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Students' Experiences and Perspectives on Secondary Education pp 201–219Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Conclusions

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Abstract

In this chapter, Smyth highlights the main contribution of the study in relation to four dimensions in particular: transitions and trends, the impact of social class and school composition, the role of ability grouping in fostering educational inequality, and the impact of high-stakes examinations on student experiences of teaching and learning. She relates the study findings to ongoing debates about lower secondary reform in Ireland and highlights the kinds of reforms needed to provide students with an authentic and engaging experience of school. It is argued that, even in the absence of radical reform, schools can adopt a number of measures which will foster student learning and engagement, in particular, by using a broader repertoire of teaching methods, postponing subject choice as late as possible, moving away from the use of rigid ability grouping, and promoting a positive school climate which emphasises positive feedback rather than negative sanctions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Research Division, Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland

    Emer Smyth

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  1. Emer Smyth
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Smyth, E. (2016). Conclusions. In: Students' Experiences and Perspectives on Secondary Education. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-49385-9_8

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