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IT Course

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  • 21-08-2003 11:34am
    #1
    Kappar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭


    I was looking at the list of subjects that one can do in the LC and it got me thinking why is there no IT subject? I mean some of the subjects are crazy but something that would actually be useful when one left school.

    What are your opinions? What should the course involve?


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    #2
    Delphi91
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭Delphi91


    Actually, that's not technically correct!

    There is an IT/Computer section that you can do as part of the LC. Its hidden away in the LC Maths course and is an optional section - you can get info on it in the "Rialacha agus Clár" published by the Dept of Ed and Sc. Its very rarely mentioned 'cos not many do it. I can't remember the exact details, but it involves programming, software, hardware, applications, computer history and a few other bits and pieces.

    There is a pilot scheme in operation around the Limerick area, run by the University of Limerick. Its been running for almost 25 years now (yeah, I know, some pilot scheme that is!!). Its a LC computer course run over two years. Students do practical assignments, a project and then a theory paper in 6th year. The course covers programming (Pascal/Visual Basic), software, hardware, digital electronics, numer systems, Internet, computer history, etc, etc. Points are awarded in the same way as in the LC and UL will accept the results for points towards entry into a degree/diploma.

    As for why the Dept haven't put a proper IT course onto the LC, well the only reply that I can give to that is a comment made by the Chief Inspector in the Dept about 3-4 years ago. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here) "There are already something like 30 possible subjects at Leaving Cert. The chances of adding on another one are slim to none" I know that the NCCA were investigating the feasibility of a LC computer course at the time, but I'm not sure if anything came out of it.

    Mike


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    #3
    sionnach
    Registered Users Posts: 2,543 ✭✭✭sionnach


    k its the 21st century, computer skills will be essential in the futures of all our students yet IT is not an LC subject while classics, latin etc. are :confused:


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    #4
    byrnenj
    Closed Accounts Posts: 566 ✭✭✭byrnenj


    I did my LC in 1997 and the went on to do an Engineering Degree in DIT, quit it after 2 years to do an IT degree in Trinity.

    I would have probably got my 1st choise (computer applications : DCU ) on my CAO had there been a computer related subject in the leaving which would have been an ideal starter into any IT / computer course in any college, but instead i suffered in my points doing useless subjects to me like English, Irish and German. My other subjetcts were Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and Engineering.

    Had there been any sort of computer / IT subject open to me I would have jumped on it like a woman with open legs, and maybe got my first choice but alas i was stuck doing subjects that had no relevance to my career choices i had already made.

    Maybe we should start here and send mails to the minister for education demanding some sort of IT course as it would relevant to nearly most technical related courses available on the CAO.

    Best of luck to you all who did their LC this year, hope you got / will get what you wanted.

    Cheers

    -Niall


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    #5
    PHB
    Registered Users Posts: 20,617 ✭✭✭✭PHB


    I can see it being a hard subject if they put in higher level maths stuff into it, otherwise it would become a memorisation subject as otherwise it would be too easy, so it wouldnt be different to any of the other courses :)


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    #6
    ^whitey^
    Registered Users Posts: 843 ✭✭✭^whitey^


    There is an IT/Computer section that you can do as part of the LC. Its hidden away in the LC Maths course and is an optional section - you can get info on it in the "Rialacha agus Clár" published by the Dept of Ed and Sc. Its very rarely mentioned 'cos not many do it. I can't remember the exact details, but it involves programming, software, hardware, applications, computer history and a few other bits and pieces.

    I did that optional section in the LC maths course got a cert saying I completed it ...... It was nothing close to what byrnenj described it.

    I didn't learn anything about "programming, software, hardware, applications, computer history e.t.c" (although I would have loved to) the only thing I did was D.T.P and a little database work.


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    #7
    sceptre
    Registered Users Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Originally posted by PHB
    otherwise it would become a memorisation subject as otherwise it would be too easy
    Not necessarily so. Design a leaving cert course around the ALU structure, registers, binary number conversion, elementary logic, buses, some maths and general applications and perhaps some programming (all things done by students in first year of college computer courses) as well as some general history and you'd have the makings of a fairly difficult subject if anything. And Bob Cringely woudl be compulsory reading.


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