TONY DONOHOE
Appetite for learning must be ingrained in what we teach
TOMORROW marks the formal end of the Leaving Certificate examinations and more than 58,000 students have finally stumbled across the finishing line in this highly stressful and exhausting ‘marathon’.
Given the huge effort that students, their families and schools have invested in the examinations, it might not seem to be the best time to reflect on the educational value of this experience. And we should acknowledge that the discipline of preparing for examinations, rote learning and quick recall of information all have some educational value.
However, it is doubtful whether the current Leaving Certificate is in tune with the needs of the country, or that it inspires and equips young people with the knowledge and skills they need to reach their potential.
Globalisation, digitalisation, changing lifestyles and new consumer preferences mean jobs and career paths are being transformed. And the pace of change is accelerating. This brings new opportunities, but also risks.
An archetypal worker in an advanced economy used to be a man on a production line or a ‘salary man’ in an office. The new world of work is both more exciting and less secure.
We have not yet imagined some of the jobs that will be available and the specific skills they demand. But we know that they require higher order skills such as creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking and, above all, an appetite for continuous learning.
In systems such as the Leaving Certificate, where a few terminal exams can have such a dramatic effect on educational opportunities and subsequent job prospects, there isn’t much space for critical thinking or creativity. And, for a significant cohort of our young people, this high-stakes exam culture also kills the appetite for ongoing learning. Traditionally, Irish society has placed too much value on the traditional academic model of attainment. People learn in different ways and at different stages of their life. Therefore, we need a system that provides multiple assessment methods, progression paths and values experiential learning.
The new junior cycle curriculum, if properly implemented, offers a template for the kind of change needed in an era where the ability to memorise facts and figures is less important. Even in its much-diluted version, this reformed curriculum sets out to embrace the kind of modern teaching, learning and assessment methods which are overwhelmingly supported by educationalists.
It aims to foster skills such as creativity, team-working and managing information, which are valued by employers.
The curriculum also places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurial education. This recognises that we are living in an age of great uncertainty, rapid change and technological development. While not everyone can, or should, be an entrepreneur, all students can develop entrepreneurial skills and thinking. This includes the ability to understand and accept risk, adapt to changing situations, take initiative and transform an idea into value for others.
Like well-being, entrepreneurial education is embedded in the new junior cycle through the key skills and statements of learning. Its incorporation is also recognition that sometimes the most entrepreneurial of students are not the most successful academically and may have been overlooked in the past. This approach should now be extended to the Leaving Certificate.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), a State agency that advises the Education and Skills Minister on curriculum content and assessment methods, recently started a major review of the school senior cycle and the Leaving Certificate. Its international research reveals that many countries have a variety of learning pathways that lead to qualifications and certification used for different purposes.
Qualifications and certification may take the form of school leaving certificates, matriculation certification, vocational certification, transcripts of achievements or high school diplomas. Other countries also use a broader system of assessment and reporting that is not limited to the reporting of academic achievement where individual research, community work or work experience can be awarded credits and reported on.
The NCCA is also conducting detailed research with 40 secondary schools to establish their perspective on what students need to participate in an ever-changing world. This will help to inform a broader consultation process with pupils, teachers, parents and other stakeholders, such as business.
The ability of individuals to fulfil their career potential depends on attributes and skills that are developed at an earlier stage in the school system. Flexibility, resilience and an appetite for learning must be ingrained in what we teach and how we teach it.
Employability and entrepreneurial skills are required for an unpredictable future workplace. Curriculum reform is required so that subjects reflect the changing world around us and we need to improve the professional development we offer teachers. Therefore, all sections of Irish society should engage with the NCCA’s consultation process.
The ability of our young people to fulfil their potential, be successful in their chosen occupations and fully engage as active citizens depends on the success of these reforms.
The current cohort of Leaving Certificate students should also remember that, whatever their results, there are a wide variety of opportunities now available in higher and further education, training and employment, if they are adaptable and willing to learn.
The Leaving Certificate can be a catalyst for a fulfilled and rewarding life, but only if it has created a desire for further learning.
This high-stakes exam culture also kills the appetite for ongoing learning