Results 3,561-3,580 of 9,252 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Mr. Crone for coming before the committee this morning. He spoke about the availability of STEM subjects in secondary schools. Is it something policymakers should be concerned about because some schools simply do not have the opportunity to offer particular STEM subjects?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is it just a tradition in certain schools that they do not offer the subjects or is it more practical in that they do not have the facilities but would like to be able to offer those subjects?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Last week, one of Mr. Crone's colleagues spoke about how applied maths had fallen off the map. I am looking at other subjects that he referred to in his statement such as engineering and design and communication graphics. Are there sufficient teachers to teach those subjects or is there a need to focus on training more people to be teachers of those subjects?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: The shortage of teachers is not only in maths and physics but is across the board in all subjects.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: A traditional subject we discuss in the context of STEM is the different percentage of female students compared with male taking STEM. We are concerned, justifiably, that many female students are not doing STEM subjects. Is that changing or is there anything that we as policymakers can do to make it more equal?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: One of the questions I raised in the past week with Mr. Crone’s colleagues was whether a higher percentage of girls were doing STEM subjects in coeducational schools than in single-sex girls’ schools. I do not know the answer. Do we have any data on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Sometimes in Ireland, we opt for over-correction. We have had issues where we do not have enough focus and commitment to STEM. Is Mr. Crone concerned in any way that by refocusing significantly on STEM, we are undermining the importance of the humanities? In fairness to Mr. Crone, I believe he said in his statement that these subjects are obviously complementary. Are the humanities also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: What is that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Is Mr. Crone satisfied that the commitment to humanities in secondary schools remains strong, even in those schools that are trying to refocus on STEM.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: I note what Mr Crone said about junior cycle reform and the need for senior cycle reform. Do I take from what he has said that he believes continuous assessment of STEM subjects is a preferable way of assessing a student?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does the responsibility lie with individual schools to try to build a link with individual tech companies or should it be done more centrally?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree with Mr. Crone. I thank him and I have no further questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome all the hard work the witnesses put into their opening statements. I know I speak on behalf of the Cathaoirleach and the rest of the committee when I say they are very helpful to us in deliberating on our work. I have a few questions for Mr. Jones. There is a serious issue in third-level education with precarity in academic careers. I think we discussed that previously. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: For the purpose of ensuring that STEM in Ireland is promoted and developed as much as we want it to be, we must ensure that the best people remain in third-level education and excel there. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Are many of them going into second-level education because of precarity?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: So many of them are being lost to the education system completely. It is not the case that because they cannot get careers in third-level education, they are going into second-level education. Many of them are just moving out of education.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (7 Mar 2023)

Jim O'Callaghan: Another major issue the committee wants to look at is trying to ensure more women study STEM in secondary school and third-level education. In his statement, Mr. Jones said that 41% of those graduating with a PhD in science, mathematics and computing are women. I was quite surprised by this as I did not think it would be quite as high. Obviously, the figure should be higher. My concern...