PBL2 – Factors impacting on Junior Certificate curriculum

change/reform
Ronan Badger, Joseph Gibbons, Conor McCarthy, Lorcan Gibney, Michael Naughton, Kieran Burke.

Introduction Finding 2

In October 2012, the then Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn,
published a framework for Junior Cycle, which was since revised in September
2015. The Framework is said by many to be one of the most significant reforms of
post-primary education. The reform is based around changing the emphasis at
Junior Cycle on rote learning and highlights the importance of literacy and numeracy.
The framework shows the need of fundamentally changing Ireland’s approach to
curriculum and assessment. The learning process for the new Junior Cycle is
outlined in twenty-four statements of learning. The framework was initially
implemented in September 2014 and over the next few years, will become the
standard.

Objectives

1. To identify and critically assess the proposed Junior Cert reforms

2. Identify why schools differ in implementing reform

Finding 3
3. Who/what impacts on bringing about significant curricular change

Research Methodologies

In order for us, as a group, to obtain information, we realized that realistically, we

were not going to go interview Ruairí Quinn as a primary source. As a result of
this, all of our research involved us going online or to the library and secondary
researching. We read many articles by the Irish Times to get some more
information on the Junior Cycle reform. Some articles we found nicely summed up
what the new changes really meant and how they were going to be implemented
into the old system. To further enhance our knowledge of the reform, we read
through various pages from the Framework, set out by the National Council for
Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The Framework was very helpful to is in
identifying the proposed Junior Cycle reforms.

Finding 1
The contrasting views of the Teachers’ Unions on the Junior Cert revised proposals

Identify and assess the proposed Junior Cert reforms ASTI
New reform will put too much
pressure/workload on teachers.
Proposals will have too big of an impact
on teaching time
The time and commitment needed for
framework meetings for teachers isn’t
feasible
200 hours is not enough teaching time
for each subject
Distinct lack of State Oral Exams
There is a lack of clarity around the
subject “wellbeing”
TUI
Securing state exam is a major
achievement
Ensuring teachers will not be assessing
their own students for state exam
purposes, is a positive change.
The involvement of Classroom Based
Learning will be beneficial for students
Introducing the JPCA a report valuing
broader areas of achievement.
Establishing an Implementation
committee with the inclusion of unions
is beneficial for all sides of the debate.
Proposals assures that the new reform
will not impose additional workload on
teachers

Conclusion

Overall, we feel the project went quite well for us. We feel we did a
good job in identifying and examining the Junior Cycle reform. We
examined why schools differ in implementing the Junior Cycle
reform. After that we took a look at who has an impact on
significant curricular change and the different views of different
teachers unions on the Junior Cycle reform, before gathering and
presenting our findings in the form of a poster. We are satisfied with
the outcome and we feel the students from both colleges worked
well in accordance together.

References & Acknowledgements

• http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/junior-cycle-reform-timeline-and-main-points-1.2364698
• https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/Junior-Cycle-Reform-Joint-Statement-on-
Principles-and-Implementation.pdf
• http://www.asti.ie/news/campaigns/junior-cycle-campaign/
• http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/junior-cycle-ballot-.5281.html
• http://www.asti.ie/news/campaigns/junior-cycle-campaign/
• http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/asti-votes-not-to-co-operate-with-junior-cycle-reform-1.2592706