Where can I find the economics curriculum?

Soldie

Hi there,

I've been on both the Department of Education and Curriculum Online websites in search of the economics curriculum (here and here, respectively -- both documents are identical). The document appears to be a syllabus (descriptive) as opposed to a curriculum (prescriptive), however. Is anybody aware of where I can obtain (be it online or elsewhere) an in-depth, detailed curriculum? Is it even made available to the general public?

Many thanks.

MathsManiac

The document that you have linked to is the only one that exists. The terms "syllabus" and "curriculum" are used in different ways by different people and organisations. Your description of the difference between the syllabus and the curriculum is not a standard one and does not accord with the way the terms are used in the relevant official documents for second-level education in Ireland.

There is no "curriculum for economics". There is only a syllabus for economics.

The curriculum for senior cycle is the totality of the programme followed by the students. It consists of all of the individual syllabi followed by the student, together with the other elements of their education, including non-exam subjects like PE and perhaps RE. The syllabus is the specific programme of study in the individual subject concerned, and is the document upon which the examination in that subject is based.

Soldie

MathsManiac wrote: »

The document that you have linked to is the only one that exists. The terms "syllabus" and "curriculum" are used in different ways by different people and organisations. Your description of the difference between the syllabus and the curriculum is not a standard one and does not accord with the way the terms are used in the relevant official documents for second-level education in Ireland.

There is no "curriculum for economics". There is only a syllabus for economics.

The curriculum for senior cycle is the totality of the programme followed by the students. It consists of all of the individual syllabi followed by the student, together with the other elements of their education, including non-exam subjects like PE and perhaps RE. The syllabus is the specific programme of study in the individual subject concerned, and is the document upon which the examination in that subject is based.

Excuse my ignorance, but what outlines are schools provided with, other than a particular subject's syllabus? Using the economics syllabus linked above as an example, the topic on "The Government in the Economy" could be approached in any number of different ways, with the Austrian and Chicago schools being opposed to Keynesianism. Similar points can be made about almost every other heading on the syllabus -- economics is a very broad field. Where is it specified what is to be taught?

As an aside, my understanding is that a syllabus is a descriptive summary of the contents of a course, whereas a curriculum is an in-depth, prescriptive specification of a course's contents. But I suppose that's neither here nor there!

MathsManiac

That particular syllabus is very old, which is why it's so sparse on detail. The newer syllabi tend to be much more clear.

In the case of these older syllabi, schools rely on past exam exam papers and marking schemes to see how the syllabus has been interpreted.

Chief Examiners' reprts are often helpful too. They come out every few years. There was one in 2009: http://www.examinations.ie/archive/examiners_reports/LC_Economics_2009.pdf

Here's what it says about the syllabus, by the way:
"The current syllabus in Leaving Certificate Economics has been on the curriculum of Senior Cycle since 1969 and was assessed for the first time in 1971. Some minor revisions were made to the syllabus in the late 70’s and the revised syllabus was examined in 1981. A revision of the syllabus was undertaken by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and completed in 2005. It has been approved by the Department of Education and Science (DES) and is currently with the DES awaiting implementation."

Soldie

That's great; I wasn't aware of those reports. Thanks for your help.