Science

As part of the wider senior cycle developments, drafts of the revised syllabuses in Leaving Certificate Biology, Chemistry and Physics are now ready. The content is described in learning outcomes in which certain key skills are embedded. Read more about key skills here

What will this mean for teaching and learning in science?

Learners will apply their knowledge and understanding as they engage in a wide variety of activities where they can develop key skills and use them across a range of learning areas in both familiar and unfamiliar situations. The use of skills in solving or finding answers to problems is just as important as getting the right answer.

What about assessment?

The most notable difference to assessment is the proposed inclusion of a second, practically based component of assessment. The combination of the written and the practical assessments will give learners more varied opportunities to show what they can do as well as what they know.

Working with schools

The NCCA worked with a network of schools during the school year 2009/2010 to show what practical assessment might look like in action and to produce examples of types of practical assessments, including questions, tasks, marking schemes, and video footage. The examples of science assessment that have been generated should support better understanding around what works well for teachers and students in science assessment in an Irish setting.

These examples will be fed into discussions at the various NCCA committees working on the science syllabuses and, beyond that, included as part of the consultation on the revised science syllabuses to take place in 2011.

How will you be able to tell us what you think?

Leaving Certificate Biology, Chemistry and Physics will be included in forthcoming senior cycle consultation. The science syllabuses, assessment examples and sample learning activities will be available on the NCCA website, where you will have a chance to read the syllabuses, look at the range of sample learning activities, check out the assessment arrangements and tell us what you think.