April 2020
Price: €125 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will be a timely opportunity to examine the potential reform of the post-primary curriculum and assessment, and its implementation in Ireland.
Key areas for discussion:
- Priorities for the Senior Cycle following the review, including:
- Priorities for successful reform and lessons learnt;
- Developing pathways and curricula that meet the needs of pupils and wider society; and
- Designing and implementing a practical and fair assessment for Senior Cycle.
- How to ensure that the new curriculum:
- Allows flexibility for students to learn at their own pace;
- Includes increased focussed on student wellbeing; and
- Potentially includes current elements of the transition year, such as work experience and life skills.
- Provides effective pathways for transition to non-academic routes; and
- Whether new curriculum will meet the skills needs of universities and employers.
Why this is relevant now - the context:
It takes place with:
- Publication of interim findings, including the Economic and Social Research Institute’s recently published analysis of the NCCA-run consultations;
- The Collaborative Review of Senior Cycle Education: report for consultation expected to be published shortly before the seminar;
- Calls from some stakeholders for broader methods of assessment and some calling for a more continuous assessment process which relieves pressure on students; and
- Concerns from some that the current leaving certificate examination can have a negative effect on students’ mental health and encourages rote learning.
The agenda:
- Key points from the Senior Cycle Review;
- Key stakeholder perspectives on the priorities for successful reform and lessons learnt;
- Priorities for Senior Cycle - the ongoing findings of the Educations and Skills Committee;
- The development of the new curriculum - ensuring flexibility, areas of focus and developing effective pathways to further learning, university, and employment; and
- Assessment and qualification reform - implementation, reliability and the future of high stakes assessment.
Policy officials attending
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stake holders.
This one’s no different. Places have been reserved by officials from the Department of Education and Skills; the Education and Training Inspectorate; the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Department for the Economy, NI; and Department of Education, NI.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
