Anyone who has done the Leaving Cert in the last ten years knows how little the curriculum focused on the digital world. Now with the introduction of Computer Science, students will learn how to create apps, websites or any other digital platforms that are required by a human to make.
Beginning next year, the subject will be added to school curriculums and the first exam on the subject is to be held in 2020. The subject won't be added to all schools by 2018 butsOMEo will instead be gradually introduced.
The exam format will be the most interesting change for LC students. The exam will be a nonwritten exam and will instead be done through a computer-based test. 30 pc of the students' marks will be received through a computing project, such as building an app, and 70pc will be assessed during the traditional exam period.
Up until September, The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is opinions from specialists and the public to help define the curriculum of the subject.
Students will learn how to read, write, test and modify computer programs and understand how computers work. Students will also be guided on the social implications of computing technology and how to discover the bias of online information sources.
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A five to six-week project over the course of two years of the senior cycle will help students build computational artefacts that are relevant to them, their community or society. Computational artefacts include programs, digital animations, robotics and apps.
Much like a third -level educations, students will be required to create a report on the process involved and include any source material and a bibliography.
H/T: The Irish Times
