Inclusion or diversion in higher education in the Republic of Ireland?

In this paper I investigate the extent to which the Irish higher education system promotes inclusion or diversion in relation to social selectivity. In doing so, stratification processes are examined for two educational outcomes: inequality in the type of higher education institution attended (institutional differentiation) and the level of qualification pursued at higher education (qualification differentiation). The paper considers the individual and school level influences on these two educational outcomes and concludes that the Irish system is inclusive, but class disparities remain in terms of both institutional differentiation and qualification differentiation. Class disparities are largely mediated through educational attainment at the individual level and diversion is particularly evident in relation to the nonmanual and skilled manual groups. Furthermore, school effects have a particular influence on those who do not obtain their preference of higher education course

Review of Irish Higher Education: A Comparative Perspective, by Patrick Clancy, Dublin, Institute of Public Administration, 2015

Abstract included in text

Determinants and Effects of School Age Childcare on Children’s Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Outcomes at Age 13

Little is known about the determinants or the influence of childcare arrangements for school age children in the Irish context. Using longitudinal data from Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) child cohort study, this paper examines the factors associated with participation in non-parental after-school care in middle childhood and examines the influence of such care settings on children’s outcomes at age 13. The findings show that participation in the type of after-school clubs captured by the GUI data (largely paid care in a group setting) is supporting children with specific educational needs and those with limited family support, as well as being strongly associated with maternal employment and high household income. Cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes at thirteen years are best explained by child, family, school and parental characteristics rather than direct effects of the type of out-of-school care arrangement held at age nine

Inclusion or Diversion in Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland?. ESRI WP304. June 2009

In this paper I investigate the extent to which the Irish higher education system promotes inclusion or diversion in relation to social selectivity. In doing so, stratification processes are examined for two educational outcomes: inequality in the type of higher education institution attended (institutional differentiation) and the level of qualification pursued at higher education (qualification differentiation). The paper considers the individual and school level influences on these two educational outcomes and concludes that the Irish system is inclusive, but class disparities remain in terms of both institutional differentiation and qualification differentiation. Class disparities are largely mediated through educational attainment at the individual level and diversion is particularly evident in relation to the nonmanual and skilled manual groups. Furthermore, school effects have a particular influence on those who do not obtain their preference of higher education course

THE EARLY IMPACT OF THE REVISED LEAVING CERTIFICATE GRADING SCHEME ON STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIOUR. ESRI RESEARCH SERIES NUMBER 85 JANUARY 2019

This report examines the early effects, on student perceptions and behaviour, of a change in the grading structure for the Leaving Certificate (LC) examination, which took place in 2017. Potential change in LC outcomes is an important policy issue, given the crucial role played by upper secondary grades in access to higher education (HE) and in (higher quality) employment in Ireland (Hannan et al., 1998; McCoy et al., 2010a; Smyth and McCoy, 2009). In Ireland, the terminal, externally assessed system, with its high-stakes character, has been found to profoundly influence the nature of learning and skills development experienced by young people (McCoy et al., 2014b; Burns et al., 2018; Smyth et al., 2011). This report assesses whether an adjustment in the grading system has had an impact on the perceptions and behaviour of the first cohort of students experiencing the new scheme, in their final year of school

IDENTIFYING THE BARRIERS TO HIGHER EDUCATION PARTICIPATION. ESRI Research Bulletin 2010/1/5

As economic circumstances remain difficult and CAO applications reach record numbers, there has been renewed focus on higher education. In part this reflects the severe deterioration in labour market opportunities for young people, particularly in relation to apprenticeships. Postponement of labour market entry among school leavers more generally and growing numbers of (young) adults returning to college to improve their skills also play a role. In this context, identifying the potential barriers young people face in gaining entry to college is of central importance. Furthermore, identifying barriers to higher education participation is of great policy relevance given the impact of third level education on life chances. A recent study† focuses on a group which has not shared in the general trend towards increased third-level participation – the “lower non-manual” group. This group largely comprises lower level service workers (such as chefs, bus drivers, hairdressers) and accounts for just under 10 per cent of the population. It has not been previously identified as ‘disadvantaged’ in terms of educational participation, but the study shows that young people from this socio-economic group are poorly placed in terms of college participation and are also the only social group to have seen a fall in levels of college entry over time. The study analysed the factors shaping entry or non-entry to college, using a combined analysis of 10 years of School Leavers’ Survey data and in-depth life-history interviews with school leavers whose parent(s) were employed in such non-manual jobs

SCHOOL LEAVERS: HOW ARE THEY FARING? ESRI Research Bulletin 2009/1/2

Recent evidence from the School Leavers’ Survey suggests that young people who enter the labour market after leaving school are likely to be particularly vulnerable in the current economic climate. Since the late 1970s the Economic and Social Research Institute has been carrying out research and publishing data on the employment and education outcomes of school leavers. A new report in this series* suggests that young people who leave school without a Leaving Certificate qualification tend to be more vulnerable to unemployment, and are therefore likely to be particularly vulnerable during the current recession

Mismatch in the Graduate Labour Market Among Immigrants and Second-Generation Ethnic Minority Groups. ESRI WP316. September 2009

This paper uses graduate survey data and econometric methods to estimate the incidence and wage effects of over-education and overskilling among immigrant and ethnic minority graduates from UK universities. The paper empirically demonstrates that immigrant and second-generation ethnic minority graduates were no more likely to experience education or skill mismatch relative to their native counterparts. Furthermore, graduates from immigrant and ethnic minority backgrounds incurred overeducation and overskilling wage penalties that lie well below the level incurred by native graduates. The research stresses the importance of controlling for the effects of location-specific human capital and sample selection when undertaking studies of this nature

The Influence of Childcare Arrangements on Child Well Being from Infancy to Middle Childhood

In 2012, the Family Support Agency (now Túsla, the Child and Family Agency) in collaboration with the Irish Research Council commissioned this study to investigate the wellbeing of children from families in which the parents are in employment and the children are minded by others. The study set out to describe the uptake of non-parental care from infancy to middle childhood, and to determine how such uptake influences the wellbeing of children. This is the first national study of the well-being of children from infancy to midd le childhood in the Irish context. The key research objectives were: 1. To explore the relationship between childcare arrangements in early childhood and out-of- school care in middle childhood and children’s physical, cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes; and, 2. To identify the key risk factors associated with children’s well-being from infancy to middle childhood