ABSTRACT

This thesis contains the view that collaborative learning is a teaching and learning strategy
that is significantly beneficial to students who participate. However, collaboration should not
be limited to students, as subject areas and teachers should not be restricted to their own
individual classrooms. Based on the authors experience in post-primary schools in Ireland, as
both a student and a student teacher, it has been noted that there is a noticeable lack of
collaboration among teachers.
The main aim of this thesis is to investigate the potential for a Transition Year (TY) crosscurricular collaborative project and develop a proposed project based on the findings. In order
to do this, this thesis aims to examine the advantages of collaborative learning and crosscurricular collaboration for the learning experience of both students and teachers. A working
definition is developed and the benefits examined for collaborative learning and the structure
and dynamics associated with organising and conducting group work is analysed. Different
models of cross-curricular collaboration are uncovered with the one deemed most suitable
being further examined and examples of cross-curricular collaboration being utilised by Irish
educational institutions today are reviewed. A review of the TY Guidelines is conducted in
order to discover the potential for a cross-curricular collaborative project. A review is also
conducted of the syllabi for a range of Leaving Certificate (LC) subjects as part of the
development of the proposed project.
Based on the research conducted in this thesis, it has been discovered that the TY guidelines
call for the inclusion of a cross-curricular approach to learning in order to get away from the
compartmentalised teaching of individual subjects to create a more stimulating learning
experience for students and prepare students on a personal, social and educational level. Due
to this, a TY cross-curricular collaborative project is proposed in which students set up a
mini-company that will research, design, make, advertise and ultimately sell a product. This
project includes seven LC subjects, which are Construction Studies (CS), Design and
Communication Graphics (DCG), Engineering, Business, Accounting, Art and Home
Economics Science & Social (HES&S).