MICHAEL J. McCANN,
Sir, - The publication (August 12th) of the number of students giving a first preference for university degrees is the clearest indication yet that Irish school-leavers are clear headed and practical career orientated individuals. The temporary drop in IT-related work nationally and internationally must certainly be one of the causes of the 52 per cent drop in first preference applications for computing.
However, may I point to a second reason which is linked to that career choice and which would now be known to students.
Many of the current computing degree courses are language linked, and it has been drawn to our attention that students are now taking up to six or seven years to get through three or four-year courses.
There is also an extraordinarily high drop out level not just at the end of first-year computing, but also in second and third years where students are failing to rise with their year and stay on to repeat.
Ask any Irish university, how many of the 1998 intake in three or four-year computing have graduated in 2001 or 2002, and brace yourself for a shock.
It is quite one thing for a student in any faculty to fail a single end of year subject. It is quite another matter for more than five per cent of students in any class to fail two attempts, and now increasing frequency not just in one subject.
When such occurs rarely do we hear of any general university policy of specific inquiry into the teaching methods of their lectures or the practical relevance of the various (language) courses? The most serious of questions must be asked of universities where more than five per cent of a class fail a subject and worse still, fail to rise with a year. The lost cost to the Exchequer and tax-payer is enormous. The hurt to the student in loss of confidence, whatever about loss of time in repeating a year, is worse still.
Quite apart from pure language and literature teaching at university, the language element in computing courses must be entirely commercially driven and industrially related, with the strongest emphasis on the spoken word. This, unfortunately, has not been the case to date.
Obviously with an eye on the continuing profligacy of tribunals and lawyers fees, the 28 per cent increase in law applications as first preferences bolsters the assertion that students show themselves to be clear-headed, practical and job- orientated. Universities must catch up and follow suit in the area of computing. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL J. McCANN,
chairman,
Irish Translators' and
Interpreters' Association,
Parnell Square, Dublin 1