Yeats College Galway Home Economics Teacher Mary O’Dowd reviews the 2019 paper-
Unexpected twists and some students left disappointed.
The Higher level Home Economics paper had a new approach to some questions, and some students will have been disappointed that protein did not appear! The compulsory long question was on health snacks and students had to suggest health snacks for college students. The wording of the question may have put some students off track and the marks allocated were less than usual so timing could have been an issue. Question B2 on vegetables and vitamin C was straightforward, with a lovely question on food poisoning to follow. The Social question, which is very popular with students, asked for definitions of several sociological terms which is slightly different from the norm and may have thrown some students. Short questions included topical issues such as waste management, diabetes and coronary heart disease.
The Housing elective had questions on housing style, wall finishes and electricity in the home. The social elective had 4 parts in the compulsory sections, which may have left students caught for time. They had a choice between a question on childcare and a question on poverty. This section of the paper was longer than usual and many students would be caught for time if they left this until last.
Students who attempted the higher level paper may have had a better experience than if they had attempted the ordinary level paper, which had difficult questions on BMR, modern trends in housing developments and family functions. There was one straightforward question on cheese, but otherwise not a very easy paper.
