Frequently Asked Questions
Click on any of the topics listed below to find out more information. If you have a question that is not addressed on this page, please forward it to any of the Regional Development Officers. The relevant e mail addresses can be found in the "Contact Us" section of the website.
Examination |
| 1. Will there be a choice on the examination?
All Leaving Certificate Students in the country will sit the same Paper 1, in it's present form. Thus the choice of 6 questions from 8 still exists on this paper. The schools involved in the Project Maths pilot program will sit a revised Paper 2. This examination will have no choice as is the case with the present Junior Certificate. This is to ensure full coverage of the syllabus by all students. This was introduced into the Junior Certificate in 2000 and has proved to be very successful. |
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2. Are there any examination questions for Paper 2 available yet? A range of teaching and learning draft questions have been sent to the teachers in the pilot schools. Teachers were asked for their views on these questions and based on the teachers’ feedback the NCCA will finalise its advice to the States Examinations Commission. Additional questions are being prepared by the NCCA and will be circulated to the Project Maths Schools.
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3. What is the schedule for draft syllabus introduction? The table below sets out the schedule for the introduction of draft syllabus strands in the initial 24 schools and, following a two-year period to monitor and evaluate this, the planned roll-out to all schools. Changes will also occur to the examination questions associated with these strands for both Junior Certificate (JC) and Leaving Certificate (LC) in the years indicated.
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Project Maths in all other schools. |
| I am not in one of the Project Maths Schools, when do I start to receive inservice on Project Maths?
You will start to receive inservice from September 2009. You will receive two seminars one on Strand 1(during first term) and another (during second term) on Strand 2 prior to teaching these strands in September 2010 |
Problem solving approach |
| What is problem solving?
One of reasons underlying the rationale for Project Maths is that students need to develop problem solving skills as they are necessary for lifelong learning. The current teaching and learning of mathematics tends to emphasise well rehearsed knowledge and skills in familiar contexts. It is apparent from research in this field that there is a growing need for more fruitful practices so that students can apply their skills to less familiar contexts. For more information on problem solving, click here
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The Syllabus |
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1. Are the options still on the Leaving Certificate syllabus? No, the 4 current options are gone. However from the 4 current options the material from Probability and Statistics is now included in the syllabus. Simple hypothesis testing including a quick test called Tukey has been included at Ordinary Level. To view the syllabus, click here
2. Is the syllabus longer than it was? The two strands that have been introduced to the Project Maths Schools i.e. Strand 1: Probability & Statistics and Strand 2: Geometry & Trigonometry. Teachers are finding that the methodologies that embrace teaching and learning for understanding are taking longer. This is being taken into consideration by the NCCA committees. As Project Maths is at its pilot stage the committees will review the first two strands at the end of the first year. |
Project Maths Student Competition |
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1. When is the competition starting?
The competition is starting in January 2009. Every month a new competition will be posted.
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2. Can any student enter the competition? At the moment only First and Fifth Year students in the 24 Project Maths Schools can enter. In September 2009 this will be reviewed. |
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3. How do I enter the competition?
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Student Disc Questions |
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1. How can I open the students’ disc? The student disc is a "zipped file". There are a list of instructions on how to download this file on the "Student Disc" page. These instructions are for Office 2007, other versions of office may differ. If you are unable to extract the files, please e mail your relevant RDO who will assist you. |
Project Maths Website Questions |
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1. Do I need any particular settings for the Project Maths website? The website is compatible with Internet Explorer 6 and 7, as well as Firefox. No other adjustments are neccessary. |
Project Maths Teaching and Learning Plans. |
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1. How can I find out more about Teaching and Learning Plans? On the homepage, go the menu on the left hand side. Click on the “T & L Plans” link which will take you to a selection of Teaching & Learning plans that have been developed. |
Project Maths Posters. |
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1. Do you have any posters for classrooms? If you click the Resources tab on the on left hand side. You will see an option called "Posters", click this and you will find a poster for René Descartes. The Project Maths Development Team hope to produce more of these. |
Project Maths All Other Schools. |
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1. Where can I find a copy of the syllabus for Project Maths The Syllabus is listed under the link “Official Documents” on left hand menu of home page.
2. Is the syllabus which is dated September 2008 the final syllabus? No, it is not. It is the syllabus that the Project Maths Schools are following and based on feedback from teachers in these schools it may be revised.
3. In the Geometry Syllabus here are numbers used for Axioms, Constructions, Corollaries and Theorems. Where do these numbers come from? These numbers are based on the school geometry course described in Appendix 1 (available under the "Offical documents" link). The formal underpinning for the system of post-primary geometry is that described by P.D. Barry. Geometry with Trigonometry, Horwood, Chicester (2001) 4. I am not in one of the Pilot Schools, when do I start to teach Project Maths?
You will start to teach Strand 1 and Strand 2 to your First and Fifth Years in September 2010. For more information on the roll out of Project Maths, click here. |
Project Maths Schools |
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1. How many schools are invloved in the pilot program? 24 schools have been selected to participate in the pilot program. To view the schools involved, click here. |
Information for parents. |
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1. Is there any further information available for parents? The NCCA have produced an information leaflet for parents who may have children involved in the Project Maths pilot program. The download this information, click here. |
Comments on Syllabus. |
| 1. This document offers some insights regarding omissions and additions to the Project Maths syllabus. To view this information, click here |
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