Involving a learner advisory group in the COVID-19 educational response
About:
In April 2020, shortly after the Irish Government decided to close all schools, the Department of Education established an Advisory Group to advise the Minister for Education and the State Examinations Commission on altered arrangements for the running of annual state examinations, learner certification and related issues. The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU), which is the national representative body for student councils, represented the voice of second-level learners on the Advisory Group. The ISSU had equal status with other representative groups, including those of teachers, school leaders and parents. The ISSU was represented on the group by its President and Education Officer.
The ISSU played an active role as a full member of the Advisory Group. It gathered data through surveys on learners’ views and opinions as to their preferred options for the certificated examinations and used the outcomes of these surveys to establish and support its position in relation to representing the voice of students on the Advisory Group.
Outcomes:
Both state certificate examinations and accredited grades were offered as options to students. At key points in the process, the ISSU worked with the Department in communicating key messages to students in relation to the accredited grades and state examinations for the following year as well.
Key element(s) of the VIA Framework:
The formation and outcomes of the Irish Department of Education’s Advisory Group are an example of effective INFLUENCE. Not only did the Department act swiftly to create SPACE for this group of learners to participate in discussions during a critical time, but it also directly applied their voices to subsequent decision-making.
WATCH: Video on the accredited grades process and standardisation