Agricultural Science students will have an increased number of questions to choose from in sections A and B of their exam papers in 2021.
The Irish Agricultural Science Teachers' Association (IASTA) had called on the Department of Education to make allowances for students given the new exam course and release sample papers as soon as possible.
The association was also concerned that COVID-19 had disrupted students' learning and ability to complete practical elements of the course work, including farm visits.
We feel that mandatory experiments should be removed from ag science
Teacher and IASTA PRO Johnny Gleeson said: “Other subjects had sensible changes made, for example, the removal of experiments from the construction studies coursework.
"We feel that mandatory experiments should be removed from ag science too, due to lack of access to laboratory time during COVID-19, but this has not happened.”
Exam questions
However, the Department told the Irish Farmers Journal that schools had “significant autonomy in determining how to sequence and pace learning for students in their schools, no centrally prescribed adjustment of the curriculum and courses of study would be effective for students taking the certificate examinations in summer 2021.”
The spokesperson continued: “In Leaving Certificate agricultural science, the adjustments incorporate an increase in the choice of number of questions in the examination in sections A and B of the paper and, in addition, there will be some choice through internal optionality in some questions.
“There is no adjustment to the overall marks or the duration of the examination paper."
Read more
Examination of the new ag science course impossible – IASTA
Agricultural Science students will have an increased number of questions to choose from in sections A and B of their exam papers in 2021.
The Irish Agricultural Science Teachers' Association (IASTA) had called on the Department of Education to make allowances for students given the new exam course and release sample papers as soon as possible.
The association was also concerned that COVID-19 had disrupted students' learning and ability to complete practical elements of the course work, including farm visits.
We feel that mandatory experiments should be removed from ag science
Teacher and IASTA PRO Johnny Gleeson said: “Other subjects had sensible changes made, for example, the removal of experiments from the construction studies coursework.
"We feel that mandatory experiments should be removed from ag science too, due to lack of access to laboratory time during COVID-19, but this has not happened.”
Exam questions
However, the Department told the Irish Farmers Journal that schools had “significant autonomy in determining how to sequence and pace learning for students in their schools, no centrally prescribed adjustment of the curriculum and courses of study would be effective for students taking the certificate examinations in summer 2021.”
The spokesperson continued: “In Leaving Certificate agricultural science, the adjustments incorporate an increase in the choice of number of questions in the examination in sections A and B of the paper and, in addition, there will be some choice through internal optionality in some questions.
“There is no adjustment to the overall marks or the duration of the examination paper."
Read more
Examination of the new ag science course impossible – IASTA
SHARING OPTIONS