The collaborative learning initiative at Davitt College sought to understand student disengagement in senior cycle. They interviewed staff, students, and parents. Staff found issues like poor attendance, lack of participation, and overreliance on teachers. Parents felt students worked hard but need ongoing support. Students reported struggling academically, procrastinating, and not seeing the link between education and their future. The initiative plans to address these issues through a parenting course, changing the transition year format, and inviting speakers for students. They will monitor the effectiveness of these interventions.

1. Collaborative Learning Initiative
Davitt College
Our journey so far

2. What did we look at?
• What is the nature of student disengagement
with learning at senior cycle?
• Why are students disengaging from learning at
senior cycle?
• What can be done to change this trend?

3. How did we do it?
• Eportal
• Staff informal interviews
• Student focus group
▫ A small representative group of 5th year students
• Parent individual interviews
▫ Parents from student focus group

4. What did we find out? (Staff)
• Minority of students have poor attendance and
punctuality
• Poor organisation skills
• Lack of participation and co-operation in subject
▫ Homework, deadlines, non-engagement,
concentration
• Not taking responsibility for their own learning.
▫ no effort is made to catch up on homework if absent
• Over reliant on teachers to provide answers , notes etc.
• Students not taking correct subject choice at beginning
of 5th year-changing mid year.

5. What did we find out? (Parents)
• 5th year was a positive experience for their
children
• Believe students have worked to the best of their
ability
• Study habits established in JC helped
• Students need help and encouragement on an
ongoing basis
• Communication and study skills very important
between

6. What did we find out? (Students)
• Students struggling academically
▫ Particularly with core subjects
▫ Confidence
• Parents have disengaged from supporting learning
process in senior cycle
• Procrastination
▫ Failing to make links between education and their
future
• Work experience
▫ Greater realisation of the link between education and
fulfilling their dreams

7. What did we find out? (Students)
• Transition year experience
▫ Found it difficult to re-adjust to the workload and
organisation required of 5th year
• Timing of subject choice is vital
▫ Wrong choice of subject leads to lack of interest
and hence motivation

8. What are we going to do about it?
• Parents
▫ Parenting course – outside scope of project
• School
 Parents night for 5th years
▫ Change TY format
▫ Change diary for senior diary – get their input
• Students ????
Invite speakers – If I knew then, what I know now...
How do we monitor the effectiveness of this suite of
interventions?