Certificate in that process. It will describe the points system and its evolution over the past 35 years and will explore the senior cycle curriculum and its assessment. It will consider the concerns which have been expressed in recent times by academics, employers, the media and the public generally. It will indicate a range of possible alternative systems of selection and will identify the strengths and weaknesses of these alternatives. It will pose some questions for the debate currently underway, and make suggestions as to how concerns might be addressed.Item Ten considerations for generative artificial intelligence adoption in Irish higher education(Higher Education Authority, 2025) O'Sullivan, James; Higher Education AuthorityThe following ‘ten considerations for generative AI adoption’ outline key issues identified through dialogue with stakeholders across Ireland’s higher education sector, industry, and associated agencies between September and December 2024. They serve as a starting point for academics, researchers, support staff, students, and senior leaders in shaping institutional policies and practices around generative AI. These considerations will be further refined through stakeholder focus groups, case studies, and research throughout 2025, culminating in a national report with policy guidance and recommendations. A feedback form is available at the end of this page, and we encourage stakeholders to share insights, experiences, and relevant research to inform the next phase of this initiative.Item Towards a better future: A review of the Irish school system(IPPN (the Irish Primary Principals Network) and NAPD (the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals), 2017) Coolahan, John; Drudy, Sheelagh; Hogan, Pádraig; Hyland, Áine; McGuinness, SéamusThe idea for Towards a Better Future was inspired by a review of the Finnish education system presented by Professor Pasi Sahlberg at a conference for school leaders. It prompted the question of whether it would be worthwhile to undertake similar research on the Irish education system. To our knowledge, there is no publication that gives a comprehensive overview and analysis covering contemporary early childhood, primary and second-level education in Ireland.