Case Study - 2012. The PDST is funded by the Department of Education and Skills under the National Development Plan, 2007-2013 2012 Examination PortfolioWritten.

Case Study - 2012

The PDST is funded by the Department of Education and Skills under the National Development Plan, 2007-2013

2012 ExaminationPortfolio Written Exam

Marks 240 marks60%

160 marks40%

Dates 27/04/12 2/05/12

Note:In 2013 the date for the Portfolio is 1st Wed in March


Exam Supplement - SBP


Section A – Audio-visual• Compulsory & worth 30 marks• Answer all 8 questions on:• What you see• What you hear• Application of LCVP Knowledge, learning and

skills

25 minutes


Audio-visual tips

• Read the eight questions carefully before the DVD commences.

• Use the BUG technique.• Ensure to take notes on the rough work sheet on the

inside cover of the answer booklet. • Questions 7 & 8 are worth 12 marks. • They require detail.• Ensure to elaborate and always give examples if

appropriate.


Section C

• Answer 4 out of 6 questions that cover the entire syllabus.• Questions may be sub-divided into parts. • Choose questions that may deliver the most marks for you. • Ensure you can answer all parts of the question. • Take account of mark allocations for questions and parts of questions

and plan the use of time accordingly.• Always state your answer, explain your answer with at least two

different points and give an example supporting your answer. • Do not leave blank spaces or give one word answers.• Use BUG technique.

23 minutes per question


BUG techniqueBOX, UNDERLINE & GLANCE BACK

• Explain three objectives that the class might have

for organising the visit. • This is a prompt to students that they needed to explain three

objectives for organising a visit rather than misinterpreting the question and focusing solely on visiting the organisation.


Compare & contrast questions

• Compare - what is common to both and what is different to both

Contrast - distinguish what is unique to each

Similarities

Differences Differences


Integral themes in LCVP

• Planning• Evaluation• Skills• My Own Place• Legislation• Activities


Planning

Ensure to cover all areas of Planning: • Define planning. • Why Plan? • The advantages and challenges of a plan. • Can you draft a Business plan? • What are the main headings? • Can you draft an Enterprise/ Action Plan?


Evaluating• Why evaluate? • The advantages and challenges of evaluating. • How to evaluate? • Advantages and disadvantages of methods.

When evaluating use the DAR approach.• Describe: Reflect on the experience, What happened? What

did you do? Did you meet your objectives?• Assess: Think back on the experience, what went well?, what

did not work? Was it useful? What subjects were useful? What about teamwork?

• Recommend: What would you recommend for future activities? Are there any follow on activities.


Skills

• Be able to articulate the following:• Communication Skills• Team Work Skills• Organisation Skills• Research Skills• Administrative Skills• Presentation Skills• Information Technology Skills• Skills of Analysis


My own place

• Be aware of employment, social services, job creation agencies, transport , financial institutions, industrial relations, economic activities, tourism, business enterprises, voluntary/ community enterprises and issues in your local area.


Legislation

• Safety, Health and Welfare at work Act• The Employment Equality Act• The Protection of Young Persons Act


Activities• Visit to a Training Scheme/Business Enterprise /Voluntary

Organisation• My Own Place Investigation• Simulated Job Interviews• Career Investigations• Work Placements• Presentations/Interviews• Local business investigations• Visitors to the classroom• Voluntary/ Community organisation investigations• Use of ICT• An Enterprise Activity.


Outcome verbs

• Ensure you understand the difference between terms like:

• State, Explain, Outline, Describe, Analyse,

Discuss, Evaluate, Illustrate.


Common misinterpretations

• Is the question on a Visit in or a Visit out?• Are you asked to evaluate the organising of an event or

evaluate the organisation?• Are you evaluating the Career or the Activity itself, i.e. the

Career Investigation?• Why evaluate an activity v’s evaluating an activity.• Work experience v’s work shadowing.• Ensuring you know the differences between Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Ensure you can draft a SWOT analysis for an Entrepreneur, Business or Voluntary organisation that you studied.


Common misinterpretations• What makes an Activity successful v’s discussing the Activity.• The role of the entrepreneur v’s the role of the manager.• How to improve on a skill v’s rather than describing the skill.• Entrepreneur skills, qualities and characteristics.• Personal risks v Business risks when establishing a Business.• Business Plan and Enterprise/Action Plan.• Obligations of an Employer and Employee.• What makes a business successful v’s measuring the success

of a Business?


Final tips

• Be aware of all 93 Specific learning outcomes • Revise your Portfolio as this is an excellent revision tool and

refer to the learning, skills and knowledge gained • Read all questions carefully and answer all the required parts• Always State, Explain, at least two different points and give an

example• Ensure that all work is neat and legible• Ensure to develop points made and give meaningful

evaluations if required.


Final tips• Take a critical look at each answer before leaving it to ensure

that all relevant details are included• Ensure to use the learning gained through the completion of

the portfolio• Take account of mark allocations for questions and parts of

questions and plan the use of time accordingly• Use the published marking scheme as a resource and a guide

when preparing for the written examination. • These are available at the State Examinations Commission’s

website www.examinations.ie

http://www.examinations.ie/


Section B – Case Study

• Compulsory & worth 30 marks• Answer all 3 questions• Questions may be sub-divided into parts

The Case Study for 2012 GLENCAR COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE

is now available


Case study analysis tips

• Use the case study to revise the entire course by posing relevant questions.

• The case study mind map can be a vehicle to revise all the specific learning outcomes.


SWOT AnalysisBy Trisha Mc Neill

• Strengths

• Large building with many rooms.

• Committee set up representing different groups.

• Good community involvement.

• Seasonal employment for locals.

• Promotion of local area through tourist office April- Oct.

• Council will partly finance renovations.

• Weaknesses

• Lack of finance• Management ,who will run the

centre on a day to day basis?• Survey of 100 people,

population of 2,200,are all needs being fairly represented?

SWOT Analysis• Opportunities

• Private investment• Improvement in community

morale through classes and voluntary work.

• Upskilling of people in ICT/job seeking skills….

• Charge for use of creche• Computer classes• Fitness classes• Youth club• Games club• Drama club• Café will generate revenue.• Means of networking for

local people.• Rooms could be rented out

for meetings etc.

Threats• Costs of running the

resource centre annually.• Overheads, ESB,Internet

& phone bills…..• Purchasing of

equipment,photocopiers, computers…

• Running a resource centre during a recession.

• EVALUATION• How can the resource

centre evaluate its progress ?

• Local feedback• Suggestion box• Regular assessment of

programmes and facilities offered.

• Questionnaires & surveys.


Suggested Methodologies

• Make a clozed test from the case study.• Facilitate students to discuss the blanks.• Revise past exam questions on previous case studies.• Ask students to make a list of possible questions on

this years case study.• Ask students to complete their own mind maps.• Fold A3 page in half and summarise the three pieces

of legislation on one side and planning, evaluation & skills on the other.


Write everything you know about:

Safety, Health and Welfare at work Act

The Employment Equality Act

The protection of Young Persons Act

Planning Evaluating Skills


Case Study – TIPS for exam

• Read the questions carefully. • Stop and think. • Use the BUG technique. • Ensure detail and always elaborate.

25 minutes

Case Study - 2012. The PDST is funded by the Department of Education and Skills under the National Development Plan, 2007-2013 2012 Examination PortfolioWritten.

Documents

national development

department of education

business plan

minutes slide

parts of questions

enterprise action plan

compare contrast questions

answer booklet