The Second Level Support Service is funded by the Department of

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Transition Year Evaluation

• NSPI NATIONAL CONFERENCE
• April 12th 2008

Gabrielle Moran 087 8323739 gabriellemoran_at_slss.ie
Michael OLeary 087 2632502 michaeloleary_at_slss.ie
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Mission Statement

• To promote the personal, social, vocational, and
  educational development of students and to
  prepare them for their role as autonomous and
  participative members of society
• (Dept of Education , Transition Year Guidelines
  1994/1995 )

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In addition TY should

• Enable students to take a greater responsibility
  for their learning and decision making
• Help students to develop a range of transferable
  critical thinking and creative problem solving
  skills
• Prepare students for the world of work

(Transition Year Guidelines)
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and ..

• Enable students to develop basic competencies
• in key areas according to their individual needs,
• including remediation where appropriate.
• This would involve
• - identification and elimination of weakness
• - development of self-confidence

(Transition Year Guidelines)
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Four Layers of a TY Programme

• The Onion

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Evaluation

• Evaluation is
• A process of obtaining information and
• using it to form judgements which in
• turn are to be used in decision making
• Evaluation may be
• External - conducted by Inspectorate
• Internal - conducted by the School

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Internal Evaluation of TY

• The programme should be regularly reviewed and
  evaluated internally by the co-ordinating team in
  close co-operation with school management, staff
  , students, parents , work providers and
  community interests.
• (Transition Year Guidelines 1994-95 ,
• Dept. of Education)

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Why Evaluate

• Mandatory part of Writing the T.Y. Programme
• Affirms staff members individually/collectively
  
• Provides vital feedback and data on best
  practice in the school
• Encourages sharing and learning from experience
• Facilitates continual improvement
• Necessary for ongoing course design
• Identifies and consolidates strengths
• Helps to diagnose weaknesses/staff difficulties
• Initiates the reflective process
• Avoids staleness
• Public relations

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When?

• Weekly
• End of Term /Module /Course
• End of Year
• During /after work experience
• Parents night /Parent Teacher meeting
• Following a specific event

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Who?

• Whole staff
• Individual subject/module teachers on the
  programme
• Students
• Parents
• Programme Co-ordinator/Core Team
• Work experience providers
• Other Community interests

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What?

• Overall effectiveness of Programme
• The Four Layers Balance and Breadth
• Individual Modules /Subject
• Specific event Visiting speaker, Trip
• Teachers own teaching style/strategies
• Work experience /community links
• Resource materials- use and allocation

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What becomes of evaluation?

• Record and acknowledge all submissions
• Separate factual from hearsay
• Listen to concerns
• Consider all recommendations
• Try to reach conclusions
• Prioritise
• Draw up Action plans
• Target your audience
• Act !!!!