Environmental and Social Studies
Encyclopedia
Environmental and Social Studies is a subject area in the Junior Certificate
examination, an Irish secondary school test. Introduced with the "new" Junior Certificate examination, ESS is an integrated subject comprising history
, geography
, and elements of civics
, town planning, cartography
and many other subjects. It is probably the most naturally cross-curricular subject in Irish schools.
It is a skills-based and student-centred course, allowing the teacher a great deal of freedom in the topics covered and methodology used. There is no textbook and students learn by active and experiential learning.
It can be taken at Higher or Ordinary Level, with differences in the syllabus requirements depending on the level selected. The standard of projects submitted for each level is also different. Each candidate must submit two major projects for assessment. One (Field Study/Geography) must be done as part of a group, and group work
skills will be rewarded, and the other (Research Project/History/Social Studies) must be undertaken individually, and is marked differently.
The projects can be assessed by the class teacher, another teacher in the school or by the visiting moderator. All projects are moderated externally, whether scored "in-house" or not. This ensures a national standard and does away with any allegations of favouritism or otherwise.
The examination consists of source-driven questions, and is a two-hour exam taken in June, at the same time as the Junior Certificate Geography exam. ESS fulfils the History/Geography requirement at Junior Certificate level for the Department of Education and Science.
The ESS syllabus is available online and is part of the group of Junior Certificate syllabi currently undergoing review by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
Junior Certificate
The Junior Certificate is an educational qualification awarded in Ireland by the Department of Education to students who have successfully completed the junior cycle of secondary education, and achieved a minimum standard in their Junior Cert. examinations...
examination, an Irish secondary school test. Introduced with the "new" Junior Certificate examination, ESS is an integrated subject comprising history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, and elements of civics
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
, town planning, cartography
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
and many other subjects. It is probably the most naturally cross-curricular subject in Irish schools.
It is a skills-based and student-centred course, allowing the teacher a great deal of freedom in the topics covered and methodology used. There is no textbook and students learn by active and experiential learning.
It can be taken at Higher or Ordinary Level, with differences in the syllabus requirements depending on the level selected. The standard of projects submitted for each level is also different. Each candidate must submit two major projects for assessment. One (Field Study/Geography) must be done as part of a group, and group work
Group work
Group work a form of cooperative learning. It aims to cater for individual differences, develop students' knowledge, generic skills and attitudes....
skills will be rewarded, and the other (Research Project/History/Social Studies) must be undertaken individually, and is marked differently.
The projects can be assessed by the class teacher, another teacher in the school or by the visiting moderator. All projects are moderated externally, whether scored "in-house" or not. This ensures a national standard and does away with any allegations of favouritism or otherwise.
The examination consists of source-driven questions, and is a two-hour exam taken in June, at the same time as the Junior Certificate Geography exam. ESS fulfils the History/Geography requirement at Junior Certificate level for the Department of Education and Science.
The ESS syllabus is available online and is part of the group of Junior Certificate syllabi currently undergoing review by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.