Teachers observed that the recent Leaving Cert PE examination embraced modern dilemmas, nonetheless, students found it challenging to finish the paper in the allotted time. William Browne, an ASTI subject delegate and educator at Clonakilty’s Sacred Heart Secondary School, pointed out the smiling faces of students after attempting the exam and emphasised how prior knowledge from old examinations and practice papers became handy.
Both Browne and his counterpart Brian Gregan from the Institute of Education opined that students might have found the exam lengthy. Gregan specifically mentioned that section A required brisk completion, potentially causing time management issues despite mainly involving brief questions. However, he maintained that the range of topics it covered provided myriad opportunities for students to exhibit their knowledge.
Illustrating the exam’s unique structure, Browne emphasised that despite having the same duration as other examinations – 150 minutes -, it counts only for half of a student’s total marks. Gregan, on the other hand, placed emphasis on the prevalent reference to Irish athletes within the paper.
Question one, for instance, cited Cork gymnast Meg Ryan and posed an aesthetically or artistically oriented query. While not popular among all students, Gregan regarded this topical diversity as an affirmation of the syllabus’s broad scope. Question five also used the example of Hannah Tyrell, earning praise from Gregan for being well attempted by the students.
He hailed another athlete, Rhasidat Adeleke, as an exemplar of the application of these elements to an incredible extent. Browne shared Gregan’s sentiment in acknowledging that students were given numerous opportunities to discuss popular athletes, teams, and sports in their responses.
Meanwhile, Gregan noted that the anticipatable case study on the Paris Olympics presented some tough questions. He lauded the broad choice offered in section C of the exam, especially Questions 15 and 16, which required excellence in performance and indepth contemplation on ethics and doping, respectively, traits which particularly appeal to students studying PE.
Mr Gregan highlighted question 18 which addresses the psychological aspects of sport, noting that it might have strongly resonated with students. As mental wellbeing’s importance increasingly becomes acknowledged amongst students, reflecting these concerns in questions concerning anxiety’s impact is vital. He said that considering the intense pressure athletes face, it is of paramount importance to not overlook the human element. This topic usually extends beyond the educational environment and spills over into the students’ personal lives.
Speaking about the ordinary level paper, Mr Browne observed that the questions were aptly balanced. “Direct questions were posed to students at this level, unlike the higher-tier paper that necessitated them to utilise their knowledge”, he remarked.
Try out this home exercise:
For the higher level Leaving Cert PE:
Q6: With the objective of eradicating doping in Irish sports, outline four prevailing Irish anti-doping rules – a function of Sport Ireland Anti-Doping.