I've been checking up on education statistics in the CSO's Statistical Year Books, and came across some information on Leaving Cert subject choice. I tried various ways to get the table up on this post but unfortunately you'll have to click on page 17 of this Pdf:
Statistical Year Book 2006
The table shows that there is a very clear pattern in subject choice for higher level Leaving Cert subjects between 1997 and 2005. Ignoring English, Gaelic and Maths (which are compulsory at either higher or lower), the following are the most popular subjects, in order:
1. Geography
2. Business Studies
3. French
4. Biology
5. Home Econ.
6. History
7. Art
8. Construction
9. Physics
10. Chemistry
11. German
12. Accounting
After Accounting the numbers taking any subject are quite low, though it should also be noted that there is a sizeable fall of about 50% in the numbers taking any subject after Home Econ. Also, this is stable (with minor exception) between 1997 and 2005.
All of this suggests that Ireland's brightest are choosing to study Geography, Business Studies, French, Biology and Home Econ right before they enter third-level. I suggest that these subjects are being chosen because they are easier exams to score highly in. I suspect that French is being chosen to get into NUI colleges, but that Home Econ would be a higher preference if the NUI language rule did not exist.
The implications for Ireland's innovation driven economy are quite stark. Granted, the statistics I am looking at do not necessarily predict subject choice at third level. However, without greater take-up in Physics, Chemistry, Phys-Chem and Applied Maths, students are less prepared for science courses at third and fourth level.
It is also fair to suggest that students are signalling preferences in their subject choice at Leaving Cert, regardless of the need to score highly in the points race. Perceptions of subject difficulty will not vanish after the Leaving Cert and are quite likely a causal factor in subject choice at third level. It is possible that the points race is accentuating the role palyed by perceptions of subject difficulty at third level.
Some solace can be taken from the buzz around geographic information systems and biotechnology in Ireland's research sector. With so many honours students taking Geography and Biology at Leaving Cert in Ireland, there is a flow of bodies into third level who are well prepared to do degrees in geography, biology and variations on these subjects.
Areas highlighted for research attention by expert groups include biotechnology, ICT and pharmaceuticals. Given the reality of how prepared students are for study in certain areas at third level, there is an argument to focus on how we can make the best of the supply-side factors in the labour market for fourth-level research. One possible recommendation is to target funding towards biotechnology and the geographic themes of ICT and to build up greater hubs around these streams, leaving pharmaceuticals as a smaller segment of Ireland's research sector.
Statistical Year Book 2006
The table shows that there is a very clear pattern in subject choice for higher level Leaving Cert subjects between 1997 and 2005. Ignoring English, Gaelic and Maths (which are compulsory at either higher or lower), the following are the most popular subjects, in order:
1. Geography
2. Business Studies
3. French
4. Biology
5. Home Econ.
6. History
7. Art
8. Construction
9. Physics
10. Chemistry
11. German
12. Accounting
After Accounting the numbers taking any subject are quite low, though it should also be noted that there is a sizeable fall of about 50% in the numbers taking any subject after Home Econ. Also, this is stable (with minor exception) between 1997 and 2005.
All of this suggests that Ireland's brightest are choosing to study Geography, Business Studies, French, Biology and Home Econ right before they enter third-level. I suggest that these subjects are being chosen because they are easier exams to score highly in. I suspect that French is being chosen to get into NUI colleges, but that Home Econ would be a higher preference if the NUI language rule did not exist.
The implications for Ireland's innovation driven economy are quite stark. Granted, the statistics I am looking at do not necessarily predict subject choice at third level. However, without greater take-up in Physics, Chemistry, Phys-Chem and Applied Maths, students are less prepared for science courses at third and fourth level.
It is also fair to suggest that students are signalling preferences in their subject choice at Leaving Cert, regardless of the need to score highly in the points race. Perceptions of subject difficulty will not vanish after the Leaving Cert and are quite likely a causal factor in subject choice at third level. It is possible that the points race is accentuating the role palyed by perceptions of subject difficulty at third level.
Some solace can be taken from the buzz around geographic information systems and biotechnology in Ireland's research sector. With so many honours students taking Geography and Biology at Leaving Cert in Ireland, there is a flow of bodies into third level who are well prepared to do degrees in geography, biology and variations on these subjects.
Areas highlighted for research attention by expert groups include biotechnology, ICT and pharmaceuticals. Given the reality of how prepared students are for study in certain areas at third level, there is an argument to focus on how we can make the best of the supply-side factors in the labour market for fourth-level research. One possible recommendation is to target funding towards biotechnology and the geographic themes of ICT and to build up greater hubs around these streams, leaving pharmaceuticals as a smaller segment of Ireland's research sector.
3 comments:
any stats for economics. economics lecturers tend to be ambivalent about the benefit of leaving cert economics to higher level economics. Some argue that there is almost a detraining stage at the start to get the students to think at the more abstract level thought in college. My own view of the higher level Leaving Cert Economics is that it gives a great overview of the different areas and it would be interesting to see the extent to which it promoted later economic literacy in those who did not do economics in college.
Also on page 17 of the linked Pdf, approx 6% of honours LC students choose economics, on average. There is a figure 0% for 1998, which must be the result of a data problem.
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