Aims and Principles
- The general aim of education is to contribute towards the development of all aspects of the individual, including aesthetic, creative, critical, cultural, emotional, expressive, intellectual, for personal and home life, for working life, for living in the community and for leisure.
- Leaving Certificate programmes are presented within this general aim, with a particular emphasis on the preparation of students for the requirements of further education or training, for employment and for their role as participative, enterprising citizens.
- All Leaving Certificate programmes aim to provide continuity with and progression from the Junior Certificate programme. The relative weighting given to the various components -e.g. personal and social (including moral and spiritual) development, vocational studies and preparation for further education and for adult and working life -- within the programmes may vary.
- Programmes leading to the award of the Leaving Certificate are of two years duration and are offered in three forms:
- The Leaving Certificate (Established)
- The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme
- The Leaving Certificate Applied
- All Leaving Certificate programmes, in contributing to a high quality education, emphasise the importance of :
- self-directed learning and independent thought
- a spirit of inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving, self-reliance, initiative and enterprise
- preparation for further education, for adult and working life
- lifelong learning.
The Leaving Certificate (Established)
The Leaving Certificate (Established) programme offers students a broad and balanced education while allowing for some specialisation. Syllabuses are provided in a wide range of subjects. All subjects are offered at Ordinary and Higher levels. In addition, Mathematics and Irish are also offered at Foundation level.
The certificate is used for purposes of selection into further education, employment, training and higher education.
The Leaving Certificate VocationalProgramme (LCVP)
The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme is an intervention within the Leaving Certificate (Established). LCVP students study a minimum of five subjects (at Higher, Ordinary or Foundation levels), including Irish and two subjects from specified vocational subject groupings. They are also required to take a recognised course in a Modern European language, other than Irish or English. In addition LCVP students take three Link Modules on Enterprise Education, Preparation for Work and Work Experience.
In particular, the LCVP aims to foster in students a spirit of enterprise and initiative and to develop their interpersonal, vocational and technological skills.
The Leaving Certificate Applied
The Leaving Certificate Applied is a distinct, selfcontained Leaving Certificate programme. It is designed for those students who do not wish to proceed directly to third level education or for those whose needs, aspirations and aptitudes are not adequately catered for by the other two Leaving Certificate programmes. The Leaving Certificate Applied is structured around three main elements Vocational Preparation, Vocational Education and General Education which are interrelated and interdependent. This programme is characterised by educational experiences of an active, practical and student-centred nature.
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
(i) Home economicsscientific and social is an applied subject combining theory with practice in order to develop understanding and solve problems. It is concerned with the way individuals and families manage their resources to meet physical, emotional, intellectual, social and economic needs. (ii) Home economics focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills and attitudes that will enable students to take control of their own lives at present and in the future, whether that be in the home, in further education, in the world of work, or other life situations. The wide range of learning experiences to which the students are exposed will allow them to be flexible and adaptable in the changing situations of modern life. It prepares students of both sexes for life in a consumer-oriented society and provides a learning foundation for those seeking employment in a wide range of careers, such as the food industry, tourism, clothing and design, and the health and social services.
(iii) Home economics emphasises the interdependent relationship that exists between individuals or families and their immediate and distant environments and promotes a sense of responsibility towards sustaining resources within those environments.
Aims
The aims of the syllabus are to:
- provide continuity and progression from the aims and content of the Junior Certificate home economics programme
- allow students, male and female, to acquire and develop the knowledge, understanding, skills, competence and attitudes necessary to contribute to a personal and family environment conducive to human development, health, leisure, security, and happiness
- provide a suitable basis for the formation of post-school life, with the emphasis on future education, vocational training and employment needs; to include the particular needs of the food industry, clothing, textile and craft industries, tourism, and social and health services; and to develop an appreciation of the significance of their learning to the Irish economy and the European Union
- develop an understanding of the physical, emotional, intellectual, economic and social needs of individuals or families and to encourage an appreciation of the diversity of socioeconomic and cultural influences on family life
- encourage students to develop and apply the management skills necessary for the effective organisation and management of available resources to satisfy personal and family needs in a continuously changing economic, social and technological climate
- develop an awareness of the interdependence of the individual or family and the environment and to promote a sense of responsibility to global issues
- be sensitive to aspects of Irish and European cultures
- nurture and develop a spirit of enterprise, inventiveness, aesthetic awareness, and creativity
- encourage students to become discerning consumers, able to seek out and evaluate information and weigh evidence as a basis for making sound judgements and choices
- develop an awareness of health and safety practices in activities related to home economics
- develop personal qualities: perseverance, self-confidence, co-operativeness, team spirit, adaptability, and flexibility.
Objectives
The objectives of the syllabus are:
Knowledge
Students should have knowledge of
- relevant facts, principles, terminology, methods, and concepts
- managerial processes related to the individual, home, family, and community
- the relationship of nutritional needs to the health of the individual and the community
- current technological advances affecting food, materials, textiles and equipment used in the home, with reference, where relevant, to industrial processes
- elements and principles of design in relation to clothing, food, and the home
- sociological factors affecting the individual and families.
Understanding
Students should understand
- relevant facts, principles, terminology, methods, and concepts
- the physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs of people
- the effects of social and technological change on the family, society, industry, and the economy
- the responsibilities an individual has towards the family group, the community, and the world at large
- the social and economic dimensions of home economics
- the relationship that exists between the individual or family and the environment.
Skills
Students should be able to
- develop skills of handling, observing and evaluating food, textiles and equipment in the wide range of practical activities encountered
- research, study, analyse, synthesise and interpret material as a basis for expressing and communicating viewpoints in planning and evaluating alternatives and making judgements and decisions through problem-solving
- develop and extend organisational, manipulative and creative skills in relation to the preparation, cooking and presentation of food
- develop an appreciation of the quality and suitability of clothes and fabrics
- develop creative ability and respond to design through the exploration of materials and processes
- apply principles of safe and hygienic practices
- gain the experience of communicating, interacting and co-operating through working in groups
- analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of a course of action and redirect it if necessary
- apply the principles of management to any relevant activity.
Competence
Students should be able to
- present information in a variety of forms in a structured and logical way
- initiate and implement independent work schedules
- arrive at conclusions or solutions to tasks or problems in a planned, systematic way
- plan, prepare and present meals to specific requirements
- make and evaluate decisions based on the consideration of all available information
- produce a garment that demonstrates the use of a range of prescribed processes (textiles, fashion, and design elective only)
- transfer acquired knowledge and skills to new situations at home or in industry so that they can produce a variety of solutions to novel problems, evaluate the possibility of suggested solutions, and form reasoned proposals for action.
Attitudes
Students should appreciate
- that the use of effective managerial processes affects the quality of life
- the role of the consumer in society
- the importance of being discerning consumers, able to seek out and evaluate information and to weigh evidence as a basis for making judgements and choices
- the importance of safe and hygienic practices in the home and elsewhere and the fact that safety awareness should be an integral part of life in the use of food, materials, and equipment
- the responsibilities they have towards themselves and their families, peers, and other members of society
- the value of aesthetic considerations in relation to all aspects of life
- the value of individuality, creativity, and enterprise
- applications and influence of technology, the effect it has on society, and its impact on the environment
- the effect that the decisions of individuals have on wider national and global issues
- that there is an interdependent relationship between individuals and their environment
- the importance of home economics issues to the economic development of the local community, the country, and the EU.
Syllabus Structure
Core
The core consists of three areas:
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND CONSUMER STUDIES 25%
SOCIAL STUDIES 10%
FOOD STUDIES 45%
ELECTIVE 20%
Electives
There are three electives, from which one will be chosen
HOME DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT 20%
OR
TEXTILES, FASHION, AND DESIGN 20%
OR
SOCIAL STUDIES 20%
Each elective is an extension of the content of the core.
Format
The syllabus is presented in four columns, under the headings:
- topic
- contentexpected knowledge and understanding
- activities to support the course objectives
- links with other parts of the syllabus.
The topic column gives main headings and number references, from which the topics covered can be conveniently referred to.
The content column gives further details of the content required. Content required for Higher level only is indicated (in black print) in this column also.
The support activities column is included to assist teachers in achieving the objectives of the syllabus. The activities included encourage variety in learning methods. Alternative suitable activities may also be used.
The fourth column indicates links with other partsof the syllabus and is included as an aid to teachers in integrating topics from one content area to another.
The syllabus has been structured to facilitatethe development of the specific content ofthe syllabus in a clear and informative way.The format in which the syllabus is presenteddoes not imply any particular order ofteaching. Teaching strategies should promote,in a positive manner, the aims and objectivesof the syllabus.
It is recommended that the subject be taught within a framework that integrates the related elements and processes within each of the three areas of the core and the selected elective. This is facilitated by the cross-referencing in column 4: links with other parts of the syllabus.
Level differentiation
The syllabus has been designed as a common syllabus for Ordinary and Higher levels. Some material has been designated Higher level only. This material, which is an extension of Ordinary level, is printed in black throughout the syllabus.
Higher level students will be expected to demonstrate a greater depth of understanding of concepts, processes and principles and a greater degree of proficiency in skills, both practical and procedural.
Syllabus contentlegislation
Where legislation or regulations are referred to in the syllabus content, it is expected that candidates will have a knowledge of the most recent developments.
Practical work
Practical work is an integral component of the syllabus.
Practical activities provide opportunities for achieving the syllabus objectives as the content is studied.
Slides, posters, books, videos and computer programs are excellent resource materials, and their use in implementing the syllabus is recommended.
Standard safety precautions must be observed, and due care must be taken when carrying out all activities.
Time
The syllabus is designed for 180 hours of class contact time (the equivalent of five class periods of 40 minutes each per week). At least one double period is required per week to facilitate practical work.
Safety, health and welfare
Normal safety conventions will apply to the teaching of the syllabus. Teachers must work within the guidelines of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (1989) and any subsequent amendments. Teachers are encouraged to develop in their students positive attitudes and approaches to safety in the range of activities they encounter and to inculcate in them an awareness of the values of creating a safe working environment.
Teachers guidelines
A set of teachers guidelines (non-prescriptive material) will accompany the syllabus.
ASSESSMENT
The syllabus will be assessed in accordance with its objectives. In any year the examination will be representative of a range of elements from the syllabus.
Assessment objectives
Candidates will be required to demonstrate their
(i) knowledge and understanding of relevant facts, principles, terminology, methods and concepts, as outlined in the syllabus
(ii) ability to apply this knowledge and understanding to a variety of relevant situations
(iii) ability to research, record, analyse, synthesise and interpret material and to present information in a structured and logical way
(iv) ability to analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of a course of action
(v) organisational, manipulative and creative skills in relation to relevant areas of the syllabus
(vi) ability to make informed choices and decisions based on the consideration of all available information.
Differentiation
The syllabus aims to cater for a wide range of student abilities. While it has been designed as a common syllabus for Ordinary and Higher levels, some material has been designated Higher level only. This Higher level material is an extension of Ordinary level material.
Assessment will be available at Ordinary and Higher levels. Examination questions and tasks will be based on the syllabus content appropriate to each level. In addition, Higher level students will be expected to demonstrate a greater depth of understanding of concepts, processes and principles and a greater degree of proficiency in skills, both practical and procedural.
Format
Assessment will be in the form of a terminal written examination and an assessment of practical work, which is an integral part of the study of home economics. There will also be an assessment of practical work for those candidates who study the textiles, fashion and design elective.
As home economics is a multi-disciplinary subject, it is recommended that it be taught within a framework that integrates the related elements and processes within the core and the selected elective. It follows, therefore, that assessment questions and tasks will promote this principle of integration.