portmarnock community school donal o mahony. some history portmarnock community school became an...
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Our Experience of Short Courses
Portmarnock Community School
Donal O’ Mahony
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Some historyPortmarnock Community School became an NCCA
Junior Cycle network school in May 2012
I am the Link-teacher
I presented about the possibilities involved with Junior Cycle reform to my colleagues in September 2012
In Portmarnock there seemed to be a lot of interest in Short Course development
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Why this interest?A strong history of innovation in Transition-year
e.g. Photography, Heritage, Film, Animation, English, History...
A confidence and capacity to introduce new and innovative methods of teaching
Junior Cycle reform – an opportunity to mainstream from Transition-year to the Junior Cycle – material however must be re-modelled for the younger students, taking into account the principles of the Junior Cycle Framework
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J.C. 2.0
Online support network
I was very active in this during 2012/2013
Noticed that many Link schools were working with their strengths
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We promisedSupport to teachers: In-house staff
development particularly in the area of Key Skills
November 2012: Denise Kelly from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) presented in the school to about fifteen teachers (who volunteered) on Short Course development
Very well received – learned a lot
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We lead...Management and I are very supportive of the
move from product to process in relation to learning
Wanted to develop the students appreciation of the “how” and “why” of learning over a period of time
This was a rationale we brought to the table at all meetings
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We asked...Teachers to volunteer to develop their own
Short Courses
This was at a time when the NCCA had subject titles for their for Short Courses but no developed ones as such (not the case now)
The NCCA had a template however which was (is) what the teachers worked off
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Areas to be coveredTitle1. Introduction to Junior Cycle: Standard for all short
courses2. Rationale: Setting the course in the broader context3. Aim4. Links: Statements of Learning / Literacy and
Numeracy / Key Skills5. Course Overview6. Expectations for Students7. Assessment and Certification8. Resources
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Some teachers worked as a Group
Some alone and then consulted each other
Denise Kelly (NCCA) was available for advice via email. I was the conduit as the Link-teacher
Three Short Courses emerged – Media literacy, Animation, Robotics....
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Decisions...Early January 2013
Principal, Deputy Principal, Link-teacher and our Time-tabler
Go with two Short-courses? Yes
Which ones? Animation and Media Literacy
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Why these two?The Robotics Short Course was not fully finished
Animation had been highly developed in Transition year
Animation and Media Literacy very much complemented each other - Good mix of ideas – teachers saw possibilities between the subjects
Attractive to boys and girls
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Where on the timetable?Within an existing block
No change to the structure of the timetable as such
Treading slowly...
Students have to do both Media Literacy and Animation
One double each – for three years (c. 120 hours each)
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Block with Materials Technology (Wood), Home-Economics and Technology
An option block that allowed corresponding subjects to be taken in 4th / 5th Year
Banding meant two class groups – offered it to one class in the band
Twenty-four students
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School certificate at end of Third-year (2016)
Assessment focus in Second and Third-year
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There was a very strong presentation to the parents and guardians of the incoming Sixth-class (January 2012)
Covered a lot of positives about Junior Cycle reform and education in general
Minimised the use of the phrase Short Course and looked at it as the introduction of a new subject
Our choice of Animation and Media Literacy reflects what is relevant to real-world needs and experience
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Digital Animation and Media
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A draw from the hat if oversubscribed...
67 students applied
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Lessons learnedA lot of work (time) developing in-house short courses –
teachers found the Short Course Template a challenge, but fulfilling when completed
Reliance on one teacher – what if our animator leaves?
Need for digital resources – Broadband and Wi-Fi
Need for some updated training in Animation – speed of change of applications
Implications for numbers in the other subjects in the block
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Lessons learnedThe need for technical backup – in our case relying
on a technically literate teacher to manage software updates for the animation teacher
Using First-year to establish the Group-work and other skills – no assessment focus is of great value
Need for space for conversation with fellow Short Course teachers.
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Lessons LearnedDon’t presume that because students opt for
a course that they have certain competencies
A hard-sell to establish the course identity – keep trying to establish the Short Course / new subject identity – do things to highlight the course – at Assemblies, on the website etc.
Don’t underestimate students either – confidence built during First-year is now becoming obvious
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2013 / 2014 Context has changed
NCCA has drafts of eight short-courses for incoming 2014 First-years – consultation process in place
Portmarnock teacher s involvement with the NCCA, examining aspects of teaching and learning the Coding Short Course
Portmarnock P.E. teachers exploring possibilities with the Physical Education Association of Ireland and the draft Physical Education Short Course - One P.E. Teacher has developed a Sports Science module in Transition Year
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2013 / 2014
Decided to introduce two new short coursesTo spread the load amongst a variety of
teachers / subject areasIn the same block Offered to both bandsA minimum of 48 students
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2013 / 2014
Coding – as per the NCCA draft short course specification – two teachers
Sports science – at the request of a member of the P.E. Department, who has developed his own Sports Science course in Transition Year – two teachers
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Current teacher concerns
Sports Science – to develop a separate identity from the existing Junior Cycle P.E. classes
Timetabling needs around Sports Science
Assessment in general and assessing our own students in particular and exploring external moderation
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Other ConcernsCosts associated with these courses – can students
asked to pay for swimming? Buses for external trips...
Any formal funding for running Short Courses from the NCCA or others?..... Saving money one way, so give us money another way
Do we need to look for sponsorship?
Do we need to develop linkages with a University who will work with us as a local-school?
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Other concerns
Collect feedback from current First-year parents
If we go with Robotics in 2015 / 2016, what subject would we place with it so as to attract the balance of boys and girls?
What do parents think of the changing of the Short Course subjects each year?
What are the implications for Transition Year?
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AssessmentWe are conscious we have got the Short
Courses off the ground in a creative way – now want to get the assessment right
Support for Assessment – Short Course Assessment training for teachers
We would like Portmarnock to get support from the NCCA in developing this, not alone for the Short Course teachers, but for all teachers in the school