Cork principal warns proposed reform of senior cycle would entail flood of AI-generated project work
Aaron Woulfe is Principal of Coláiste Éamonn Rís in Deerpark and says that the proposed changing of the bands of the Junior cycle, following a change that Woulfe maintains wasn't needed in the first place, shows the consequence of the Department of Education ignoring teachers and teaching unions.
This week, the major unions, TUI (Teachers Union of Ireland), STI (Secondary Teachers Ireland), and the ASTI (Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland) are all holding their conferences across the country, with the proposed reform of the senior cycle proving the most contentious issue.
It comes as the Department of Education attempts to move towards an assessment-based approach to evaluating students.
However, Woulfe says while he supports the reform on the whole, the lack of engagement with teachers from the Government could spell disaster for the proposed changes.
'You've got to do reform with consultation, and the people you need to consult with are the teachers, because they're the people on the ground.
'Let's make sure this is not a money-saving exercise from the State Exams Commission so they can cut down on the amount of correctors with less exams,' said the Principal of the school in the city's southern suburbs, adding: 'let's make sure that students have the IT resources that they need to complete the projects, let's ensure we have enough access to science equipment and all equipment so students can complete their projects: WiFi, IT devices.
'Let's make sure we do it correctly.'
Woulfe says the move to assessment-based evaluation is likely to mean more work for teachers, in both assisting students in formulating projects, as well as potentially needing to correct projects throughout the year, which brings another set of challenges.
'The question then is did the student complete the project or did AI complete the project? The exam proves that students can study and that they can learn, and project work proves that the student can use ChatGPT.
'The Leaving Cert is a college admittance exam, that's all it is. Why are secondary schools still looking after this, is this not a college problem? Like in America where the colleges look after their own admissions policy.
'All we're focused towards is an exam to get into University. Why hasn't that been looked at as part of the reform?'
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Also announced this week is a move by Government to allow teachers to be made permanent in a school after just one year, down from the current two-year wait. However, Woulfe says the move makes 'no difference at all' to teachers themselves, or to the current teacher shortage.
'Every teacher knows, once you get into a second year in the school, you're there for life. It hasn't changed anything, it just means you're getting the paperwork a year earlier.
'There are no teachers out there because they're all in Australia or Dubai. We have a guidance (councillor) position, zero applicants; two jobs in religion, four applicants; a job in woodwork, four applicants, and we're a desirable place to work, in the middle of Cork city.
'You need to lower the teacher training to one year, target people in the public sector who are not young, had always wanted to become a teacher and probably have great life experience.
'Above all, pay teachers more money. If you want to make teaching attractive, pay them a salary that makes it attractive.'
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