LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED

PERSONAL REFLECTION TASK, 2002

CHIEF EXAMINER’S REPORT

PERSONAL REFLECTION TASK “Reflection is clearly purposeful because it aims at a conclusion. It can be seen as a number of steps in thinking, which when organised and linked lead to a consequence in action. Reflection helps the individual learn from experience because of the meaningful nature of the inquiry into that experience.”

(Developing Reflective Practice- John Loughran, 1996).

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this report is to inform teachers of the performance of candidates in the Personal Reflection Task (PRT) in 2002. This is the third year of the task assessment, which was examined for the first time in the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme in June 2000. Teachers should also find it helpful in guiding future examination candidates. The purpose of the Personal Reflection Task is to provide the student with an opportunity to reflect on her/his personal experiences of the LCA programme on an ongoing and progressive basis and to apply this understanding to future learning and career planning. Unlike the other student tasks, with the exception of the Practical Achievement Task, this task cannot be undertaken on a group basis and there is no interview component for the Personal Reflection Task. An outline of the Personal Reflection Task may be found in Appendix 1. The Personal Reflection Task consists of two Reflective Statements. The Reflective Statements are submitted to the Department of Education and Science for external assessment at the end of Year 2. The credit awarded is based on the overall total of both statements. The marking criteria for this task may be found in Exemplar materials are appended at the end of this report to support the teaching and learning in a constructive way. The exemplar materials should be read in conjunction with the marking criteria (Appendix 2).

2. PERFORMANCE OF CANDIDATES 2956 candidates submitted tasks for assessment in 2002, an increase of 102 on 2001 and 326 more than the first year it was examined. Examiners welcomed the introduction of a ten-credit range rather than three-credit as it gives a more accurate indication of candidate ability. The assessment of this task was carried out in accordance with Circular Letter S.17/99

(Appendix 1). The candidates who achieved the higher credits generally followed the guidelines as set out in Circular Letter S17/99. The breakdown of credits awarded in 2002 is as follows: Credit 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 TotalNumber 17 87 202 452 665 637 435 229 100 101 31 2956 Per cent 0.6 2.8 6.8 15.2 22.5 21.5 14.8 7.8 3.4 3.4 1.2

Direct comparison with previous years is not possible due to the change to 10 credits in 2002 from 3 credits in previous years. However, in general terms, 8/9/10 credits approximate to a 3 credit, 6/7 credits to a 2 credit, 5/4/3 credits to a 1 credit and 2/1/0 to a 0 credit of previous years. Using this analogy 10.2% received 8,9 or 10 credits; 37.7% a 6 or 7 credit; 44.1% a 5,4 or 3 credit and 8.0% a 2,1 or 0 credit. The results are broadly comparable with previous years. Breakdown of credits awarded in 2001

Credits 3 2 1 0 Number 239 1034 1146 440 2859

% 8.4 36.2 40 15.4 Breakdown of credits awarded in 2000

Credits 3 2 1 0 Number 333 1111 881 305 2630

% 12.7 42.2 33.5 11.6 Over 300 candidates submitted only one reflective statement. There would seem to be no obvious explanation for this. 21 candidates submitted the task on audiotape while 22 presented a video. This represents 1.4% of the total, a slight increase on last year. Examiners reported eight cases of suspected copying and six of these cases merited further investigation by Department of Education and Science, Examinations branch. The six cases involved typewritten statements, which were almost identical in content, style, grammar and spelling.

2.1 OVERALL STANDARD OF ANSWERING Examiners expressed disappointment with the general standard of answering by candidates. A significant number of candidates failed to grasp the central thrust of the task and simply wrote a narrative of experiences with no element of reflection in the task. The standard of answering is directly comparable to the time and effort invested in the task by schools, rather than the ability of candidates to reflect. The fact that whole centres seemed to have a similar standard verifies this observation. Many academically less able students produced high quality tasks, due to appropriate teacher guidance. Unfortunately many tasks in the middle bracket (4/5 Credit) failed to include key elements of reflection or lacked sufficient depth. Thus, potentially good tasks remained mediocre due to lack of teacher direction and guidance. In some cases the experiences chosen by candidates were of a private nature, not related at all to their experiences of the LCA programme. The assessment of the Personal Reflection task is divided into three sections:

Focus of Reflection Ability to Reflect

Media of Reflection

Detailed analysis of each section of the marking scheme is as follows:

(a) Focus of reflection [20 marks] Focus of reflection is divided into 2 parts, focus and personalisation (Appendix 2). Most candidates were awarded full marks for focus in Year 1. A number of candidates in Year 2 failed to describe two experiences that could be interpreted as vocational and thus received only five marks. A small number of candidates, all from the same centre, were awarded 0 for focus as they described experiences of a private nature which were not connected to the LCA programme. Personalisation was generally fair as candidates tended to describe experiences in a factual manner without interpreting the experiences as personally meaningful for them. Year 1 statements in particular made reference to group activities and candidates tended to use ‘we’ rather than ‘I’ statements throughout. Overall this section obtained 13+ marks, on average, and was well answered. (b) Ability to Reflect [40/80 marks]

This section is marked out of 40 in Year 1 and 80 in Year 2 as it is presumed that candidates have more experiences upon which to reflect after two years and also their ability to reflect has developed with practice. Unfortunately candidates did not receive high marks in this category with few notable exceptions. Candidates generally showed better reflective skills in Year 2 particularly in relation to future plans, but overall the standard of reflection remains underdeveloped. This section is divided into four sub-sections all carrying equal marks. (i) Starting point: The initial position is extremely important as it launches the reflective process. Candidates must review and recall their initial position regarding career aspirations, reasons for choosing LCA etc before they can decide which experiences affected their initial thinking and why. Many candidates only briefly outlined their initial thinking and some statements contained no starting point at all. Year 2 candidates, in general, made some reference to a career they had in mind at the beginning of the LCA programme. Most starting points were in the fair category. (ii) Description of experiences and the effects on the initial position: There was a slight improvement in the ability of candidates to describe experiences compared to 2001. Loughran (1996) states “reflection helps the individual learn from experience because of the meaningful nature of the enquiry into that experience.” Many candidates failed to make the experiences meaningful as they did not relate the experiences to themselves nor did they interpret the experiences, contenting themselves with narrating an objective account of what happened. They were unable therefore to evaluate the effects of the experiences on them or their initial thinking. This was particularly true when candidates listed a wide range of experiences without elaboration or analysis. The better tasks focused on limited experiences. Some tasks compared and contrasted two different work placements in Year 2, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of both, which was very effective. Some good tasks also highlighted the value of the enterprise task and/or the Practical Achievement Task in helping them to choose a possible future career. This sub-section was in the fair category in most cases. (iii) Present position: In this sub-section candidates are required to apply critical thinking and demonstrate self-awareness in drawing conclusions, based on an analysis of the chosen key learning experiences. These conclusions must be justified by evidence and be based on what they have learned about themselves from the experiences described. As candidates did not, in many cases, choose experiences, which were personally meaningful, they could not then draw conclusions about themselves in any significant way. Some drew conclusions but offered no supporting evidence to justify the conclusions. In other cases the conclusions drawn were not related in any way to the experiences described. Consequently this was the weakest section of all

with candidates on average receiving 3 marks out of 10 in year 1 and 7 out of 20 in year 2. (iv) Future: This was the best-answered sub-section, particularly in Year 2. Candidates are required to integrate what they have learned into forward planning and future goals. Most candidates knew what they wanted to do when they left school and quite a number offered a detailed plan in their Year 2 statement of how they were going to achieve their ambitions. Very few candidates mentioned possible alternatives. In Year 1, however, many candidates did not make any reference to the future. Good Year 1 statements referred to aspirations to improve attendance, to improve credits for tasks or to find suitable work experience in relation to a chosen career. In general most candidates scored well here, gaining on average 11 –15 marks out of 20 in Year 2. Year 1statements were not as well answered, with most gaining between 4 and 6 marks out of 10 marks. (c) Media of Reflection [20 marks] This section is divided into two parts – Communicative effectiveness and Organisation of thoughts. This section was well answered. Most tasks were typewritten, which greatly enhanced clarity, fluency, neatness and legibility. Tasks in general were also well structured, organised and logical but some were repetitive and it was difficult to follow the pattern of thinking. The weakest parts of this section were spelling and paragraphing. Many of the videos and audiotapes lost marks in this section because of excessive background noise, lack of continuity, poor editing and unfamiliarity with the use of these media. Almost all candidates were awarded at least10 marks; with a significant number getting 14 or more out of a possible 20 marks.

2.2 EXAMPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE • Candidates who confined themselves to describing and reflecting on two or

three key learning experiences generally produced tasks of a high quality.

• Good tasks generally demonstrated a high level of self-awareness. Statements were well supported with evidence and they contained persuasive arguments to justify assertions.

• Candidates who applied critical thinking to the experiences in order to learn

more about their own attitudes, skills and weaknesses were able to achieve a higher standard of reflection than those who merely described the experiences, failing to focus closely enough on the effects of these experiences on them personally.

• The better tasks were those where an appropriate balance was achieved

between the candidates’ own choice of experiences and guidance by the teacher/mentor about the essential elements of good reflection.

• Final edited versions of multiple drafts, which had been continually reviewed

by teacher/mentor to further develop student reflective ability achieved the higher marks.

• While most candidates focused on work experience and career guidance, the

best tasks were those in which candidates applied critical thinking to other areas of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, such as Art, Photography, Media Studies, Vocational Specialisms etc. in order to define a possible future career.

• The length was not an indication of quality and the better tasks invariably

adhered to the required length.

2.3 COMMON MISTAKES:

The most common mistakes included the following: • candidates used the headings of other established student tasks i.e. Aims,

Research and Planning, Carrying out of task, Creativity /Originality etc. which do not reflect the requirements of this task

• personal expression in many statements was curtailed, due to the imposition of

a rigid format i.e. specific headings, questionnaires etc.

• candidates described too many learning experiences, some going systematically through the list of modules and tasks and as a result failed to focus closely enough on specific experiences, which were meaningful to them

• many candidates gave an objective narrative account of particular experiences

without relating them in any way to themselves and in some cases the experiences were private experiences, which were not related to the LCA, programme in any way

• too much prescription in the form of handouts etc. limited the ability of some

candidates to personalise reflection and in some cases candidates presented the handouts and other support material as their reflective statements

• candidates, in some cases, failed to analyse the experiences in any depth and

failed to draw conclusions

• conclusions were reached but no evidence was offered to support the assertions (use of the word ‘because’ would have greatly enhanced many statements)

• some conclusions did not relate to the experiences described by candidates

• the quality of the sound was poor, in the case of presentations by video/audiotape, in many cases

• most videos were presented in interview format, which greatly limited the

candidate’s ability to personalise his/her experiences or to talk about these experiences at length

• candidates submitted first drafts as finished statements and many tasks

appeared to be hastily written, written without due care to structure, spelling, neatness and legibility

• a significant number of written statements far exceeded the required length of

400 words and most of the video and audio presentations recorded exceeded the 4 minutes as prescribed in Circular S17/99

• conversely, a number of statements were much too short and this greatly

inhibited the level and quality of reflection, and allowed no opportunity for the candidate to present an in-dept analysis of the learning experiences

• a small but significant number of statements greatly exceeded the

recommended length. One examiner reported marking a task with 85 typed pages and one audiotape was over 20 minutes in length

• a small number of Year 1 and Year 2 statements were completed at the end of

Year 2 even though Year 1 should be completed by May of Year 1 Well-structured tasks, which followed a logical sequence, achieved higher marks.

3. FACTORS AFFECTING ANSWERING A significant number of tasks submitted did not adhere to the guidelines as set out in Circular S17/99 (Appendix 1). Over 300 candidates presented only one statement. This number equates roughly with the number of candidates awarded a 3,2, 1 or 0 credit (461) and accounts for the majority of results in these categories. It was impossible for candidates who submitted only one statement to gain more than a 3 credit in the case of a Year 1 Reflective statement or a 5 credit in the case of a Year 2 Reflective statement. The level of teacher guidance greatly affected the quality of the tasks. In some cases, candidates were left entirely to their own devices in the preparation of the task. This meant that candidates tended to narrate rather than reflect. A significant number of tasks had great potential but remained underdeveloped due to absence of direction/guidance. The absence of mentoring in the form of dialogue and feedback to students made it difficult for students to develop critical thinking and self-awareness.

Many candidates who recorded their statements on audio or videotape did not seem at ease with this method of presentation and were not practised in the communication skills necessary for these media. In some schools each task followed exactly the same format, due to rigid structures imposed by the teacher. This resulted in very little reflection of a personal nature. It was clear, in a small number of tasks, that candidates had completed both statements at the same time. In addition to not adhering to the task requirements, it negates the overall purpose of the Personal Reflection task, which is to enable candidates to reflect on key learning experiences on an ongoing and progressive basis over the two years of the programme, in order to create plans for the future. The standard of reflection has remained poor in some cases for the following reasons:

• Reflection is perceived as being an inherent talent not a skill to be taught • It is believed that the ability to reflect belongs to academic high achievers only • No specific timetabled time is allocated to this task in schools • No specific teacher is appointed to anchor the task • The concept of reflection is poorly understood and therefore not practiced • Teachers have not received in-service on this task • Candidates are receiving no guidance/inaccurate instructions • Candidates misinterpret ‘personal’ confusing it with ‘private’ • The word ‘task’ is misunderstood and many candidates use the headings for

the other student tasks, which are very different in nature and content 4. PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT REFLECTION The capacity to reflect needs to be developed in students. Structures and supports should be considered to facilitate the process in schools. Opportunities should be created to facilitate dialogue and feedback, both of which are essential for the development of reflective capability. The learning environment that is created by teachers is crucial in developing reflective learners. One cannot assume that students will automatically reflect without teaching them the strategies. Structures and supports, which could be considered, include:

• Specific timetabled time must be allocated to the Personal Reflection Task

• Teacher/Mentor should be appointed to guide candidates in the reflective process

• Students could be given reflective space/time in each course area at significant

times throughout the LCA programme.

• Brainstorming individually, collaboratively before and after each task/key assignment/ work experience/outing etc. would facilitate the reflective process.

• A variety of methods could be considered to facilitate the reflective process in

school i.e. Portfolio, Journal, Visual Art, Questionnaires etc.

• Students could build up a portfolio of key learning experiences over the two years of the programme. This could include a log on activities, collection of evidence, photographs, conversations, goal setting, evaluating goals etc. for different elements of the LCA programme.

• Each student should keep a Journal, in which they record on a regular basis. It

could be used as a continuous record, a place for reflective reporting and a reference point for the Reflective Statements.

• Multiple drafts of Reflective Statements could be created from the journal

entries. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS On-going critical feedback on how students are doing is the single most important strategy for developing reflective, self-regulated learners. One cannot assume that students will automatically reflect without teaching them the strategies. Schools need to be made aware of the value of reflection as a necessary skill for life. Reflection should become an integral part of the LCA programme rather than an isolated task to be completed as quickly as possible, as at present in a significant number of cases. Misconceptions about reflection need to be addressed i.e. it is subjective, only for academic students, cannot be taught etc. (Appendix 3). Schools should be encouraged to involve every teacher in the process of facilitating student reflection. One teacher should be designated overall responsibility for the Personal Reflection task for the two years of the programme. This should be accommodated within the school structure. Other teachers may become involved but it is essential for the development of the task for one teacher to assume control. All information on reflection could then reach the designated person in the school. Regular engagement in reflection is essential for expertise to develop. Every school should include at least one period per week for reflection in the timetable for each year group. Guided reflection is vital if skills are to be cultivated. Students would, in

that case, get the opportunity to build up and refine their reflective capabilities. Student self-reflection, on its own, is an insufficient form of reflection. Students could build up a portfolio and they could discuss the importance of its contents with a critical peer and/or mentor/teacher at regular intervals, as dialogue and feedback are essential for quality reflection to occur. Allowing the candidate to select experiences relevant to him/her and to discuss the effects of these experiences on future plans should lead to better reflection by candidates. The modules and student tasks have reflective components, which could complement the portfolio material and encourage integration of reflection into the whole curriculum. Students should prepare multiple drafts of their Reflective Statements. In the case of video/audio presentations they should practice the communicative skills necessary for these media before recording the final presentation. If reflection is to take place, self-disclosure is essential. Personal reflection should be an account that resembles a story rather than a history. In a story a real effort is made to reveal oneself as a person. Feeling is expressed by the use of ‘I’ statements. Reflection needs to be very focused on experience. Candidates should be encouraged to limit their statements to 400 words or 4 minutes in the case of audio/visual presentations. Involvement in the process of reflection and teacher guidance may ensure that candidates do not stray from what is required and may also ensure that statements do not become too extensive. Reflection should include authentic experiences, which are personally meaningful for the candidate. While leading questions can be helpful for candidates, providing a pre-determined list does not allow for meaningful experiences. While questionnaires/ templates are useful aides to reflection, they should not be submitted as Personal Reflection Statements. All tasks submitted must be the candidate's own work. In order to verify the authenticity of the work, the Reflective Statements must be date-stamped at the time of completion and signed by the student and the school manager or her/his representative prior to submission. The teacher managing the Personal Reflection Task should liase with the Guidance Counsellor in Year 2 of the task. The key assignment for the guidance module in Session 4 requires each student to draw up a career action plan in consultation with the Guidance Counsellor. This action plan could be a very important resource for the candidate’s final reflective statement.

What to look for in a good reflective piece of work:

“I” statements as opposed to “We” statements Meaningful experiences Very good use of evidence (justification for statements made) Self-awareness Excellent linkages between experiences Clear plan Possible alternatives Well supported piece

6. CONCLUSION: “To learn from experience, people do not need to just do things – they need to interpret what has happened.”(Hunt and Hitchlin). Helping young people to evaluate experiences, make connections, draw conclusions in order to adapt to a rapidly changing environment is one of the most valuable skills the LCA programme has to offer. Every student can acquire expertise in reflection in the right environment. Reflection has to be fostered in order to mature. In schools where teachers are familiar with the idea of reflection candidates invariably produce high quality tasks. The success of the Personal Reflection task is linked to it becoming part of the LCA timetable in every school. At present, in many schools, it is seen as an addendum at the end of the year rather than an ongoing process. Candidates will not achieve high credits unless they have practiced the skills of reflection and for this they need time, mentoring and guidance on an on-going basis.

Appendix 1 – Outline of the Personal Reflection Task 1 Nature of the Task The Personal Reflection Task is a critical reflection on the learning experiences of the Leaving Certificate Applied student, which takes place over the course of the two years of the programme. This task will require the student to (i) Review and reflect on the various learning experiences involved in the

programme (ii) Look forward and plan for future learning and work. 2. Purpose of the Task The purpose of the Personal Reflection Task is to provide the student with an opportunity to reflect on her/his personal experience of the programme on an ongoing and progressive basis and to apply this understanding to future learning and career planning. The reflective process will enable the student to identify aspects of his/her authentic experience, which are personally meaningful. It will provide the student with an opportunity to ⇒ make sense of experiences ⇒ develop skills of reflection ⇒ develop the capacity for self-evaluation and self-knowledge ⇒ set personal goals and attain them ⇒ recognise personal strengths and aptitudes in terms of learning style. The outcomes of this reflective process will be applied to decisions on future career planning and life-long learning. It is intended that the Personal Reflection Task will enrich cross-curricular integration in that the student will reflect on what was significant for her/him in relation to the whole programme and will make concrete conclusions about learning gained through the various disciplines. 3 The Process of Reflection The development of reflective skills should be facilitated through regular review and reflection on aspects of the programme. In this context, specific reference points can be used, for example work experience, enterprise, community work, interviews, student tasks, out-of-school activities, outdoor education, modules, courses, classroom work, group interaction, personal development, specific achievement etc.

This reflective process can be facilitated in a variety of ways and schools should choose the approach or range of methods they deem most suitable for the individual student. These approaches might include: ⇒ Discussion ⇒ Self-Audit/Self-Assessment ⇒ Problem Solving ⇒ Qualitative/Quantitative Assessment ⇒ Graphic analysis ⇒ A teacher/student devised format drawn up to meet the student's needs ⇒ One to one - student ↔teacher, student↔student, student↔adult With regard to the specific subject or focus of reflection, students should identify what was meaningful for them and address questions such as: ⇒ What was I like before this experience? ⇒ What did I expect of the experience? ⇒ What was the experience actually like? ⇒ What did I learn from the experience? ⇒ What have I learned about myself from this experience? ⇒ How has it affected my outlook and plans for the future? ⇒ What advice would I give anyone else starting on the same course, work

placement, or experience? The outcome of the reflection could be recorded in written, audio, video, graphic or pictorial form etc. and maintained by the student as a reference point for the Reflective Statements. 4. Structure of the Task While the reflective process is ongoing and progressive the Personal Reflection Task will be completed in the form of Reflective Statements to be presented for assessment, by an external examiner, in a portfolio. Two Reflective Statements will be required (i) At the end of Year 1 the student will present a Reflective Statement focusing on

any aspects of her/his learning experiences during the year (ii) At the end of Year 11 the focus of the Reflective Statement will be vocational,

with specific reference to work experience and other elements of the programme which have contributed to the student's current thinking and plans for the future.

In each case, the Reflective Statement will draw together and analyse varied reflections by selecting specific experiences, which have had the greatest impact on the individual student. The Reflective Statements may be presented in written, video or audio form. A written statement will be approximately 400 words in length while the maximum duration of a statement in video or audio form will be four minutes. The student may choose a different format to present each Reflective Statement. Each Reflective Statement should ⇒ At the outset, clearly state the focus or foci of the reflection ⇒ Describe the initial position, situation or starting point for the reflection ⇒ Describe the experiences and how they affected the initial position ⇒ Summarise the student's present position or situation ⇒ Describe how the experiences have affected the student's outlook for the future. The Reflective Statements may incorporate (or be presented with) a small amount of illustrative material - photographs, posters, video, audio, graphic representations etc. These should only be used to support or illustrate the written text or, in the case of an audio or videotape, the spoken message. This supporting evidence should be selected from the material assembled as part of the reflective process. The format of illustrative material should be such that it can be presented in an A4 portfolio/folder. It should be presented on A4 paper or similar material. The material assembled in the portfolio folder should be of an amount, which can be comfortably examined in 20 minutes by an external examiner. 5 Assessment of the Task The Personal Reflection Task will be assessed at the end of year two on the basis of a portfolio containing two Reflective Statements, one completed at the end of year one and the other completed at the end of year two. The focus of reflection will be as outlined in the section above on 'Structure of the Task'. The portfolio will be submitted to the Department of Education and Science for examination. Prior to submission, in order to verify the authenticity of the work, the Reflective Statements must be signed by the student and the school manager or her/his representative. In addition, the statements for year one and year two must be individually date-stamped at the time of their completion.

The assessment of the portfolio will take account of the following:

5.1 Ability to Reflect The ability of the student to recognise, identify, describe, explain and analyse relevant experiences; to apply critical thinking and creative thinking to learning from experiences; and to make connections between one experience and another. (i) Media of Reflection The level of organisation and quality of communication evident in the Reflective Statements (ii) Focus of Reflection The level and quality of engagement with key elements of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme and with the required foci of reflection, which is evident in the Reflective Statements. School authorities should ensure that pupils' Reflective Statements are stored securely and transmitted to Examinations Branch at the end of Session 4. Details regarding dates and other arrangements for the transmission of these to Examinations Branch will be sent to schools in due course.

Appendix 2 Marking Scheme- Personal Reflection Task 1. 1 The Total Mark Allocation for the Personal Reflection Task is 200

The year 1 Personal Reflective Statement is marked out of 80 The year 2 Personal Reflective Statement is marked out of 120

1.2 Marks/Credits Weightings

Credits Marks 0 0 – 39 1 40 – 55 2 56 – 71 3 72 – 87 4 88 – 103 5 104 – 119 6 120 – 135 7 136 – 151 8 152 – 167 9 168 – 183 10 184 - 200

1.3 The Marking Criteria for this Task are as follows: Focus of Reflection Ability to Reflect Media of Reflection 1.4 The breakdown of marks is as follows:

Year 1 Year 2 Focus of Reflection 20m 20m Ability to Reflect 40m 80m Media of Reflection 20m 20m

1.5 The Weighting of Marks is as follows:

Key out of 10 out of 20 Excellent 10 19 – 20 Very Good 8 – 9 16 – 18 Good 6 – 7 12 – 15 Fair 4 – 5 8 – 11 Poor 2 – 3 4 – 7 Unacceptable 0 - 1 0 - 3

2. Explanation of Marking Scheme

2.1 FOCUS OF REFLECTION (20 marks)

(a) Learning Experiences – The candidate must identify and define TWO significant concrete learning experiences in relation to the L.C.A. programme for each statement.

In year 1 s/he can focus on any aspects of L.C.A (student tasks, attendance, modules, outings, assignments etc) but in year 2 s/he must focus on the vocational aspects (anything relevant to her/his future career) - work experience, career

guidance, open days at Colleges, vocational specialisms, enterprise etc.

10 marks (b) Personalisation – The candidate must personalise her/his learning experiences and relate these experiences to herself/himself. The following questions are considered: How personal is the reflective statement? How well does the writer come through in the statement? How much is learned about the candidate from the statement? Is the candidate telling her/his own story or just writing an objective historical

account?

A good statement will contain mainly ‘I’ statements as opposed to ‘we’ or ‘the class’.

10 marks

2.2. ABILITY TO REFLECT (N.B. 40 MARKS YEAR 1 / 80 MARKS YEAR 2)

(a) Candidate describes the initial position or starting point:

Each statement must have an initial position. The initial position launches the reflective process. The candidate must be able to describe, recall, define and review his or her past experiences. The candidate cannot reflect on how the key learning experiences have affected her/him if s/he has no previous beliefs with which to compare.

10 marks/20 marks

(b) Candidate describes the experiences and the effect(s) on the initial position:

The candidate must describe, by means of examples, two specific concrete learning experiences/foci in each statement, which are personally meaningful to her/him. The experiences described must have some particular importance for the candidate and must be in some way connected to LCA.

The candidate must break down the experiences by examining, questioning, comparing and criticising. S/he should be able to link the various learning experiences mentioned and make judgements about the effects of these experiences on her/him. The candidate must write in some depth about the experiences and not just make a series of vague general unconnected statements.

S/he must analyse these experiences by explaining: -how the experiences affected her/him -in what way did her/his initial thinking change or not as a result of these experiences Candidate should explain how the chosen experiences have affected her/him and should evaluate these experiences in simple terms in order to interpret and make sense of the experiences. The following questions are considered: How meaningful were the chosen foci for him/her? How well has the candidate described and analysed the experience? How well has s/he painted the picture? Can the reasoning of the candidate be clearly followed? What has s/he learnt from the experiences? What interpretations has s/he taken from the experiences? Is the reader left with more questions than answers?

10 marks/20 marks

(c) Candidate summarises the present position: The candidate must be able to apply critical thinking and self-awareness to draw conclusions based on the analysis of the key learning experiences. The conclusions must be justified by means of well-supported statements i.e. what has s/he now decided as a result of her/his analysis of the learning experiences and why has s/he made these decisions? Candidates are required to make connections between experiences and self in order to draw conclusions about their strengths and weaknesses, choice of career etc. If a candidate draws a conclusion s/he must justify the statement by saying why s/he has reached that conclusion.

The following questions are considered: How are the foci linked? What level of self-awareness has been demonstrated? Are the conclusions explained? How well? Is there evidence supporting

conclusions? In reaching the conclusions how well linked are the descriptions of the

experiences to the degree of self-awareness shown?

10 marks/20 marks

(d) Candidate outlines how the experiences have influenced her/his outlook for the future: The candidate is required to think creatively in order to integrate what has been learned into forward planning and future goals. The candidate must be able to make connections i.e. to combine what has been learned from the different experiences into a plan for the future. The plan for the future should be based on what the candidates have learned about themselves as a result of reflection on the experiences. Candidates should have a specific plan in mind, at least in the short-term.

The following questions are considered: How specific is the plan? Are alternatives considered? How well is the plan linked to the experiences described and the

conclusions about self? How viable is the plan?

10 marks/20 marks

2.3. MEDIA OF REFLECTION (20 MARKS)

(a) Communicative effectiveness: How well does the candidate express her/his ideas? (Clarity/Fluency/Neatness/Legibility) How precise, appropriate is the word choice? What kind of rhythm and flow is there in the writing? Consideration given to; grammar, spelling, capitals, paragraphing.

10 marks (b) Organisation of thoughts: How organised are the candidate’s reflections? How logical is the task? Is it easy to follow the pattern of thinking? Does it have a beginning, middle and end? Is it mixed up or repetitive in places? How well is the statement presented?

10 marks

Appendix 3 Learning and Reflection - Some Common Misconceptions: Reflection is an optional addendum to learning. All meaningful learning by its nature depends on the experiential component. Reflection is the core of learning. Quality learning occurs through reflecting on ones own experiences. Reflection is private and is done on ones own. Reflection on ones own does not lead to development. Students need to be coached, taught and mentored on the process of reflection. It is a cognitive process supported by dialogue. Co-operative learning promotes talking and therefore promotes learning. Some students can reflect naturally and some cannot. The students that are better at it may have been more exposed to dialogue and feedback in their lives, both of which are essential for quality reflection to occur. Feedback confirms what the student has achieved and moves the student on to the next step. Reflection is a highly cognitive process and therefore best suited to very high ability students. If students have access to coaching and a social context they can develop reflective skills. Reflection is subjective and therefore less valid than objective knowledge. What is subjective and objective depends on the reference points used. Everything that is personal is subjective but there are objective reference points. The LCA programme is providing the experiences for the students. It is a professional learning experience, which they bring into the public.

Exemplar Material

Personal Reflection Task Exemplar 1

Both Year 1 and Year 2 statements are examples of a very good Personal Reflection task. A brief commentary on the marking appears after each statement. Year 1 Statement (May 2001) When I decided to do Leaving Certificate Applied I was very unsure about my decision. Some people felt that I would get a lot more out of the traditional Leaving Certificate. The more I learned about LCA from teachers and students the more comfortable I became with my decision. I was interested in childcare as a future career and I learned that I could do work experience in a crèche. This would help me decide for certain if I really wanted childcare for my career. The two experiences that meant the most to me this year were the Enterprise task and the work experience. Our class ran a Mini-company for the enterprise task. We decorated mugs and filled them with sweets for Easter. I got the job as manager but I was very nervous and I wasn’t sure how I would cope with being in charge. I found the job very tough. I had to make sure everyone was doing the work they were given and try and sort out any problems. One problem was that some people could not agree about how many sweets to put into the mugs or what design to paint on the front. Then there was a row about how much to charge for the mugs. I managed to persuade them to vote on what percentage to add on for profit. We decided on 15%. We sold all the mugs and made a profit of £43 and we gave the money to Concern. I learned from this task that it is very hard to get people to work together and that some people will always let others do the work. Running a business is much harder than I thought. I also learned that I’m good at getting people to agree and I’m not afraid to make decisions. I am not so worried now about what people will think of me if I don’t agree with them. I felt great when the task went well and the hard work was worth it. I did my work experience in a Montessori school and it was brilliant. I was a bit worried in case I couldn’t control the children or I wouldn’t like the work. I had to read them stories, play with them and help them make jigsaws. I really loved it and I looked forward to going to work every morning. I learned how to be patient and caring with the children and I felt so happy that they really liked me and rushed to me every morning when I arrived. From work experience and being manager I learned that I can get along with people and I can cope with problems and not panic. This has given me more confidence in myself. I feel that I would be suited to working with children because my work experience went so well.

I am really looking forward to next year. I would like to get more work experience in childcare or maybe try a completely different type of work for a change. I really want to work hard and get a distinction in LCA. I’m glad that I chose LCA after third year. This is a very good reflective statement because the candidate;

• Concentrates on two learning experiences, both related to the LCA programme and describes them in detail.

• Explains, analyses and evaluates each experience in a personally meaningful way.

• Shows a high level of self-awareness in drawing conclusions based on the evaluation of the experiences.

• Has formulated a plan for the future related to the initial position and the experiences described.

• Has produced a statement that is clear, logical, well expressed and well organised in circa 400 words, which is the required length.

Marks Awarded – 76/80

Focus 2 experiences, related to LCA 10/10 Personalising Very meaningful and effective use of ‘I’ statements. 10/10 Starting point Excellent. Feelings, expectations clearly outlined. 10/10 Description Very good. Well analysed; good use of value judgements. 9/10 Present Position Excellent. Good self-awareness, supported by evidence. 10/10 Future Good, but rather vague. Could be more specific. 7/10 Communication Excellent. Clear, legible, well presented. 10/10 Organisation Excellent. Logical, easy to follow, no repetition 10/10

Year 2 Statement (May 2002) When I started LCA the career that really interested me was childcare. I did my work experience in a Montessori school in year 1 and I was happy that I still wanted childcare as my future career. But my parents thought I should try other work experiences before I finally made up my mind because minding children is a very responsible, tiring job. My career guidance teacher also suggested this. Another career came into my head, which was to work as a receptionist. I was doing Office Skills and Customer Care and Information Technology and I liked them both. I knew that you had to have a nice manner for this job. I also knew that knowing something about computers would be useful. I felt that I got on well with people so I might be suited to this kind of work. I got work experience in a vet’s office for two weeks. I had to answer the phone, take bookings for tests and appointments and type some letters. I could not believe how busy the office was and how much pressure everyone was under all day. I found it very difficult to try and deal with people in the office when the phone was ringing all the time. Some people were very rude and wanted to see the vet straight away. It was hard trying to spell people’s names right and taking down details quickly. The best part was typing letters because I could take my time and I didn’t have to deal with callers. I felt under pressure all the time because if I got a message wrong it could be very serious. I realise that I could not cope with having to keep so many things going at the same time and it’s too much effort being nice to people if they are being horrible. This type of work is definitely not for me. Our class did the 8-week course in babysitting run by the ISPCC. This was the part of Leaving Certificate Applied that I enjoyed the most. I learned about the babysitter’s, child’s and family’s rights, skills in infant and childcare, what to do in accidents and emergencies, first aid, child protection and how to interact with children. I looked forward to each class because it was so interesting and we got a certificate at the end. It was this course along with the work experience in the playschool that finally made up my mind about childcare as my future career. I feel now that I am definitely suited to childcare because I really loved working with children and learning about them. I didn’t feel under pressure like I did in the office. I had to be patient in both places but I coped much better with the children when they were difficult. I felt I could control the children but the adults and the pressure of work stressed me out. It was so rewarding teaching things to small children and I know now that I am more confident dealing with children than with adults. My career guidance teacher helped me to research different courses in childcare and I’m going to do the 1-year full time NCVA level 2 course in childcare in my local community school. If I get a distinction I can then enrol in a Montessori teaching course. If I don’t I can still get a job working in a playschool with the certificate in childcare. I’m so glad I chose to do LCA. It gave me the chance to try out different types of work and know for definite what I am suited to. I can now look forward to the future with confidence.

This is also an excellent statement because;

• Both experiences described are related to a possible future career, which is required in Year 2.

• There is a clear link all through between the initial position, the experiences described, conclusions drawn and future plans.

• There is a definite starting point – childcare as a career- and this helps the candidate to describe experiences that reinforce or reject this initial position.

• The effects of the experiences on the candidate are well explained and every conclusion about self is supported by evidence. The prevalence of ‘I’ statements and ‘because’ greatly enhances this reflective statement.

• The conclusions drawn about the future career are directly linked to the experiences described.

• There is a specific short to medium term plan for the future, which is connected to the knowledge learned about self from the chosen experiences.

• The reasoning of the candidate is easy to follow and very logical. • The statement is personal because the candidate describes how the experiences

helped to discover strengths and weaknesses in skills and abilities. It does not however, contain any details of a private nature, but concentrates entirely in interpreting events in LCA in a personal way, which is what is required.

Marks Awarded – 116/120 Focus Chooses 2 vocational aspects-Childcare/Receptionist. 10/10 Personalising Excellent. Candidate’s own personal interpretation of events. 10/10 Starting Point Excellent. Initial position clearly outlined, giving reasons. 20/20 Description Very good. Office work better described than babysitting. 18/20 Present Position Excellent. Conclusions drawn are relevant and well explained. 20/20 Future Very good. Related to experiences and conclusions. 18/20 Communication Excellent. Clear, fluent, neat and legible. 10/10 Organisation Excellent. Organised, logical pattern of thinking, well presented 10/10 Overall mark 76 + 116 = 192/200. This reflective task is awarded 10 credits.

Personal Reflection Task Exemplar 2

This example is typical of many statements submitted for examination. It has potential but has not been edited or reworked. Year 1 statement (May 2001) At the start of Leaving Cert. Applied I thought the course was going to be hard, but after the first couple of weeks I got into the swing of things. I gradually got used to the subjects and found them all interesting. I also liked the idea of work experience, I chose carpentry as my experience and after the first year I feel this was a good choice. During the year we had a lot of talks, interviews and outing days. One of the talks was about Alcohol. Two people came in from the Youth Service and they spoke to us about drinking too much. I found this talk very interesting. There were games with the talk and the class found it good fun which made it easier to understand the talk. There was another talk about the environment; I felt the class was not interested in this subject. During the first couple of months I had a task for my Social Education on Drugs. I did well with that task and I found I was relaxed at the interview. I had a practice interview with someone from FAS; this interview was a great help towards my task interviews. During the year we set up a company called Munch Break. There were 12 in the company, each person gave £10. We purchased goods for our tuck shop. The first day was a great success. We sold all our purchases and made £12 profit. So far the company is doing well and I feel it will be a great achievement for all concerned. As the year went on I found the assignments easier to do. I have been interviewed for my two tasks. One was Career guidance and the other was Hotel, Catering and Tourism (a meal for foreign students) As the year comes to an end I am really looking forward to next year my final year in school. This is not a very good reflective statement because;

• The candidate focuses on too many experiences without exploring any of them in depth

• The candidate does not get personally involved in any of the experiences. The impression is that the candidate is a bystander who merely records a journal of what the class did throughout the year.

• There is no explanation, elaboration or analysis of any of the experiences mentioned.

• There is no continuity in the statement: there is little or no starting point so the experiences described can have no effect on initial thinking.

• Because the candidate does not interpret the value of the experiences, no self-awareness emerges.

• No conclusions are drawn about self because of the lack of personal interpretation of the experiences.

• No plan for the future emerges because the candidate has failed to reflect on the value of the experiences, merely providing an objective account of what has happened during the year.

Marks Awarded –33/80 Focus Has required number of experiences in LCA 10/10 Personalising Poor effort at personal involvement 3/10 Starting Point One sentence. No identification of initial thinking 3/10 Description Examples given but no analysis or evaluation. No depth 3/10 Present Position Absolutely no self-awareness at all, no conclusions drawn 0/10 Future Again, just one vague reference to next year 1/10 Communication Well laid out. Clear and legible but no development 7/10 Organisation Logical but repetitive and could be better organised 6/10 Year 2 Statement (May 2002) After hearing about the Leaving Cert Applied course and on the advice of my tutor in 3rd year I decided to do the Leaving Cert Applied. I found the course was suitable for me because I enjoy doing projects and learning about the world of work. In Leaving Cert Applied I chose carpentry as my work experience and I felt at the time that was the career I would probably choose when I finished the course. The reason I chose this was I like working with my hands and carpentry gave me plenty of opportunity to do this.

For the last two years I worked with a qualified carpenter. The type of work I did was making wardrobes, fitting kitchens, assembling staircases and converting attics. I really enjoyed the work and learned quite a lot of skills. Over the years working alongside a qualified carpenter I realised the experience and confidence I was gaining. I also got to know the people I worked with on site and in the houses where we converted attics and fitted kitchens. I liked converting attics best because the work is very interesting. In the beginning I was very nervous. I was afraid of doing things incorrectly. I was given more responsibility and this helped my confidence. There was also the experience of travelling to different towns to jobs. Over the two years the work I learned and the confidence I gained will stand to me in my future career. LCA has helped me in many ways. I suppose the work experience would have been the most beneficial and also the career guidance teacher who was very helpful and encouraged me. For my career task I learned how long an apprenticeship takes. It lasts four years and you follow a course of training and undergo assessments. Apprenticeship consists of 7 phases of training both on the job and in a FAS training centre or educational college. At the end you will receive a National Craft certificate. I feel on doing the apprenticeship the site work would be interesting. I would probably find College difficult but I would work hard to succeed. Over the next four years I hope to work as an apprentice and learn the trade. After my apprenticeship my ambition is to set up my own business. The challenges of having my own business are making my own decisions and knowing the harder I work the more successful I will be. This is a better effort than the year 1 statement but there are still a number of deficiencies, which prevent the statement from getting a higher mark.

• The candidate concentrates on two experiences and describes them in more detail.

• There is more personal involvement in the second statement. • Some effort is made to evaluate the experiences described but little or no

evidence is offered to support conclusions drawn. • The starting point is better and the experiences described are both relevant to

the initial idea of becoming a carpenter. • The candidate fails to explain exactly what skills were learned and why, for

instance, attic conversions were most interesting. • There is a definite plan for the future linked to the experiences described but it

is short on specifics such as where, when and how the ambition of becoming a carpenter is actually going to be realised.

Marks Awarded 79/120 Focus Two vocational aspects chosen 10/10 Personalising First experience described is more personal than second 7/10 Starting Point Better than year 1; more elaboration of possible career 12/20 Description Work experience good. Career research mainly narrative 14/20 Present Position Has made some connections but little or no evidence offered 7/20 Future Plan is more aspirational than specific but is relevant 11/20 Communication Clear, legible, neat, fluent. 10/10 Organisation Logical, but thoughts could be better organised. Some repetition 8/10 Overall mark 33 + 79 = 112. This task was awarded 5 credits.