Debunking misconceptions that Computer Science at Leaving Cert is only for “brainy” students and “nerds” is vital to attracting more pupils to the subject, a study by Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, and University of Limerick (UL) has found.

Lero and UL researchers, who conducted a four-phase in-depth qualitative study interviewing fifth and sixth-year students from four schools, said students told them Computer Science is suitable for all students and not just those perceived as “brainy” students.

One of the study’s authors, Lero’s Prof. Chris Exton, a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at UL, said debunking these beliefs is essential to encourage more students to engage with and promote a more realistic view of Computer Science as a school subject and a career.

“The commonly held belief that Computer Science was a subject for ‘nerds’ was challenged by students, with the majority of students claiming the subject is for everyone, regardless of gender, previous experience or abilities. These findings contradict the popular conception that Leaving Cert Computer Science is suitable for a specific group of people with specific interests,” he added.

Lero Education and Public Engagement Program Manager Dr Clare McInerney said that in a technology-rich society, an understanding of software, coding and the wider aspects of Computer Science is no longer a specialist body of knowledge required by key professionals.

“Software permeates every aspect of our lives from the games on our phones to the healthcare we receive. So, computer science really is an essential part of what it means to be digitally competent in the 21st century and, therefore, has relevance for all future careers and citizens and recognising that computer science is a huge part of the world we live in is an important step for us all,” she said.

“As our study has found, it is a subject that promotes creativity, enables student collaboration, and achieves many of the essential learning outcomes required in the 21st century. Therefore, it is a unique vehicle to achieve many of these educational goals regardless of whether a student decides to pursue a career in this area. For that reason, framing it as an essential skill for all, rather than being part of the STEM portfolio of subjects may prove more advantageous in the long run,” she continued.

Prof. Oliver McGarr from the School of Education at UL said their study concludes that the introduction of the subject in 2018 has been successful, with a growing number of schools taking on the subject – 145 secondary schools, 20% nationally, now offer Computer Science.

“Students’ experiences of the subject are very positive in relation to the way it is taught and the opportunity for creative and collaborative work. However, negative and inaccurate stereotypes are still present, as well as a wider lack of understanding of what Computer Science entails and a lack of appreciation of its wide application in all aspects of society,” he added.

Lero’s Joyce Borges remarked that “this work is particularly important because, while there have been several studies that have explored the roll out of Leaving Cert Computer Science, this is the first which focussed on students and their experiences of the subject in an in-depth manner.”

Read CS Impact: Exploring Students’ Experiences of Leaving Certificate Computer Science in full.        

 

Deir daltaí na hArdteistiméireachta go bhfuil an Ríomheolaíocht do chách

Tá sé ríthábhachtach míthuiscintí go bhfuil an Ríomheolaíocht san Ardteistiméireacht do dhaltaí “meabhracha” agus do ‘shaoithíní” amháin a bhréagnú chun tuilleadh daltaí a mhealladh chuig an ábhar, rud a fuarthas amach i staidéar atá déanta ag Lero, Ionad Taighde Fhondúireacht Eolaíochta Éireann do Bhogearraí, agus Ollscoil Luimnigh (OL).

Dúirt taighdeoirí Lero agus OL, a rinne staidéar cáilíochtúil domhain ceithre chéim, ag cur agallamh ar dhaltaí cúigiú agus séú bliain ó cheithre scoil, dúirt na daltaí leo go bhfuil an Ríomheolaíocht oiriúnach do gach mac léinn agus ní hamháin dóibh siúd a mheastar a bheith ina mic léinn “beo”.

Dúirt duine d’údair an staidéir, an tOllamh Lero’s Chris Exton, léachtóir i Roinn na hEolaíochta Ríomhaireachta in Ollscoil Luimnigh, go bhfuil sé riachtanach na creidimh sin a bhréagnú chun níos mó mac léinn a spreagadh chun dul i ngleic leis an Ríomheolaíocht agus í a chur chun cinn mar ábhar scoile agus mar ghairm bheatha.

“Bhí dúshlán na mac léinn ag tabhairt dúshlán don Ríomheolaíocht go raibh an Ríomheolaíocht ina hábhar do ‘shéadchomharthaí’, agus an chuid is mó de na mic léinn ag maíomh go bhfuil an t-ábhar dírithe ar gach duine, beag beann ar inscne, ar thaithí nó ar chumas roimhe seo. Tá na torthaí seo ag teacht salach ar an gcoincheap coitianta go bhfuil Ríomheolaíocht na hArdteistiméireachta oiriúnach do ghrúpa ar leith daoine a bhfuil spéis ar leith acu,” a dúirt sé freisin.

Dúirt Bainisteoir Clár Lero Oideachais agus Rannpháirtíochta Poiblí, an Dr Clare McInerney, i sochaí atá saibhir ó thaobh na teicneolaíochta de, nach bhfuil tuiscint ar bhogearraí, códú agus gnéithe níos leithne na Ríomheolaíochta ina sainchomhlacht eolais a theastaíonn ó phríomhghairmithe.

“Tá tionchar mór ag na bogearraí ar gach gné dár saol ó na cluichí ar ár ngutháin go dtí an cúram sláinte a fhaighimid. Mar sin, is cuid ríthábhachtach í an ríomheolaíocht den mhéid a chiallaíonn sé a bheith inniúil go digiteach sa 21d haois agus, dá bhrí sin, tá sí ábhartha do gach gairm bheatha agus saoránach a bheidh ann amach anseo agus is céim thábhachtach dúinn uile í an ríomheolaíocht a aithint gur cuid ollmhór den domhan ina mairimid í an ríomheolaíocht,” a dúirt sí.

“Mar a d’aimsigh ár staidéar, is ábhar é a chuireann cruthaitheacht chun cinn, a chumasaíonn comhoibriú mac léinn, agus a bhaineann amach go leor de na torthaí foghlama riachtanacha a theastaíonn sa 21d haois. Dá bhrí sin, is feithicil uathúil é chun go leor de na spriocanna oideachais seo a bhaint amach beag beann ar cibé an gcinneann mac léinn gairm a shaothrú sa réimse seo. Ar an gcúis sin, d’fhéadfadh sé a bheith níos buntáistí san fhadtéarma é a chumadh mar scil riachtanach do chách, seachas a bheith mar chuid de phunann ábhair STEM,” a lean sí.

Dúirt an tOllamh Oliver McGarr ó Scoil an Oideachais in Ollscoil Luimnigh gur éirigh leis an ábhar a thabhairt isteach in 2018, agus tá méadú ag teacht ar líon na scoileanna atá ag glacadh leis an ábhar — 145 meánscoil, 20 % go náisiúnta, ag tairiscint Ríomheolaíocht anois.

“Tá taithí na mac léinn ar an ábhar an-dearfach maidir leis an gcaoi a múintear é agus maidir leis an deis chun obair chruthaitheach agus chomhoibríoch a dhéanamh. Mar sin féin, tá steiréitíopaí diúltacha míchruinne fós ann, chomh maith le heaspa tuisceana níos leithne ar a bhfuil i gceist leis an Ríomheolaíocht agus easpa tuisceana ar chur i bhfeidhm forleathan na steiréitíopaí sin i ngach gné den tsochaí,” a dúirt sé freisin.

Dúirt Joyce Borges ó Lero “go bhfuil tábhacht ar leith ag baint leis an obair seo toisc, cé go bhfuil roinnt staidéar déanta a rinne iniúchadh ar chur i bhfeidhm Eolaíocht Ríomhaireachta na hArdteistiméireachta, is é seo an chéad staidéar a dhírigh ar mhic léinn agus ar a n-eispéiris ar an ábhar ar bhealach domhain.”