THE “PREDICTABILITY’’ of questions in the Leaving Cert exam is to be assessed in a new move to reduce rote learning for the exam.
A report for Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn is also critical of the huge number of very specialised courses offered by third-level colleges – and the lack of detailed information available to students. It wants to see students build up general skills before opting for more specialised courses.
The new proposals were drawn up jointly by the Higher Education Authority and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). Last night Mr Quinn said he agreed with the thrust of the recommendations in the report, which he now hoped to advance without delay.
The report says the notion that Leaving Cert questions are predictable has “resulted in reports of candidates memorising pre-packaged answers and essays . . . to gain the maximum marks and thus the maximum CAO points score’’.
The State Examinations Commission and the NCCA will assess the “predictability’’ factor in the Leaving Cert and make proposals by the end of next year.
On exam grades, it says a return to an eight-point (A1, A2, B, C, D, E, F and NG) grading system would support greater reliability and validity. A 14-point system has been in use since 1992.
Broadly, the report backs the continued use of the Leaving Cert as the gateway to college even though the NCCA acknowledged the points system is undermining the overall aims of senior cycle (Leaving Cert ) education.
The report also hints that marks in maths and/or English must be included in the calculation of total CAO points for all courses. The feasibility of such a move is to be examined next year.
