Ken McGuire

Category: Education

  • Mocks.ie, Online Exam Corrections, Maths Help

    Mocks.ieI’ll guess that the mock junior and leaving cert exams have come and gone but I stumbled across Mocks.ie in the paper this morning, which should help students right up to exam time in June.

    What is it?

    Mocks.ie is an affordable online exam and correction service that gives you an easy and effective way of ensuring you are ready for the Junior and Leaving Certification Exam. With Mocks.ie’s unique service you can practice exams, monitor your progress, improve your exam performance and technique so that you achieve the results you desire.

    I’ve never gone down the grinds roads but did take an easter revision course in Waterford the year of my leaving cert (2001), aimed at one side of the honours maths paper. Between everything I was doing that year and getting involved with theatre at the time, I was leaving things a bit late to get the head down and focus on the subject I needed for my course. While the revision course was good, it lasted a few hours, or maybe over two days, I can’t remember at this stage, and that’s it. For €40 with Mocks.ie, you could sit the maths paper as often as you wanted over the course of a month, get your results, get your feedback, something that could prove quite valuable to students, and possibly something I would have taken up myself had the opportunity presented itself (though the revision course did the trick).

    Junior cert topics start from €13.95 per subject, with leaving cert topics starting at €19.95. In the case of the maths paper, the results are instant once your exam paper has been received by email / mail, with up to a seven day wait on other subjects.

    If you’ve got a junior or leaving cert student in the house or the family and they’re looking for an extra bit of help in the run up to June, it might be worth a look.

  • The Business Of Beauty, Gaming And Music

    The Business of Beauty, Gaming and Music

    The UCD Quinn School of Business are running three evening talks from next week looking at the business of beauty, gaming and music, giving transitition year, fifth year and leaving cert students “a real insight” into viable career options in the three industries.

    These are more than just a talk. They are real business people sharing their vast experience in today’s exciting world of business and the possibilities that can arise from a degree in business.

    The Business of Beauty talk will be given by L’Oreal’s Eoghan O’Sullvan and Sarah Keating next Tuesday at UCD from 6:30pm to 10pm.

    With a focus on specific ventures, Eoghan and Sarah will highlight the commercial, marketing, finance, supply chain management and human resource aspects to their business while you enjoy funky canapés, mocktails and goody bags on offer at the event

    The Business of Gaming talk will run on Thursday October 9th with XBOX Ireland’s Orla Sheridan and Microsoft Game Studio’s Michel Buch Andersen taking to the floor to provide an insight to the current gaming marketplace, “retail distribution channels, profitability models” and more, something being pushed (by the looks of things) towards those studying business, economics or accounting.

    However, the one that got my attention is the Business of Music talk being given by Universal’s Freddie Middleton (Marketing Director) and Gill Dooley (Digital Campaign Manager), the talk taking place on Thursday October 23rd. The Business of Music should offer an insight to the role of a record company in the music industry, from a traditional background through to digital media distribution. You think they’ll get a debate going on where record companies are going and how they’ll continue in 5, 10, 20 years?

    Students going to the talks also have a chance to win a shadow-day at either Universal Music, L’Oreal or Xbox Ireland. Why weren’t they doing this kind of thing when I was in transition year? Were these events even open to third-level students in recent years?

    If you are a second-level student with an interesting in any of the above, then head along. I know I would be anyway if the door was open to me.

  • Waterford Institute of Technology Open Day

    Waterford Institute of TechnologyWaterford Institute of Technology, where I spent four fantastic years between 2001 and 2005, are holding an open evening for CAO applicants and undergraduates on Tuesday week, April 22nd.

    If you’re considering studying at WIT, make your way to the main campus on the Cork Road between 5:30pm and 7pm on the evening to meet and talk with students, course leaders and lecturers about the options available at WIT.

    There will also be information available on accommodation services, career paths based on your course choice, clubs and societies and more. There are three information sessions scheduled to run as well at 5:30pm, 6:15pm and 7:00pm with tours of the campus also available. Refreshments are rumoured to be offered afterwards.

    If you’re interested, you can register your attendance by emailing schoolsliaison@wit.ie or by phoning 051 845533.

    While I might have changed certain elements of the course I did in college, if I had to do things all over again I’d still pick WIT. It is a fantastic college with great resources, staff and students alike. Here’s to hoping too that they eventually pick up the much sought-after university status.

  • Best Of Luck To You School People

    Verdict in the office is – “wouldn’t wish it on my own worst enemy”. The state exams start today with over 100,000 students going to sit the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate. Now, I’ve got no fear of exams or anything but there’s no way you’d get me to re-sit the Leaving Cert. Its been 7 years (I think) since I sat mine and the feelings you get on the morning of the first exam can’t have changed much.

    One or two of the younger cast involved with Devious Theatre‘s two shows this year are sitting the Leaving Cert while a cousin of mine is sitting the Junior Cert. All I can say is – the best of luck. While you have plenty to do after the Junior Cert if you’re not set of the Leaving Cert at this stage you won’t be. You’ve done enough so get out, do your best, take it one exam at a time and all that craic.

    Still, wouldn’t do it again for all the tea in China. Or the UK. Or the Maxol garage around the corner.

  • Junior Cert Results Are Out

    To Suzanne, Tom, Danny, all the mini Dreamstuffites, Sean (reader and blogger) and anyone else who picks up their Junior Cert results this morning, the very best of luck to you.

    Of course, you’ve still got the Leaving Cert to come and then you’ll realise that the Junior Cert “isn’t worth the paper its printed on” as our JC maths teacher said the first day of Transition Year. She was the one piling on the most pressure too!

    Almost 58,000 students, including Junior Cert students and adults returning to sit state exams will pick up their results this morning from 9am if not before. Of course, the government are delighted, Mary Hanafin is delighted and no doubt there’ll be a few parents and students delighted as well.

    Speaking to my cousin about her impending results on Monday afternoon she didn’t seem too bothered.

    Sure, like, there’s nothing I can do now, no point in bloody worrying about it. Anyway, its only the Junior Cert. Did I tell you that we’re doing horse riding in Transition Year now? I get to go to the gym as well!

    Too interested in the social aspects to worry about her results. She’s right too. The Junior Cert is only the first hurdle if you’re planning on staying in education, sitting your Leaving Cert, sitting college exams – don’t start worrying about the small stuff now because if you thought you were under pressure or your exams were tough – wait another 2-3 years 😉

    Again though, my congratulations 🙂

  • Microsoft’s M4d Sk1llz

    Came across this article online this morning. Seems that Microsoft are keen on helping parents understand “leet speak” in case their children get wrapped up in the evil internet or they want to make sure their child isn’t involved in hacking the planet or something.

    The culture of leetspeak encourages new forms, and users award individual creativity. The result is a dynamic written language that eludes conformity or consistency.

    We’ve all seen it, its as bad as those cryptic text messages you see ten year old kids sending each other but Microsoft (with the article published in their Child Safety section back in March) want to make sure that you’re aware of how your child might talk on the internet!

    When you see a note on the kitchen table…. “M4m, g0|\|3 2 teh 5h0p 4 m1lk” you’ll know you’re in trouble….

  • Good Luck Leaving Certers

    Today marks the fifth anniversary of when I picked up my Leaving Cert results in the CBS in Kilkenny. Jesus, the walk up the lane at the side of the school around to the front door was one of the longest I can remember, never mind being handed the results in that little brown envelope, teachers around you already knowing your result but waiting for you to react first. The only result I was worried about was the maths result (had pretty much lost interest until picking up maths again for two years in college). Same story with the friend I had taken the walk to the school with that morning. Two years of studying, cramming, a bit of fear, hint of panic, desperation, nerves… all lead to that moment.

    The relief then when that envelope was opened!

    Today then, its the turn of another 50,000+ students and again this year I know quite a few (some of who I’m working on a show with at the moment) and wish them all the very best.

    The maths numbers continue to be the big worry though with over 4,000 people failing ordinary level maths and a bit of a cockup in the honours paper leading to lower results as well. Maybe a review of the delivery of the maths course should be on the cards. Either way, knowing that there’s a few fifth years and leaving cert people who read the blog, the best of luck to you, enjoy your new found freedom and everything you get to do in life!