Our Experience of Short Courses

1. Our Experience of Short Courses Portmarnock Community School Donal O’ Mahony

2. Some history • Portmarnock 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. We promised • Support 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

6. 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

7. 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

9. Areas to be covered Title • Introduction to Junior Cycle: Standard for all short courses • Rationale: Setting the course in the broader context • Aim • Links: Statements of Learning / Literacy and Numeracy / Key Skills • Course Overview • Expectations for Students • Assessment and Certification • Resources

11. 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....

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. 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

16. School certificate at end of Third-year (2016) • Assessment focus in Second and Third-year

17. 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

19. A draw from the hat if oversubscribed... • 67 students applied

20. Lessons learned • A 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

21. Lessons learned • The 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.

22. Lessons Learned • Don’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

24. 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

25. 2013 / 2014 • Decided to introduce two new short courses • To spread the load amongst a variety of teachers / subject areas • In the same block • Offered to both bands • A minimum of 48 students

26. 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

27. 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

28. Other Concerns • Costs 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?

29. 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?

30. Assessment • We 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