Leaving Cert changes won’t stand up to AI, says Colm O’Rourke


In a modern secondary school classroom, a male teacher stands at the front, holding papers and gesturing towards a large interactive screen. The screen displays "LEAVING CERT CHANGES" with a big red 'X' over a document and the question "AI PROOF?", indicating concerns about the new exam structure's vulnerability to AI. Students in school uniforms are seated at desks, attentively listening. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.
Concerns are mounting that recent changes to the Leaving Certificate examination system may not be robust enough to withstand the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. This image depicts a teacher discussing the new exam structure in a classroom, highlighting anxieties that the updated assessment methods might be susceptible to AI-driven academic dishonesty, compromising the integrity of the crucial final exams. Image (and typos) generated by Nano Banana.

Source

BreakingNews.ie

Summary

Former school principal and columnist Colm O’Rourke has criticised Ireland’s revised Leaving Certificate curriculum, warning that new assessment methods are ill-equipped to withstand the influence of generative AI. The updated curriculum, which allocates 40 % of marks to classroom-based work, was designed to promote continuous assessment but, according to O’Rourke, is now “too easy to cheat.” He argues that the reforms—developed years ago—have already been overtaken by technological change. O’Rourke calls for more in-person, practical, and oral-style assessments to ensure authenticity and to distinguish between genuine learning and AI-assisted shortcuts.

Key Points

  • The new Leaving Cert curriculum allocates 40 % of marks to class-based assessments.
  • O’Rourke warns these assessments are highly vulnerable to AI-assisted cheating.
  • He advocates for oral, practical, and supervised assessment formats instead.
  • The reforms were designed a decade ago and are now outdated by AI’s rapid rise.
  • He argues that genuine knowledge acquisition cannot be replicated by AI tools.

Keywords

URL

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/leaving-cert-changes-wont-stand-up-to-ai-says-colm-orourke-1816115.html

Summary generated by ChatGPT 5