Transition Year at DCC

Please see below information regarding Transition Year Programme 2022-2023.

In TY, students will pick two year long modules. These modules will allow students to develop their skills in various areas with an emphasis on creativity.

D.I.Y
The main element of the module will concentrate on carpentry skills however students will also learn skills such as basic wiring, tiling and plastering.

Every student will design and make a number of small projects from wood, and work in teams to create larger projects such as deck chairs and tables.

Junk Kouture
Students who choose Junk Kouture will participate in a national competition to create a piece of extravagant clothing made from recycled materials. This challenges young people to design, create and model an outfit that they make from everyday junk that would otherwise be thrown out. It takes in elements of fashion, design, engineering and environmental sustainability and transforms them into a creative contest.

Journalism
The Journalism module offers students an opportunity to develop skills across a wide spectrum, including teamwork, research and reporting. Students will be given the chance to report on school events and will develop their writing skills, much as a journalist does on a daily basis in a number of wide-ranging areas. Videography, photography, podcasting and writing are only parts of what is very much a student-driven project. Keeping the school website and the school’s social media up to date is only one element of the journalism module, with students also getting to explore other forms of writing and means of conveying information to a twenty-first century audience. Dedicated, enthusiastic students who are willing to learn new skills and work hard will get the most value from this module.

Architectural Drawing
This module takes students through the process of designing and building a house. Students will learn basic architecture including research, sketching, creating a floor plan, and how to make a prototype. This module is suited to creative students who can see themselves pursuing architecture as a career. “Architectural drawing will help students realise their architectural visions into their architectural dreams,” Mr Claffey, the module’s teacher, told us.

Film Studies
Film Studies involves analysing films, the discussion of what constructs a scene and how certain elements can add to a film. In film studies, students watch both 20th and 21st Century films regarded for having excellent cinematography and screenwriting that include classics. These movies will be analysed and enjoyed. Students will develop a broad understanding of the tools at the disposal of the director, and they will put this to use in several practical projects.

At the end of the year students will make a short film showing off the skills that they learned.

Sport Science
The Sports Science module gives students a chance to learn about how the human body works during exercise. This module provides students with the opportunity to participate in Pexpo, an event that takes place in DCU that allows students to present their research of the science in relation to sports.

Music and Multimedia
Music and Multimedia is a course designed for students who would like to learn about the creative uses of sound, image, video and technology and wish to develop their skills in these areas. Students who picked this module will complete a number mini-tasks before they take on a final project. This could take the form of a recorded piece of music, a music video, a short film, a soundtrack, a portfolio website or the organisation of a live multimedia event in the school. So far in this new module, these students learned about some of the basics of multimedia production and some basic aspects of music including rhythm, melody, and chords.

Visual Arts
Students who have an interest in the analysis of art pieces and adding to our school by creating art pieces, should enjoy visual arts. Visual arts can involve painting murals and decorating the school through. Students who pick visual arts as their year long module will learn about working in groups, the creation of art and will be prepared for leaving cert art should they choose to do it. Students doing visual arts will also create posters to be placed around the school. Currently, the visual arts class is redecorating The Hub in the ASD Centre by painting the walls and hanging decorations.

Information provided by TY Journalism students Amy O’Flaherty, Ella O’Neill, Sarah Keon and Isobel Sutton

*Please note all modules are not offered every year, pending availability.