Junior Cycle National Project

Exploring the implementation and impact of the Junior Cycle Framework (JCF) in post-primary schools

What is the research study about?  

This study aims to explore the implementation and impact of the Junior Cycle Framework (JCF) in post-primary schools in Ireland.  As a longitudinal study, the experiences of schools will be explored over a period of four years, in order to capture the complexity, challenges and successes in enacting the JCF.  We use the term enactment to reflect our focus on exploring how schools and teachers are making sense of and designing a Junior Cycle programme that is appropriate for their context.  The study is not evaluating the roll-out of the curriculum.  The role of this exciting research is to enable our schools and teachers to tell their stories of working with this curriculum change and to capture their views on the opportunities and challenges it presented.  

Who is conducting the study?  

This study is being conducted by a team of independent researchers from University of Limerick. Following a competitive tender process, a group of researchers at the University of Limerick were commissioned by NCCA to carry out this mixed methods, multi-dimensional research study on the implementation and impact of the introduction of the Framework for Junior Cycle in schools. The team has a wide range of research experience in schools and other educational settings.  The team also includes international advisors with expertise in curriculum research.  We have a moral commitment to freedom of scholarly inquiry and debate.  As a research team, we seek to give voice to teachers, students, and school communities, including parents, about their experiences of the new framework. The research team are highly experienced in working within Irish schools, and thus have the capacity to respond to schools needs and circumstances.   

Learn more about about Research Team

What will the study involve?   

This is a mixed-methods, multi-dimensional research study that aims to capture the views of teachers, principals, students, parents and wider educational stakeholders view of the Junior Cycle framework and its implementation.  Our study has been approved by the research ethics committee in the University. 

What does mixed-methods mean?

Mixed methods means the study will employ a range of different research tools, including online interviews, face-to-face interviews, questionnaires, the collection of documentary evidence and observations.  

What does Multi-dimensional mean?

Multi-dimensional means that the study will capture the experiences and opinions of different voices including teachers, students, school principals, parents and representatives of the wider group of educational stakeholders with the aim of capturing a broad range of experiences and views from as wide a range of participants as possible. 

There are three dimensions to the research study:

Dimension one involves interviews with representatives of relevant stakeholder bodies and agencies.  The views of this group are being sought as they can provide unique insights and perspectives on the curriculum change.   This group consists of teacher, student, parent, and school management representative groups.  It also includes other key bodies and agencies in Irish education. 

Dimension two involves online/telephone interviews with 100 school principals spread across years 2, 3, and 4 of the study.  It will also involve an online teacher survey to 100 schools in years 2 and 3.  

Dimension three involves case studies of 12 schools that will be selected from the initial sample of 100 schools.  These schools will be visited twice, in year 2 and year 4 of the study.  These site visits will involve interviews (with teachers, students, parents, principals, curriculum leaders, and SNAs), analysis of school documents, a student survey and classroom observations.  

Using this study design, the study will have the capacity to tell us about schools’ enactment of this curriculum change.  The study will also provide insights into implementing large-scale sectoral, educational change. 

How will we sample the schools?  

The teachers and principals participating in the second dimension of the study will be drawn from a stratified random sample of 100 schools determined by the research team.  

What is a stratified random sample?

A stratified random sample means that schools will be randomly selected from the list of over 750 post-primary schools, and that sample will also reflect the proportion of the different types of schools in Ireland.  That means our sample will have a proportion of different school types (i.e., community schools, voluntary secondary schools, etc.), single sex and mixed, rural and urban, Irish-medium and will be regionally representative.   

The case study sample of 12 schools also aims to be representative of the different school types.  It will not be possible to select a set of cases that represents all possible variations in the characteristics of interest.  Therefore, in selecting schools, we will choose cases that display a unique cross section of contextual features known to influence teaching practices and student learning.   The case studies will produce rich descriptions of educational change in diverse contexts and provide insights into how individual schools are working with large-scale curriculum change. It is not the intention of the case studies to compare schools with each other or to make judgments about “good” or “poor” implementation of the JCF.

Who should I contact if I have questions about the study?  

If you have any questions about the research study, you can email: JCFStudy@ul.ie 

You can follow the project updates on: @JCFstudyUL

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