Junior Cert technology: Exam ‘harder’ than previous years

Students found the questions on this year’s Junior Cert higher level technology paper a little more challenging than in previous years, say teachers.

Eoin O hAodha, ASTI subject representative and a teacher at Meanscoil Gharman in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, said that, overall, the exam seemed fair with topical and wide-ranging, questions.

“Question B1 dealt with a mechanical loader / digger and a paper roll holder while question B2 was about an automatic electronic watering device for plants and a street bollard that raised automatically,” he said.

“ These questions allowed students to reflect and draw upon their technology project as well as practical lessons and exercises carried out by them over the previous three years.”

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Topics on the paper included our transition to a low carbon future and the negative impact of plastic.

“Although such topics might have been expected to turn up, they do reward the students who are keen to connect and put into context what they learn in the classroom with what is happening in the news and in their world outside of school,” said Mr Ó hAodha.

On the ordinary level paper, Mr Ó hAodha said the multiple choice questions were fair, but that some concepts in section B, including a question on a motor with an off-centre disk, could have been tricky for some students.

Try this at home

- From Junior Cert technology, higher level

Technology impacts on the environment, people and society as a whole.

(i) Outline, using suitable examples, two positive impacts of technologies on elderly people in society.

(ii) Outline, using suitable examples, two negative impacts of the use of plastic technologies on the environment.

(iii) Outline, using suitable examples, two ways in which developments in communications technology have changed society.