Back to the future? Reflections from 25 years of empirical research on Leaving Certificate assessment in Ireland.
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| Title: | Back to the future? Reflections from 25 years of empirical research on Leaving Certificate assessment in Ireland. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Lehane, Paula1 (AUTHOR) paula.lehane@dcu.ie, O'Connor, Gillian2 (AUTHOR), O'Leary, Michael3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Irish Educational Studies. Jun2026, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p403-433. 31p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Grading of students, *Mathematics education, *Curriculum planning, *Postsecondary education, *Summative tests, *Education policy, *Science education |
| Geographic Terms: | Ireland |
| Abstract: | Post-primary students in Ireland are awarded the Leaving Certificate after passing the required assessments that occur in the final year of senior-cycle education. While planned changes have introduced incremental adjustments as to how assessment in this state-certified qualification is undertaken, recent unplanned events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated discussions on future assessment reforms. As we arrive at the centenary of the Leaving Certificate's foundation, it seems timely to review the empirical research that has been conducted on the assessment approaches that it currently uses. Taking the publication of the Commission on the Points System in 1999 as a starting point and using Arksey and O'Malley's. [(2005)]. "Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework." International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8 (1): 19–32. ] six-step approach for scoping reviews, 107 publications up to 2024 were included in this study. Analysis and synthesis of the studies resulted in five broad research topics: Curriculum Development and Assessment Reform, Maths and Science Education, Fairness, Transition to Higher Education, and Emergency Measures. The results of this study highlight past research and policy priorities as well as gaps within the existing literature. It is hoped that the freely available database arising from this study will help to inform future research and policy agendas pertaining to Leaving Certificate assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Irish Educational Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 193816412 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Back to the future? Reflections from 25 years of empirical research on Leaving Certificate assessment in Ireland. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lehane%2C+Paula%22">Lehane, Paula</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> paula.lehane@dcu.ie</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22O'Connor%2C+Gillian%22">O'Connor, Gillian</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22O'Leary%2C+Michael%22">O'Leary, Michael</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Irish+Educational+Studies%22">Irish Educational Studies</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 45 Issue 2, p403-433. 31p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grading+of+students%22">Grading of students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+education%22">Mathematics education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+planning%22">Curriculum planning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Postsecondary+education%22">Postsecondary education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Summative+tests%22">Summative tests</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+policy%22">Education policy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+education%22">Science education</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ireland%22">Ireland</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Post-primary students in Ireland are awarded the Leaving Certificate after passing the required assessments that occur in the final year of senior-cycle education. While planned changes have introduced incremental adjustments as to how assessment in this state-certified qualification is undertaken, recent unplanned events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated discussions on future assessment reforms. As we arrive at the centenary of the Leaving Certificate's foundation, it seems timely to review the empirical research that has been conducted on the assessment approaches that it currently uses. Taking the publication of the Commission on the Points System in 1999 as a starting point and using Arksey and O'Malley's. [(2005)]. "Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework." International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8 (1): 19–32. ] six-step approach for scoping reviews, 107 publications up to 2024 were included in this study. Analysis and synthesis of the studies resulted in five broad research topics: Curriculum Development and Assessment Reform, Maths and Science Education, Fairness, Transition to Higher Education, and Emergency Measures. The results of this study highlight past research and policy priorities as well as gaps within the existing literature. It is hoped that the freely available database arising from this study will help to inform future research and policy agendas pertaining to Leaving Certificate assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Irish Educational Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/03323315.2024.2441158 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 31 StartPage: 403 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Grading of students Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematics education Type: general – SubjectFull: Curriculum planning Type: general – SubjectFull: Postsecondary education Type: general – SubjectFull: Summative tests Type: general – SubjectFull: Education policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Science education Type: general – SubjectFull: Ireland Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Back to the future? Reflections from 25 years of empirical research on Leaving Certificate assessment in Ireland. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lehane, Paula – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: O'Connor, Gillian – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: O'Leary, Michael IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 03323315 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 45 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Irish Educational Studies Type: main |
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