OPINION:THE HIGH failure rate in maths and science in this year's Leaving Certificate exam shows our standards of teaching and learning must improve if graduates are to meet industry needs and keep drawing foreign direct investment to Ireland.
Rather than dwell on the poor results we should use them as a catalyst to make continuing reform in the way we teach and learn maths a national priority.
As one of the world’s largest high-tech multinational firms, employing 2,500 people in Ireland, EMC, for which I work, has a strong vested interest in ensuring Irish graduates are ready to meet the needs of the information technology (IT) sector in future years.
Teaching quality is integral to boosting interest and building proficiency in maths and science. More hours should be allocated for maths competency in teacher training courses for primary teachers.
Maths teaching should be more applied and be cross-referenced with Leaving Cert science subjects. Second-level maths and science subject teachers should be asked to sign up for professional development modules which the multinational community should help develop.
Professional development should be an ongoing process for teachers and the maths curriculum should evolve every year in line with science subjects.
Maths teachers of the future should have a foundation in at least one other science subject. It is simply not acceptable that second-level teachers who do not have a maths qualification are still allowed to teach the subject.
We must open a debate on whether we need to make a science subject compulsory in the Leaving Cert, or even create a new Leaving Cert subject called Applied Science with an industry focus in global growth areas such as IT, biotechnology and sustainable energy. It is worth considering an IT subject at Leaving Cert level similar to the A-Level in the UK. English, Irish, maths and a European language are required to get into most universities, so why not a science-based subject? We need more public debate on why Irish is a compulsory Leaving Cert subject when a science subject is optional. A knowledge-based economy must create incentives for students to adopt science and technology-based careers.
As the nature of IT changes, it may be time for the Government to develop a specific skills strategy for the sector so our graduates have the tools to create the culture of innovation that will drive recovery and create jobs.
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn has positioned himself as a serious reformer, and his candid admission this week that there is a problem in the teaching and learning of maths and science shows he desires change.
The last government brought in Project Maths – a pilot curriculum reform programme which teaches students about the practical application of maths concepts rather than just theory. The focus on more practical application is welcome, but there is a strong argument for starting the cycle in primary schools.
Next July Dublin hosts Europe’s largest science conference, the Euroscience Open Forum, as part of Dublin City of Science 2012 – a programme of science-related events and activities throughout the year across the State. The Government should use it to showcase career opportunities in science and technology and generate better awareness of the application of these disciplines.
Part of the Government’s challenge is to demystify science, technology, engineering and maths – so-called Stem programmes – so the public is less inclined to categorise those who study them as a minority group with unique talents. Instead, we should appreciate the impact of their work on daily life and recognise that Stem-based careers can be an option for most Leaving Cert students.
The IT sector requires strong competency in Stem programmes but, if the performance trends in these subjects continue to lag, we could face severe challenges in attracting the kind of graduates we need to lead in emerging sectors such as cloud computing, advanced software development and electronic engineering.
Each year, the Leaving Cert results sparks debate on declining Stem standards, but now we must match our concern with a commitment to tackling the problem. That means improving teaching models with more continuous professional development, continued curriculum reform and a shift towards promoting students’ capacity to analyse and understand what they learn.
As Quinn has correctly pointed out, the Leaving Cert must become less about testing students on what they remember – and more about assessing them on what they know.
If we get these things right, Ireland will be well positioned to become a powerful knowledge economy which can generate more foreign direct investment and indigenous businesses, particularly in the growing IT sector, and retain them for generations to come.
Donagh Buckley is director of EMC Research Europe