Search

This research investigates the extent to which educational law features and is constructed in the Teaching Council's documentation for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes (2017, 2020) and in the "Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers" (Code) (2016), and analyses teachers' required knowledge of the law across these documents. Document analysis was used to track changes and provide insights. The findings indicate that teachers' knowledge of educational law has a low profile in the criteria used to review and accredit ITE programmes. Despite significant developments in law related to schools and teachers since 2017, including additional statutory requirements for child protection, the 2020 document does not have a commensurate increase in emphasis on law. Contrastingly, the findings indicate a high profile, and a high bar, for teachers' knowledge of the law in the Code. Recommendations include that the Teaching Council analyse graduates' legal knowledge during registration to ensure that they have the requisite skills to adequately perform as a professional; that the emphasis on educational law be increased in the ITE criteria so that it is aligned with the Code, and that programme providers fulfil their duty of care to students by providing them with adequate standalone modules on educational law.

There is a body of research which highlights the importance of students studying mathematics at an advanced level, hence policy-makers worldwide look for ways to increase the uptake of advanced mathematics. In Ireland, the Government announced the introduction of a Bonus Points Initiative which came into effect in 2012, in an attempt to increase the number of Senior Cycle students opting to study higher-level mathematics and to improve Irish students' mathematical capabilities. Despite a rise in the number of students studying higher-level mathematics, very little research has been conducted to determine if it was the Bonus Points initiative, a reformed mathematics curriculum, or other factors that led to the surge in uptake. To address this gap in the research, this study investigates Irish students' reasons for participating in higher-level mathematics and seeks to determine if such reasons differ across gender, school type, or prior attainment levels. The findings suggest that the points system used by Ireland's Central Applications Office for entry to post-secondary education (CAO, n.d.), in particular the provision of Bonus Points for higher-level mathematics in Ireland, is the main driving factor behind students' participation in higher-level mathematics, with parents also being influential in decision-making. Significant differences in the reasons offered by males and females were found, while prior attainment seemed to have the biggest influence on students' reasoning regardless of gender.

Undergraduate research initiatives such as mentoring programs, conferences, and journals typically focus on the later stages of undergraduate studies. It is not unusual for a student to reach the final year of their program without developing their awareness of research within their discipline or their institution. SUREbyts is a project that provides first- and second-year undergraduate students with access to research through video recordings of professional researchers and research students discussing their own research, with each video structured around a research question with a set of possible solutions. This article presents the successes and challenges faced by the project's initial implementation in six higher education institutions in Ireland and offers advice to institutions globally that are considering engaging their students with research in this way.

In 2012 mathematics was assigned a special status within the Irish post-primary school curriculum with the introduction of a bonus points initiative (BPI). Students are now awarded additional credit in their upper post-primary school state examination results if they achieve a passing grade in mathematics at higher level. This extra credit will increase the likelihood of these students securing a place on the third-level course of their choice. This incentive was introduced to encourage students to study mathematics at higher level. Anecdotally there have been mixed reviews about the success of the BPI. While the numbers taking higher level mathematics have increased steadily, there have been concerns that many students who are not capable of performing up to the standard required are now opting for the higher level paper and the difficulty of this examination and the marking schemes have been adjusted accordingly. This paper reports on a national study, the first of its kind, that was conducted to investigate teachers' perspectives (N = 266) on the BPI. The authors investigate if the increase in the number of students studying higher level mathematics in Ireland has occurred in tandem with an increase in the mathematical proficiency of students and they ascertain the impact of the BPI on the profile of higher level mathematics classes.

A growing body of international research has highlighted the importance of students studying mathematics at an advanced level. In Ireland, the subject has been assigned a special status with the introduction of an education policy called the Bonus Points Initiative (BPI) in 2012. Students are now awarded an extra 25 points in their final State examination results if they achieve [greater than or equal to] 40% in advanced/Higher Level (HL) mathematics. This incentive has had a noticeable impact and the numbers opting for HL mathematics in the final State examination have increased from 15.8% in 2011 to 32.9% in 2019. While this is undoubtedly a positive development, there has been little research about any knock-on effects regarding the teaching and learning of the subject. This article examines HL mathematics teachers' (n = 266) perceptions of the BPI. The findings reveal many mixed opinions with more teachers (46%) agreeing with the initiative than disagreeing (27%), recognizing advantages such as increasing numbers and rewarding students. However, issues perceived by teachers such as questionable student motivation and the negative impact on the pace of lessons appear to be key reasons for a majority of teachers recommending a review (56%) or discontinuation (23%) of the initiative.

This article examines teachers' perspectives of the impact in the classroom of a novel approach to boosting participation in upper secondary (Senior Cycle) mathematics in Ireland at the most advanced level (Higher Level). This approach, termed the Bonus Points Initiative (BPI), is an incentive which has coincided with a gradual increase from 16% to 31.5% in the proportion of student cohorts opting to complete Higher Level Senior Cycle mathematics studies in Ireland between 2012 and 2018. Qualitative and quantitative data for this study was gathered through questionnaire responses from 266 teachers of Higher Level Senior Cycle mathematics across Ireland. Data analysis led to the identification of a number of emerging challenges for teachers, mainly due to widening ranges of attainment in their classrooms. These challenges include addition to workloads, worries that higher attaining students are being neglected, pressure to cover the syllabus, and concerns with regards to pace of instruction.

Secondary level mathematics education in Ireland has recently experienced a period of significant change with the introduction of new curricula and the addition of an incentive to study upper secondary mathematics at the most advanced level (Higher Level). This incentive, typically referred to as 'bonus points', appears to have aided a significant increase in the number of students studying upper secondary mathematics at Higher Level. However, thematic analysis of interviews with experienced upper secondary mathematics examiners and exploration of mathematics diagnostic test data outlined in this paper suggest that the difficulty of the Higher Level upper secondary mathematics final examination in Ireland has reduced since the introduction of the bonus points initiative. The sharp increase in students attempting this examination coupled with a policy of maintaining a consistent proportion of students achieving passing grades was identified as a key reason for this possible reduction in standards.

Algebra has long been identified as an area of difficulty in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Evidence of this difficulty can be found in Irish secondary-level classrooms. Chief Examiner Reports have consistently identified algebra as an area of student weakness in State examinations. In light of poor student performance, and as part of a nationwide reform of secondary mathematics curricula, a functions-based approach to teaching algebra has been adopted in Irish schools. It was introduced in September 2011 in place of the transformational (rule and procedure)-based approach which was previously used. Through comparing the diagnostic test scores of incoming students in an Irish university in the years before and after the reform, this study finds that the reformed approach has coincided with a decline in students' technical algebraic skills. However, interviews with practising mathematics teachers reveal that this decline is not a direct result of the functions-based approach, but rather of a mixture of approaches being implemented in classrooms. Such divergence of approaches can be linked to the common mismatch between the intended curriculum prescribed by policy-makers and the implemented curriculum that is actually carried out by teachers in their classrooms.

Research that aimed to examine teachers' experiences whilst implementing a reform approach to mathematics teaching in an Irish primary school forms the basis of this paper. In particular, factors that contributed to changing mathematics practice in this case study school are outlined. The school engaged in professional development (PD) that focused on using an instructional framework [Hiebert, J., T. P. Carpenter, E. Fennema, K. C. Fuson, D. Wearne, H. Murray, A. Olivier, and P. Human. 1997. "Making Sense: Teaching and Learning Mathematics with Understanding." Portsmouth: Heinemann] in the school-identified strand units of length and weight. Four classes were tracked throughout the study and each class acted as a sub-case within the larger study. Data collected through lesson observations, teacher interviews, pupil work samples, and pupil focus group interviews were used to compare teachers' experiences and to identify what supported and enabled them to change their practice, in addition to highlighting challenges that may have prevented such change. Findings were that shifts in practice were evident to different degrees in the four classes during the study. In relation to enabling factors, findings suggest that tailored PD, and the use and refinement of an instructional framework contributed to enabling teachers in changing their mathematics teaching. In particular, teachers reported that the 4Ts instructional framework was a very useful tool in supporting them to change mathematics teaching.

Schools are a key setting for mental health promotion and the provision of emotional support to students. As teachers and school counsellors are adults with whom adolescents have regular contact, it is likely they would be used as a help source by distressed students however there are few studies on this from an Irish context. A mixed methods design was used to identify the extent of adolescent help-seeking in addition to exploring what influences a young person's decision to seek help in school. Findings generated through surveys (N = 856) and four focus group interviews (N = 35) with adolescents indicate that young people do not regard teachers and school counsellors as a potential help source. Barriers to seeking help include dislike of the dual role of counsellor/teacher and concerns about confidentiality. The provision of independent school counselling and increased mental health education were identified as factors that might increase help-seeking in school.

The phenomenon in which students enter university under-prepared for the mathematical demands of their undergraduate courses, regularly referred to as the 'Maths Problem', has been widely reported in Ireland, UK, Australia, and the US. This issue has been of particular concern in Ireland recently, with beginning undergraduates' performance of basic mathematical skills showing signs of significant decline in recent years. New mathematics curricula, commonly referred to as "Project Maths", were gradually introduced into the Irish secondary school education system from 2010 onwards. These new curricula aim to place greater emphasis on student understanding of mathematical concepts, use of contexts, and applications of mathematics. This study analyses, through mathematics diagnostic test data gathered between 2008 and 2014, the change in the basic mathematical skills of beginning undergraduates over the time period in which the new mathematics curricula were introduced to secondary education in Ireland. It was found that students' basic mathematical skills have declined over the time period during which the new mathematics curricula were introduced. Significant declines in beginning undergraduates' performance of basic mathematical skills were observed during the period 2008-2014, particularly among students who have achieved Higher Level C grades and Higher Level D grades.

Deficiencies in beginning undergraduate students' basic mathematical skills has been an issue of concern in higher education, particularly in the past 15 years. This issue has been tracked and analysed in a number of universities in Ireland and internationally through student scores recorded in mathematics diagnostic tests. Students beginning their science-based and technology-based undergraduate courses in the University of Limerick have had their basic mathematics skills tested without any prior warning through a 40 question diagnostic test during their initial service mathematics lecture since 1998. Data gathered through this diagnostic test have been recorded in a database kept at the university and explored to track trends in mathematical competency of these beginning undergraduates. This paper details findings surrounding an analysis of the database between 2003 and 2013, outlining changes in mathematical competencies of these beginning undergraduates in an attempt to determine reasons for such changes. The analysis found that the proportion of students tested through this diagnostic test that are predicted to be at risk of failing their service mathematics end-of-semester examinations has increased significantly between 2003 and 2013. Furthermore, when students' performance in secondary level mathematics was controlled, it was determined that the performance of beginning undergraduates in 2013 was statistically significantly below that of the performance of the beginning undergraduates recorded 10 years previously.

Attempts at integrating mathematics and science have been made previously but no definitive, widely adopted teaching model has been developed to date. Research suggests that hands-on, practical, student-centred tasks should form a central element when designing an effective model for the integration of mathematics and science. Aided by this research, the author created a new model entitled "Authentic Integration" which caters for the specific needs of integration of mathematics and science. This model requires that each lesson be based around a rich task which relates to the real world and ensures that hands-on group work, inquiry, and discussion are central to the lesson. It was found that Authentic Integration, when applied in four Irish post-primary schools, positively affected pupil understanding. The teachers who completed the intervention displayed a very positive attitude towards the approach, intimating that they would continue to implement the practice in their classrooms.

The article discusses the highlights of the Irish Dental Association (IDA) Annual Conference held in Kilkenny, Ireland in May 2014. The event featured several speakers including dentist Kevin Lewis, hygienist Kellie O'Shaughnessy and physiotherapist Stephanie Tarrant. Topics discussed at the conference include oral health promotion, emergency medicine and quality in dentistry.

Unlabelled: Falls in the older population are associated with increased morbidity and mortality especially in the absence of risk reduction measures. The study aims were to compare the characteristics of older people who present to the Emergency Department (ED) following a fall with the general older ED population and examine referral patterns following ED discharge. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 306 people aged 65 years or older. Data was collected on demographic, socio-economic, health and social support factors. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson chi-square test or independent t-test) were used to compare the falls and non-falls group. Falls occurred in 17% (53/306) of the study population and 43% sustained an injury requiring medical intervention. Patients in the falls group were significantly more likely to be female (68%), older (79 years (SD 6.6)) and living alone (59%). The physical and mental health profile of the falls and non-falls group was similar with 30-40% of people in both groups experiencing moderate to severe physical health impairment. A third of the falls group was discharged from the ED without evidence of referrals., Conclusion: The older population that present to the ED following a fall requires comprehensive risk factor assessment especially physical function and referrals that include falls prevention. Implications for staff: ED staff need to examine current practice within their ED in relation to falls assessment, management and referral pathways., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare the characteristics of older people presenting to the emergency department (ED) and admitted to hospital with those discharged directly from the ED and identify factors independently associated with hospital admission., Design: This is a cross-sectional survey of 306 community dwelling people aged 65 years or older presenting to two hospital EDs. A structured questionnaire and ED records were used to collect patient demographics, socioeconomic, physical, cognitive and social network information., Statistics: The profile of admitted and discharged patients was compared using the χ statistic. Logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with hospital admission. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are presented., Results: The analysis involved 306 patients, 158 admitted and 148 discharged home. There was no significant difference in demographic, socioeconomic, cognitive and social networks between the groups. Factors independently associated with hospital admission in the multivariate model were as follows: prior hospital admission OR 6.16 (95% CI 2.61, 14.50), Manchester Triage category 1-2 OR 5.01 (95% CI 1.19, 21.10), low-energy levels OR 3.97 (95% CI 1.32, 11.9) and presenting with cardiac OR 3.59 (95% CI 1.05, 12.3), neurological OR 4.47 (95% CI 1.21, 16.5) or respiratory-related conditions OR 11.2 (95% CI 2.41, 51.9). Among the cohort of discharged patients, 20-30% shared similar physical and mental health characteristics to admitted patients., Conclusion: In this elderly population, health-related variables were the only independent factors associated with hospital admission. Approximately 30% of patients discharged home from ED had similar risk profiles to admitted patients.

Background: In a study to establish the interrater reliability of the Irish Nursing Minimum Data Set (I-NMDS) for mental health difficulties relating to the choice of reliability test statistic were encountered., Objectives: The objective of this paper is to highlight the difficulties associated with testing interrater reliability for an ordinal scale using a relatively homogenous sample and the recommended kw statistic., Method: One pair of mental health nurses completed the I-NMDS for mental health for a total of 30 clients attending a mental health day centre over a two-week period. Data was analysed using the kw and percentage agreement statistics., Results: A total of 34 of the 38 I-NMDS for mental health variables with lower than acceptable levels of kw reliability scores achieved acceptable levels of reliability according to their percentage agreement scores., Conclusion: The study findings implied that, due to the homogeneity of the sample, low variability within the data resulted in the 'base rate problem' associated with the use of kw statistic. Conclusions point to the interpretation of kw in tandem with percentage agreement scores. Suggestions that kw scores were low due to chance agreement and that one should strive to use a study sample with known variability are queried.

One of the challenges in health care in Ireland is the relatively slow acceptance of standardised clinical information systems. Yet the national Irish health reform programme indicates that an Electronic Health Care Record (EHCR) will be implemented on a phased basis. [3-5]. While nursing has a key role in ensuring the quality and comparability of health information, the so- called 'invisibility' of some nursing activities makes this a challenging aim to achieve [3-5]. Any integrated health care system requires the adoption of uniform standards for electronic data exchange [1-2]. One of the pre-requisites for uniform standards is the composition of a data dictionary. Inadequate definition of data elements in a particular dataset hinders the development of an integrated data depository or electronic health care record (EHCR). This paper outlines how work on the data dictionary for the Irish Nursing Minimum Dataset (INMDS) has addressed this issue. Data set elements were devised on the basis of a large scale empirical research programme. ISO 18104, the reference terminology for nursing [6], was used to cross-map the data set elements with semantic domains, categories and links and data set items were dissected.