Maths and the sciences continue to be the most challenging subjects for exam students, with almost 60% of students engaging with a new online grinds platform seeking help in these subjects.
Just one month out from the start of exams, a survey of over 200 students’ subject choices with Limerick company jumpAgrade – Ireland’s first and only personalised online tuition service – has revealed that maths is the number one subject choice for students enagaging in the EdTech company’s service.
Some 25% of students engaging the online platform, which pairs them with teachers who provide one-to-one personalised feedback on how to improve grades as well as simulates exams in their chosen subjects, are opting for maths, with 35% seeking support in sciences.
A snapshot of over 200 students’ subject choices on the jumpAgrade platform were examined, with the results showing that 19% seek assistance in the mandatory language subjects of English and Irish.
The analysis also revealed that female students would appear to be more likely to take on grinds, with 62% of the students female. Over half of all females on the platform also identified STEM subjects as the ones they are seeking assistance in. This is an important trend, the company stated, considering that women are greatly under-represented in the STEM workforce in Ireland.
Said David Neville, one of the co-founders of the company based in the Nexus Innovation Centre at UL, “We have been able to get a very decent snapshot of trends from looking at the subjects that jumpAgrade students from across the country are taking and they are confirming the importance of STEM subjects, with maths and the science subjects accounting for nearly 60% of the uptake.
“The bonus points available to Leaving Cert students doing Higher Level Maths definitely have had a big impact. Our findings also suggest that these are the subjects that students need most help with but the positive to take from this is that they are actively looking for that support.”
Mr Neville also said that market analysis carried out by the company backs up concerns about student stress this time of year. “Analysis of online trends show that use of search words ‘exam stress’ peaks in June. Stress is a big issue and that’s one of the main reasons why we do exam simulation with our students. Putting them through an additional exam simulation, on top of their mock exams, can make a huge difference. Students are nervous and stressed because exams are a massive unknown and the best way to address that is through familiarity.”
jumpAgrade is supported by Enterprise Ireland, Limerick City and County Council, Limerick Local Enterprise Office and the EU.
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