An Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta

Department of Education and Science

  

Subject Inspection of Construction Studies and Materials Technology (Wood)

REPORT

  

St Colman’s Community College

Midleton, County Cork

Roll number: 71050P

   

Date of inspection: 23 October 2007

 

 

 

 

Subject inspection report

Subject provision and whole school support

Planning and preparation

Teaching and learning

Assessment

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Report on the Quality of Learning and Teaching in Construction Studies and Materials Technology (Wood)

 

 

Subject inspection report

 

This report has been written following a subject inspection in Saint Colman’s Community College, Midleton, Co. Cork, conducted as part of a whole school evaluation. It presents the findings of an evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in Construction Studies (CS) and Materials Technology (Wood) (MTW) and makes recommendations for the further development of the teaching of these subjects in the school. The evaluation was conducted over one day during which the inspector visited classrooms and observed teaching and learning. The inspector interacted with students and teachers, examined students’ work, and had discussions with the teachers. The inspector reviewed school planning documentation and teachers’ written preparation. Following the evaluation visit, the inspector provided oral feedback on the outcomes of the evaluation to the principal and the subject teachers.

 

 

Subject provision and whole school support

 

St. Colman’s is a co-educational community college providing for the education of second level students in Midleton and the surrounding areas. Together with MTW, CS and Graphics and Construction Studies (GCS), the focus of this inspection report, St Colman’s provides its students with opportunities to study a wide range of technologies including Metalwork and Technical Graphics in junior cycle and Engineering and Design and Communication Graphics in senior cycle. Management is commended for the breadth of this range of subjects and its commitment to support its effective teaching as a central element of the college’s curriculum.

 

School development planning is firmly embedded in the life of the college and it extends to planning at subject-department level. The role of management in facilitating the growth of a subject-department planning culture among the teaching team of MTW and CS is affirmed.

 

The support provided for staff involvement in continuing professional development (CPD) in preparation for the introduction of new syllabuses in the technologies, specifically in Design and Communication Graphics, is commended. All teachers of MTW and CS have been facilitated in attending the series of CPD sessions provided under the auspices of T4, the support service for the technologies. It is also worthy of note that members of the subject teaching team were also participating in CPD sessions on the SolidWorks computer-aided design (CAD) package, both as recipients and in one case as a course provider. The teachers of MTW and CS are commended for this involvement.

 

In junior cycle, MTW is allocated four periods per week. This time allocation is presented as two double-period lessons. Such an allocation of teaching time is sufficient to complete the syllabus. The provision of double periods facilitates effective teaching, particularly of the practical elements of the course. The time allocated to CS in senior cycle is five periods per week, incorporating one single and two double-period lessons. This time allocation is sufficient for completion of the syllabus over the two years of the Leaving Certificate programme. Three periods per week are allocated in Transition Year (TY) to the study of CAD and this supports the development of the students’ design skills in preparation for the study of CS, or another technology subject in fifth year. The allocation of time to CS and MTW, and its suitable division into double and single period lessons, is commended.

 

Graphics and Construction Studies (GCS) is allocated three periods per week in each session of the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) course. There is a double-period lesson included, which facilitates the completion of practical work. The fifth-year and sixth-year LCA students of GCS are combined for lessons. While it is appreciated that this arrangement does provide increased efficiency in staff deployment, it is recommended in the course descriptor that the Graphic Communication module be completed before undertaking the Construction module. Arrangements must be made to support this scheduling of the modules. Particularly in light of the year groups being combined for GCS, it is recommended that the possibility of increasing the time allocation to four periods per week be examined.

 

There are three woodwork rooms for the teaching of MTW and CS. At the time of the inspection, these rooms were neat and tidy and indicated a high standard of maintenance. Management is commended for the arrangements in place for the provision of materials and equipment for the teaching of CS and MTW, particularly for the employment of the subject-department planning structure to anticipate needs and respond accordingly. While there is not a formal annual budget for the purchase of materials, the subject-teaching team reports that all requirements are supplied in a timely way. Materials are ordered twice in the course of the year and this facilitates efficient response to the needs of student project work for state examinations.

 

Management is commended for its support for best practice in the area of health and safety. The subject-teaching team has been active in completing audits of the CS and MTW rooms within the past year and addressing the issues identified.

 

Management and the subject teaching team are commended for the quality of the developments made in the provision of information and communication technologies (ICT) equipment for the teaching of the technologies, including MTW and CS. In particular the newly equipped Design and Communication Graphics room is worthy of note. The deployment in this room of the hardware and software supplied for the introduction of the new senior cycle syllabuses in the technologies, together with major investment by the school, has achieved a teaching facility ideally suited to the teaching of computer-aided design across all the technologies.

 

It is applauded that the community college was actively pursuing a programme of equipment acquisition for the technologies, including MTW and CS, at the time of the inspection. Based on the equipment lists of the DES, published on the Web at www.education.ie, this equipment included a computer numerically controlled (CNC) overhead router linked to the computers in room 24, replacement mortising machines and pyrography kits together with the upgrade of hand-held power tools to the 110volt standard to comply with health and safety requirements.

 

In senior cycle, the optional subjects are grouped based on the preferences of the students. Students are provided with the opportunity to indicate their preferences towards the end of third year or Transition Year when they choose four subjects from the full range available in the community college. Students who have taken part in TY have the additional support of experience of the subjects prior to making their choices.

 

In junior cycle, students make subject choices on entering first year. It is recommended that the system of subject options in junior cycle be looked at with a view to providing opportunities for students to experience subjects before expressing their preferences and that subject-option groups be based on the students’ expressed preferences. Such an arrangement would have the added potential of helping to dissipate any assumptions of gender stereotyping that students might have when choosing subjects.

 

 

Planning and preparation

 

The progress made in the development of the subject-department planning structure is commended. The team approach of the teachers of MTW and CS has played a major role in the success achieved in this area and the cultivation of friendliness and sound professional relationships by the teachers concerned is commended. While formal subject-department planning takes place at staff days, school planning days and in response to particular needs that arise such as planning for health and safety, much of the subject planning is done in a less formal way as teachers of MTW and CS meet in the course of the school day. The outcomes of formal meetings are recorded in keeping with best practice. The arrangements in place for subject-department planning are clearly effective. To further improve on this success, it is recommended that consideration be given to the extension of the subject department to include all of the technologies. The resulting subject department of the technologies would operate under a rotating convener, perhaps on an annual basis. This would facilitate the sharing of the work of convener among all the members of the subject department over time, provide increased experience for each of the teachers concerned and support the enhancement of the shared memory of the subject department. Many of the issues pertinent to subject-department planning are common to all the technologies, particularly at a time of syllabus change, and the sharing of the experiences and insights of all the teachers of the technologies in this context will be of benefit to all, particularly to the students of all the technologies.

 

It is recommended, in order to build on the progress already made in addressing gender imbalance in the technologies, that the subject-teaching team consider how best to ensure equality of experience for female students as part of subject-department planning.

 

The subject-teaching team of MTW and CS is commended for its readiness to provide support for cross-curricular and co-curricular activities with the whole staff. This wide-ranging support and co-operation is particularly noted in the team’s involvement in preparations for school shows. This is acknowledged by management.

 

Following appropriate planning for the integration of ICT for the teaching of MTW and CS, it is used extensively at all levels in the subjects.

 

It is affirmed that standard, colour-coded signage is displayed in the woodwork rooms. To further improve the very good practice with regard to highlighting health and safety in the woodwork rooms, it is urged that notices be displayed adjacent to each machine, listing the safe procedures and precautions to be followed when using the particular machine. In this way it can be assured that students are kept aware of the instructions given to them when they were first introduced to the use of a machine.

 

 

Teaching and learning

 

The quality of varied and interesting teacher demonstration, used in the teaching of practical woodwork skills in particular, is commended. These included instances of whole-class, small-group and individual demonstrations to suit the needs of the students. Very good use was made of structured questioning in the course of the demonstrations to ensure the students’ understanding and to maintain their involvement. Students were provided with opportunities to undertake the work demonstrated promptly which ensured the momentum of the particular lesson was maintained. Peer demonstration, also encountered in the course of the lessons observed, was used to reinforce earlier learning in a commendable way. It is recommended, in the case of theory lessons, that the subject-teaching team explore those teaching methodologies and approaches that most actively involve the students.

 

Clear routines were in place for the management of the distribution and collection of equipment and materials and the tidying up of the woodwork rooms at the end of the lessons. This facilitated the efficient use of the time available and supported the ordered and congenial atmosphere. 

 

Students were secure and happy in the lessons observed, while they remained focussed on the work being undertaken. Discipline was at all times present and willingly accepted by the students. Students were affirmed and encouraged by their teachers in an atmosphere of mutual respect which was at all times conducive to learning.

 

Throughout the course of the inspection, students displayed a high level of engagement with the work being undertaken in the various lessons visited. They talked with confidence of the work being done when spoken to by the inspector. They were enthusiastic and displayed understanding and knowledge of the concepts and facts involved, consistent with their age and experience of the subjects.

 

In the practical lessons visited, teachers placed an admirable emphasis on the development of the traditional woodworking hand skills and their perfection by the students. To further develop their interest in achieving the greatest possible levels of perfection in the realisation of their work, it is recommended that students’ own design solutions be integrated into all projects at a level appropriate to their ability. The inclusion of such variety in project-design realisation facilitates not only the development of the students’ design skills but also provides opportunities for differentiation of the students’ practical work to take account of the mixed-ability setting in the class groups.

 

 

Assessment

 

In addition to the standard school examinations at Christmas and in summer, and mock examinations in the spring of third-year and sixth-year in preparation for state examinations, mid-term tests and assessment of student design projects on completion provide students and their parents with regular feedback on their progress in MTW and CS.

 

Continuous assessments of students’ work, including assessments of practical project work on completion, are aggregated with end-of-term examinations and this practice, which is consistent with the syllabus, is affirmed. To add further value to this assessment practice, it is recommended that the subject teaching team develop a common approach, including the weighting given to continuous assessment marks. Giving regular feedback to students on their individual progress, and keeping them aware of the likely impact on their eventual results, will maintain their awareness and motivation and has the potential to enhance the profile of the subjects.  

 

These more formal modes of assessment are complemented by the regular assessment of students’ progress which forms an integral part of each lesson, particularly in practical lessons, where students are encouraged to develop their ability to reflect on their learning in response to their teachers’ affirmation and encouragement.

 

Records of students’ progress, including achievement and progress in homework and class work as well as examination, test and other assessment outcomes, are maintained in the teachers’ diaries. This is an efficient and effective means of record keeping.

 

The students’ journals are used by them to record homework and as a channel of communication with parents, who sign the journal on a weekly basis and this, together with the sharing of the records of students’ progress at parent-teacher meetings, facilitates a good level of communication with parents.

 

 

Summary of main findings and recommendations

 

The following are the main strengths identified in the evaluation:

 

As a means of building on these strengths and to address areas for development, the following key recommendations are made:

 

A post-evaluation meeting was held with the teachers of CS and MYW and the principal at the conclusion of the evaluation when the draft findings and recommendations of the evaluation were presented and discussed.

 

 

 

 

 

Published, June 2008