Personal development in Irish education:
A longitudinal study of student participation and
psychosocial development in Transition Year
Clerkin, Aidan
(2016)
Personal development in Irish education:
A longitudinal study of student participation and
psychosocial development in Transition Year.
PhD thesis, Dublin City University.
The Transition Year programme (TY) is a relatively ‘non-academic’ year embedded midway
through the Irish post-primary education system. TY is intended to promote personal
development, maturity, social skills, and to prepare students for adult life. Participation rates
have been increasing since the 1990s and a majority of students now take part each year,
mostly in schools where participation in TY is optional. Previous research, often interviewbased,
has found that students, teachers, and parents tend to regard the programme as a
positive experience for most students. Participation can enhance students’ sense of maturity,
improve relationships with peers and teachers, and develop skills such as time management
and the ability to work as part of a team. However, TY is noted as being relatively underresearched,
despite being a uniquely Irish innovation. No study has previously sought to
measure the extent of any differences in student development that might be attributable to
TY participation.
This study builds on previous research by gathering quantitative data on a range of
psychosocial outcomes and comparing changes over time between students who took part in
Transition Year and those who did not. Outcome measures include school engagement,
relationships with teachers, self-reliance, work orientation, subjective age, school satisfaction,
life satisfaction, and social self-efficacy. These measures are complemented by extensive
quantitative and qualitative data relating to students’ direct perceptions and experience of
Transition Year. Three waves of longitudinal data were collected, beginning when
participants were in Third Year (pre-TY). Participating students were followed up one year
later (in TY/Fifth Year) and two years later (in Fifth Year/Sixth Year). 1153 students in 20
schools took part in all three waves, with approximately 5500 students participating in at least
one wave. Differences in psychosocial outcomes and experiences of TY are compared and
are discussed with reference to previous research. The main conclusions, implications for
policy and practice, and avenues for further research are highlighted.