Leaving Certificate students get into Biotechnology early, at Dublin City University
10 February 2004

students from Senior Comprehensive Ballymun

The Faculty of Science and Health at Dublin City University has just completed a two-week programme for Leaving Certificate students. The programme allows secondary school science classes to carry out mandatory experiments that are on the Leaving Certificate syllabus, in the laboratories at DCU.

The School of Biotechnology at DCU opened its laboratories to secondary school pupils, for the pupils to run their biology experiments. Thirteen schools from Dublin to Louth, across to Leitrim and every county in between attended. Dr. Sharon Davin organised the leaving Certificate experiments in the School of Biotechnology said, "We ran biology labs in the School of Biotechnology in DCU for leaving cert students over the course of two weeks. Schools from across the country participated in the scheme. The students got to experience life in university for a short while, learned and performed some new experiments and had some fun at the same time", said Sharon.

students from Terenure College

The School of Biotechnology is a strategic unit in the Faculty of Science and Health at Dublin City University. The Head of School is Dr Brid Quilty and is located in a state of the art building which incorporates both teaching and research facilities, and a pilot plant. The School of Biotechnology is unique in having process engineers, biochemists, microbiologists, geneticists and a pharmacologist within a single departmental unit, thus encouraging inter-disciplinary approaches to teaching and research.

The students performed a number experiments from the leaving cert syllabus,in small groups of three to five students, with a dedicated instructor to the group. Dr. Davin explained "This hands on approach to experimental work now forms part of their [leaving certificate students] course in biology. In providing this unique opportunity, the students can perform experiments, which may not be available to them due to time or equipment restrictions in their school. In all cases, the students performed experiments that they had not yet covered in school. In working in small groups, this allowed the students to focus on the experiments and offered them the chance to question the protocol with their instructor."

The benefits of this programme has spread beyoud the participating schools. The Irish Science Teachers Association (ISTA) has acknowledged the benefits of this programme to pupils and teachers. Gillian Murphy, ISTA spokesperson said "I met most of the teachers and students and received very positive feedback. Teachers are under enormous pressure to cover new curriculi as well as manage a lab without any assistance. The students benefit from using state of the art equipement which encourages a more positive attitude towards sciecnce." Gillian went on to say "The presence of technical back-up and expertise was especially appreciated by the teachers. The experinents are invaluable and it would be great if more schools could participate in the programme."