Courses.ie Makeover!

We are changing our look and introducing loads of new features to Courses.ie. Be one of the first to hear all about the new features by signing up for our newsletter and be in with a chance to win an iPod!

We are so, so excited by the new developments we are jumping for joy!

CAO Points Pushed up by demand

THOUSANDS of students will be bitterly disappointed today as they discover that points have risen for 550 college courses according to todays Irish Independent...

A record number of applicants has pushed up CAO points virtually across the board this year.

The increase will hit students with around 350 points in particular. They would previously have hoped they had enough points to get into their top choice in today’s first round of offers.

Popular courses such as nursing and teaching – regarded as passports to secure jobs – are all harder to get into this year.

Science has unexpectedly rocketed by up to 85 points, while entry to arts courses is up in most cases.

And the introduction of a controversial aptitude test for medicine this year has thrown up dramatic results, with girls and repeat students losing out badly.

Even some of those with six A1 grades – which is the maximum 600 points in the Leaving Certificate – had failed to get into medicine.

However, others succeeded with just 520 points because, for the first time, they can combine their Leaving with the results of the Australian-devised aptitude test which all medicine applicants had to take.

As a consequence of the change, dentistry has now emerged as the toughest course to get into – up to 575 on random selection in UCC, the equivalent of five A1s and one B3 on higher level papers. In Trinity, entry went from 555 to 570 on random selection.

Despite the current plight of farming, agricultural science has also gone up, as has food science in both UCD and UCC.

The points squeeze comes just days after pupils were left disappointed by the first fall in the number of top A grades in years.

But the sharp rise in points is caused by record numbers of applicants to the CAO.

These include 2,000 more Leaving Cert students than last year and more adults, many of whom have been made redundant. Fewer applications for property- related courses and law have, however, pushed down points in those areas.

And government attempts to boost engineering have yielded disappointing results – dozens of courses will advertise vacancies in engineering on the CAO website within days.

In total, 380 honours degree courses show an increase in points while 252 are lower, 83 remain the same and the remainder are not comparable or are new courses.

Of the ordinary degree and higher certificate courses, 166 were up, 89 were down, 33 remained the same and the remainder were not directly comparable or were new.

This year, overall applications to the CAO were up 7.2pc to just under 74,000. The increase reflects what’s happening in the country due to the recession, said John McGinnity, assistant registrar at NUI Maynooth.

“More adults have applied, and want to get a qualification either because they been made redundant or see the writing on the wall,” he said.

In addition, 2,000 more Leaving Cert students applied than last year. This was partly due to the closure of other non-CAO options, such as apprenticeships.

Arts

Applications for arts were up by 1,000 to just over 10,500, or one in every seven applications. As a result, points for arts were also up. Entry points in UCD for the country's biggest arts faculty, which takes in 1,300 students every year, went from 350 to 360; while in the University of Limerick, arts went from 440 to 445.

Maynooth's arts course now has a higher entry point than NUI Galway, Cork or Dublin. A spokesman for NUIM said the university had broadened its range of subjects to 26 to include law and business and this had proven very attractive to students.

“Many students have chosen a broadly based honours degree during this downturn in the economy, which will allow graduates choose from a range of work or further study options after graduation,” he said.

Other trends from this year’s first round were:

- Nearly half the nursing courses require 400 or more points.

- A poor year for engineering with a slight decrease in applications.

- Two popular business courses – in UCD and NUIG – are down in points, but up in TCD and UCC. The CAO said last night that in round one, 46,918 of all 73,982 applicants received an offer – 63pc of total applicants – as compared with 67.6pc of all applicants in 2008.

Those who did not receive an offer included more than 4,000 who failed ordinary level maths which is needed for most courses.

The figures also show that fewer applicants got their top preferences this year compared with last year.

Of those applying for honours degrees, 26,832 applicants (76.9pc) received either their first, second or third preference as compared with 79pc in 2008.

Already this year 6,922 applicants have received offers in the small earlier Rounds A and Zero, which are mainly for mature applicants, students who deferred a place last year, and some applicants presenting with Further Education and Training Council qualifications for Post Leaving Certificate and other courses.

To date, 5,094 of these (7pc of all applicants) have accepted places.

At this time last year, 3,824 acceptances had accepted offers, representing 5.5pc of total applicants.

- John Walshe and Katherine Donnelly - The article in the Irish Independent

Personally, the fact that the CAO site is not updated constantly with news and information concerning the points situation, only adds to the stress and anxiety of our students, maybe next year they will remedy the situation.

New Masters degree in security and digital forensics

The Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown has launched a new degree course that has been inspired by the rising tide of cybercrime. 98pc of all Irish organisations have experienced incidents of cybercrime according to Silicon Republic.com

They continue to say that the programme is one of three streams in a Masters in Computing (Business Data Mining and Software Engineering are the other two) qualifying for government subsidy and has a number of free places allocated for jobseekers. Full course information is available on www.itb.ie

You can read the full article on Siliconrepublic.com

Leaving Cert Results Out Today

Fingers crossed and good luck to all Leaving Cert students who are either eagerly or anxiously awaiting their results today. There is life after the Leaving Cert!

Results are also available online from noon today at www.examinations.ie

For those who shared their thoughts on Leaving Cert.net do let us all know how you got on!

Student Helpline from the National Parents Council will be in operation at 10am on Wednesday 12th of August

Helpline Phone Number: 1800 265 165

Points calculator and further information courtesy of CAO






* Bonus points for Leaving Certificate Higher Level Mathematics will be awarded in 2008 by University of Limerick and for Liberal Arts (MI004) and Early Childhood Care and Education (MI007) at Mary Immaculate College. The Dublin Institute of Technology also awards bonus points for Mathematics and a number of science subjects in the case of the Level 8 course DT021. Applicants should refer to DIT literature for full details.

# Points for Foundation Level Mathematics will be awarded by certain institutions. Applicants should refer to the HEI literature for full details.

NCAD does not award points for Leaving Certificate or other examinations. Consult NCAD literature for details.

Accompanying conditions:

1. The six best results, in recognised subjects, in one Leaving Certificate Examination will be counted for points computation.
2. One sitting only of the Leaving Certificate Examination will be counted for points purposes.
3. In the case of certain subjects, e.g. Home Economics (General), Foundation Level Mathematics or Foundation Level Irish, some HEIs may not award the points shown above. If in any doubt, check with the Admissions Office of the appropriate HEIs.

# LCVP points awarded: Distinction - 70, Merit - 50, Pass - 30

Top 7 social networking sites our children use

Parents arrive and our teenagers leave? Sound familiar? Well it seems it applies to Twitter and Facebook also. We adults start using these sites and our children find somewhere else to hang out, according to the Times Online.


I am not so sure that the sites listed are where our teenagers are hanging out. Quite a few of the sites listed would suit a younger age group where as Twitter, Facebook, etc are for the older teenager.

Would you agree? Where do you think your children are hanging out online?

5,000 vacancies the IT sector

Yet the CAO (Central Applications Office) report the number of applicants for engineering and technology degree courses was down by 9.8pc on last year. Why is that?

According to the experts, changing the way our education system works is vital if we are to encourage young people to take up professions such as IT and engineering that will benefit our smart economy, reports Silicon Republic in their article Learning our Lesson.

Learning a new language opens your mind!

We are delighted to welcome the first of a number of guest writers to the Courses.ie Learning Blog.

Starting off our series of guest articles is Liz Hannon from Languagewise.

To learn a new language is an acknowledgement that you are willing to embrace the people and culture of another nation. Through learning how to speak the language of another country or state you will not only gain a better understanding of the attitudes of another group of people with a different social, historical and political background to your own but you will also gain an insight into their sense of humour.

To be able to even say a few words of greeting in a foreign language is a great ice breaker and an act of friendship. It shows that you are reaching out to someone of another nationality and are keen to know more about them , their language and culture.

It can be fun learning the different idiomatic expressions and discovering that something that "costs an arm and a leg" translates in French to "it costs the eyes in your head" or that "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" translates in Spanish to "although a monkey looks like its made of silk, it is still a monkey" !

Absolutely anyone can learn a new language. A lot of people say " I am not good at languages" or "I hated French in school" and from a bad learning experience close themselves off to the idea of learning a new language and feel that they they are not capable. Well they are wrong!! There is no mystery to learning a language. If there was how does a one year old child start speaking!

Once you have a qualified and experienced teacher (preferably a native speaker), they will guide you quite literally from A to Z! It is the experience of the teacher that allows them to interact with a student effectively to make them feel at ease and to progress at a pace that suits the student. Just like learning to swim or ride a bike absolutely anyone can do it and all it takes is practice!

Learning a language is one of the most positive steps one can take in life and enriches the learner who through their experience can open up a whole new world of travel and making friends in a different country. It is a pursuit that transcends age and class and unites people.

Learn a language and broaden your possibilities in life!

On a personal note, I think you also have to be prepared for some laughter as you find your way around accents and nuances of a new language. I was chatting to some friends who were helping me to learn Swedish by webcam and messenger. I had them hooting with laughter as I replied to what they were saying. I thought I was typing, 'I hear you', but it turned out to be something else entirely as I had forgotten to put an accent in the correct place! It was a great lesson as I have never forgotten and won't make that mistake again! What I did discover though was not to be nervous of making mistakes, because when I did (and do) it is beneficial and I found myself enjoying the experience even more.

If this article wets your appetite to explore another language and culture during the Autumn evenings Languagewise deliver courses in a wide range of languages for both business and personal interest, on a day or evening class schedule.

5th Year Student states "Guillotining in the Dáil"

Not old enough to vote yet but political parties take note, the students of Ireland are watching you closely if this blog post is anything to go by....

That time of the year again. Lots of work to be done but no time to do it. The holidays of TD’s and Brian Cowen’s tan takes precedence over the few dozen bills before the house in the coming days. Recently we’ve seen other problems in the Dáil with the house suspended for 3 hours one afternoon after TD’s ran out of things to say. The Seanad is the house that everyone talks about as being in need of reform however everyone forgets that the main house is just as flawed. Here’s some changes I believe will make things run better in the national parliament..........Read his suggestions at http://short.ie/7raa7c

Polish to be taught in NI Schools

Children as young as four will be taught Polish in Northern Ireland primary schools from September, it was revealed yesterday.

According to the Belfast Telegraph:

The aim of the language programme is to offer an enjoyable experience of language learning for the youngest pupils with a view to encouraging more to continue at post-primary level.

So far 25 schools have signed up to have a tutor provided for their Primary 1-4 classes under a scheme funded by the Department of Education. During the last school year 247 primary schools had regular Spanish lessons and 76 Irish lessons.

Do you think this is option to be considered by the rest of Ireland?

Stop Press! The Adult Learning Festival dates are out!

Aontas - The Adult Learning Festival 2010 is coming to a venue near you! The festival will take place from February 2nd to February 6th 2009!

The Adult Learners' Festival is about

* Celebrating adult learning and the achievements of adult learners
* Showcasing the work of adult education providers
* Promoting the work of AONTAS and the adult education sector
* Ensuring that adult education is placed firmly on the political agenda

Aontas exists to promote the development of a learning society through the provision of a quality and comprehensive system of adult learning and education which is accessible to and inclusive to all.


Check the Adult Learning Festival site for information on courses being run as part of the festival which may tweak your fancy to go along and try.

Course Providers - If you are involved in community or adult education, why not organise an event during the festival? You will get publicity for your group’s activities, help to raise awareness about the value of adult learning, and be part of a national event which celebrates the achievements of adult learners all around the country. Contact your local Aontas link here

Email Aontas at mail@aontas.com or phone them on 01 406 8220

They will include details about your event, and send you out posters and other publicity material for your event.


Adult Learning - Something worth celebrating!

CAO site up and running as normal

The CAO website crashed yesterday evening and went off line. It is now fixed and up and running as normal.

Students have till July 1st, which is Wednesday to go online for the change of mind though the CAO.

Hyperwords - such a handy plugin

Reading the Times Online announcing Microsoft's Bing Search Engine

The two biggest names in technology are set to slug it out over the coming weeks in a $20 billion (£12 billion) battle for web supremacy. In one corner is Google, the dominant player in online searches; in the other is Microsoft, the world’s biggest software company. Microsoft is poised to launch Bing, a new search engine it says will give more useful results and end its rival’s hegemony.

I admit to not being sure what the word 'hegemony' means. Instead of having to look for the dictionary (which I don't always have to hand, or opening another tab to access an online dictionary) I just double click on the word and thanks to a plug in called Hyperwords, I have the meaning in seconds without leaving the page.

From Ancient Greek ἡγεμονία (hēgemonia), “‘supremacy or leadership, chief command’”) < ἡγεμόν (hegemon), “‘a leader, guide, commander, chief’”) < ἡγεισθαι (hegeisthai), “‘to lead’”) < αγειν (agein), “‘to lead’”).

I can translate the word into French, hégémonie, into Arabic سيطرة, and replaces the original word in the text with the translated word.

There are a number of other different functions that it carries out, but what a godsend just for its translation and reference features alone!

Exam Help

RTE - Have a very helpful site with all the latest advice via podcasts, blogs, message boards. Check it out.

Can everybody learn something new?

Let's see what Stephen Fry has to say about it.....


Creative Thinking: Stephen Fry: Learning

Can you help?

Rainforests around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate. This is increasingly due to destructive logging operations and conversion of the land for farming use. RainforestSOS states. An online campaign asks for our help.



Please put your name to the list using the widget on the right. Thank You.

And we wonder.......

Taken from the Drogheda Independent

Wednesday April 22 2009

Dear Sir,

I RECENTLY had a long conversation with a friend of mine who lost his job. He was in a reasonably good job and after a little bit of overtime was earning a gross salary of € 35,000 per year.

So I asked him the obvious question of how he was going to cope now with four children to feed and I have to be honest the answer startled me, he was actually a lot better off and now in a position to go out golfing every day when his children are at school.

Frankly I did not believe him until I sat down and did the sums.

On a salary of € 35,000 his annual net income after the mini budget was € 28,854, after all deductions.

Now he's on the supplementary welfare allowance which, with a wife and four children, gives you € 443.90 per week or € 23,083 annually.

As he also has a mortgage he is entitled to mortgage interest supplement which pays all the interest on your mortgage so in his case € 1,200 per month of his € 1,500 mortgage or € 14,400 per annum.

He is also entitled to back to school and footwear payment of € 905 per year for four children, a medical card which we will say is worth on average say € 500 per year (probably more) and a heating supplement which I cannot quantify.

In total he now therefore has tax free income of € 38,888, an increase in his net income of € 10,034 per year working on his handicap.

Based on the calculations after the mini Budget you would need to earn more than € 47,000 per year if you have four children to justify continuing to work. Now this is even before the costs of working like petrol, car maintenance, tolls, lunches etc.

Now in any civilised society and especially a society in a deep recession with a huge welfare bill surely the Government must give people an incentive to go out and work.

Making the child benefit taxable or means

for golf tested later this year is just going to make the situation far worse and encourage more people to give up work and rely on the state to live.

It could even drive our small economy to collapse as the welfare bill gets bigger and bigger as more people, including myself, say why should I bother to go out to work when it is basically costing me money to work?

The country needs to get back to basics, to a system that encourages people to get up off their backside to work, encourages people to take risks, set up businesses, enterprise rather than encourage people to rely on the state.

Unless something radically changes I will be joining my mate on the golf course very soon.

More Please

Another brilliant show, Boston Legal bites the dust. There is a dearth of really good shows out there that can engage the mind rather than vacant it.

I love the writing, the acting and the fact that it makes me think as I watch, it also educates me, and can have me running the gamut of emotions all in 40 minutes.

James Spader explains Scientology in an episode;



Another programme I am hooked on is The Wire. Again both the writing and acting is superb. This series has just started on BBC 2. I had tried before to watch it, but found the American Projects and drug dealers slang hard to grasp. This time I turned on subtitles and it was so much better and I am glad I did otherwise I would have lost on on following this terrific series.

Here, one of the drug dealers explains how to play chess by using the allegory of the hierarchy of the drug dealers and the running of their operation.



There is only so much time I have available to watch shows, RTE have released the Beta version of their Player and I am enjoying it. The quality is excellent. I do have a fast broadband connection but I think anyone with 1mb+ should be fine.

I caught up with The Best of The Panel today :-) I hope this player does not disappear for long before they bring out the final version.

Believe in yourself

Count me in as one of the millions that have watched Susan Boyle's rendition of I Dream a Dream (from my favourite musical Les Mis). (Currently this version has been seen over 25 million times!)

Don't you just love the fact that she is an everyday woman, a woman you would see all over Ireland. Yet for all the knocks she has received in life she had a belief in herself and a dream to honour her Mother, and did she ever! It was wonderful.

I found another recording that she did 10 years ago and her diction today as then is one of the reasons I enjoyed her singing so much. I find many singers today have little sense of diction and it ruins my pleasure in listening. Susan Boyle sings Cry Me a River, stunning, even on You Tube.

Twittering

We have just added Twitter to our sidebar where you can follow all the latest happenings on Courses.ie!

As providers update their listings with new courses or events we will be letting you know as soon as it happens.

New articles? Get to hear about it first by following us on Twitter. Look forward to seeing you there. www.twitter.com/courses

New Fourth Level Education Announcement

New fourth level education proposal to create thousands of jobs

According to the Irish Independent

Wednesday March 11 2009

The Taoiseach has unveiled a major new initiative between the country's top two universities, aimed at creating thousands of jobs over the next ten years.

Trinity College and UCD are teaming up to create what has been described as a new fourth level academy, similar in concept to the IFSC in Dublin.

Up to one thousand graduates will be trained every year in specialised areas, in a bid to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

It is estimated that this will result in the creation of around 300 new enterprises in this country over the next ten years.