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The influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and in...

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Content Running head: INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 1
THE INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION AND EDUCATIONAL POLICY ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF 21ST-CENTURY SKILLS THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION
OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
(STEM) EDUCATION AND INQUIRY-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL
PRACTICES IN SCIENCE COMPETITIONS IN SCHOOLS
SUCH AS J. G. DOWNEY SECONDARY SCHOOL IN
IRELAND
by
Roger Brossmer
____________________________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2019
Copyright 2019 Roger Brossmer
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 2
DEDICATION
My dissertation is dedicated to my family. It is through their, support, encouragement,
and unconditional love that I was able to undertake and complete this endeavor. I thank my wife
Esther, for always being my champion, even when I did not always deserve it. I am very proud
of my boys, Blake and Cole, and I hope that my educational journey inspires them to reach their
individual potentials.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 3
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I acknowledge and thank my dissertation chair, Dr. Michael Escalante, for creating
the USC Executive Cohort and allowing me to be a part of it. His guidance through this very
tedious and taxing process made it attainable. His leadership, knowledge, and insight into
completing the process was invaluable. Thanks also to my dissertation committee members, Dr.
Rudy Castruita, Dr. Michelle Dahl, Dr. John Garcia, and Dr. Charles Hinman.
I am indebted to my boss, Dr. John Garcia, for encouraging me to pursue this significant
goal, giving me guidance and mentorship through the process, and giving me his unlimited
support to allow me to complete it.
I thank my superintendent cohort, who, through their collaboration, made this possible. I
will continue to look to each of them for assistance and guidance. I especially recognize and
thank my DUSD colleagues, Wayne Shannon and Veronica Lizardi, for their ongoing support
and friendship.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication 2
Acknowledgments 3
List of Tables 6
Abstract 9
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study 11
Background of the Problem 12
Statement of the Problem 13
Purpose of the Study 13
Significance of the Study 14
Limitations of the Study 15
Delimitations of the Study 16
Definition of Terms 16
Organization of the Dissertation 17
Chapter 2: Review of Literature 19
Globalization 20
Overview and Definition 20
History of Globalization 22
Flattening Phenomenon 23
Impact of Globalization 24
Ireland 27
History and Political Overview 27
Economic Nationalism 31
MNCs, FDI, and Globalization 33
Education in Ireland 38
History of Education 38
Current Education Structure 41
Teacher Education 42
Recent Educational Issues 43
Globalization and Education Policy 46
21st-Century Skills 47
STEM, Gender, and PBL 51
Science and Technology Fairs 55
School Leadership 59
Theoretical Frameworks 60
Chapter 3: Research Methods 62
Research Design 64
Research Team 66
Population and Sample 66
Educators and Students 68
Business and Industry Leaders 68
Political Leaders and Educational Policymakers 68
Instrumentation 69
Interview Protocols 69
Observation Protocols 71
Survey Protocols 73
Data Collection 74
Data Analysis 76
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 5
Validity, Credibility, and Trustworthiness 76
Reliability 77
Ethical Considerations 77
Chapter Summary 78
Chapter 4: Results 79
Research Design 81
Findings for Research Question 1 82
Theme 1 83
Theme 2 90
Findings for Research Question 2 96
Theme 1 96
Theme 2 102
Findings for Research Question 3 108
Theme 1 109
Theme 2 115
Findings for Research Question 4 122
Theme 1 123
Theme 2 128
Chapter Summary 135
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations 138
Summary of Findings 141
Research Question 1 141
Research Question 2 142
Research Question 3 144
Research Question 4 145
Implications for Practice 147
Limitations of the Study 150
Recommendations for Future Research 151
Conclusion 151
References 153
Appendices
Appendix A: Recruitment Letter to Principal 161
Appendix B: Political Leader/Educational Policy Maker Interview Protocol 162
Appendix C: Business and Industry (MNCs) Interview Protocol 164
Appendix D: School Leader Interview Protocol 166
Appendix E: Teacher Interview Protocol 168
Appendix F: Student/Parent Interview Protocol 170
Appendix G: Classroom Observation Protocol 172
Appendix H: SciFest Observation Protocol 175
Appendix I: Survey Protocol for School Administrator or Teacher 178
Appendix J: Survey Protocol for Political Leader or Business Leader 182
Appendix K: Survey Protocol for Parent of Senior Cycle Student 186
Appendix L: Survey Protocol for Student Participant in Science Competition 190
Appendix M: Information Sheet for Exempt Research 194
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 6
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Alignment of Interview Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and
Theoretical Frameworks 72
Table 2: Alignment of Survey Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and
Theoretical Frameworks 74
Table 3: Summary of Participants, Their Organization/Position, and Data Type 83
Table 4: Participants’ Responses Indicating How SciFest Prepares Students for Success
on the Leaving Certificate Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School
and All Students 85
Table 5: Participants’ Responses Indicating How SciFest Prepares Students for Success
on the Leaving Certificate Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School
Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 86
Table 6: Participants’ Responses Indicating How SciFest Prepares Students for Success
on the Leaving Certificate Examination: Business Leaders and Policymakers 87
Table 7: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Teachers and Administrators Encourage
and Support Students to Participate in SciFest as a Mechanism to Prepare to
Take the Leaving Certificate Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School
and All Students 92
Table 8: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Teachers and Administrators
Encourage and Support Students to Participate in SciFest as a Mechanism
to Prepare to Take the Leaving Certificate Examination: J. G. Downey
All-Boys School (JGD) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and
Administrators 93
Table 9: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Teachers and Administrators
Encourage and Support Students to Participate in SciFest as a Mechanism
to Prepare to Take the Leaving Certificate Examination: Business Leaders
and Policymakers 94
Table 10: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Influence Students’ Decisions
to Participate in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School and All Students 98
Table 11: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Influence Students’ Decisions
to Participate in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and
Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 99
Table 12: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Influence Students’ Decisions
to Participate in SciFest: Business Leaders and Policymakers 100
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 7
Table 13: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Provide the Necessary
Resources for Students to Participate Successfully in SciFest: J. G. Downey
All-Boys School (JGD) and All Students 104
Table 14: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Leaders Provide the
Necessary Resources for Students to Participate Successfully in SciFest: J. G.
Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and All
Teachers and Administrators 105
Table 15: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Leaders Provide
the Necessary Resources for Students to Participate Successfully in SciFest:
Business Leaders and Policymakers 106
Table 16: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively
Encourage Female Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey All-Boys School
(JGD) and All Female Students 111
Table 17: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively
Encourage Female Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey All-Boys School
(JGD) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 112
Table 18: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively
Encourage Female Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey All-Boys School
(JGD) Students and All Students 116
Table 19: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively
Encourage Female Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey All-Boys School
(JGD) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 117
Table 20: Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively
Encourage Female Participation in SciFest: Business Leaders and Policy-
makers 119
Table 21: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Helps Students
to Develop 21st-Century Skills Needed in a Global Economy: J. G. Downey
All-Boys School (JGD) Students and All Students 124
Table 22: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Helps Students
to Develop 21st-Century Skills Needed in a Global Economy: J. G. Downey
All-Boys School (JGD) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and
Administrators 125
Table 23: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Helps
Students Develop 21st-Century Skills Needed in a Global Economy:
Business Leaders and Policymakers 126
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 8
Table 24: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Enhances
Students’ Academic Development in Content and Coursework in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): J. G. Downey All-Boys
School (JGD) Students and All Students 130
Table 25: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Enhances
Students’ Academic Development in Content and Coursework in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): J. G. Downey All-Boys
School (JGD) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 131
Table 26: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Enhances
Students’ Academic Development in Content and Coursework in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Business Leaders and
Policymakers 132
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 9
ABSTRACT
The Irish government, through its policies, has harnessed the economic potential of
globalization by attracting and rewarding foreign direct investment by multinational corporations
(MNCs). To sustain its economic prowess, the Irish education system must adapt if it is going to
produce the knowledge-based workers needed to feed the economy. The Irish education system
must produce globally competitive students who possess the 21st-centruy skills demanded by
high-technology manufacturing and service industries. To stay competitive, students will
require a high level of scientific and technological literacy to work in the growing scientific and
engineering careers that are enhanced by participation in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematic (STEM) experiences provided through project-based learning (PBL) strategies, such
as science and technology fairs.
This study examined the collective perceptions of a variety of stakeholders, including
teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders, college and university professors, and MNC
representatives, regarding the influence of STEM education and the influence of globalization
and educational policy as they pertain to the development of 21st-century skills, inquiry-based
learning, and gender imbalance in STEM coursework and school leadership. This study also
examined how participating in science competitions such as SciFest influences students,
particularly female students, to enroll in senior-level and third-level STEM courses, subsequently
culminating in the pursuit of STEM-related careers.
The principal findings of this qualitative and quantitative case study indicated that
participation of students in PBL science competitions such as SciFest helps students feel better
prepared to take the Leaving Certificate Examination, encourages female students to pursue
senior-level and third-level STEM courses, and gives students exposure to the 21st-century skills
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 10
that they will need to be successful. The challenge remains that despite these data, school
leadership remains the most critical piece in determining student access to participation in PBL-
based science and technology fairs.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 11
CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Globalization speaks to the widening, deepening, and speeding up of global
interconnectedness (Fagan, 2002). While globalization is a term that has been used since 1904,
Friedman (2007) explained why and how globalization has gone to a new level. New
technologies, globalization, and the information revolution have significantly affected the world
economy (Wang, 2012). As a result of globalization and global and local migration, the world
has become more integrated and workers have become more mobile (Wang, 2012).
Like many countries, Ireland has embraced globalization and is seen as a country that has
done well in this new era (Fagan, 2002). Ireland is considered to be the most globalized nation in
the West and world’s third-most globalized economy (Irish America Staff, 2013). The
emergence of the “Celtic Tiger” stems from Irish policy that encouraged foreign direct
investment (FDI) by multinational corporations (MNCs) in high-technology manufacturing and
service industries (Wickham & Bruff, 2008). As economies have shifted from manufacturing to
information and knowledge services, so have the key competencies and skills needed by workers
to be successful (Binkley et al., 2012). To stay competitive, students will need a high level of
scientific and technological literacy to work in growing scientific and engineering careers (Bybee
& Fuchs, 2006). Ireland’s national commitment to an educated society reflects Ireland’s
commitment to developing the education and skills of its people, which they see as an important
source of wealth for the country equal to that of traditional forms of capital (McDonagh, 2000).
This study examined the collective perceptions of a variety of stakeholders, including
teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders, college and university professors and MNCs
regarding the influence of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education
and the influence of globalization and educational policy as they pertain to the development of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 12
21st-century skills, inquiry-based learning, and gender imbalance in STEM coursework and
school leadership. This study also examined how participating in science competitions, such as
SciFest, influences students, particularly female students, to enroll in senior-level and third-level
STEM culminating in the pursuit of STEM-related careers.
Background of the Problem
Globalization has put a premium on the importance of intellectual capital as it relates to
the newly formed knowledge economies (Bottery, 2006). In this new era, wealth is tied to
knowledge workers and so is ultimately tied to education systems (Spring, 2008). With the
flattening of the global economy in the 21st century, the teaching of STEM subjects has taken on
new importance as economic competition has become truly global (Kennedy & Odell, 2014).
National education systems now have two major demands: (a) to prepare and generate labor or
human capital for participation in its economy, and (b) to promote national cultures and identity
(Green, 1999). If a company’s success is directly tied to its intellectual capital in the form of the
intelligence, innovation, and creativity of its workers, then the question becomes how education
systems will change to meet the demands of this new knowledge economy. Companies need an
educated and highly skilled labor force if they hope to produce higher-quality, competitive
products (Goldberg & Pavcnik, 2007).
In this new knowledge economy, education systems now must prepare students who can
learn new things, work in teams, communicate effectively, self-manage, question and innovate,
and assume personal responsibility (Spring, 2008). Thus, education and training systems must
focus on promoting social and personal skills that allow students to be flexible and adaptable and
quick to learn in rapidly changing work environments (Green, 1999). Students must graduate
with the ability to communicate well, handle information, work in teams, solve new problems,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 13
apply knowledge and skills in various contexts, and think conceptually and creatively (Green,
1999). Workers who have intellectual capital will be highly sought after, prized, and paid, and
workers who lack intellectual capital will need the opportunity to develop it through extensive
programs of training and education (Bottery, 2006). For education to fulfill its new role, it must
produce knowledge workers who think analytically rather than through a pedagogy of drill on
skills and who can solve problems collaboratively (Torres, 2002). The net result is that national
education systems and MNCs must work more closely to close the gap between the current need
for knowledge workers and current skill set of graduates (Green, 1999).
Statement of the Problem
As a direct result of FDI, globalization, and multinational economic conditions, Ireland’s
historically agriculture-dominated economy has changed to a technologically based economy
(McDonagh, 2000). With its highly trained multilingual workforce, Ireland has attracted many
leading e-business giants such as Google, Yahoo, eBay, and Amazon (Dorgan, 2006). Ireland
was named the most globalized country in the world with the highest degree of economic
integrations of all developed countries (Dorgan, 2006). Currently, in Ireland, 1 in 4 positions is
held in a knowledge-intensive profession that requires a high level of thinking, analytical skills,
information technology skills, and strong interpersonal skills (Turner & D’Art, 2008). The start
and continuing success of the “Celtic Tiger” depend on a steady supply of highly educated,
young, English-speaking workers (Childs, 2001). The Irish educational system has to produce
knowledge-ready workers to meet this demand.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of globalization and
educational policy on development of 21st-century skills through implementation of STEM
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 14
education and inquiry-based instructional practices, such as problem-based learning (PBL), and
student participation in science competitions. The study examined how participation in SciFest
prepares students for the Leaving Certificate Examination and influences school leadership
practices, female students’ interest in STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of the value
of SciFest.
To meet the purpose of this study, four research questions were addressed:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in SciFest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses?
4. What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders,
college/university professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in
SciFest?
Significance of the Study
Ireland has embraced globalization and is seen as a country that has done well in this new
knowledge worker era (Fagan, 2002). The emergence of the “Celtic Tiger” stems from Irish
policy that has encouraged FDI by MNCs in high-technology manufacturing and service
industries (Wickham & Bruff, 2008). With the growth of Ireland’s high-tech sector, focused
heavily on the software industry, the supply of local skilled workers was quickly exhausted
(Wickham & Bruff, 2008). The start and continuing success of the “Celtic Tiger” depend on a
steady supply of highly educated, young, English-speaking workers (Childs, 2001).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 15
To address this shortage, the Irish government is attempting to reorient the education
system toward technical education, 21st-century skills, culminating in new colleges focused on
technical and scientific education linked to industry (O’Riain, 2000). To compete in an evolving
global market, the Irish education system’s goals are to produce a workforce that can rebuild an
innovative knowledge-based economy that will provide sustainable employment and high
standards of living for all of its citizens (Hunt, 2011). The continued success of the knowledge
economy in Ireland is directly linked to the quality and quantity of STEM graduates (Sherlock,
2016). This study analyzed the impact of SciFest on the development of 21st-century skills in
STEM courses to prepare students for jobs in a market requiring a skilled workforce. It also
looked at students, particularly female students, who participated in science competitions and
their desire to continue the study of STEM subjects and pursue a career in a STEM-related field.
According to O’Hagan and Newman (2014), particular attention has been given to increasing the
number of Irish graduates in finance, science, and engineering to prepare the workforce to meet
the needs of Ireland’s smart economy.
Limitations of the Study
Limitations of this study included the distance between Los Angeles, California, and the
study location in Dublin, Ireland. The research team conducted interviews, observations, and
surveys within an 8-day time frame that limited interactions between participants and
researchers. Although there were several limitations, validity and reliability were achieved by
collecting rich verbatim transcripts of participant responses in their natural settings. Interview
data were triangulated with responses to surveys and with observations at various settings.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 16
Delimitations of the Study
The scope of the study and the instrumentation were delimitations of the study as the
research team worked with government officials, corporate leaders, and education leaders to
gather data via interviews, observations, and surveys. According to Simon and Goes (2013),
delimitations are those characteristics that arise from limitations in the scope of the study and by
the conscious exclusionary and inclusionary decisions made during the development of the
study. Unlike limitations of the study, delimitations result from specific choices by the
researchers (Simon & Goes, 2013). This study focused on secondary schools, with no
consideration of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or demographics other than gender.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are operationally defined for use in this dissertation:
Foreign direct investment (FDI): A form of international interfirm cooperation that
involves a significant equity stake in, or effective management control of, foreign enterprise. It
also encompasses the broader forms of nonequity cooperation involving the supply of tangible
and intangible assets by a foreign enterprise to a domestic firm without foreign control (De
Mello, 1997).
Globalization: The phenomenon of increased economic integration among nations,
characterized by the movement of people, ideas, social customs, and products across borders
(Spring, 2008).
Human capital: Learning capacities that are of comparable value to other resources
involved in the production of goods and services and that can be viewed regarding their value or
cost to the country (Nafukho, Hairston, & Brooks, 2004).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 17
Inquiry-based learning: A method of instruction that poses questions or problems while
placing the student and interactions at the center of the learning experience (Slough & Milam,
2013).
Knowledge-based economy (KBE): The use of knowledge, skills, and technology to
produce jobs and provide economic benefit. Knowledge and education are considered to have a
high-value return (Wagner, 2008).
Multinational corporation (MNC): A corporation that is registered in more than one
country or that produces and sells in more than one country (Wickham & Bruff, 2008).
Project-based learning (PBL): An instructional model used in schools to integrate STEM
education and support the development of 21st-century skills. Students are engaged in real-world
problem-solving tasks that promote teamwork and inquiry (Capraro, Capraro, & Morgan, 2013).
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: Education that
focuses on innovation and the applied process of designing solutions to complex contextual
problems using current tools and technologies (Kennedy & Odell, 2014).
SciFest: A series of science competitions for secondary students in Ireland, hosted in
schools and at regional and international levels (Porter, 2017).
Twenty-first-century skills: Skills needed to compete in the new knowledge-based
workforce. Wagner (2008) identified these skills as critical thinking and problem solving,
collaboration, adaptability, agility, initiative and entrepreneurship, effective oral and written
communication, the ability to access and analyze information, and curiosity and imagination.
Organization of the Dissertation
The dissertation is organized into five chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the study, provides
an overview, presents the statement of the problem and the purpose of the study, states the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 18
research questions and significance of the study, and defines key terms. Chapter 2 presents a
review of the pertinent literature regarding globalization, the history of Ireland, Ireland’s
educational system, gender, school leadership, and the theoretical frameworks used in the study.
Chapter 3 describes the methodology used to conduct the study, including the techniques used
for collecting, organizing, and analyzing data, and the study sample, population, and
instrumentation. Chapter 4 presents the research findings from the data collection and identify
emergent themes about the research questions and theoretical frameworks. Chapter 5 summarizes
the study’s findings and presents implications for further research.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 19
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Friedman’s (2007) described the global competitive playing field as being leveled or
“flattened.” As a result of this flattening, people are now able to collaborate and compete in real
time from all over the planet on equal footing for the first time in history (Friedman, 2007). This
flattening effect is not a new concept. Globalization, a term that has been used since 1904, also
speaks to the widening, deepening, and speeding up of global interconnectedness (Fagan, 2002).
While globalization and the changes resulting from it are not new, the expansion of the Internet
and wireless technologies has resulted in faster change than ever before (Spooner, 2015). As
Friedman (2007) put it, globalization has gone to a new level.
Like many countries, Ireland has embraced globalization and is seen as a country that has
done well in this new era (Fagan, 2002). Ireland is considered to be the most globalized nation in
the West and world’s third-most globalized economy (Irish America Staff, 2013). The
emergence of the “Celtic Tiger” stems from Irish policy that has encouraged FDI by MNCs in
high-technology manufacturing and service industries (Wickham & Bruff, 2008). With the
growth of Ireland’s high-technology sector, focused heavily on the software industry, the supply
of local skilled labor force was quickly exhausted (Wickham & Bruff, 2008). To address this
shortage, the Irish government is attempting to reorient the education system toward technical
education and 21st-century skills culminating in new colleges focused on technical and scientific
education linked to industry (O’Riain, 2000).
This chapter reviews the literature related to the impact of globalization through FDI by
MNCs on Ireland’s educational system. This review also examines how science fairs,
specifically SciFest, influence the pedagogy of Irish educators as they prepare students for the
21st-century workforce in STEM fields. The literature review section is divided into four main
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 20
sections. The first section focuses on globalization by examining the history of globalization and
the impact of globalization on Ireland. The second section focuses on the history and politics of
Irish economy related to foreign investment via MNCs and how this has influenced Irish
educational policy. The third section reviews the history of the Irish education system and the
state of Ireland’s current educational system. Specific attention is paid to the need for 21st-
century skills and how inquiry-based learning and STEM education affect these skills. This
section also reviews how science fairs influence STEM education and teaching 21st-century
skills. Particular attention is focused on the role of school leadership and the current discrepancy
in the proportion of females in STEM careers. The chapter concludes with a review of the
theoretical frameworks utilized for this study.
Globalization
Overview and Definition
Economist Theodore Levitt is credited with coining the term globalization, which he used
to describe the changes in global economics impacting production, consumption, and investment
(Spring, 2008). Green (1999) defined globalization as accelerated international flow of goods,
capital-labor, services, and information. This acceleration is attributed to improved
transportation, the rapid evolution of communication technologies, and deregulation (Green,
1999). Simply put, globalization is the increased economic interdependence of countries
(Goldberg & Pavcnik, 2007).
Since globalization is such an expansive topic, Lawlor (2007) identified six processes to
provide a solid foundation for globalization. The first process is the speeding up of flows of
capital, people, goods, images, and ideas across the globe; an example is mail versus email. The
second process is the intensification of the links and modes of interaction and flows that
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 21
interconnect the world, a historic example of which is the radio as the single source of
information versus multiple sources of instant access to information today. The third process is
the stretching of social, cultural, political, and economic processes across frontiers; for example,
an event in North Korea can instantly affect the U.S. stock market. The fourth process is the
interdependency of the global and local landscapes; for example, the use of wood to build a
home in the United States can result in deforestation in the Amazon. The fifth process is anti-
Eurocentric movement from the practices that take Europe or Western values, concerns, goods,
and culture to other countries around the globe; for example, expansion of nontraditional Eastern
medicine in the United States. The sixth process is the concept that Westernization, as it was
once known, does not occur. Today, people absorb ideas, values, and lifestyles from Western
civilization but take those ideas and shape their ways of living versus simply assimilating, as
they did in the past (Lawlor, 2007).
Dreher (2006) divided globalization into three dimensions: economic integration, social
integration, and political integration. Economic globalization is characterized by the flow of
goods, capital, services, and information (Dreher, 2006). Spring (2008) made a connection
between globalization and the knowledge economy, including technology, human capital, and
the global migration of workers. Governments are now exploring educational agendas to develop
human capital as a direct link to economic growth (Spring, 2008).
Thurow (2000) examined how globalization and the accompanying new technologies
lead to a knowledge-based economy, which he called the third industrial revolution. The first
industrial revolution was based on steam and the second industrial revolution was based on
electrification. Thurow (2000) stated that, if countries want to be successful in this new global
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 22
economy, they must be seen as attractive to MNCs by having a well-educated workforce, good
infrastructure, and political stability.
History of Globalization
Friedman (2007) divided globalization into three great eras. The first era, globalization
1.0, spanned the time from Columbus setting sail in 1492 to open trade routes between the Old
World and New World until approximately 1800. Friedman contended that success in this era
was linked to a country’s brawn and ability to deploy it. In the second era, globalization 2.0,
which lasted from 1800 to 2000, the key driver changed from countries to MNCs. During this
second era, MNCs expanded to global markets powered by falling transportation and
communication costs. This era ended with the advent of the fiber-optic cable and World Wide
Web. The third era, globalization 3.0, which Friedman contends started in 2000, is driven by the
power of individuals to collaborate on the same digital content from anywhere and to compete
globally (Friedman, 2007).
Altbach (2004) arrived at similar findings, noting that libraries used to be the repositories
of information; now, scholars depend on the Internet for research, analysis, and dissemination of
their work. The Internet has become the primary vehicle for the globalization of knowledge and
communications (Altbach, 2004). Spring (2008) contended that one of the major impulses of
globalization is the advent of the information society through information and communication
technology. Spring (2008) concluded that the wealth in the current knowledge economy is tied to
knowledge workers, who are ultimately tied to education systems. Spooner (2015) noted that, in
the past, literacy, knowledge, and information were controlled from the top down; now, the
expansion of technology and access to and supply of information are inverting the norm.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 23
Information is no longer limited by geography and, more important, cannot be politically
restricted (Spooner, 2015).
Flattening Phenomenon
Friedman (2007) identified 10 major political events, innovations, and companies that
have led the flattening process to occur significantly more rapidly than ever before and to touch
more people on the planet at any given time. The first major “flattener” took place on November
11, 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, signifying the end of the Cold War and tipping the
balance of power across the world toward democratic, free market-oriented governance and
capitalism. This period also marked the rise of Windows-enabled personal computers, which
allowed individuals to create and to connect to one another (Friedman, 2007).
The second major “flattener” happened on August 9, 1995, when Netscape went public.
This was significant because this company created the first commercial browser, which
popularized the Internet and Web as tools of connectivity and commerce. This development
allowed investors to see the possibilities of digital content and the infinite demand for Internet-
based products (Friedman, 2007).
The third major “flattener” was the advent of workflow software, which allowed people
to shape and design things, create, sell and buy things, and share these things seamlessly from
anywhere in the world. Freidman (2007) contended that this third flattener allows for a global
platform for multiple forms of collaboration. This new global platform is the genesis for
Friedman’s next six “flatteners”: uploading, outsourcing, offshoring, supply chaining,
insourcing, and informing (Friedman, 2007).
Very similar to the work by Friedman, Lawlor (2007) identified the innovation of
information technology as the driving force behind globalization. Lawlor listed seven events that
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 24
had a major impact on the speed and progression of globalization in recent years: the rise of the
personal computer, the invention of the World Wide Web, fiber optic cable, the creation of
workflow software, open sourcing, supply chaining, and digital, mobile, personal, and virtual
movement (Lawlor, 2007).
Friedman’s (2007) described offshoring (a company moving entire operations to another
country) as one of the major driving forces of FDI by MNCs. As offshoring has become more
common for MNCs, competition has developed among countries on how they can attract MNCs
through tax breaks, education incentives, and other subsidies (Friedman, 2007).
Green (1999) noted that MNCs are now able to relocate their operations from one country
to another easily to benefit from economic advantages, such as labor, skills, market access,
political stability, and public subsidies. Countries are now choosing between competing for low-
wage, low-cost economies (e.g., the Asian Tiger nations or Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam) or
advanced economies, often found in Europe, that focus on knowledge-intensive, high-value-
added areas of production and services (Green, 1999).
Impact of Globalization
The driving forces of the new global society are forcing governments to invest heavily in
infrastructure, education, and research and development to ensure that their citizens have a high
standard of living (Thurow, 2000). Globalization affects individuals in relation to their income
through their labor and the change in the price of goods and services that they consume
(Goldberg & Pavcnik, 2007). Using the lens of economics and business, few could argue the
many benefits of globalization. The most obvious benefit of globalization is the increased
knowledge resulting from sharing information instantly all over the world from a personal device
(Lawlor, 2007). Cheaper goods are a direct result of a new global workforce, which is made
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 25
possible by the increased speed of transportation and communication, which allows companies to
search the world for the least expensive labor and lowest manufacturing costs (Lawlor, 2007).
Increased competition from nontraditional world powers allows trade of similar products to come
from countries all over the world (Lawlor, 2007).
Just as easily, one can identify economic drawbacks of globalization. Lower wages are
linked to globalization, since companies can look for workers all over the globe (Lawlor, 2007).
The widening discrepancy between the rich and poor is attributed to globalization as the wealthy
take advantage of the benefits of globalization, leaving the poor in a cycle of poverty (Lawlor,
2007). Destruction of local industries is a causality of globalization as MNCs move entire
operations to other parts of the globe (Lawlor, 2007). Globalization can work in direct opposition
to the public good. Tierney (2004) asked whether globalization is little more than an elaborate
vision of how capitalists would like the world to look to maximize their profits. Put another way,
is the true goal of globalization the profitability of the business or the creation of jobs and
extension of democracy to all citizens (Tierney, 2004)?
It is not as easy to quantify or qualify the impact of globalization on education systems
compared to its impact on business. In the past, national education systems had two major
demands: to prepare and generate labor or human capital for participation in its economy and to
promote national cultures and identity (Green, 1999). As a result of globalization and the new
borderless world, the concern is that nation states will lose control or put limits on the autonomy
of their education systems (Torres, 2002). This perceived loss of control is exemplified by the
role of intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations, the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank as they promote a
global education agenda. The discourse of these global organizations specifically centers on
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 26
education as it relates to human capital, economic development, and multiculturalism (Spring,
2008). With regard to national identity, the concern is that cultures are slowly integrating into a
single global culture based on Western ideals (Spring, 2008). The post-Colonial analysis
emphasizes the concern that globalization is not based on a belief of all people having a right to
education but rather on an effort to benefit wealthy and rich nations at the expense of the world’s
poor (Spring, 2008). Further, this post-Colonialist view looks at education as an economic
investment designed to produce better workers to serve MNCs (Spring, 2008). The question
becomes whether this new globalization economy mechanism is designed to benefit privileged
nations and people to retain their wealth and power (Spring, 2008).
Globalization has put a premium on the importance of intellectual capital as it relates to
the newly formed knowledge economies (Bottery, 2006). In this new era, wealth is tied to
knowledge workers and so is ultimately tied to education systems (Spring, 2008). If a company’s
success is directly tied to its intellectual capital—the intelligence, innovation, and creativity of its
workers, then the question becomes how will education systems change to meet the demands of
this new knowledge economy. Companies need a better-educated and more highly skilled labor
force if they hope to produce higher-quality, competitive products (Goldberg & Pavcnik, 2007).
In this new knowledge economy, education systems must prepare students to learn new
things, work in teams, communicate effectively, self-manage, question and innovate, and assume
personal responsibility (Spring, 2008). Thus, education and training systems should focus on
promoting social and personal skills that allow students to be flexible and adaptable and quick to
learn in rapidly changing work environments (Green, 1999). Students must graduate with the
ability to communicate well, handle information, work in teams, solve new problems, apply
knowledge and skills in a range of contexts, and think conceptually and creatively (Green, 1999).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 27
Workers who have intellectual capital will be highly sought after, prized, and paid; workers who
lack intellectual capital will need the opportunity to develop it through extensive programs of
training and education (Bottery, 2006). For education systems to fulfill the new role, they must
produce knowledge workers who think analytically rather than through a pedagogy of drill on
skills and who can solve problems collaboratively (Torres, 2002). The net result is that national
education systems and MNCs must work closely to close the gap between the current need for
knowledge workers and the current skill sets of graduates (Green, 1999).
Ireland
History and Political Overview
Ireland’s history is marked by a constant struggle between foreign economic control and
religious control. While fact and myth sometimes merge, one version of history has Christianity
first arriving in Ireland in 432 AD with a Briton named Patrick (Bartlett, 2010). A corollary to
Patrick’s arrival, Pope Celestine, in 431 AD, sent Palladius to be its first Bishop. Before
Patrick’s and Palladius’s arrival, Celtic paganism beliefs blended between the supernatural and
natural (Bartlett, 2010). While much of what he is credited with accomplishing is myth, Patrick
(later to be known as St. Patrick), it is clear that he served a vital role as a missionary in Ireland
(Hegarty, 2012). Upon Patrick’s death in the late 5th century, the Catholic church was deeply
embedded in Irish society (Hegarty, 2012).
The next period in Irish history is marked by the invasion by Norwegian Vikings in 795
AD (Hegarty, 2012). Vikings were expert sailors and, with their longships, began a pattern of
attack and plunder to establish settlements along the Irish coasts (Hegarty, 2012). The next 200
years of Irish history are marked by battles between Irish kings and invading Vikings; contrary to
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 28
their custom in other invaded countries, the Vikings in Ireland never truly attempted the total
conquest of the island (Bartlett, 2010).
In sharp contrast to the Vikings, under the rule of Henry II, the invasion of Norman-
Welsh soldiers in August 1167 marked the first Anglo-Norman military landing in Ireland, which
led to 800 years of direct English rule of Ireland (Hegarty, 2012). In 1171, Henry II became the
first King of England to set foot on Irish soil, when he, along with 500 knights and 4,000 foot
soldiers, sacked Waterford (Bartlett, 2010). As a result of troubles throughout his empire, Henry
decided to divide his empire among his four sons, with his youngest, John, becoming the King of
Ireland (Hegarty, 2012). John, often referred to as one of England’s worst monarchs when he
succeeded his brother as King John of England, the “Lordship of Ireland” fell under the English
crown (Bartlett, 2010).
The beginning of the 14th century marked the high point of English rule, with close to
75% of the island under English control (Bartlett, 2010). The Black Death, arriving in Ireland in
1348, killed close to 14,000 people in the first few months, with a final death toll of 35% to 50%
of the population. The remainder of the 14th and 15th centuries in Ireland was marked by a
process of economic decline and territorial recension that resulted in the almost total removal of
English authority. England had little choice because it had to focus its efforts on the War of the
Roses (Bartlett, 2010).
As the local Gaelic and Gaelicized lords began to fill the vacuum of power, Henry VIII in
1536 decided to reconquer Ireland and return the entire island to crown control. Henry VII was
proclaimed King of Ireland and was successful in bringing a centralized government to the entire
island; however, he was not successful in converting the Catholic Irish to Protestantism (Bartlett,
2010). The conflict between Catholic and Protestant came to a head in 1641 as a result of the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 29
Ulster Rebellion, which is considered the first genuine people’s uprising in Irish history (Bartlett,
2010). The rebellion was so bloody, with reports of one hundred thousand Protestants being
tortured, drowned, or killed, that is said that the Protestant-Catholic relations in Ireland have
never fully recovered from the Ulster rebellion of 1641 (Bartlett, 2010).
From 1641 to 1651, between war and bubonic plaque, it is estimated that close to 600,000
people, out of a population of 1.5 million, died, with more conservative numbers putting the
death toll at 20% to 40% (Bartlett, 2010). By 1690, as a result of continuous wars and rebellions,
Ireland had little manufacturing left and most Irish were poor Catholic peasants. With the
passage of a series of anti-Catholic legislative enactments called the Penal Laws, conditions for
Irish Catholics worsened (Bartlett, 2010).
The population of Ireland doubled to more than million in the 18th century, and Catholic
Irish were becoming more and more united against English influence in the Irish government
(Bartlett, 2010). Due to the exclusion of Catholics, the Irish Parliament was almost exclusively
filled from the ranks of the Church of Ireland and, as such, represented only the Protestant
minority (Bartlett, 2010). The 1798 rebellion resulted in attacks on Protestants, a reminder of the
1641 rebellion; however, this time, Ireland was under the rule of King George III of Britain, who
quickly brought an end to the bloodshed (Hegarty, 2012).
The year 1800 marked a change in Ireland, with the passing of the Act of Union, which
abolished the Irish Parliament and created a new political entity called the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland and repealed any remaining discrimination against dissenter religions,
including Catholicism (Hegarty, 2012). However, true Catholic emancipation did not occur until
spring 1829, when the Catholic Relief Act was signed into law by George IV (Hegarty, 2012).
As easily predicted, the support of the union from both sides was short-lived, as Irish poverty
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 30
continued to rise rapidly and dependence on the fickle potato crop completed the picture of a
society in trouble (Bartlett, 2010).
The population in Ireland in 1845 was close to 8.5 million. The great famine caused by
potato blight reduced that population through one million deaths from starvation and one million
Irish citizens fleeing to Britain and North America (Bartlett, 2010). This massive emigration
lasted for close to 30 years, and Ireland’s population dipped below three million (Bartlett, 2010).
The famine led to an even greater hatred of England by Irish Catholics, since the poor were more
seriously impacted. This would soon lead to the end of English rule (Hegarty, 2012).
Amid much debate, the Home Rule Bill was passed in 1914 but was suspended with the
onset of the first World War to ensure Ireland’s support of Britain and the Allied war effort
(Bartlett, 2010). During the war, Ireland was divided into two separate entities: Northern Ireland
and the Irish Free State (Bartlett, 2010). In the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin, Irish insurgents
battled British soldiers in a continuation of the effort to gain control of Ireland (Bartlett, 2010).
The culmination of 800 years of occupation and internal war came to a head in January
1919 with the establishment of a 32-county Irish Republic (Bartlett, 2010). The newly formed
Irish Republic and its army waged guerilla war, resulting in the Fourth Government of Ireland
Act of 1920 that formally established Northern and Southern Ireland, culminating in a truce that
halted the war in 1921 (Bartlett, 2010). In 1922, the Irish Free State Treaty was ratified by both
parliaments, formalizing the independence for the 26-county Irish Free State and six-county
Northern Ireland (Bartlett, 2010). At this time, the country was composed of 92% Catholics and
8% Protestants (Bartlett, 2010). The Protestant population continued to drop for the next 30+
years due to fear and economic disruption (Bartlett, 2010).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 31
In 1937, a new constitution put in place a new president of Ireland, who would be elected
by direct vote of the people, enshrined the Catholic moral code as the fundamental law of the
land, and codified women as second-class citizens. The new constitution confirmed a series of
rights, including the right to private property, protection of life, free speech, and assembly
(Bartlett, 2010). With the onset of the World War II, Ireland took a formal neutral position,
despite 50,000 men and women serving in the British armed forces. Also, Irish civilian workers
made a significant contribution to the war efforts of the allies (Bartlett, 2010).
The next 60 years of Irish history were characterized by the warring religious
communities in Northern Ireland, culminating in what is now referred to as the “Troubles.” This
term describes the murderous ethnoreligious conflict that lasted until 2007 and took the lives of
more than three thousand men, women, and children (Bartlett, 2010). The Troubles had a very
significant negative impact on the economy of Northern Ireland as a result of the bitter violence
that stemmed from the fighting between the Irish Republican Army and the British army. Despite
the failure of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which would have marked the end of the
conflict, full disarmament and devolution were not restored until 2007(Bartlett, 2010).
Economic Nationalism
Ireland’s economic history is a tale of two strategies. The first strategy, from the 1920s to
the end of World War II, was characterized by an attempt to create domestic industry behind
protective barriers. The second strategy, from the 1950s to the current day, is characterized by
attraction of foreign export-oriented industry (O’Hearn, 1990). At the time of the creation of the
Irish Free State in 1921, Irish industry was nonexistent, with agriculture making up half of the
domestic product, and 98% of Irish exports went to Britain (O’Hearn, 1990). The Irish stock
exchange in 1933 was comprised of 25 companies, with close to 80% of capital coming from
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 32
distillers, such as Guinness (O’Hearn, 1990). Almost half of all employment in Ireland was by
employers with fewer than 10 employees (O’Hearn, 1990). The long-term goal was for Ireland to
become economically self-sufficient (Dorgan, 2006).
Many of the nationalists from the non-food industries, such as coachbuilders and
manufacturers of shoes and clothing, lobbied for protections via restriction on imports so they
could build an Irish industrial sector and a large industrial working class (O’Hearn, 1990).
Restrictions to FDI through the Control of Manufactures Acts and tariff measures were put in
place in 1932 to transform Ireland into one of the more protected economies in the world
(O’Hearn, 1990). During this period, industrial employment in Ireland almost doubled to more
than 100,000; output in four key sectors (chemicals, paper, textiles, and clay/cement) increased
fourfold and output in metals and engineering tripled (O’Hearn, 1990).
The economic growth of Ireland remained under constant attack from the British, who
instituted unilateral duties and import quotas on Irish agricultural exports as 90% of all exports
continued to flow to Britain (O’Hearn, 1990). Due to the British restrictions, the working
population in agriculture dropped by 53% (O’Hearn, 1990). Ireland’s post-war economy paled in
comparison to the fast-recovering economies of other nations (Dorgan, 2006). In 1948, the
United States implemented the Marshall Plan for economic recovery of post-war European
economies and put pressure on Ireland to open the country to U.S. investment (O’Hearn, 1990).
The Irish government concluded that opening the country to foreign investment and lowering
protectionism would result in decimation of some industries and drastic decline for others
(O’Hearn, 1990).
Irish nationalistic economic policies inevitably failed, marked by exceptional levels of
mass emigration (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Emigration during the 1950s reached a peak with close
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 33
to 400,000 people (one seventh of the total population) leaving Ireland during the decade
(Dorgan, 2006). In addition to massive emigration, Ireland was in deep economic crisis with
negative economic growth and rising unemployment (O’Hearn, 1990). By the mid-1950s, it was
clear that nationalism was not sustainable and that previous protectionism had to abandoned in
favor of openness (Dorgan, 2006). The future of Ireland would rest in introducing incentives for
new export-oriented investment with new FDI that included grants, tax reliefs, and other
incentives to industry and agriculture (O’Hearn, 1990).
MNCs, FDI, and Globalization
In 1958, the new open economic development policy advocated for free trade, foreign
investment, and growth rather than fiscal restraint (Dorgan, 2006). This shift in economic policy
resulted in relief of tax on profits from export sales for companies; also, limits on foreign
ownership of business were lifted (Dorgan, 2006). Multi-national enterprises were incentivized
to locate in Ireland through generous financial supports, primarily providing a tax holiday on
profits generated by export sales (Buckley & Ruane, 2006). From that point forward, Ireland
became more and more integrated into the global economy (Dorgan, 2006). The 1960s saw
formation of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), which was designed to attract new
industry to Ireland by offering English-speaking low-cost labor and exemption from corporate
tax on all profits from exports (Dorgan, 2006). Equally important to the future of the Irish
economy, the Irish government eliminated the fee for secondary education, enabling more
working-class students to earn a high school diploma or technical degree (Friedman, 2007).
Beginning in the 1970s, the Irish economy saw a marked improvement in performance,
with a higher gross domestic product and gross national product (GNP) and more than 350
overseas companies making Ireland their new home (Dorgan, 2006). Equally important, as a
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 34
result of joining the European Community in 1973, the decade of the 1970s was the first since
independence in which Ireland saw population growth (15%; Dorgan, 2006). The IDA stepped
up the campaign to attract large-scale FDI in modern manufacturing from companies that
represented the future of high technology, high output, and high skills (Dorgan, 2006). The
increased FDI allowed Irish entrepreneurs to operate in traditional sectors (Buckley & Ruane,
2006). The IDA targeted the computer, pharmaceutical, and medical technology industries and
attracted companies such as Merck, Sharpe, and Wang to use Ireland as an export platform to
serve Europe (Dorgan, 2006).
The 1980s in Ireland were marked by a rapid increase in public state expenditures, high
inflation (averaged 13.6% per year) driven by the oil crisis, and a return to a drain in human
capital through emigration by young people (Dorgan, 2006). While GNP continued to grow, it
could not keep pace with the increased government expenditures for social services and debt
service (Dorgan, 2006). For the benefit of Ireland, the government, main trade unions, farmers,
and industrialists came together to institute a program of fiscal austerity (Friedman, 2007).
Despite these difficult economic times, the IDA continued to attract foreign investment by high-
technology companies such as IBM, Lotus, and Bausch and Lomb (Dorgan, 2006).
The economic phenomenon that started in the late 1980, as a result of Ireland being on
the forefront of the economic globalization process now has Ireland referred to as the “Celtic
Tiger” (Lane & Ruane, 2006). By the late 1990s, there were more than 1,000 subsidiaries of
multinational enterprises, with leading firms in advanced, research-based industries such as
electronics, computers, and pharmaceuticals (Jacobson & Mottiar, 1999). Chemicals and
machinery/electronics are the twin engines of the Irish manufacturing (Lane & Ruane, 2006). As
the U.S. economy surged, U.S. high-technology companies such as Microsoft, Dell, and Hewlett-
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 35
Packard moved to Ireland, employing 4,000 to 5,000 people each, to take advantage of Ireland’s
location for serving the increasingly integrated European market (Dorgan, 2006). Ireland shifted
from an economy of high unemployment to a country with full employment (Buckley & Ruane,
2006). American firms used Ireland’s knowledge workers to transform intellectual property
created in the United States into final products to be distributed throughout Europe (Lane &
Ruane, 2006). In 2003, more than 47% of Irish employees working in manufacturing worked for
foreign companies (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Europe remains the major market for the goods
produced in Ireland, with more than two thirds of exports going to the European Union with the
United Kingdom as the single largest destination (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Intel alone invested
more than $6 billion in new microchip factories (Dorgan, 2006). Nine of the top 10
pharmaceutical companies and 12 of the top 15 medical product companies have moved
substantial operations to Ireland (Dorgan, 2006). To combat international competition from
lower-cost economies, Ireland has made a concerted effort to attract foreign investment in high-
technology sectors, which are seen to be more sustainable and less vulnerable to competition for
Ireland in the long term (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Four key sectors that are highly promoted by
Irish policy are software services, professional services such as engineering and architectural
services, research and development services, and communications (Lane & Ruane, 2006).
Ireland is now considered by the OECD to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the
world, with unemployment dropping from 18% to under 4% and 1,000 jobs created each week
from 1994 to 2000 (Bartlett, 2010). The Irish economy grew by an average of 7% per year from
1988 to 1998, and Ireland’s economic growth rates in the 1990s doubled those of the European
Union (McDonagh, 2000). According to the Economist in 2004, Ireland had the highest quality
of life in the world (as cited in Bartlett, 2010). With its highly trained multilingual workforce,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 36
Ireland has attracted many of the leading e-business giants such as Google, Yahoo, eBay, and
Amazon (Dorgan, 2006). From 2002 to 2004, Ireland was named the most globalized country in
the world with the highest degree of economic integration of all developed countries (Dorgan,
2006). Ireland’s historical pattern of emigration has been reversed in the past few decades by a
policy that encourages immigration of highly skilled workers in areas where there are domestic
deficits (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Ireland’s firms tend to import skilled labor rather than training
“in house” (Wickham & Bruff, 2008). Also, as the Irish economy improved, emigrants returned
to their homeland (O’Riain, 2000).
Ireland’s recent economic success can be attributed to four key factors: heavy investment
in education, sensible tax and fiscal policies, encouragement of foreign investment, and sustained
national consensus (Dorgan, 2006). Friedman 2007 posited four similar reasons for Ireland’s
success in attracting high-technology companies: quality infrastructure, flexibility, educated
workforce, and low corporate taxes.
Ireland is known for having the lowest corporate tax rate in Europe. The country has had
a long history of using its tax system to attract and develop international business (Dorgan,
2006). In the 1980s, the government pushed personal tax rates higher, which failed in its aim of
generating more tax revenue as the higher rates led to more evasion and avoidance of tax and
drove businesses off shore (Dorgan, 2006). The government saw the consequence of the action
and offered amnesty to tax defaulters and reduced personal tax rates (Dorgan, 2006),
Foreign investment, the focus of Ireland’s IDA, has been the economic engine of the
Celtic Tiger. The United States has been the largest foreign investor in Ireland, accounting for
two thirds of all investment projects and more than 80% of capital invested (Dorgan, 2006).
Following the United States, Germany, the United Kingdome, other European states, and Japan
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 37
have all made significant investments in Ireland (Dorgan, 2006). About 85% of Ireland’s GDP is
the direct result of exports, so the government must continue to be open, accessible, and
responsive (Dorgan, 2006).
The start and continuing success of the “Celtic Tiger” depend on a steady supply of
highly educated, young, English-speaking workers (Childs, 2001). As reported in the OECD’s
publication of Investment in Education in 1966, Ireland has invested heavily in human capital
and made that investment a central position of its development policies (as cited in Dorgan,
2006). The relationships among education, skills, and the economy are well documented
(Wickham & Bruff, 2008). One of the reasons for the success of the Irish economy has been a
well-educated and skilled labor force (Wickham & Bruff, 2008).
In the 1980s, the Irish education system produced a large volume of technical graduates
on short-cycle courses that filled the immediate needs of incoming high-technology industries
(Wickham & Bruff, 2008). In contrast, in the 2000s, the Irish education system has not been able
to keep up with the demands for skilled labor with indigenous graduates (Wickham & Bruff,
2008). Ireland has been forced to turn to highly educated immigrant workers to fill these
positions (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Currently, in Ireland, one in four positions is located in
knowledge-intensive professions that require a high level of thinking, analytical skills,
information technology skills, and strong interpersonal skills (Turner & D’Art, 2008).
Ireland’s historically agriculture-dominated economy has switched to a technology-based
economy that now accounts for 70% of the country’s merchandise exports (McDonagh, 2000). In
addition to these skills, young people who enter the workforce must be flexible and adaptable
and quick to learn due to rapidly changing work environments (Green, 1999). These new
knowledge workers must be able to communicate well, handle large amounts of information,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 38
work in teams, solve new problems, apply knowledge and skills in a range of contexts, and think
conceptually and creatively (Green, 1999).
Education in Ireland
Harford (2010) stated that education in Ireland has always been regarded as a key
element of national identity and a great source of national pride. Many of the current educational
policies about control and oversight are still influenced by historical battles between Ireland and
Britain stemming from colonial occupation. The Irish educational system is intrinsically linked
to its Irish identity (Harford, 2010). During British occupation and until Irish independence in
1922, the Irish education system was a fundamental part of Britain’s strategic effort to affect
cultural and political assimilation (Harford, 2010). The principal churches, Roman Catholic,
Presbyterian, and primarily the Catholic church, were the founding forces that influenced Irish
educational policy, system, and schools. Despite historic efforts by Britain and current political
leadership, the hold on the Irish education system by religious institutions and the Catholic
church remains strong (Harford, 2010).
History of Education
Most countries in Europe have been shaped by the church. In Ireland, Catholicism has
always been the religion of the majority. The Church has seen control of education as a way of
spreading and preserving its influence. During the 17th and 18th centuries, during British
occupation, the British government attempted to weaken the power of the Catholic Church
through Protestant proselytism and a series of penal laws that eroded Irish Catholics’ rights to
property and education. This attempt to weaken the influence of Catholicism in Ireland had the
opposite effect; resistance by Irish Catholics only strengthened their loyalty to the church
(O’Donoghue & Harford, 2011).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 39
With the establishment of the National System of Primary Education in 1831, the
Catholic and Protestant churches gained control of primary school education. The objective was
to offer an elementary school to Catholics and Protestants together in the same schools to
promote tolerance and respect. Catholic, Protestant, and other local clergy provided separate
instruction in their respective religious doctrines to the children of their faith (O’Donoghue &
Harford, 2011).
During this period, a new National Board of Education was charged with the allocation of
building and salary grants to local schools that would be managed by patrons in the community.
After the Great Famine of 1845, due to widespread death and emigration, the Catholic population
fell by 27%. However, during this time frame, the number of Catholic priests, monks, and nuns
increased by 137%. After 1850, with an increased number of clergy, the Catholic bishops
worked to destroy the mixed education system; soon, Catholic children attended schools that
were overseen by the local bishop and managed by the local priest (O’Donoghue & Harford,
2011). Irish Catholics saw mixed schools as Britain’s attempt to erode Irish’s cultural identity
systematically by removing instruction in Ireland’s native language and culture and instead
inserting colonial values (Harford, 2010).
After Irish independence in 1922, the Irish Free State established the national Department
of Education, the main responsibility of which was to oversee primary, secondary, and technical
education. Primary and secondary education was overseen by loyal conservative Catholics, and
secondary education was funded by the state through capitation grants. The Education Act of
1923, in of Northern Ireland, was an attempt to link the level of state funding of local schools to
the degree of state involvement in management and control of the schools. The Catholic church
took this as an attempt to undermine their role in education and opted out of this new system. As
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 40
a result, Catholic schools received significantly lower funding than schools that had joined the
system (O’Donoghue & Harford, 2011).
Catholic church personnel developed new curricula for primary education that was
designed to develop basic skills of literacy and numeracy, while the focus in secondary schools
was general academic skills, with both levels having a major emphasis on nation building
through instruction in the Irish language (O’Donoghue & Harford, 2011).
For the next 40 years, the Irish Catholic Church maintained its dominant role in Irish
education. While the number of secondary students had increased to 59,306 by 1955, there
remained a significant drop in the number of students who moved from primary school to
secondary school. In 1965, only 25% of those leaving primary schools enrolled in secondary
schools. Compounding this issue was that, while only 13% of the workforce was composed of
professionals and managers, their children attended secondary schools and children of unskilled
or manual workers were excluded. The Council of Education at the time did not see it as the role
of the state to intervene and fund secondary education for the masses. In 1959, the prime minister
convinced the government to finance expansion of secondary level schools and provided
scholarships to offset the fees charged to facilitate attendance at secondary schools by those who
were less well off (O’Donoghue & Harford, 2011).
With the success of the secondary scholarship program, it became clear to the
government that the key to economic expansion was to expand access to secondary level
education even further by eliminating fees that were excluding students who were less well off.
The impact of the elimination of secondary fees is seen in the current Irish educational system, as
the majority of primary school students currently attend secondary school. Despite most
secondary schools not being Catholic, the Catholic church, under the moderate Pope John Paul
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 41
XXIII, supported the expansion because the denominational basis of the primary level was safe
(O’Donoghue & Harford, 2011).
Current Education Structure
Since the creation of the current education system in the Republic of Ireland, almost all
schools have been religiously based. Currently, 96% of all primary schools and a large portion of
secondary schools are denominational (Rougier & Honohan, 2015). Education is compulsory for
children in Ireland from age 6 to age 16 or until the students have completed 3 years of
secondary education. The system includes primary, second-level, third-level, and higher
education (Citizens Information Board, 2017). The school system in the Republic of Ireland is
composed of more than 4,000 schools, serving a national population of approximately 4.29
million. At the primary level, 3,309 schools serve 510,000 students, with 29,000 teachers. At the
secondary level 729 schools serve 356,100 students, with 26,185 teachers (Conway & Murphy,
2013).
Primary (first-level) education requires attendance by age 6 until age 11, but most
children start school in September following their fourth birthday. The primary-level education
covers the typical areas of language and mathematics and science but there is also a significant
religious component to the curriculum. Primary schools are privately owned by religious
communities, managed by local boards of governors, and state funded (Citizens Information
Board, 2017).
Second-level education is provided in three types of schools: vocational, community,
comprehensive. Second-level education starts with a 3-year Junior Cycle. At age 12, the student
takes the Junior Certificate Examination, which is often followed by an optional free year in
which the student can experience a wide range of education options and even work experience.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 42
Students then move to the last 2 years in the Senior Cycle, where they have the option of taking
any of three programs, each leading to a state-administered Leaving Certificate. The established
Leaving Certificate is typically for students who wish to enter universities, institutes of
technology, or colleges of education. The Leaving Certificate Vocational Program is offered to
students who wish to enter a trade school, and the Leaving Certificate Applied Program is
designed for students who intend to go directly into the workforce; it is not recognized for direct
entry into third-level courses (Citizens Information Board, 2017).
Depending on student choice and qualifying Leaving Certificate scores, students can then
enter the third-level education, consisting of the university sector, the technical sector, and
colleges of education (substantially state funded) or they have the choice of independent private
colleges. Seven universities offer bachelor, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The technical sector
includes institutes of technology that emphasize business, engineering, and linguistics, overseen
by the Department of Education and Skills (Citizens Information Board, 2017).
Teacher Education
Nineteen publicly funded accredited initial teacher education providers in Ireland offer
more than 30 programs for primary and second-level teachers (Conway & Murphy, 2013). The
Teacher Council, established in 2006, is the professional body for teaching that promotes
professional development for teachers and regulates standards in the profession (Conway &
Murphy, 2013). The colleges of education specialize in training first-level teachers through a
3-year bachelor of education and postgraduate diploma program, while second-level teachers
typically complete a primary degree at a university, followed by a 1-year diploma program in
education (Citizens Information Board, 2017).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 43
The importance of teacher training is at the forefront of the Irish educational system
because Irish teachers must be able to teach in the growing ethnically diverse classrooms and be
able to respond to the growing complexity and pressures to meet the demands of the knowledge
economy (Harford, 2010). If the end goal in Ireland is more inclusive and egalitarian schools,
there must be systematic changes to Irish teacher preparation policy. While there has been focus
on improved teacher preparation in Ireland, there remain gaps between what practices are
currently in place and what should be in place related to universal induction and continuous
professional development (Harford, 2010). There is a great need for a comprehensive policy on
teacher education to ensure that teachers have the skills necessary to educate the children of
Ireland to meet the challenges of globalization, sustainable development, the knowledge society,
and the changing social and demographic contexts of Ireland (Harford, 2010).
Recent Educational Issues
The history of schools in Ireland has been characterized by schools being wholly owned
and managed by religious bodies, mainly the Catholic church but also Protestant and other
churches, but funded by the state. The issue now is whether the state-supported denominational
education system, in the face of the increasing social diversity of the country, should allow the
system to be dominated by a single religion. In other words, should the state continue to support
religious schools (Rougier & Honohan, 2015)? Ireland is now attempting to balance the
education system to support individual religious liberty and nondenominational and collective
religious freedom while furthering social cohesion and civic education (Rougier & Honohan,
2015). The Irish Education system rests on the 1937 Irish Constitution, which established
parents’ rights to send their children to religiously diverse schools that are privately established
and state funded. Equally important, the Constitution established that every religious
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 44
denomination shall have the right to establish and manage schools in its respective faith (Rougier
& Honohan, 2015).
Religious diversity in Ireland has greatly increased in the past 20 years, with the
proportion of immigrants increasing from 3% in 1993 to 12% in 2011 (Rougier & Honohan,
2015). However, unlike other European countries, as the diversity of religious beliefs has
increased, so has the pluralization of state-supported education, rather than moves to
secularization or absolute accommodation of religious groups in Irish education (Rougier &
Honohan, 2015).
In addition to the additional religions of the country, according to the 2011 census, recent
immigrants (both atheists and agnostics) now account for 6% of the population, or 5 times more
than in 1991 (Rougier & Honohan, 2015). Results of a worldwide 2012 Red C survey showed
that the percentage of Irish people who declared themselves to be “a religious person” had
plummeted from 69% in 2005 to 47% in 2012, which put Ireland near the top of the 57 countries
surveyed (Rougier & Honohan, 2015). This decline in religious identification is directly linked to
the manner in which the Catholic Church in Ireland has handled allegations of sexual abuse of
children by priests (Rougier & Honohan, 2015). A 2004 study by the Dublin Education Research
Center found that 60% of those surveyed were in favor of a system of nondenominational
schools that would allow for religious instruction (Fischer, 2009).
While the Irish Constitution prohibits the state from discriminating between schools
under management by religious institutions, it allows schools to select their pupils and teachers
on the basis of their religious beliefs. Irish law gives specific exemptions for schools to allow
them to give preference, with regard to employment and admission, based on religious affiliation
(Rougier & Honohan, 2015). In Ireland, 96% of schools are denominational parish schools, with
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 45
90% being Catholic and a much smaller portion being Protestant, Presbyterian, Methodist,
Jewish, Quaker, or, more recently, Muslim (Rougier & Honohan, 2015). The Muslim minority
increased from approximately 4,000 in 1991 to close to 32,000 in 2006 and is now larger than
the Presbyterian community (Fischer, 2009). As of 2008, there are only two Muslim schools in
the Irish education system (Fischer, 2009). Recently, especially at the primary level, the trend
has been toward multidenominational schools that accept children from all religious backgrounds
(Rougier & Honohan, 2015).
With the demographic shifts and reduction in declarations of religious identity, there is a
shortage of schools in areas of high population growth. Since Catholic schools give priority
admission to children of Catholic families, non-Catholic children are left without a school
choice. Also, families outside of major urban areas, with limited school choice, are forced to
send their children to local Catholic or Protestant schools. This problem is compounded by the
Catholic schools, which in 1971 required religion to be integrated into all subjects, as opposed to
having a separate religion class. Integrating religion into all subjects makes it virtually
impossible for a child of a different faith to “opt out” of religious instruction that may differ from
their faith. Recent drops in scores in literacy and numeracy as reported by the Program for
International Student Assessment (PISA) have called into question the amount of time that Irish
students spend on religious instruction in school. In comparison with all other OECD countries,
Irish students spend considerably more instructional time in religious instruction, with most
teachers spending approximately 2.5 hours per week on religious instruction (Rougier &
Honohan, 2015).
Internally through the Irish Human Rights Commission and externally by the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Ireland is being pressured to address what
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 46
is now being considered a human rights issue: the increase in multidenominational schools and
elimination of the requirement for integrated religious curriculum (Rougier & Honohan, 2015).
Despite pressure from the United Nations committee that focuses on children’s rights and
elimination of racial discrimination to promote nondenominational and multidenominational
schools, the Irish government has refused to enact such legislation (Fischer, 2009). The result is
that, for financial and political reasons, the Irish government is steadfast in challenging the
existence of the current church-owned and -controlled primary school system (Fischer, 2009).
Globalization and Education Policy
In 1991, the Irish government acknowledged the link between education and social,
economic, and cultural prosperity by identifying education as a key aspect of its national policy
(Harford, 2010). At the Governor’s Economic Development conference in 2010, Paddy
McDonagh, the Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of Education and Science in
Ireland, stated that Ireland had long recognized that development of the education and skills of
the people of Ireland was as important as a source of wealth as the accumulation of more
traditional forms of capital (McDonagh, 2000).
While there have been many external and internal influences on Irish education policy,
the OECD remains a major driving force in Irish policy (Harford, 2010). With its establishment
in 1948 as a result of the Marshall Plan, the OECD has focused on improved policy to promote
the economic and social well-being of people around the world (OECD, 2017). In 1994, the
OECD identified three key areas to drive policy on education and training: (a) ensuring a high
standard for initial education, (b) facilitating transition from work to school, and (c) upgrading
the skills of all adults (McDonagh, 2000).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 47
The shift in Irish education to meet the economic needs of the country is best illustrated
by the large expansion in third-level education with the number of enrolled students increasing
from fewer than 20,000 in 1960 to more than 112,000 in 1998 (McDonagh, 2000). In the early
1990s, the number of Irish students enrolled in tertiary education increased more than 50%
(McDonagh, 2000). The number of students enrolled in third-level education in Ireland is
significantly higher than in other member countries of the OECD. As the demand for third-level
education has increased, so has funding, resulting in a 33% increase in public spending on
tertiary education. This commitment to an educated society reflects Ireland’s commitment to
developing the education and skills of its people based on their important as a source of wealth
for the country equal to that of traditional forms of capital (McDonagh, 2000).
21st-Century Skills
New technologies, globalization, and the information revolution have significantly
affected the world economy (Wang, 2012). As a result of globalization and global and local
migration, the world has become more integrated and workers have become more mobile (Wang,
2012). As economies shift from manufacturing to information and knowledge services, so has
the key competencies and skills to be successful (Binkley et al., 2012). To stay competitive,
students will need a higher level of scientific and technological literacy to enter scientific and
engineering careers (Bybee & Fuchs, 2006).
Driving the need for new skills is the change in today’s enterprises that require
decentralized decision making, information sharing, teamwork, and innovation. Manual labor
and use of routine skills are now accomplished by machines or outsourced (Binkley et al., 2012).
Success for today’s knowledge and informational workers lies in their ability to communicate,
share, and use information to solve complex, ever-changing problems (Binkley et al., 2012).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 48
These higher-order skills allow workers to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete
tasks and solve problems (Wang, 2012).
Wagner (2008) identified what seven key skills that students must develop today to be
globally competitive. They must be able to think critically and solve problems, collaborate across
networks, be agile and adaptable, be able to take the initiative and be entrepreneurial,
communicate effectively through written and oral communication, be able to access and analyze
information, and have curiosity and imagination.
The OECD categorized skills and competencies for the 21st century, with three key
categories for each skill or competency. The first category, using tools interactively, includes the
competencies of using language and text interactively, using knowledge and information
interactively, and using technology interactively. The category of interacting in heterogeneous
groups included relating well to others, being able to work in teams, and being able to manage
and resolve conflicts. The category of acting autonomously included acting within the bigger
picture, being able to form and conduct life plans and personal projects, and being able to defend
and assert their rights, interests, and needs (Wang, 2012).
The International Labor Organization suggested a similar set of skills but focused on
skills that employees need to be transferrable between jobs. The core skills included cognitive
skill and problem solving, or the ability to analyze and solve technical problems using high-level
thinking skills. Social skills included the ability to interrelate with others, work in teams, and
demonstrate leadership. Communication skills included the ability to read, write, and handle
information. Personal behavioral and ethical skills included the ability to make sound judgments
and possess appropriate personal and professional attitudes and values. Learning skills included
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 49
the ability to acquire new knowledge, learn from experience, and be open to innovation (Wang,
2012).
The Assessment and Teaching of 21st-Century Skills project created by Cisco, Intel, and
Microsoft was designed to identify 21st-century skills by analyzing 12 frameworks drawn from
multiple countries. The 10 specific skills were assigned to four broad categories: ways of
thinking, ways of working, tools for working, and living in the world. Ways of thinking included
the skills of creativity and innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making, and
learning to learn or metacognition. Ways of working included the skills of communication and
collaboration or teamwork. Tools for working included the skills of information literacy and
information and communication technology literacy. Living in the world included the skills of
citizenship (both local and global), life and career, and personal and social responsibility.
Beyond listing the skills, the study examined knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and ethics
required to accomplish each of these 21st-century skills (Binkley et al., 2012).
Similar to the work by Binkley et al. (2012), the nonprofit organization, P21 Partnership
for 21st Century Learning developed a framework for 21st-century learning based on input from
educators, education experts, and business leaders. P21’s mission is to catalyze 21st-century
learning so that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in an ever-
changing world in which learning never stops. P21 assigned 21st-century skills to three major
categories: (a) learning and innovation skills, (b ) information, media, and technology skills, and
(c) life and career skills. The key subjects and 21st-century themes are global awareness,
financial and economic literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy. The
specific skills contained in the learning and innovation skills are creativity and innovation,
critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration. Information skills
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included information literacy, media literacy, and information and communications literacy. Life
and career skills included flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and
cross-cultural skills, productivity and accountability, and leadership and responsibility
(Partnership for 21st-Century Learning, 2016).
With the publication of Education for a Changing Work: Green Paper on Education
(Ireland Department of Education, 1992), Ireland considered recommendations and adjustments
to its education system to keep pace with the changing educational needs of its country’s
economy. The paper emphasized that the Irish education system had to adapt to be able to
produce students who could think and solve problems rather than just accumulate knowledge.
Specifically, the call was for the education system to develop students who could manage
themselves, make the most of personal resources, express viewpoints rationally, and relate
effectively to other people (Ireland Department of Education, 1992).
Building on the green paper in 1992, Innovation 2020, Ireland’s Strategy for Research
and Development, Science and Technology (Bruton & English, 2015) reiterated that one of
Ireland’s greatest strengths is its people. Staying at the forefront of global innovation, Ireland is
committed to maintaining and enhancing the capacity and capability of its people (Bruton &
English, 2015). The goal of the Irish education system is to produce a workforce that can rebuild
an innovative knowledge-based economy that will provide sustainable employment and high
standards of living for all of its citizens (Hunt, 2011).
Ireland, like all countries, is faced with the task of defining the appropriate skills for
graduates in the 21st century (Hunt, 2011). Hunt’s (2011) report regarding a national strategy for
higher education in 2030 identified skills that Irish society needs to remain globally competitive:
quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, communication skills, team-working skills, and effective
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 51
use of technology. The end goal is that students leave college as creative, highly skilled
graduates who think independently and creatively and pursue lifelong learning, mentoring, and
continuous professional development (Hunt, 2011).
STEM, Gender, and PBL
The “flattening” of the global economy in the 21st century has put the teaching of STEM
subjects as a priority of country education systems to ensure competitiveness in the global
economy. Improving STEM education has become a major economic factor in developing
countries, emerging economies, and long-established economies (Kennedy & Odell, 2014). The
Irish government’s report STEM Education in the Irish School System, A Report on Science,
Technology, Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Education (Sherlock, 2016) links the quality and
quantity of STEM education in Ireland to its pipeline of talent necessary to support both FDI and
indigenous start-ups. The continued success of the knowledge economy in Ireland is directly
linked to the quality and quantity of STEM graduates (Sherlock, 2016). The 2016 annual report
from the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI; 2017) also supports STEM education through
significant funding of programs and promotes the awareness and understanding of the value of
STEM to Irish society and the growth of the economy.
The Irish government created a vision for STEM education for the country that states that
students in Ireland will receive a STEM education experience of the highest international quality
that is grounded in high levels of student engagement, enjoyment, and high performance in
STEM disciplines. To accomplish this vision, the STEM Education Review Group focused on
three main areas: teacher quality, implementation of best methods to enhance learning, and
improving awareness of STEM careers. In the area of teacher quality, the work centered on
preparation of teachers to teach STEM education and continuing staff development for those
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 52
who are currently teaching STEM. The work under implementation of best methods to enhance
learning centered on the use of digital technologies (Sherlock, 2016). Sherlock’s report also
identified specific issues in the current state of STEM education in Ireland. Gender equity in the
STEM workforce in Ireland is a critical threat to the sustainability and growth of the Irish
knowledge economy.
According to the Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO), fewer than 25% of the
approximate 120,000 people working in jobs that use STEM skills are women (Sherlock, 2016).
The shortage of women in STEM occupations is directly linked to women in higher education.
While there has been a great reduction in gender inequity regarding access to Irish education for
women, there remains a large gap in the technological sectors (Patrick, 1996). In the mid-1950s,
only 27% of higher education enrollments was comprised of women; by the 1980s, the
percentage of females rose to 45% and by the 1990s enrollment in higher education by women
was equal to that of men (Patrick, 1996). While overall access to higher education has greatly
improved for women in Ireland, females remain underrepresented in the technologic sector, with
less than 20% being female (Patrick, 1996). In 2008, women outnumbered men 56% to 44% in
the biological sciences but 86% of the technological majors were males (Gill, O’Donoghue,
Faulkner, & Hannigan, 2010).
While Sherlock (2016) identified many causes for the lack of women in STEM careers,
the primary factor that he posited was that parents of girls fail to advise their daughters about
STEM career options due to a lack of information. In 2016, the Science Foundation of Ireland
created a gender equity strategy with the goal of improving representation of women in all
aspects of STEM careers in Ireland. The main thrust of this strategy centered on increasing
participation and interest by girls in STEM-related activities (Patrick, 1996; SFI, 2017). Women
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 53
in Technology and Science (WITS), an offshoot of the National Women’s Council in Ireland,
created a four-part action plan to improve gender balance in STEM and to encourage women to
consider STEM careers. (WITS, 2016). The goals are to support women in advancing to
leadership positions in industry and academia, increase access to STEM education for women at
all levels, address the gender gap in pay, and promote family STEM workplaces (WITS, 2016).
The economic importance of STEM education and lack of pursuit of STEM college
majors to lead to qualified STEM job applicants is a critical issue not only in Ireland but also in
the United States. Currently, less than 25% of U.S. students enter college with the intention of
earning a degree in a STEM field (Soldner, Rowan-Kenyon, Inkelas, Garvey, & Robbins, 2012).
This issue is magnified for women and historically underrepresented minority students (students
who identify as African American, Hispanic/Latino, or Native American). Engineering majors
best illustrate the disparity among U.S. students’ interest in STEM degrees. Currently, only 25%
percent of engineer majors are female and only 4% are underrepresented minority students. This
problem is further demonstrated by comparing U.S. STEM college degree completion to that in
China. According to Soldner et al. (2012), fewer than 15% of students in the United States
receive a science degree in engineering, compared to 50% of students in China.
Access to STEM education and increasing the number of women in STEM careers align
with the aim of liberal feminism, which intends to remove barriers in education that prevent girls
from reaching their full potential (Acker & David, 1994). Acker (1987) examined major themes
of equal opportunities, socialization, and sex stereotyping and sex discrimination related to
inequality in education. Liberal feminism equates equal opportunities to the equality of
educational opportunity and looks at the impact of sexism, oppression, and patriarchy on females
(Acker & David, 1994). Socialization focuses on sex roles and sex stereotyping perpetuated by
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 54
the family, school, and media and how this reinforces traditional attitudes and orientations that
limit the future of girls.
Many policies and attitudes create a structural disadvantage for girls. Teachers’ attitudes
are a major contributing factor to sex-stereotyped choices in schools and eventual sex-
stereotyped occupations after graduation, which accounts for the discrepancy in females in
science and technology fields. There is now an increasing awareness that gender, race, and class
interact in complex ways that shape girls’ lives in school and after they leave school. The
solution lies in women and girls having access to power and policy making in education (Acker
& David, 1994).
Sanders (2008) stated that the current educational practice of teaching STEM subjects in
isolation will not improve the STEM pipeline. Sanders contended that STEM education is ideally
taught via an integrated approach. This integrated approach is based on a pedagogy of purposeful
design and inquiry that combines technological design with scientific inquiry in the context of
solving real-world problems (Sanders, 2008). Kennedy and Odell (2014) concluded that the key
to removing traditional barriers to STEM subjects is to create a curriculum that focuses on
student engagement. They listed as a key component of a rigorous, well-rounded STEM
education that STEM curriculum must challenge students to innovate and invent as they
demonstrate their understanding of STEM disciplines in a work-based, contextual environment
(Kennedy & Odell, 2014). The most effective teaching method for STEM education is PBL
because it provides real-life experiences for learning (Capraro et al., 2013).
PBL is a learning method that requires students to access multiple sources of information,
use the information obtained through collaboration to learn subjects deeply, and learn multiple
STEM subjects at the same time, utilizing higher-order thinking skills (Capraro et al., 2013).
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Quality PBL provides students with contextualized, authentic experiences necessary to scaffold
learning and build powerful STEM concepts. The ever-changing requirements of a successful
21st-century career require education systems to prepare students for jobs and challenges that do
not exist today.
Capraro et al. (2013) contended that PBL equips students with problem-solving skills that
enable them to find systematic solutions regardless of the specific problems that they face.
STEM PBL allows for integration of mathematics and science to lead to improved student
achievement, greater student interest in the subject matter, and enhanced student motivation
(Capraro et al., 2013).
The major advantages of STEM PBL are that (a) it eliminates fragmented curriculum and
incorporates more natural curriculum that is suited for building deep conceptual learning, (b) it is
developmentally appropriate because it changes depending on individual student needs, (c) it is
flexible so that teachers can meet curriculum mandates, and (d) it meets the needs of diverse
learners by empowering them to be responsible for their learning (Capraro et al., 2013). If done
well, STEM–PBL challenges students to develop their own creative and innovative skills, which
gives them the best opportunity for future success as knowledge workers in a truly global
society.
Science and Technology Fairs
STEM education plays a vital role in a country’s economic well-being through a direct
link between a nation’s global leadership and K–12 STEM education (Sahin, 2013). One of the
best ways to promote discovery and innovation through STEM is to allow students to participate
in science fair projects (Sahin, 2013). The term science fairs can represent a wide range of
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activities. For this study, science fairs are projects and programs that give students authentic and
personal experiences in doing science (McComas, 2011).
The first national children’s science fair was held in 1928, being hosted by the American
Institute in New York City at the American Museum of Natural Museum. This science fair
eventually evolved into the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which is still
being held today. The nonprofit Science Service of Washington, DC, created science clubs
throughout the United States with the objective of promoting and popularizing science. The
Science Service organization entered into a partnership with the Westinghouse corporation to
conduct the first Science Talent Search, which resulted in the first National Science Fair in
Philadelphia in 1950. The success of the National Science Fairs eventually led to the first ISEF,
held in Seattle in 1964 (Bellipanni & Lilly, 1999).
ISEF remains the largest and most prestigious science fair in the world, with more than
1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions, and territories vying for more
than $4 million in prizes. Millions of students compete in local science fairs throughout the
world, with the winners of these events being eligible to compete in more than 22 categories.
Currently, Intel is the major corporate sponsor of the event, but the non-profit Society for
Science and the Public Society of Washington, DC, organizes the annual event to execute its
mission to advocate for science in the public interest (Intel ISEF, 2017).
Sherlock’s (2016) report on the status of STEM education in the Irish school system
highlights the important role of the informal STEM education sector in Ireland. One of the
strongest examples of the informal Irish education sector, operating outside the formal curricular
teaching in schools, is the presence of many science fairs and technology exhibitions.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 57
SciFest, based in Ireland, is a program of science fairs for second-level students at their
local schools and regionally at the Institutes of Technology (Porter, 2017). SciFest founder and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shelia Porter approached the Institute of Technology Tallaght
(ITT) in 2006 to begin a science exhibition for second-level students (Porter, 2017). After 2
years of successful pilots, the program received funding from the Discover Science and
Engineering program and Intel, which allowed the 2008 SciFest to operate at nine Institutes of
Technology (ITs; Porter, 2017). As the program began to grow, SciFest Ltd, a not-for-profit
company was established in 2012 to administer the SciFest project (Porter, 2017).
The goal of SciFest is to encourage a love a STEM subjects through active, collaborative,
inquiry-based learning. SciFest aims to make their STEM fairs highly accessible and inclusive.
In 2012, SciFest developed an international aspect and winners became eligible to participate in
the ISEF in the United States. The program continues to grow; in 2017, more than 10,000
students from 285 schools throughout Ireland participated in SciFest. Currently, second-level
students compete locally at 67 schools to qualify to participate in regional events held at ITs. The
students who qualify to move on compete at the national event held at the SciFest STEM fair,
with the winners receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to represent Ireland at ISEF in the United
States. Since 2012, Irish SciFest students have won eight major awards at ISEF (Porter, 2017).
According to the National Science Education Standards and recent Framework for K-12
Science Education, quality science instruction focuses on the importance of inquiry, which is
how scientists investigate and understand the world. Even more important, students need
opportunities to experience authentic inquiry, which is one of the major benefits of students
creating inquiry-based projects as part of science fairs (McComas, 2011).
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The key to ensuring a high level of inquiry in these projects is to ensure that students
select and define the problem that they will study, design the research method to be used in the
study, and make sense of the data that they collect (McComas, 2011). The science projects must
be student directed and open ended to maximize student learning (Bencze & Bowen, 2009).
Student engagement in student-led science is necessary for them to develop the authentic
problem-solving skills that are beneficial in science-based careers and to use science in everyday
life (Bencze & Bowen, 2009). As part of their projects, students identify a problem, formulate a
hypothesis, determine the procedure, gather data, interpret the results, and draw conclusions
(Bellipanni & Lilly, 1999).
To ensure high-level inquiry experiences from science fair projects, teachers must be
prepared through targeted professional development on specific strategies to manage successful
science fairs. Second, to ensure authentic inquiry, teachers should guide students away from
product testing and demonstrations of natural phenomena, which do not constitute true
experimental research. Third, students should work on projects in collaborative teams to replicate
how science research is conducted. Fourth, the projects should reflect the work by the students,
not work by their parents or other outside mentors (McComas, 2011).
Due to the popularity of science fairs, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
has developed guiding principles for student participation. The main concepts are that
participation must be voluntary, emphasis should be on participation rather than competition,
participation should not be tied to grades, and teacher participation should be based on interest
rather than on an administrative directive (Bellipanni & Lilly, 1999).
While science fairs offer many benefits, further examination has identified possible
unintended negative effects of science fairs. The stress associated with participation in science
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fairs can turn students away from science and science projects may lead to unchecked
misconceptions about science that might lead to lack of success in science (Hampton & Licona,
2013). The greatest issue with science fairs is that success is often not tied to true scientific
inquiry learning by students but tied more to income-related factors such as access to knowledge
and availability of resources (Craven & Hogan, 2008).
School Leadership
Northouse (2016) identified components of leadership in a process that involves
influence, occurs in groups, and involves common goals. From this, a definition of leadership
emerges as the process by which a person influences a group to achieve a common goal. While
there are many ways to define the role of leadership, the lens in this study is educational
leadership.
Extensive research has been conducted regarding the role and importance of school site
leadership. Marzano, Waters, and McNulty (2005) conducted a meta-analysis of 35 years of
research and found that school leadership has a substantial effect on student achievement. While
there are hundreds of leadership theories, Marzano et al. focused on four primary leadership
theories: transformational, transactional, servant, and situational. Transactional leadership is
based on trading one thing for another, and transformational leadership focuses on change.
Servant leadership emerges from a desire to help others and focuses on nurturing those in the
organization. In situational leadership, the leader adapts leadership strategies based on the
willingness and ability of the followers to perform a specific task. Marzano et al. (2005)
concluded that the most effective leaders are skilled in all four styles of leadership and know
which to utilize and to what degree, based on the situation and ability and willingness of
followers.
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Bolman and Deal’s (2013) book Reframing Organizations, Artistry, Choice, and
Leadership was intended to reframe leadership through four frames: structural, human resources,
political, and symbolic. The ultimate goal of leaders who utilize these four frames is to make
easier for leaders to identify the challenges facing the organization and, more important, to
determine what can be done to meet the challenges. The structural leadership frame emphasizes
goals, specialized role, and formal relationships, commonly depicted in organizational charts.
The human resource frame deals with organizations as extended families, focusing on the needs,
feelings, and skills and limitations of members of the organization. The political frame treats
organizations as areas, contests, and jungles where conflict is rampant and bargaining,
negotiations, and compromise are parts of normal life. The symbolic frame treats organizations
as tribes and theaters where the culture is propelled by rituals and ceremonies rather than by
policies and managerial authority. The key for a successful leader is to utilize these frames to
understand the situation at hand and develop strategies to move forward (Bolman & Deal, 2013).
Theoretical Frameworks
Maxwell (2013) defined a conceptual framework as a system of concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, and theories that supports and informs research. The theoretical framework
becomes the tentative theory regarding the purpose of the study (Maxwell, 2013). Merriam and
Tisdell (2015) preferred the term theoretical framework because it is much broader and includes
terms, concepts, models, thoughts, and ideas, as well as specific theories. The theoretical
framework becomes the underlying structure or frame of the study and consists of concepts and
theories that inform the study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015).
This study applied six theoretical frameworks. The first two, by Spring (2015) and
Friedman (2007), examine globalization and its impact on education. Wagner (2008) studied the
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need for 21st-century skills and STEM education through SciFest. Slough and Milam (2013)
examined the link between STEM education and PBL through SciFest. The work by Acker
(1987) on feminist theory was utilized to examine how participation in SciFest influences
women in STEM majors and careers. The four-frame theory of leadership by Bolman and Deal
(2013) was utilized to examine role of leadership in participation in STEM education through
SciFest.
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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODS
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of globalization and MNCs on
educational policy and the curriculum and instructional practices in schools in Ireland. Foreign
investment, the focus of Ireland’s International Development Corporation (IDC), has been the
economic engine of the Celtic Tiger. In this new era, wealth is tied to knowledge workers and so
ultimately is tied to education systems (Spring, 2008). The start and continuing success of the
“Celtic Tiger” depend on a steady supply of highly educated, young, English-speaking workers
(Childs, 2001). The goal of the Irish education system is to produce a workforce that can rebuild
an innovative knowledge-based economy that will provide sustainable employment and high
standards of living for all of its citizens (Hunt, 2011).
With the growth of Ireland’s high-technology sector, focused heavily on the software
industry, the supply of local skilled laborers was quickly exhausted (Wickham & Bruff, 2008).
To address this shortage, the Irish government is attempting to reorient the education system
toward technical education for 21st-century skills culminating in new colleges focused on
technical and scientific education linked to industry (O’Riain, 2000). This study utilized
qualitative and quantitative research methods in the Irish educational setting to examine how
science and technology competitions, such as SciFest, influence the teaching of 21st-century
skills by teachers in the classroom to prepare female students to pursue STEM careers and,
equally important, to master skills to be successful in STEM careers. Site leadership was studied
to measure its influence on student participation in SciFest.
Maxwell (2013) stated that research questions clarify what one wants to understand as a
result of the research and provide guidance on how best to conduct the research. Research
questions should address the goals of the study, connecting to research paradigms and a
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conceptual framework (Maxwell, 2013). This study was designed to address the research
questions by using qualitative and quantitative approaches to elicit feedback from governmental,
educational, business, and student respondents in Ireland. Consistent with qualitative research
design, the researcher for this study was the primary instrument for data collection and analysis
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The researcher conducted an inductive investigation, gathering data
to build concepts, culminating in rich description analysis and findings (Merriam & Tisdell,
2015).
The issues addressed in the research questions were designed to find solutions to
problems and fill gaps in academic knowledge based on a review of related research literature
(Maxwell, 2013). Four research questions guided this study:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in SciFest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses?
4. What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders,
college/university professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in
SciFest?
This chapter describes how the research questions were addressed through a presentation
of the research design, participants, instrumentation, plans for data collection and analysis, and
ethical considerations. First, the research design section provides a rationale for the use of
qualitative and quantitative approaches and presents a description of the research team that was
assembled to conduct the study. The second section identifies the population and sample and
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explains the selection process. The third section describes the instrumentation and protocols used
to conduct the interviews, observations, and surveys. The fourth section describes the process
used for data collection and analysis. The fifth section identifies ethical considerations, the
University of Southern California (USC) Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, and
adherence to those guidelines by the research team.
Research Design
Creswell (2014) defined qualitative research as the process used for exploring and
understanding the meaning that people associate with social or human problems. Several key
characteristics are associated with qualitative research: data that are collected in the field at the
site where participants experience the issue or problem under study, the researcher as the key
instrument to collect and examine the collected data, and multiple forms of data such as
interviews and observations (Creswell, 2014). Creswell (2014) explained that qualitative
research utilizes both inductive and deductive data analysis and noted that the process is
emergent, meaning that the initial plan for research cannot be tightly prescribed.
The research team addresses the research questions by using a mixture of qualitative and,
to a lesser degree, quantitative approaches. According to Creswell (2103), quantitative research
is the means for testing objective theories by examining the relationships among variables.
Quantitative research consists of the systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena
through statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques (Creswell, 2014).
The quantitative data collection incorporated in this study consisted of surveys that were
distributed to generate responses that were analyzed to collect large amounts of information in a
structured format to provide data to address the research questions (Creswell, 2014). These
survey data were used alongside qualitative data to provide a complete portrayal of Irish 21st-
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century skill development, science and technology fairs (SciFest), and the pursuit of STEM
curricula and careers beyond high school by female students, as well as the school leadership that
facilitates this pursuit. Selected participant groups who were critical to the study included
political and business leaders, policymakers, school leaders, teachers, and students in Ireland.
Data gathered during the interviews were coded based on the research and theoretical
frameworks.
Consistent with qualitative research, several approaches were used, including narrative
research, phenomenological research, grounded theory, ethnography, and case studies (Creswell,
2014). Integral to each of these approaches are interviews, surveys, and observations. According
to Patton (2002), interviews allow researchers to find out things that cannot be directly observed.
The purpose of interviews is to give the researcher the other person’s perspective and
information such as feelings, opinions, intent, and attitudes (Patton, 2002). According to
Merriam and Tisdell (2015), interviews and observations are often interwoven to give the
researcher the rich data necessary for qualitative studies. Observations differ from interviews in
that observations take place in the setting where the interest of the study naturally occurs;
observations represent first-hand encounter with the data rather a second-hand account of the
information obtained via an interview (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015).
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2015), triangulation is a common strategy used in
research to shore up the internal validity of a study. Utilizing data taken from surveys,
interviews, and observations, researchers can triangulate or compare and cross-check the data.
Once triangulation of data has occurred, themes can be established based on the convergence of
various sources of data and perspectives from participants (Patton, 2002).
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A conceptual framework supports the researcher in identifying similarities among
assumptions, beliefs, and theories that support and inform the research (Maxwell, 2013). The
research team approached this study by planning to use the following frameworks: Friedman
(2007) and Spring (2015) regarding globalization and its impact on education, Wagner (2008)
regarding the need for students to possess 21st-century skills and STEM, Bolman and Deal
(2013) regarding the role of school leadership specific to SciFest participation, Acker (1987)
regarding feminist theory as it relates to gender and education and women in STEM careers,
Bolman and Deal (2013) regarding role of school leadership specific to SciFest participation, and
Slough and Milam regarding the importance of inquiry and PBL. These techniques allowed
participants to express their experiences, beliefs, perceptions, and practices and to provide rich
descriptive data to address the research questions of this study.
Research Team
The research team for this study consisted of 13 doctoral students from the USC Rossier
School of Education under the direction of Dr. Michael Escalante. To receive guidance and
instruction, the team met weekly to establish research questions, present research literature, and
determine conceptual frameworks that would contribute to the study and provide support in
addressing the research questions. From this thematic group approach, some similarities among
the dissertations resulted; however, the majority of each group member’s study was
individualized and distinct. Many of the protocols were built on and leveraged from a 2016
executive USC cohort that conducted similar research in Ireland.
Population and Sample
Purposeful, convenience sampling was used to select the participants for this study.
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2015), in purposeful sampling the researcher selects
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 67
participants based on what the researcher want to discover, understand, and gain insight from, so
the sample was based on the sources that would furnish the most information. The sampling
technique was convenient for this study because the research was conducted over a fixed time in
Ireland, with specific sites and individuals prearranged (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). Throughout
fall and spring 2017–2018, the research team worked with Sheila Porter, founder and CEO of
SciFest, and George Porter, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SciFest, to make initial contacts
with participants. Through this established relationship and with their valued assistance,
purposefully selected site-level contacts were initiated with school leaders to gain access to
participants. The team worked with contacts to establish an interview participant list to ensure
participation by education, business and industry, and government officials.
The researcher’s assigned research site was J. G. Downey (JGD) located in Abbeytown, a
Catholic Boy’s Voluntary Secondary School under the Edmund Rice Trust. The school was
founded in 1937 by the Christian Brothers. The Edmund Rice Trust oversees 96 secondary and
primary schools in the Republic of Ireland, with a mission of equality of access and participation
by children of any faith, all levels of ability, and any nationality or ethnic grouping. JGD offers
an extensive range of Junior and Leaving Certificate subjects for approximately 350 boys. In
2017, JGD was named one of eight “Most Improved Schools” in the county school’s league
table, as published by the Sunday Independent, which reported that 100% of JGD students had
been placed in third-level courses. JGD hosted its first SciFest competition in November 2014;
this year’s event hosted more than 80 National School students from six neighboring schools.
Educators and Students
In April 2018, the research team traveled to Ireland to gather data for the study. Team
members interviewed and surveyed students, teachers, and site educational leaders. Participants
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were purposefully selected to generate information that would provide insight to address the
study’s research questions (Maxwell, 2013). Classroom observations were conducted at assigned
schools in Dublin and greater vicinity and at a SciFest science and technology fair at Cork
Institute of Technology to capture data on the influence of STEM education, globalization, and
educational policy pertaining to development of 21st-century skills, inquiry-based learning,
gender imbalance in STEM coursework, and school leadership. Students, teachers, and site
administrators who had participated in SciFest were interviewed and surveyed. The team also
surveyed and interviewed the CEO and CFO of SciFest. At assigned school sites, teachers,
administrators, and students were interviewed, surveyed, and observed.
Business and Industry Leaders
During the visit to Ireland, 2 days were dedicated to interviews and surveys of executives
affiliated with MNCs who were purposefully identified by the educational contacts in Ireland.
Each key participant allowed the research team to understand the relationship between students
who participate in STEM education and SciFest and the MNCs that hire them. Interviews and
surveys were conducted with several Irish business leaders.
Political Leaders and Educational Policymakers
The Irish government is attempting to reorient the education system toward technical
education and 21st-century skills, culminating in new colleges focused on technical and
scientific education linked to industry (O’Riain, 2000). Leaders and policymakers were
purposefully selected based on recommendations by Sheila and George Porter, as well as by
local school leaders. To facilitate understanding of policy and its perceived impact on education,
the research team interviewed political leaders and representatives from the Department of
Education and Skills. Leaders and policymakers were purposefully selected based on
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recommendations by the SciFest organizers, as well as local school leaders (Appendix A). These
recommendations provided opportunities for the research team to make contact with persons who
were actively involved with the Irish educational system from a political or policymaking
perspective.
Instrumentation
The instrumentation and protocols used by the team to conduct this mixed-methods
research approach included five interview protocols, four survey protocols, and two observation
protocols. The research team collectively created these data protocols based on the four research
questions, input from George and Sheila Porter, and work by the prior USC research team that
conducted similar research in Ireland. All protocols were finalized before departure to Ireland in
April 2018. All participants were contacted via a recruitment/consent correspondence (Appendix
A). All research instruments were submitted to the USC IRB for approval in spring 2018 to
allow the team to perform an expedited study on human participants in a country other than the
United States.
Interview Protocols
The interview protocols (Appendices B through F) were developed using a
semistructured approach in a mix of more or less structured interview questions. According to
Merriam and Tisdell (2015), the semistructured interview approach falls between structured and
unstructured approaches, allowing for flexibility in worded questions that allows the researcher
to respond to the situation at hand and possible emerging responses by the respondent. The
interview protocols were designed specifically to address each sample group: political leaders
and educational policymakers, business and industry leaders, school leaders, teachers, and
students.
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The research team aligned the interview questions to be posed to political and educational
policymakers, business and industry leaders, school leaders, teachers, and students with the four
research questions and the conceptual frameworks. The questions were aligned in the following
format: In Section I, Questions 1 through 4 were aligned to Research Question 1, which
addresses how schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination. In this section, the first question was aligned with Wagner’s (2014) framework for
21st-century skills and Bolman and Deal’s (2013) framework on leadership and reframing
organizations. The second question in Section I was aligned with Wagner’s (2014) framework of
globalization, Spring’s (2015) work on a global uniformity of schooling that provided entrance
into the global economy, and Bolman and Deal’s (2013) framework for leadership. Questions 3
and 4 in Section I aligned with Acker’s (1987) feminist theory and Slough and Milam’s (2013)
framework for the design of STEM PBL.
Section II of the interview protocols included four questions to address Research
Question 2. All four questions in this section focused on how school leadership influences
participation in SciFest. Both Wagner’s (2014) and Bolman and Deal’s (2013) conceptual
frameworks were used to analyze the data produced from the interview questions in this section.
The fourth question in Section II touched on all six frameworks.
Section III of the interview protocol addressed Research Question 3. All four questions in
this section focused on participation in SciFest and how it influences female students’ interest in
enrolling in senior-level and third-level STEM courses. Responses to each of the four questions
in this section were analyzed using the theoretical framework of feminist theory in education
(Acker, 1987). Questions 3 and 4 covered all six frameworks.
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Section IV of the interview protocol addressed Research Question 4. All five questions in
this section focused on perceptions held by teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders,
college and university professors, and representatives of MNCs regarding their perceived value
of student participation in SciFest. Questions 1 and 3 covered all six frameworks. Question 5 was
directed specifically to students and parents. Freidman’s (2007) concepts of globalization and
frameworks suggested by Spring (2015), Acker (1987), and Slough and Milam (2013) were
considered in analyzing responses to Question 5. This alignment is presented in Table 1.
Observation Protocols
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2015), observations take place in the setting where
the phenomenon of interest naturally occurs and the observational data represent a first-hand
encounter with the phenomenon. In this study, an observation protocol was developed to assist in
data collection in two environments. According to Stringer (2014), quality observations require
researchers to generated a record of important elements of the participants; the researcher should
record these notes during the event or as close to the event as possible. Merriam and Tisdell
(2015) explained that the written account of the observation should be highly descriptive and
organized in a structured format. The observation protocols, in template form, were designed for
this study to be flexible for use by all research team members during classroom observations
(Appendix G). An observation tool was designed to observe the activities at the SciFest
technology fair at Cork Institute of Technology (Appendix H).
The cited frameworks were used to align and guide development of the observation
protocols to ensure that all required elements of the research questions would be addressed. The
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Table 1

Alignment of Interview Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and Theoretical Frameworks

Item RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 RQ4 Friedman Spring Wagner Bolman/Deal Acker Slough/Milam

Section I
1 x * * *
2 x * * * *
3 x * * * * *
4 x * * * * *

Section II
1 x * * *
2 x * * *
3 x * * * *
4 x * * * * * *

Section III
1 x * * *
2 x * * * *
3 x * * * * * *
4 x * * * * * *

Section IV
1 x * * * * * *
2 x * * * *
3 x * * * * * *
4 x * * * *

first section of the observation protocol was designed to allow the researcher to gather basic
information about the setting and location and provide a physical description of the location,
overview of the lesson, and material used. The conceptual frameworks by Wagner (2008) and
Slough and Milam (2013) were utilized as guides for the research team to focus on the seven
skills for 21st-century learning and STEM PBL. The third section contained eight reflective
questions in the classroom observation protocol and seven questions in the SciFest observation
protocol that related to the four research questions.
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Survey Protocols
Fink (2012) described surveys as a method to collect information to describe, compare, or
explain individual and societal knowledge, feelings, values, preferences, and behaviors. Surveys
are self-administered questionnaires, completed by hand or using a computer to collect
information to describe, compare, or explain knowledge, feelings, values, or behavior (Fink
2102). The research team developed quantitative surveys to be distributed to school leaders and
teachers (Appendix I), political/business leaders (Appendix J), educational policymakers
(Appendix K), and students (Appendix L). The survey questions were aligned with the study’s
research questions and formatted using a 5-point Likert-type response scale (Strongly Agree,
Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree). Each survey item targeted each participant group
to enable the researcher to acquire the best possible responses to address the research questions:
six items for Research Question 1, five items for Research Question 2, eight items for Research
Question 3, and six items for Research Question 4. In developing the survey questions, the
following characteristics were taken into consideration to develop clear and valid items: Jargon
was avoided, standard grammar and syntax were used, and items were kept concrete and close to
the participants’ experience (Fink, 2012).
The following alignment was used for all survey items: Items 1–6 aligned to Research
Question 1, Items 7–11 aligned to Research Question 2, Items 12–20 aligned to Research
Question 3, and Items 21–26 aligned to Research Question 4. Table 2 summarizes the alignment
of the survey items to the research question and the six frameworks. As Table 2 illustrates, many
of the survey items aligned with multiple framework, including Friedman’s (2007) and Spring’s
(2015) examination of globalization, Wagner’s (2014) focus on 21st-century learning skills,
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Table 2

Alignment of Survey Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and Theoretical Frameworks

Item RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 RQ4 Friedman Spring Wagner Bolman/Deal Acker Slough/Milam

1 x * * *
2 x * * * *
3 x * * * * *
4 x * * * * *
5 x * * * *
6 x x * * * * * *
7 x * * * * * *
8 x * * * * * *
9 x * *
10 x * * * *
11 x * * * *
12 x * * * *
13 x x * * * *
14 x * * *
15 x * * * * *
16 x * * *
17 x * * * * *
18 x * * * * * *
19 x * * * * *
20 x * * * * * *
21 x * * * * *
22 x * * * * *
23 x * * * * *
24 x * * * *
25 x * * * * *
26 x * * * * *

Bolman and Deal’s (2013) examination of school leadership, Acker’s (1987) feminist theory, and
Slough and Milam’s (2013) explanation of STEM education via PBL.
Data Collection
Data collection for this study took place in Ireland from April 10 to April 22, 2018.
Multiple sources of data wee captured via face-to-face interviews, classroom observations, and
surveys administered at various sites. According to Creswell (2014), one of the major advantages
of using qualitative methods in research is that it allows the researcher to collect data in the
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participants’ natural location. As part of the data collection process, participants completed a
consent form that described the purpose of the study and the confidential nature of the study
(Appendix M). All interviews were recorded with participant permission and transcribed
following the interviews (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The researchers took field notes during the
interviews to capture pertinent information and included researcher observation comments.
Interviews took place in quiet office spaces or empty classrooms and lasted an average of
35 to 45 minutes each. In the interview protocol, participants were informed that they could
pause or terminate the recording at any time. An information and facts sheet (Appendix M)
indicating the status of exempt nonmedical research was provided to participants before the
interview. All recordings were transcribed for coding purposes. The researchers took notes
during the interviews to capture important points and comments made by the participants.
Access to participants in this study was provided through contacts in Ireland with Sheila
and George Porter, who made initial contacts with school site participants and government and
business officials. After interest was expressed by participants, each research team pair contacted
its respective school site via email to confirm participation. Access was granted by the
administrator of each school site. Arrangements and logistics for the visit and data collection
were made by Sheila and George Porter. The observation and survey protocols were utilized
during SciFest in Cork and at assigned school sites. Surveys were administered via email, in
classrooms, and at other locations. The completed surveys were collected immediately upon
completion to increase the response rate.
At JGD, several classroom observations were conducted, along with multiple interviews
with teachers, school leaders, and students. Also, JGD students and teachers and school leaders
were surveyed. Outside of Roscommon, the research teams in Ireland interviewed and surveyed
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students, teachers, school leaders, politicians and policymakers, and business and industry
leaders from the STEM industry or other local entities.
Data Analysis
The researcher followed Creswell’s (2014) model for data analysis and interpretation of
qualitative research, which is a recursive and dynamic process that leads to making meaning of
collected data. Each research team member used individual data gathered from his or her
assigned school, as well as pooled data collected from other educators and students, political
leaders, policymakers, and business and industry leaders of MNCs. Collected data were
organized and prepared for analysis (Creswell, 2014). At that point, the researchers followed
Creswell’s (2014) eight steps designed to facilitate the coding process: (a) review transcripts
carefully; (b) select one document and create essential questions that support theory and inquiry;
(c) make a list of topics clustered by similarity and common themes; (d) from the list created,
establish codes that identify the data; (e) reduce the number of categories by identifying
similarities in data; (f) organize the established codes in alphabetical order; (g) perform
preliminary analysis after data have been organized; and (h) if necessary, recode existing data.
ATLAS.ti software was utilized for the qualitative analysis specific to facilitate coding all
collected data.
Validity, Credibility, and Trustworthiness
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2015), a qualitative study must provide the reader
with depiction in enough detail to show the reader that the author’s conclusions “make sense.”
For Creswell (2014), qualitative validity is the check to ensure accuracy of the findings and
determine how closely the research findings match reality. While a study can never capture the
“truth,” a researcher can take several steps researchers to increase the credibility of findings
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through correspondence between the research and the real world (Creswell, 2014).
Trustworthiness is defined as the evidence of both validity and credibility (Patton, 2002).
Creswell (2014) outlined several validity strategies: triangulation, member checking, and
rich description to convey the findings. Creswell (2014) stated that triangulation is used when
data sources are compared. Member checking to determine accuracy entails the researcher taking
the findings back to participants for feedback (Creswell, 2014). Rich description can transport
readers to the setting and give the discussion an element of shared experience.
Reliability
Merriam and Tisdell (2015) referred to reliability as the extent to which research findings
can be replicated and whether the results are consistent with the collected data. Creswell (2014)
provided suggestions to increase qualitative reliability: (a) analyze transcripts to ensure that they
were accurately transcribed, (b) analyze identified codes to ensure uniformity and consistent
definitions, (c) communicate effectively with research team members to document and share
analysis of data, and (d) cross-check codes developed by other research team members for
accuracy. This series of procedures should ensure reliability of the research study.
Ethical Considerations
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2015), while there are policies, guidelines, and codes
of ethics to protect subjects in a study, ethical practice comes down to the individual researcher’s
own values and ethics. Merriam and Tisdell (2015) explained that the best way to keep
participants safe from harm is to ensure their right to privacy, their understanding of the notion
of informed consent, and possible risks of deception, both in preparation for collecting data and
in the field. As a requirement for completing research at USC, all members of the research team,
led by Dr. Michael Escalante, completed the IRB process (UP-18-00119). The process included
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 78
completion of the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI), which consisted of online
modules that addressed ethical considerations associated with completing research, including the
responsibility and obligation to protect human subjects in a research study.
The privacy and protection of all participants in this study were a priority for the research
team. Precautions were taken to protect the confidentiality and anonymity of participants. Titles
and pseudonyms were utilized and collected information was secured on password-protected
computers and in locked cabinets. Consent was secured from each participant to be interviewed
and observed, and an agreement was secured from each interviewee to be audio recorded
(Appendix M). An information letter was sent to parents of participating school children
describing the children’s role in the study (Appendix N). Documents were kept under lock and
key and then destroyed following conclusion of the dissertation research. In addition to
protection of participants’ identities and responses, the researcher did not interfere with
educational practices during observations by interrupting the everyday sequence of activities.
Appendix O is the student assent form to participate in research that was signed by students
before being interviewed. Appendix P is the research site permission letter for the University
Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB).
Chapter Summary
This chapter outlines the research methods used in conducting this qualitative study. A
description of the research design, research team, population and sample, instrumentation, and
data collection and analysis is provided.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 79
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
Foreign investment, the focus of Ireland’s IDC, has been the economic engine of the
Celtic Tiger. In this new era, wealth is tied to knowledge workers and so is ultimately tied to
education systems (Spring, 2008). The start and continuing success of the Celtic Tiger depend on
a steady supply of highly educated, young, English-speaking workers (Childs, 2001). The goal of
the Irish education system is to produce a workforce that can rebuild an innovative knowledge-
based economy that will provide sustainable employment and high standards of living for all of
its citizens (Hunt, 2011).
With the growth of Ireland’s high-technology sector, focused heavily on the software
industry, the supply of local skilled laborers was quickly exhausted (Wickham & Bruff, 2008).
To address this shortage, the Irish government is attempting to reorient the education system
toward technical education for 21st-century skills, culminating in new colleges focused on
technical and scientific education linked to industry (O’Riain, 2000). Increased student
involvement in science and technology fairs such as SciFest is providing opportunities for
students to experience STEM education and PBL. STEM education plays a vital role in a
country’s economic well-being through a direct link between a nation’s global leadership and
K–12 STEM education (Sahin, 2013). Increased student participation in science and technology
fairs and STEM education opportunities, specifically by female students, can assist Irish students
in their development of 21st-century skills that in turn will create knowledge-ready workers who
are prepared for a competitive global economy.
The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of globalization and
educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of STEM
education and inquiry-based instructional practices, such as PBL, and student participation in
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 80
science competitions. The study examined how participation in SciFest prepares students for the
Leaving Certificate Examination and influences school leadership practices, female students’
interest in STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of SciFest.
To meet the purpose of this study, four research questions were addressed:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in SciFest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses?
4. What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders,
college/university professors, and representatives of MNCs have regarding the value of student
participation in SciFest?
Six frameworks were used to analyze and understand Ireland’s experience in
globalization, incorporating 21st-century skills into its educational system, and implementation
of PBL within STEM, specifically around participation in science and technology fairs and
participation by female students: Spring (2015), Freidman (2007), Wagner (2008), Slough and
Milam (2013), Acker (1987), and Bolman and Deal (2013). Spring (2015) and Friedman (2007)
examined globalization and its impact on education. Wagner (2008) studied the need for 21st-
century skills and STEM education through SciFest. Slough and Milam (2013) examined the link
between STEM education and PBL through SciFest. The work by Acker (1987) on feminist
theory was utilized to examine how participation in SciFest influences women in STEM majors
and careers. The four-frame theory of leadership by Bolman and Deal (2013) was utilized to
examine the role of leadership in participation in STEM education through SciFest.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 81
Responses to address each of the research questions were evaluated through triangulation
of results from surveys, interviews, and observations of classroom and SciFest to establish
themes through the convergence of data (Creswell, 2013).
This study focused largely on J. G. Downey Secondary School (JGD; a pseudonym),
located in the western region of Ireland about 100 miles east of Dublin. The school was founded
in 1937 by the Christian Brothers and now it operates as an all-Catholic Boys Voluntary
Secondary School under the Edmund Rice Trust. Downey offers an extensive range of Junior
and Leaving Certificate subjects for approximately 350 boys.
This chapter begins with an overview of the study’s research design and participants.
After that, a discussion of the findings related to each of the four research questions is presented
with a focus on emerging themes, the connection of the themes to the literature, and an analysis
of the supporting data from surveys, interviews, and observations. The chapter concludes with a
summary of the key findings related to the research questions.
Research Design
The research team for this study consisted of 13 doctoral students under the direction of
Dr. Michael Escalante. To receive guidance and instruction, the team met weekly to establish
research questions, present and study research literature, and determine conceptual frameworks
that contributed to the study. This preparation provided support and understanding of how
globalization and educational policy influences the development of 21st-century skills through
implementation of STEM education and inquiry-based instructional practices, such as PBL, and
student participation in science competitions in Ireland. Based on this thematic group approach,
there are some similarities among the dissertations; however, the majority of each distinctive
group member’s study is individualized and specific to the assigned school. The group organized
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 82
the process for data collection through a valuable connection with CEO Sheila Porter and CFO
George Porter of SciFest Ireland. Through this established relationship and with their valued
assistance, purposefully selected site-level contacts were initiated with school leaders to gain
access to participants in the study. The team worked with these contacts to establish an interview
participant list that would ensure participation from education, business and industry, and
government sectors.
Purposeful, convenience sampling was used to select the participants for this
predominately qualitative study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The participants included Irish
teachers and administrators, students, political leaders, educational policymakers, and business
and industry leaders of MNCs. These participants represent the specific groups needed to
triangulate the researcher’s findings. Results from the researcher’s data collection were included
in the discussion of the four research questions and all emerging themes. Student, teacher, and
administrator data from Downey School were compared to data from other schools in Ireland
collected by other members of the research team. Data from business and industry leaders,
political leaders, and educational policymakers were collected and shared by research team
members through interviews and surveys. Table 3 provides a summary of participants involved
in surveys, interviews, and/or observations.
Findings for Research Question 1
Research Question 1 asked, How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students
for the Leaving Certificate Examination? The objective of this question was to understand the
approaches that schools took to incorporate and balance student participation in SciFest
participation while still focusing on successful completion of the Leaving Certificate
Examination. This research question was designed to determine whether the various stakeholder
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 83
Table 3

Summary of Participants, Their Organization/Position, and Data Type

Participant(s) Organization/position(s) Data type(s)

Students
9 students J. G. Downey School Interviews
58 students J. G. Downey School Survey
132 students Various schools Interviews
1,293 students Various schools Survey

Teachers/administrators
3 teachers/administrators J. G. Downey School Interviews
14 teachers/administrators J. G. Downey School Survey
53 teachers/administrators Interviewed schools Survey
71 teachers/Administrators Interviewed schools Survey

Business leaders/policymakers
19 leaders Various organizations Interviews
6 leaders Various organizations Survey

groups agreed that SciFest helped or hindered in the preparation and successful completion of the
Leaving Certification Examination. Student qualifying Leaving Certificate scores are one of the
key factors in determining acceptance into third-level education, consisting of the university
sector, the technical sector, and colleges of education (substantially state funded) and
independent private colleges (Citizens Information Board, 2017). In order to collect data to
address this question, surveys of students, staff, business leaders, and policymakers were
conducted. In addition to these surveys, interviews with stakeholders and classroom observations
were conducted.
Theme 1
Theme 1 was that student participation in SciFest helps students to feel better prepared to
be successful on the Leaving Certificate Examination. In the review of the literature, the primary
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 84
concern that was noted was that the Leaving Certificate Examination encourages examination-
focused teaching to the detriment of learning essential knowledge and skills that are vital to
students’ future success in education and life (Faulkner, Hannigan, & Gill, 2010). To compete in
an evolving global market, the Irish education system’s goals are to produce a workforce that can
rebuild an innovative knowledge-based economy that will provide sustainable employment and
high standards of living for all of its citizens (Hunt, 2011). STEM education plays a vital role in
a country’s economic well-being through a direct link between the nation’s global leadership and
K–12 STEM education (Sahin, 2013). One of the best ways to promote discovery and innovation
through STEM is to allow students to participate in science fair projects such as those produced
by students in SciFest (Sahin, 2013).
Several questions were asked about how participation in SciFest helped students to
achieve higher scores on the Leaving Certificate Examination. The data from all stakeholder
groups via surveys, interviews, and observations yielded a high level of agreement that
participation in SciFest helps students to score better on the Leaving Certificate Examination.
The students at JGD showed a 62% agreement level that participation in SciFest helps to
prepare them to be successful on the Leaving Certificate Examination and a 57% agreement level
that school leadership works to align SciFest activities with the Leaving Certificate Examination
(Table 4). The level of agreement from JGD students was significantly higher than that from all
schools in the study. For all schools, 40% of the students agreed or strongly agreed that
participation in SciFest helps to prepare them for the Leaving Certificate Examination and 40%
agreed that their school leaders work with teachers to align SciFest activities with the Leaving
Certificate Examination. Teachers and administrators at JGD showed an even higher level of
agreement regarding SciFest participation and Leaving Certificate Examination success. Of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 85
Table 4

Participants’ Responses Indicating How SciFest Prepares Students for Success on the Leaving
Certificate Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

Participation in SciFest prepares students to be
successful on state examinations.
Strongly Agree 11 74
Agree 25 376
Neutral 11 348
Disagree 0 225
Strongly Disagree 0 42
I Don’t Know 11 64
Total 58 1,129

School leadership works with teachers to align
SciFest activities with state examinations.
Strongly Agree 2 106
Agree 17 320
Neutral 19 268
Disagree 1 153
Strongly Disagree 0 45
I Don’t Know 18 215
Total 57 1,107

teachers and administrators surveyed at JGD, 79% agreed or strongly agreed regarding the link
between SciFest participation and higher Leaving Certificate Examination scores, and 57%
agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership helps teachers to align SciFest activities with the
Leaving Certificate Examination. This information was in agreement with the data gathered from
students in all schools in the study (Table 5). In alignment with the students, teachers, and
administrators of the schools in the study, 80% of the business leaders and policymakers agreed
or strongly agreed that student participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful on the
Leaving Certificate Examination (Table 6).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 86

Table 5

Participants’ Responses Indicating How SciFest Prepares Students for Success on the Leaving
Certificate Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and
All Teachers and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

Participation in SciFest prepares students to be
successful on state examinations.
Strongly Agree 4 12
Agree 7 35
Neutral 1 9
Disagree 1 5
Strongly Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 1 4
Total 14 66

School leadership works with teachers to align
SciFest activities with state examinations.
Strongly Agree 3 6
Agree 5 20
Neutral 4 20
Disagree 1 6
Strongly Disagree 0 6
I Don’t Know 1 8
Total 14 66

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 87
Table 6

Participants’ Responses Indicating How SciFest Prepares Students for Success on the Leaving
Certificate Examination: Business Leaders and Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

Participation in SciFest prepares students to be
successful on state examinations.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 4
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

School leadership works with teachers to align
SciFest activities with state examinations.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 0
Neutral 3
Disagree 1
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

Based on these data and the review of literature, all stakeholder groups in this study are
strong supporters of the benefits of SciFest participation as it relates to preparing students to take
the high-stakes Leaving Certificate Examination. Participation in science fairs, such as SciFest,
give students authentic and personal experiences in science (McComas, 2011).
Interview comments by JGD students and students from all schools in the study
supported SciFest’s positive influence on Leaving Certificate Examination results. The students’
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 88

comments indicated that they understood the value of participation in SciFest and how that
helped them to prepare for the Leaving Certificate Examination.
I think it [SciFest] adds to what you’re learning. What you’re learning and what project
you do might be linked with the course you’re studying so you learn more than you ever
would learn from textbook anyways by researching something so. I think it will help us
because for junior certs in some subjects, you have to do oral. You have to talk. You need
to learn . . . . Because now we’re doing SciFest, we need to talk and explain what we’re
doing for the SciFest. I think it’ll make us better, like confidence, to speak. (JGD Student
5, interview, April 19, 2018)
In addition to confidence, another JGD student spoke about how SciFest and his interest
in studying science.
It made me enjoy science more. I feel like if you enjoy something it’s a lot easier to . . . if
you didn’t like something it’s very hard to take all the information in so when you’ve
done SciFest you have more of an interest in science and then it’s just easier to study and
remember things, regards what you’re doing. You’re doing it with your hands, you’re
thinking about it yourself. It’s your own work, so you remember your own work better in
the long run. Make it more enjoyable. So then it’d be easier to learn. (interview, April 19,
2018).
A JGD student expanded on the difference between the authentic learning that he
associates with SciFest and his typical classwork.
There’s a big difference between practical information and work we do in class. We
could look at the sheet for 20 minutes, and you could ask me some questions, and I can
probably get some of them right. As opposed to the authentic learning. It’s more
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 89
embedded right, ‘cause we’re, to all the points, you’re hands on. ‘Cause you’re in it
together. It doesn’t always work out perfect at first, so then you gotta reflect back and
say, okay, what do we do differently? How do we improve on this? What kind of research
do we need to do? And nobody is giving those answers to you, you’re obviously gonna
have to go out and get them yourself. (JGD Student 3, interview, April 19, 2018)
Teachers, administrators, business leaders, and educational policymakers also shared that
SciFest student participation was very valuable to students in preparing for the Leaving
Certificate Examination. One JGD teacher shared that “SciFest prepares them for that [Leaving
Certificate Examination]. There’s definitely an overlap, but they mightn’t realize it is as such yet.
But certainly it definitely feeds into helping with the state exams. Definitely.” (interview, April
19, 2018). A business leader from one of the leading MNCs in Ireland, Johnson & Johnson,
shared,
From what I’ve seen today, I can only imagine that it’s complementary in terms of the
types of skills that I’ve seen, both in terms of presentation of work, communication of
work, the analytical skills that the students have developed. So I can only see it as being
complementary. If it’s completely complementary to the junior cert or leaving cert cycles,
I’m not sure, but it definitely is of huge value I see to the future careers and development
of the students that presented today, right. While I’m saying that I’m not sure on the
leaving cert. In my day, the leaving cert and junior cert were very much what I call
academic theoretical exams, right. It was all book based. (interview, April 20, 2018)
During the observations at JGD, the researchers witnessed a variety of science lessons in
three science classrooms. While these observations were informative, the observations completed
at SciFest 2018 held at the Cork Institute of Technology were more informative as researchers
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 90
could view student work. The contest showcased 130 projects by 330 secondary school students
from 29 schools across Cork City and County (personal observation, April 20, 2018). The
students’ projects covered all aspects of STEM. It was clear that students maximized the 21st-
century skills with a large focus on collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical
thinking (personal observation, April 20, 2018). It was evident the students’ comprehensive
understanding of their projects would translate into a high level of understanding that would be
necessary to do well on the Leaving Certificate Examination. This ties with the work by Capraro
et al. (2013), which states that quality PBL provides students with contextualized, authentic
experiences necessary to scaffold learning and build powerful STEM concepts.
While each science lesson in chemistry, physics, and biology was structured differently,
each included several elements of 21st-century skill development. The class led by Teacher was
engaged in a hands-on chemistry experiment that required critical thinking by the students
(personal observation, April 19, 2018).
Theme 2
Theme 2 was that teachers and administrators encourage and support students to
participate in SciFest as a mechanism to prepare them to take the Leaving Certificate
Examination. Ruairí Quinn, Irish Minister for Education and Skills, expressed concern about the
problems with the Leaving Certification Examination. Ireland needs students and graduates who
are critical thinkers and problem solvers with an intrinsic enjoyment of acquiring and using
knowledge. Reducing overreliance on rote learning and “teaching to the test” inhibit the broad
learning experience at second level is a key objective of this work (Baird & Caro, 2014). While
the intent of the Leaving Certificate Examination is to measure the extent to which each
candidate has fulfilled the objectives of the content of each course, the concern is that the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 91
examination involves regurgitation of facts and therefore assesses only lower-order skills (Baird
& Caro, 2014).
Wagner (2008) identified seven key skills that students must develop today to be globally
competitive. They must be able to think critically and solve problems, collaborate across
networks, be agile and adaptable, be able to take the initiative and be entrepreneurial,
communicate effectively through written and oral communication, be able to access and analyze
information, and have curiosity and imagination. The goal of SciFest competitions is to
encourage students to engage in STEM subjects through active, collaborative, inquiry-based
learning (Porter, 2017). According to the National Science Education Standards and the recent
Framework for K-12 Science Education, quality science instruction focuses on the importance of
inquiry, which is how scientists investigate and understand the world. Even more important,
students need opportunities to experience authentic inquiry, which is one of the major benefits of
students creating inquiry-based projects as part of science fairs (McComas, 2011).
The survey data collected for this research question supported the concept that teachers
and administrators are encouraging students to participate in SciFest as a mechanism for
preparation to take the Leaving Certification Examination. The student data from JGD showed
that 43% agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership at their school encouraged
participation in SciFest to support student success. The students results from JGD were slightly
lower than those for students from all schools, where 60% agreed or strongly agreed that school
leadership encouraged participation in SciFest to support student success. When asked
specifically whether teachers encourage participation in SciFest to support student success on
state examinations, 93% of JGD students and 61% of all students agreed or strongly agreed
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 92
(Table 7). It is clear that JGD students see teachers as the major source of encouragement to
participate in SciFest.

Table 7

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Teachers and Administrators Encourage and Support
Students to Participate in SciFest as a Mechanism to Prepare to Take the Leaving Certificate
Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

The school leadership at my school encourages
participation in SciFest to support student success.
Strongly Agree 2 168
Agree 22 470
Neutral 18 255
Disagree 3 125
Strongly Disagree 0 29
I Don’t Know 11 79
Total 56 1,126

Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities
to support student success on state examinations.
Strongly Agree 26 197
Agree 28 497
Neutral 1 242
Disagree 0 119
Strongly Disagree 0 23
I Don’t Know 3 51
Total 58 1,129

Survey data collected from teachers and administrators also showed agreement that
teachers and administrators encourage student participation in SciFest as a mechanism to prepare
to take the Leaving Certificate Examination. Of all JGD teachers and administrators surveyed,
79% agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership at their school encourages participation in
SciFest and 79% of all teachers and administrators agreed or strongly agreed with this statement.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 93
When asked about teacher encouragement to participate in SciFest, 79% of JGD teachers and
administrators and 71% of all teachers and administrators agreed or strongly agreed with this
statement (Table 8).

Table 8

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Teachers and Administrators Encourage and Support
Students to Participate in SciFest as a Mechanism to Prepare to Take the Leaving Certificate
Examination: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and All
Teachers and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

The School Leadership at my school encourages
participation in SciFest to support student success.
Strongly Agree 4 16
Agree 7 36
Neutral 2 9
Disagree 1 2
Strongly Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 2
Total 14 66

Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities
to support student success on state examinations.
Strongly Agree 3 17
Agree 8 30
Neutral 2 10
Disagree 1 4
Strongly Disagree 0 2
I Don’t Know 0 3
Total 14 66

When the business leaders and policymakers were surveyed regarding the role that school
leadership and teachers play in encouraging student participation in SciFest as a means to
support student success on the Leaving Certification Examination, it was that clear they did not
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 94
have enough insight into school operations to make that determination. No business leaders
agreed or strongly agreed and 67% responded neutrally to the statement (Table 9).

Table 9

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Teachers and Administrators Encourage and Support
Students to Participate in SciFest as a Mechanism to Prepare to Take the Leaving Certificate
Examination: Business Leaders and Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

The school leadership at my school encourages participation
in SciFest to support student success.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 0
Neutral 1
Disagree 3
Strongly Disagree 1
I Don’t Know 1
Total 6

Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities
to support student success on state examinations.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 0
Neutral 1
Disagree 3
Strongly Disagree 1
I Don’t Know 1
Total 6

A review of the interview data supported the data gathered in the surveys:
Our teacher was the main one who started it off. She told us about it. She gave the option,
she gave it to everyone too, which is a good thing too. Everyone can participate in it. Our
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 95
teacher is always very helpful and encouraging for kids to participate. You can tell they
are excited about it. (JGD Student 3, interview, April 19, 2018)
Teachers and administrators who were interviewed at JGD also agreed that they
encourage participation in SciFest activities to support student success on the Leaving
Certification Examination.
We do first and second year, so most prep for the examinations is done in third years. We
do our SciFest for first and second years so, I suppose the focus isn’t on the examinations
but it’s still learning for them. They’re learning without realizing they’re learning when
they have to put a poster together when they have to write it up. So I suppose we’re not
focusing on the exams when we’re doing the SciFest, it’s more their overall learning,
their communication that’s being done when they have to speak to the judges and all that.
So it all feeds into their development and learning, but it’s just not focused on the exam
which is good. Because third year is more focused on the exams and I think it shouldn’t
be exam focused. (JGD Teacher A, interview, April 19, 2018)
Another teacher concurred:
Their ability to work by themselves rather than us feeding them the whole time is the real
difference. If they’re left, and they have to use their own brain which they have plenty of
power to use, they just don’t. Sometimes they just wait for you to be feeding them stuff.
So that preps them, and that matures them for going into the state exams, for the junior
cert, and for the leading cert. So no, it’s a great experience for them because it develops
their ability to work by themselves. (JGD Teacher B, interview, April 19, 2018)
Educational policymakers who were interviewed also understood the important role that
site leadership plays, especially in encouraging students to participate in SciFest. One
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 96
educational policymaker stated, “That’s why I was saying that the teacher is key to the whole
thing. And we’ve gotta do something about recognizing the extra Science teachers” (Cork
Institute of Technology [CIT] President, interview, April 20, 2018).
Findings for Research Question 2
Research Question 2 asked, How does school leadership influence participation in
SciFest? The objective of this question was to examine the role of school site leadership in
influencing student participation in science and technology fairs in Ireland such as SciFest. Two
themes emerged from the analysis of data collected via surveys, interviews, and observations of a
SciFest science fair and STEM classes.
Theme 1
Theme 1 was that principal and teacher leaders are influential in students’ decision to
participate in SciFest. The review of literature pertaining to school leadership supports that
school leadership has a substantial effect on student achievement (Marzano, Waters, & McNulty,
2005). Marzano et al. (2005) focused on various leadership theories. Bolman and Deal (2013)
described leadership through four frames: structural, human resources, political, and symbolic.
The ultimate goal of leaders who utilize these four frames is to make it easier for leaders to
identify the challenges facing the organization and, more important, to determine what can be
done to meet the challenges. Since this theme relates to school leaders’ influence on participation
in SciFest, Bolman and Deal’s (2013) human resource frame is appropriate because it speaks to
support and empowerment, the keys to motivate students to participate in SciFest.
Stakeholders in this study expressed overall agreement that principals and teachers are
influential in students’ decision to participate in SciFest. Eighty-one percent of JGD students and
65% of all students surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership has a positive
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 97
influence on SciFest competitions at their school. There was a significant difference in the
responses to the two survey questions that dealt with school leadership and teachers employing
strategies to encourage school participation in SciFest. When asked whether school leadership
employs strategies to encourage participation in SciFest, only 35% of JGD students agreed or
strongly agreed; when asked whether teachers at their school employ strategies to encourage
participation in SciFest, 82% agreed or strongly agreed. These data were very similar to the
responses by all students, in which 62% agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership
employs strategies to encourage participation in SciFest and 71% agreed or strongly agreed that
teachers at their school employ strategies to encourage participation in SciFest (Table 10).
Survey data collected from teachers and administrators showed that they agreed that
school leadership is very influential in students’ decisions to participate in SciFest. Ninety-two
percent of teachers and administrators at JGD and 80% of all teachers and administrators agreed
and strongly agreed that school leadership is a positive influence on SciFest competitions at their
school. Similar to the student JGD data, there was less agreement regarding the use of strategies
by school leadership and teachers to encourage participation in SciFest: 64% of JGD teachers
and administrators agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership employs strategies to
encourage participation in SciFest and 93% of teachers and administrators agreed or strongly
agreed that teachers at their school employ strategies to encourage participation in SciFest; also,
82% of all teachers and administrators agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership employs
strategies to encourage participation in SciFest and 95% of all teachers and administrators agreed
or strongly agreed that teachers at their school employ strategies to encourage participation in
SciFest (Table 11).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 98

Table 10

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Influence Students’ Decisions to Participate in
SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions at my school.
Strongly Agree 15 217
Agree 32 478
Neutral 7 182
Disagree 0 58
Strongly Disagree 0 20
I Don’t Know 4 110
Total 58 1,065

School leadership employs strategies to positively
influence participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 3 187
Agree 17 506
Neutral 21 245
Disagree 2 78
Strongly Disagree 0 22
I Don’t Know 14 86
Total 57 1,124

Teachers at my school employ strategies to positively
influence school participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 27 207
Agree 18 460
Neutral 5 149
Disagree 0 49
Strongly Disagree 0 18
I Don’t Know 5 59
Total 55 942

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 99
Table 11

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Influence Students’ Decisions to Participate in
SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers
and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

School leadership is a positive influence on
SciFest competitions at my school.
Strongly Agree 1 21
Agree 11 30
Neutral 0 8
Disagree 1 3
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 0 2
Total 13 64

School leadership employs strategies to positively
influence participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 3 17
Agree 6 37
Neutral 4 7
Disagree 1 3
Strongly Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 1
Total 14 66

Teachers at my school employ strategies to positively
influence school participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 4 29
Agree 9 25
Neutral 1 1
Disagree 0 0
Strongly Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 1
Total 14 58

Table 12 summarizes the results from surveys completed by business leaders and
policymakers. Like the data collected from students, teachers, and administrators, the data
collected from the business and educational policymakers indicated agreement that school
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 100
leadership is a positive influence on SciFest participation. Seventy-five percent of business
leaders and policymakers agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership was a positive
influence on SciFest competitions.

Table 12

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Influence Students’ Decisions to Participate in
SciFest: Business Leaders and Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions at my school.
Strongly Agree 2
Agree 1
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 4

School leadership employs strategies to positively
influence participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 4
Neutral 1
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 6

Teachers at my school employ strategies to positively
influence school participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 2
Agree 1
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 4

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 101
The interview data supported the survey data related to the theme that principal and
teacher leaders are influential in students’ decisions to participate in SciFest:
It was our science teachers that told us about SciFest. They were very supportive about
getting us all involved and that sort of stuff. To make it easier for us to help you get your
ideas and to help you come with idea for your projects and all sorts. Because at first we
weren’t sure what we were gonna do to SciFest, but then she gave us a few ideas, and she
helped us decide on what we were going to do. (JGD Student 5, interview, April 19,
2018)
When a JGD Student 7 responded was asked how leadership had influenced his
participation in SciFest, he responded,
There were sort of teachers that introduced us to it, and I think it was in the first year
when we were in first year that they done it here in the school. The science teacher set it
up, and she gets so involved and then same for the one in the college. She tried to get us
all into it. Well, it’s not like we have to supply all the materials. A lot of the materials and
equipment are here in school. We just need permission to use some of them. (interview,
April 19, 2018).
The teachers and administrators at JGD acknowledged their influential role in influencing
students to participate in SciFest. One teacher commented, “It was the teacher really. I think it
mostly often is the teacher. Students just particularly like a particular teacher and they just tend
to go with them” (JGD Teacher 2, interview, April 19, 2018). The principal at JGD school, when
asked about the influence of teachers on students to participate in SciFest stated,
I suppose that is very much down to the teachers, as well. This is hard work. You can sit
in a classroom, and you can read a book, or you can, as I said, make it happen. You’ve
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 102
got to have a passion for a subject; you know that as well as I do. If you have a passion
for something, you want to do whatever to make sure your students enjoy it, continue on
into fifth and sixth year in a science subject. (JGD Principal, interview, April 19, 2018)
Educational policymakers and business leaders also agreed on the influential role of
school leaders in encouraging students to participate in SciFest. One responded,
To be honest with you, it comes down to the teachers. The teachers. Cause this is all extra
work for teachers. I’ve been around a number of schools over the years and watching
over different schools coming in. And plenty of schools in disadvantaged areas. While it
depends on the support they get at home as well, to be honest with you, that comes after
the support of the teacher. Because it’s assigned in the classroom and comes down the
Science teacher’s enthusiasm. But then it’s also about the recognition. I’ll give an
example. There’s a great science teacher who is infectious, and she brought me down to
her school for a visit, at mid last year. And she was doing all this, but the Principal came
along and then recognized her in front of the troops. That makes all the difference. (CIT
President, interview, April 20, 2018).
Observations were conducted in several JGD science classrooms; school site leadership’s
positive influence on student participation was most apparent at the SciFest 2018 held at Cork
Institute of Technology. Researchers observed strong teacher and administrative support at the
event (personal observation, April 20, 2018).
Theme 2
Theme 2 was that school leaders do not provide necessary resources for students to
participate successfully in SciFest. One of the major limiting factors in students’ participation in
SciFest is whether they have access to necessary resources to do so. A review of literature related
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 103
to the distribution of limited resources by leaders speaks to Bolman and Deal’s (2013) political
frame of leadership. Within the political frame, leaders must negotiate the conflicts that result
from limited resources (Bolman & Deal, 2013). In education, the distribution of time, access to
equipment, and financial resources at school and in students’ homes is key to the political
approach as leaders must deal with scarce or diminishing resources (Bolman & Deal, 2013).
Table 13 summarizes the data from students regarding whether school leaders provide the
necessary resources for them to participate successfully in SciFest. When asked about sufficient
financial resources and support, time, materials and training, only 38% of JGD students and 54%
of all students agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership allocated adequate financial
resources to participate effectively in SciFest, including time, materials, and training.
Similar to the survey results from students, teachers and administrators who were
surveyed reported that they did not receive adequate resources to participate successfully in
SciFest: only 15% of JGD teachers and administrators and 59% of all teachers and administrators
agreed and strongly agreed with the statement. Also only 31% of JGD teachers and
administrators and 31% of all teachers and administrators who were surveyed agreed or strongly
agreed that school leadership provides support, including time, materials, and training, to
participate in SciFest (Table 14).
Table 15 summarizes the opinions of business leaders and policymakers related to school
leaders adequately allocating resources for students to participate effectively in SciFest. Similar
to the data from students, teachers, and administrators, only 60% of business leaders and
policymakers agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership allocates adequate financial
resources to effectively implement SciFest and only 40% of business leaders and policymakers

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 104

Table 13

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Leaders Provide the Necessary Resources for Students
to Participate Successfully in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

School leadership allocates adequate financial resources
to effectively implement SciFest at my school.
Strongly Agree 4 115
Agree 17 322
Neutral 14 237
Disagree 7 108
Strongly Disagree 4 49
I Don’t Know 10 226
Total 56 1,057

School leadership provides support, including time,
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 14 250
Agree 17 435
Neutral 6 140
Disagree 4 87
Strongly Disagree 1 34
I Don’t Know 5 106
Total 57 1,052

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 105

Table 14

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Leaders Provide the Necessary
Resources for Students to Participate Successfully in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys
School Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

School leadership allocates adequate financial resources
to effectively implement SciFest at my school.
Strongly Agree 0 16
Agree 2 21
Neutral 3 10
Disagree 3 4
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 5 12
Total 13 63

School leadership provides support, including time,
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 1 7
Agree 3 34
Neutral 2 15
Disagree 4 1
Strongly Disagree 0 2
I Don’t Know 3 3
Total 13 62

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 106
Table 15

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Leaders Provide the Necessary
Resources for Students to Participate Successfully in SciFest: Business Leaders and
Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

School leadership allocates adequate financial resources
to effectively implement SciFest at my school.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 3
Neutral 1
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

School leadership provides support, including time,
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 2
Neutral 1
Disagree 1
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

agreed or strongly agreed that school leadership provides adequate support, including time,
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest.
Contrary to the survey results, the interview data from JGD students was much more
positive regarding allocation of resources by school leadership.
I suppose the biggest challenge was probably what we talked about there, trying to get
time and fitting it all in, some things you have to do in school time and then there’s
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 107

homework and stuff. So that was probably one of the bigger challenges. But our teacher
was very good in fairness. I suppose, getting outside information, from help outside of
school, our teachers are very good in that too in fairness, they used to give us contact that
we might need and everything. That was probably one of the bigger challenges, but our
teachers did help us with that. In second year I tested to glucose levels so I wanted to test
if it could control diabetes or certain factors like slowing down the absorption of glucose
into the bloodstream. It’s a substance called [inaudible], so just testing it for things like
that. I went to UCD as well to use their facilities. It went well. There all very nice. Well it
was really interesting to see the lab and the workings of . . . they showed me all these
complex machines, and it’s just nice to see how they all worked, and they’re all very nice
up there as well. (JGD Student 4, interview, April 19, 2018)
Similar to students, JGD teachers reported in their interviews a high level of support from
site administration.
I suppose here they allow us to put it on. The day we won it, because we have, this year
we had all first and second years, so we had about 70 projects on display here in the
school. So it requires all the teachers on that day, the principals. We also invite national
school children in as well, so we had maybe 20 projects from schools around the area. So
then on the day itself that leaders influence is the school leaders and get their help.
There’s a full, it’s all hands on deck. And then we strip everything down. So the leaders,
provide the trophies and prizes and help give them out to the winners. Without the school
giving you the little bit of money to buy prizes and also everyone helping out on the day
then it wouldn’t happen. And the set up the day before and that kind of stuff as well.
(JGD Teacher B, interview, April 19, 2018)
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 108
Regarding administrative support for SciFest one teacher commented,
I reiterate that. Very supportive in terms of deputy, principal deputy. Gives us the time
off, helps organizing pays, gonna have to come out of school budget. Allows the time, we
have a full day in it and it can be a little bit hectic because we need to cover and then it
takes a bit of work and they’re really, really supportive but there is massive benefits to it.
I never had SciFest and we didn’t do many experiments. It’s totally changed now. We
didn’t do many experiments, in my school we only had one lab. It was mainly learning
from the book so it’s become way more hands-on and I think the students will appreciate.
(JGD Teacher A, interview, April 19, 20118)
The school administrator shared her concern regarding lack of resources to support
SciFest. “Money probably is the biggest concern. You’d love to do more, but we as a school,
simply do not have the wherewithal, but at the same time, it works” (interview, April 19, 2018).
Findings for Research Question 3
Research Question 3 asked, How does participation in SciFest influence female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level and third-level STEM courses? The objective of this
question was to explore whether female secondary students’ participation in SciFest increases
their likelihood of enrolling in senior-level and third-level STEM courses. According to the Irish
CSO, fewer than 25% of the approximately 120,000 people working in jobs that use STEM skills
are women (Sherlock, 2016). The shortage of women in STEM occupations is directly linked to
the proportion of women in higher education. While overall access to higher education has
improved greatly for women in Ireland, women remain underrepresented in the technologic
sector, with less than 20% being female (Patrick, 1996).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 109
In 2016, SFI created a gender equity strategy with the goal of improving representation of
women in all aspects of STEM careers in Ireland. The main thrust of this strategy was on
increasing participation and interest by girls in STEM-related activities (Patrick, 1996; SFI,
2017). Access to STEM education and increasing the number of women in STEM careers align
with the aims of liberal feminism, which intends to remove barriers in education that prevent
girls from reaching their full potential (Acker & David, 1994).
Theme 1
Theme 1 was that schools actively encourage female participation in SciFest. In the
review of literature, one of Acker’s major feminist themes is socialization feminism, which
examines socialization by focusing on sex roles and sex stereotyping perpetuated by the family,
school, and media and how this stereotyping reinforces traditional attitudes and orientations that
limit the future of girls (Acker & David, 1994). Many policies and attitudes result in a structural
disadvantage for girls. Teachers’ attitudes are a major contributing factor to sex-stereotyped
choices in schools and eventual sex-stereotyped occupations after graduation, which accounts for
the discrepancy in females in science and technology fields. There is now increasing awareness
that gender, race, and class interact in complex ways to shape girls’ lives in school and after they
leave school. The solution lies in women and girls having access to power and policymaking in
education (Acker & David, 1994).
Since the subject school in this study is an all-boys school, the questions regarding
females and STEM education were difficult to assess. However, many of the JGD boys who
were interviewed relate some questions to female siblings, and JGD school has an all-girls
secondary school located adjacent to the campus with a few female students attending JGD
classes that are not offered at their school. The student data are difficult to analyze due to the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 110
predominance of single-gender schools. Due to the prevalence of single-gender secondary
schools in this study, JGD student survey data are compared only to female student survey data.
Table 16 summarizes the data addressing the degree to which female students agreed that
their school site actively encourages and recruits female participation in SciFest. Only 9% of the
JGD male students who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that their school actively
encourages and recruits females to participate in SciFest, with 78% responding Neutral or I
Don’t Know. This compares to 73% of all students who agreed or strongly agreed that their
schools actively encourage and recruit female students to participate in SciFest. Only 12% of
JGD male students surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that their school actively employs
strategies to increase female participation in SciFest; 72% responded Neutral or I Don’t Know,
while 50% of all female students agreed or strongly agreed that their school actively employs
strategies to increase female participation in SciFest.
Survey data from JGD teachers and administrators was not very informative because
these respondents worked at an all-boys school. When asked whether their school actively
encourages, recruits, and employs strategies to increase female participation in SciFest, 100%
responded Neutral or I Don’t Know; 55% of the total group of teachers and administrators
agreed or strongly agreed that their school encourages and recruits female students to participate
in SciFest and 58% agreed or strongly agreed that their school actively employs strategies to
increase female participation in SciFest (Table 17).
The survey data collected from business leaders and educational policymakers regarding
schools actively encouraging female students to participate in SciFest was not relevant because
business leaders and educational policymakers would not have first-hand insight and thus would
not be qualified to speak to these specific survey questions.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 111

Table 16

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively Encourage Female
Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School and All Female Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All female students

My school actively encourages and recruits
female students to participate in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 1 295
Agree 4 216
Neutral 8 89
Disagree 2 27
Strongly Disagree 6 15
I Don’t Know 37 59
Total 58 701

My school actively employs strategies to
increase female participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 1 140
Agree 6 211
Neutral 8 142
Disagree 1 79
Strongly Disagree 8 15
I Don’t Know 34 110
Total 58 697

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 112
Table 17

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively Encourage Female
Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and
All Teachers and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

I actively encourage and recruit female students
to participate in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 0 22
Agree 0 12
Neutral 10 14
Disagree 0 6
Strongly Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 2 7
Total 12 62

My school actively employs strategies to
increase female participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree 0 11
Agree 0 25
Neutral 12 18
Disagree 0 1
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 2 7
Total 12 62

business leaders and educational policymakers would not have first-hand insight and thus would
not be qualified to speak to these specific survey questions.
While JGD boys could not respond to the survey regarding the extent to which their
school encouraged female participation in SciFest because their school serves only boys, they
discusses the topic in their interviews. One said, “There’s no real difference. Our projects were
similar” (JGD Student 3, interview, April 19, 2018).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 113
I think it’s a problem with the media side of things. To an extent. It’s not advertised to the
girls as well. The school is a perfect example. We’ve never seen the convent come down
here so you can say, why aren’t they told about that? Why aren’t they brought down
here? It’s something like that. It’s the communication barrier I think, to be honest. More
so than anything. They’re not giving . . . they’re not being told about it or something.
That could be wrong. Up there, they do physics and chemistry. Maybe they’re just not
told about it or like, maybe there are not gonna be options to participate I suppose. I’d
say, if they were told, if they had the option, I couldn’t really say why they wouldn’t.
(JGD Student 6, interview, April 19, 2018)
The teachers who were interviewed agreed that schools are doing a better job of
encouraging female students to participate in STEM activities such as SciFest.
It’s interesting but those barriers are definitely being broken down, but it’s still a little bit
like that. I think if they had their own physics teacher, I think there’d be more girls taking
it on. They’re kind of fearful. Fearful and maybe the teacher’s trying to put them off it
because there is that element that they’re coming down here, it’s time wasted, and maybe
we’re not aligning classes as well. (JGD Teacher B, interview, April 19, 2018)
Teacher A, a female JGD science teacher stated,
I don’t think there’s barriers there, I think it’s up to the girls themselves, really isn’t it?
Unless there’s barriers in their own personal psyche that they think they can’t do it,
because it’s a boy kind of subject. But I think I’d say in the home, yeah. I’d say there’s
probably stereotypes still exist the home that you’d be better off taking home economics,
something like that, that it suits better. But I don’t think the barriers are there in schools
because if the subject is offered, then you’re fine, you can pick it. You’re not gonna be
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 114
told, “Oh no, you can’t do that.” It’s hard to know. There’s still obviously more boys
doing physics and more girls doing biology but I think maybe those percentages are
narrowing and it’s getting more even and it will in time. Maybe because we’re a boys’
school and there’s a girls’ school next door we notice it a bit more maybe than co-ed, it’s
not as noticeable. It could be that most engineers are probably male as it stands anyway.
I’m generalizing and that they think maybe that’s a man’s job and like the way nurses
are, I’m gonna generalize again that most of them are probably female. (interview, April
19, 2018)
Business leaders and educational policymakers who were interviewed reported having
witnessed gender equity in SciFest competitions:
Well, for me personally, I was really impressed basically, so I was right down the center
aisle standing reasonably at the back, maybe three-quarters of the way back. And I was
surprised to see the gender balance that was there today, right. Now I don’t think that was
done in any kind of a targeted way? I think it was very impressive in terms of the gender
balance that was achieved in terms of the presenters today, right. What do I see from
that? I mean basically J&J [Johnson & Johnson] would have a strong wide STEM for
women and STEM program, right. There’s a . . . I suppose we have obviously a global
program, there’s a national program as well. But it’s this thing of, oh the girls will want
to go Irish dancing and it’s mainly the boys who’ll go to the coder. But there’s ... It could
be one, two or a hundred percent of the girls actually they want to be doing a coder job,
but they also love to do them over here, so they’re forced to make that decision.
(Representative of Johnson & Johnson, interview, April 20, 2018)
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 115
Theme 2
Theme 2 was that participation in SciFest positively influences females’ interest in taking
senior-level and third-level STEM courses. The review of literature noted the importance of
access by females to STEM education. Women in Technology and Science, an offshoot of the
National Women’s Council in Ireland, created a four-part action plan to improve gender balance
in STEM and to encourage women to consider STEM careers (WITS, 2016). The goals are to
support women in advancing to leadership positions in industry and academia, increase access to
STEM education for women at all levels, address the gender gap in pay, and promote family
STEM workplaces (WITS, 2016).
Table 18 summarizes the data from students regarding whether participation in SciFest
positively influences females’ interest in taking senior-level and third-level courses. Since JGD
is an all-boys school, their survey results did not clearly indicate agreement with this statement,
19% agreed or strongly agreed and 77% were neutral or did not know whether SciFest
influenced females to take STEM senior-level courses; 23% agreed or strongly agreed and 77%
were neutral or did not know whether SciFest influenced females to take third-level courses. The
survey data from all students was not definitive; 47% agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest
influenced female students’ interest in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses and 44% agreed
or strongly agreed that SciFest influences female students’ interest in enrolling in STEM courses.
Survey data collected from all teachers and administrators supported the position that that
SciFest participation encourages female students to pursue senior-level and third-level STEM
courses. Again, because JGD is an all-boys school, the survey results from JGD teachers and
administrators were not particularly informative. Seventy-five percent of the teachers and
administrators at JGD replied Neutral or I Don’t Know and 68% of all teachers and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 116

Table 18

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively Encourage Female
Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Students and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree 1 154
Agree 10 332
Neutral 7 189
Disagree 1 65
Strongly Disagree 1 19
I Don’t Know 37 278
Total 57 1,037

SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling in third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree 1 139
Agree 12 316
Neutral 8 197
Disagree 0 55
Strongly Disagree 0 24
I Don’t Know 36 305
Total 57 1,036

Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 117
administrators who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest develops females’
interest in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses. Eighty-two percent of the teachers and
administrators at JGD replied Neutral or I Don’t Know and 69% of all teachers and
administrators who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest develops females’
interest in enrolling in third-level STEM courses (Table 19).

Table 19

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively Encourage Female
Participation in SciFest: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and
All Teachers and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

SciFest influences the development of female students’
interests in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree 0 13
Agree 3 29
Neutral 7 8
Disagree 0 1
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 2 11
Total 12 62

SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling in third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree 0 11
Agree 2 32
Neutral 7 7
Disagree 0 1
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 2 11
Total 11 62

Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 118
Table 20 summarizes the responses by business leaders and educational policymakers
related to the benefits of SciFest competition for female students. The business leaders and
educational policymakers were stronger than students, teachers, and administrators in their
agreement that SciFest participation encourages female students’ pursuit of higher level STEM
courses. Eighty percent of business leaders and educational policymakers agreed or strongly
agreed that SciFest participation encourages females to enroll in senior-level STEM courses and
60% agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest participation encourages females to enroll in third-
level STEM courses.
While JGD students did not report in their survey responses a positive influence of
SciFest on females enrolling in senior-level and third-level STEM courses, their interview data
indicated agreement that female students benefit from participation in SciFest. “To be honest,
there’s not really a difference between us and them. It’s like if you have a love for science, just
go out and try and make something” (JGD Student 3, interview, April 19, 2018).
There’s no reason why they shouldn’t. If they’re interested in science, they should just do
it. I think there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be, shouldn’t do it because if you’re
interested in something, it doesn’t matter what it is, you should be allowed to do it. If you
want to do something, there should be nothing stopping you from doing it. (JGD Student
9, interview, April 19, 2018)
While JGD is an all-boys school, many of the male students have female siblings.
According to one male student,
People sort of have this thing about girls don’t really have like math and centered towards
maths, and they don’t really enjoy it, but I’d disagree. More and more, now girls are the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 119
Table 20

Participants’ Responses Indicating the Extent to Which Schools Actively Encourage Female
Participation in SciFest: Business Leaders and Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

SciFest influences the development of female students’
interests in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree 1
Agree 3
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling in third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree 0
Agree 3
Neutral 1
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

same as boys there and in college courses like my sister is doing science in college, and
she said it’s very even down there. (JGD Student 4, interview, April 19, 2018)
The principal of the all-boys school happened to the first female principal in the history
of the school. She shared insights during her interview relative to this research question. When
asked about girls taking third-level STEM courses, she said, “I think it’s a stereotype that science
is for boys, and physics is for boys, chemistry is for boys. Probably colleges have a lot to do with
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 120
the promotion, as well” (interview, April 19, 2018). When asked about barriers for females in
STEM courses and careers, she stated,
The only barrier that exists is actually in their minds that it might not be for them. We
have a very good inter-school cooperation, between the convent and ourselves, so I don’t
see that barrier, because the subject is offered. I don’t see the barrier, and it is really good
for our boys to see the girls in those classes, so that it opens up that conversation. In fact,
the girls are quite good. (JGD Principal, interview, April 19, 2018)
When the JGD principal was asked to share her thoughts on the lack of female role
models in STEM-related fields and leadership in general, she said,
Yes, but leadership is changing. You now have a complete role reversal. Like, I’m a
female principal in an all-boys school. Yes. Things are good, they’re changing, and I
think it’s really important for male students to see that a leader doesn’t necessarily have
to be a male, a science teacher doesn’t necessarily have to be Dr. Who, or some erratic, or
whatever stereotype. That’s all good, and by putting female teachers into science, the
boys see, “You know what?” (interview, April 19, 2018)
Business leaders and educational policymakers who were interviewed for this study also
supported the role of SciFest in encouraging female students to pursue STEM-related courses
and careers. One educational policymaker said,
Every college we go to, to validate programs or accredit their programs we look at gender
balance. It’s a key factor. We ask them, “What is your percentage of girls, what is the
percentage of boys?” And by asking that question every year, they have to report on it
every year. It’s a target, and you know yourself, what gets measured, gets improved. We
have a lot of single-sex schools here in Ireland. And the boys’ schools do physics
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chemistry, biology and applied math, and honors math. And the girls’ schools do
Biology. (CIT President, interview, April 20, 2018)
This educational leader also shared that there are still many obstacles for females in
STEM careers even after third level. “It is a very challenging environment for girls or woman to
work at, the whole tech industry. Intensely rough environment. It’s male dominated, and it’s not
just male dominated, it’s kind of the strong male personalities” (CIT President, interview, April
20, 2018).
Business leaders also reported current limitations in the Irish educational system that
present barriers to females taking STEM courses.
Our own conscious biases, right. The best practical example I can give you is with a team
member, her seven, eight-year-old daughter, had a choice to make. Loves Irish dancing
Loves Irish dancing, but unfortunately and also loves coding, right. But there’s a choice
that had to be made because the school, this is at a primary level education, the school
scheduled Irish dancing at the exact same time as the coding class. So it was almost
implied that actually coder class was for the boys, and the Irish dancing is for the girls.
And that to me is those unconscious biases that maybe nationally we have. We think it’s
more international, but certainly nationally, that there’s paths that we have to follow. And
I think it’s those unconscious biases that we all have a role of breaking down. But it’s this
thing of, oh the girls will want to go Irish dancing and it’s mainly the boys who’ll go to
the coding class. But there’s . . . . It could be one, two or a hundred percent of the girls
actually they want to be doing a coder class, but they also love to do them over here, so
they’re forced to make that decision. But I mean definitely even in my own secondary
school, it was more for, there were decisions that you have to make if you’re
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mechanically minded, you had to go down this path. Whereas if you were at another
patch, you went on this path. So I think again it’s back to maybe those biases that we
don’t allow a blend. We’re kind of forcing people that want to lean one way or another.
(Representative of Johnson & Johnson, interview, April 20, 2018)
While observations of science classrooms at the all-boys JGD school were not relevant to
this research question, the observations completed at the SciFest 2018 Invitation held at the Cork
Institute of Technology proved very valuable. At SciFest 2018, researchers could view the
students’ work and the gender balance of participants and the nature of their projects. A review
of the 330 participating secondary school students revealed an even distribution of female and
male participants. However, in reviewing the nature of the projects, projects created by female
participants seemed to focus on stereotypical “female” interests (personal observation, April 20,
2018).
Findings for Research Question 4
Research Question 4 asked, What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students,
civic leaders, college/university professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student
participation in SciFest? This research question was designed to gather perceptions of
stakeholders related to students’ participation in SciFest, specifically to determine its relative
value to students to acquire and develop 21st-century skills. While there are many ways for
students to acquire 21st-century skills, quality PBL provides students with contextualized,
authentic experiences necessary to scaffold learning and build powerful STEM concepts
(Capraro et al., 2013). Capraro et al. (2013) contended that PBL equips students with problem-
solving skills that enable them to find systematic solutions, regardless of the specific problems
that they face. Upon examining the data from surveys, interviews, and observations, two major
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themes that emerged. The first theme was that participation in SciFest helps students to develop
21st-century skills that are needed in a global economy. The second theme was that participation
in SciFest enhances students’ academic development in STEM content and course work.
Theme 1
Theme 1 was that participation in SciFest helps students to develop 21st-century skills
that are needed in a global economy. The review of literature noted that, as a result of
globalization, economies have shifted from manufacturing to information and knowledge
services and the key competencies and skills to be successful have changed concomitantly
(Binkley et al., 2012). Success for today’s knowledge and informational workers lies in their
ability to communicate, share, and use information to solve complex, ever-changing problems
(Binkley et al., 2012). P21 Partnership for 21st Century Learning (2016) developed a framework
for 21st-century learning for students and identified the specific skills of creativity and
innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration.
Several survey questions asked stakeholders whether participation in SciFest helped
students to develop the 21st-century skills needed in a global economy. The data yielded a high
level of agreement among the various stakeholder groups.
Eighty percent of the students at JGD and 68% of all students survey agreed or strongly
agreed that SciFest provided them opportunities to develop 21st-century skills. Sixty percent of
JGD students and 52% of all students surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest provided
opportunities to develop skills needed in a global economy (Table 21). Ninety-two percent of the
teachers and administrators who were surveyed at JGD and at all schools agreed or strongly
agreed that SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-century skills and skills
needed in a global economy (Table 22). In alignment with students, teachers, and administrators,
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Table 21

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Helps Students to Develop
21st-Century Skills Needed in a Global Economy: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Students
and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

SciFest provides opportunities for students
to develop 21st-century skills.
Strongly Agree 12 236
Agree 34 464
Neutral 6 143
Disagree 2 55
Strongly Disagree 0 16
I Don’t Know 4 118
Total 58 1,032

SciFest provides opportunities to develop
skills needed in a global economy.
Strongly Agree 10 155
Agree 24 371
Neutral 15 230
Disagree 3 77
Strongly Disagree 1 27
I Don’t Know 5 161
Total 58 1,021

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Table 22

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Helps Students to Develop
21st-Century Skills Needed in a Global Economy: J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School
Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

SciFest provides opportunities for students
to develop 21st-century skills.
Strongly Agree 5 30
Agree 7 32
Neutral 0 0
Disagree 1 0
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 0 0
Total 13 62

SciFest provides opportunities to develop
skills needed in a global economy.
Strongly Agree 5 27
Agree 7 30
Neutral 0 4
Disagree 1 0
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 0 1
Total 13 62

all business leaders and policymakers were in agreement that SciFest provides opportunities for
students to develop 21st-century skills, and 80% agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest provides
students opportunities to develop skills needed in a global economy (Table 23).
Students who were interviewed at JGD recognized the role of SciFest participation in
their attainment of 21st-century skills. Student 7 expressed that, during SciFest, students “need to
be able to speak in front of people and have a good way of explaining ourselves and our projects
to the examiners” (interview, April 19, 2018). Student 5 said, “They [students] get organization,
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Table 23

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Helps Students Develop 21st-
Century Skills Needed in a Global Economy: Business Leaders and Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-century skills.
Strongly Agree 3
Agree 2
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
Total 5

SciFest provides opportunities to develop skills needed in a global economy.
Strongly Agree 3
Agree 1
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Total 5

public speaking, teamwork and in general just get a better knowledge of science. It’s good to
work under pressure as well and work in groups and know when to not to take charity”
(interview, April 19, 2018).
The teachers and administrators who were interviewed agreed that SciFest participation
helped students to develop 21st-century skills needed in a global economy.
I think it would be obviously they had more of transferable skills, like you mentioned
problem-solving, thinking skills, being an independent learner. Developing skills that we
don’t really focus on as much. Certainly, you come to my physics class after break,
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they’re judged on a 3-hour paper that is learning off. Okay, there is an element of
problem-solving but if you’re good at memory and you have decent problem-solving
skills, they do well in physics, but actually, in reality, you need much more skills for
multi-national companies so SciFest plays into that where they can work on their own,
work as a group. Communicate. All those other skills that the Leaving Cert just doesn’t
judge you on. So massively beneficial in terms of that. The skills that are transferable for
multi-nationals I think. Because everyone will have the degree piece coming in, it’s the
other skills’ (JGD Teacher B, interview, April 19, 2018).
Another JGD teacher agreed:
Taking ownership of what you can do and being able to do something yourself. That’s
what the companies are looking for, isn’t it? They want graduates—my friends who work
in these multinationals, some of them I went to college with and they’re always on about
people, they come out of college with maybe a first degree but can’t do anything when
you get there. You have all book knowledge, but you can’t figure out a real-life problem.
All back to this problem solving isn’t it? Where they give them a problem, they’re
supposed to be able to work around it. They’re not able to do that because they’ve
learned everything from their books so SciFest feeds into that because if they come up
with their problem for their project, and they’ll do some experiment to try and figure out
what problem they had, they’ve, it’s a first step on the road to becoming that problem-
solving person that the multi-nationals want when you come out of the other end of your
mid-twenties or whatever. (JGD Teacher A, interview, April 19, 2018)
When asked about the role of SciFest in developing 21st-century skills in her students,
the principal replied,
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It opens up that conversation around research and why is that happening, or where am I
going to find that piece of information. Interviewing, surveying, questionnaires, most
definitely. There’s creativity. That it’s nearly the hidden curriculum. You allow them to
participate, to research, and then by third year, when they’re actually doing their science
projects, then certainly the words critical reflection and inquiry-based learning is used
(interview, April 19, 2018).
Business leaders and educational policymakers agreed that SciFest helps students to
develop 21st-century skills needed in a global economy.
Presentation skills, communication skills. That ability to know, okay what are the key
messages that I want to portray about the work that I’m doing, right. And I think it’s
something that too often there’s been a focus in Irish academia, or Irish education, around
what I would call academic material, rather than practical life skills. And in that, the
students get more from what I see that ability to, whether it’s here, whether it’s at the
Young Scientist of the Year award, for them to showcase their work. (Johnson & Johnson
representative, interview, April 20, 2018)
While the classroom observations at JGD were informative, there were no specific
observations of student preparation for or participation in SciFest. The researchers observed
student work at SciFest 2018 held at the Cork Institute of Technology. It was clear that the
students had maximized the 21st-century skills with a strong focus on collaboration,
communication, creativity, and critical thinking (personal observation, April 20, 2018).
Theme 2
Theme 2 was that participation in SciFest enhances students’ academic development in
STEM content and coursework. The review of literature noted that the “flattening” of the global
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economy in the 21st-century had put the teaching of STEM subjects as a priority in national
education systems to ensure competitiveness in the global economy. Improving STEM education
has become a major economic factor in developing countries, emerging economies, and long-
established economies (Kennedy & Odell, 2014). The continued success of the knowledge
economy in Ireland is directly linked to the quality and quantity of STEM graduates (Sherlock,
2016). Sanders (2008) contended that STEM education is ideally taught via an integrated
approach based on a pedagogy of purposeful design and inquiry that combines technological
design with scientific inquiry in the context of solving real-world problems. SciFest potentially
become a major tool in the STEM pipeline for Ireland as the most effective teaching method for
STEM education is PBL because it provides real-life experiences for learning (Capraro et al.,
2013).
The student survey data indicated that students agreed that participation in SciFest
enhanced their academic development in STEM content and coursework. Sixty-seven percent of
students at JGD and 54% of all students who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that
participation in SciFest demonstrated the skills needed to obtain careers in STEM fields. Sixty-
five percent of JGD students and 55% of all students who were surveyed agreed or strongly
agreed that SciFest participation enhanced their STEM educational development (Table 24).
Survey data from teachers and administrators showed an even higher level of agreement
that SciFest participation enhances students’ academic development in STEM content and
coursework. Ninety-two percent of JGD teachers and 97% of all teachers and administrators who
were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that participation in SciFest demonstrates the skills
needed by students obtain careers in STEM fields. One hundred percent of JGD teachers and
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Table 24

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Enhances Students’ Academic
Development in Content and Coursework in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM): J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Students and All Students

Survey item and response categories JGD students All students

Participants in SciFest demonstrate skills needed to
obtain careers in STEM fields.
Strongly Agree 10 170
Agree 29 384
Neutral 11 204
Disagree 2 52
Strongly Disagree 1 20
I Don’t Know 5 193
Total 58 1,023

SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students.
Strongly Agree 7 155
Agree 30 408
Neutral 12 210
Disagree 2 47
Strongly Disagree 0 17
I Don’t Know 6 189
Total 57 1,026

92% of all teachers who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest participation
enhances STEM educational development in students (Table 25).
Table 26 summarizes the opinions of business leaders and educational policymakers
related to how participation in SciFest enhances students’ academic development in STEM
content and coursework. The business leaders and educational policymakers were in agreement
with students, teachers, and administrators that SciFest prepares students for skills needed to
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Table 25

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Enhances Students’ Academic
Development in Content and Coursework in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM): J. G. Downey (JGD) All-Boys School Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers
and Administrators

JGD teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators

Participants in SciFest demonstrate skills needed
to obtain careers in STEM fields.
Strongly Agree 5 29
Agree 7 31
Neutral 0 1
Disagree 1 0
Strongly Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 0 1
Total 13 62

SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students.
Strongly Agree 5 29
Agree 8 28
Neutral 0 2
Disagree 0 0
Strongly Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 2
Total 13 62

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obtain careers in STEM fields and that SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students.

Table 26

Participants’ Responses Indicating That Participation in SciFest Enhances Students’ Academic
Development in Content and Coursework in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM): Business Leaders and Policymakers

Business leaders and
Survey item and response categories policymakers

Participants in SciFest demonstrate skills needed
to obtain careers in STEM fields.
Strongly Agree 3
Agree 2
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
Total 5

SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students.
Strongly Agree 3
Agree 2
Neutral 0
Disagree 0
Strongly Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
Total 5

Interview data from students indicated that they agreed that participation in SciFest
helped them to acquire the skills that are necessary to be successful in STEM courses and
careers.
Especially technology and things that you might not have in class and school. If you were
doing a project based on technology or something, you can know straight away if you
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like it or not. Which is really important, if someone has no idea what they want to do,
they need to rule out things, that they definitely don’t want to do. So that’s what it’s great
for. It’s helping you straight away, helping you identify if you like it or not. And if you
do, to pursue it then later on. (JGD Student 3, interview, April 19, 2018)
Another JGD student agreed:
You’d have a better idea about what science is about doing SciFest. Because in class,
you’re just learning facts and doing a few experiments and stuff but at SciFest you do
everything yourself, and you learn a lot more. . . . The bits you do for the project you
have to teach the rest of your teammates. It’ll help you choose what you want to do later
on in life. I think it helps because like if you do SciFest and you realize that you really
like science and you think it’s very interesting then you think like you’d want to do it
when you’re older and want to do a science or chemistry course in college. If you find out
like, I don’t really like this, I think it’s boring, well then you’re not gonna do it for
college. If you get on well in SciFest, then you enjoy it, then it’ll help you pick your
career choice and college, your courses. You’d stick with that and keep going on that
course because you’d enjoy that and you might want to spend the rest of your life doing
that. (JGD Student 8, interview, April 19, 2018).
Teacher B agreed that SciFest participation encouraged students to pursue and be
successful in STEM courses and careers. Teacher A stated,
I think you’re influenced when you’re younger on whether you like something or not. I
don’t think you can think of the . . . it’s very hard to visualize that, “Ten years from now
I’m going to be working as.” I know a few people might be able to pinpoint to that level
of accuracy but really, when you’re 16, 17, you really gotta just go with the flow and
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hoping for the best I think. So I think you’re going to be influenced if you like something
and you’ve enjoyed something and you’ve had a good experience. So if you have a good
experience that will influence you positively going to do the science. (JGD Teacher A,
interview, April 19, 2018).
Like the educators and students, the business leaders and educational policymakers who
were interviewed agreed that participation in SciFest has a lasting impression on students’ future
interest in STEM courses and careers.
But I can only see it [SciFest] being something that opens up their eyes to the world of
science, technology, engineering, and maths. It really allows them to say, do I like this or
not? Is this giving me, is this lighting the fire within my belly? That would be, I think it
can only help. From SciFest, what I see is back again just talking to the children today, or
young adults, for me it gets their taste buds going for science, technology, and maths,
right. All of the folks that presented basically had an enthusiasm, an unbounded
enthusiasm of what they did. (Representative of Johnson & Johnson, interview, April 20,
2018)
Similarly, when asked whether SciFest helps students to pursue STEM course and
careers, an educational policymaker stated the following.
Yeah, it does. I think it works two ways, it shows kids what Science is all about and that
they wish to follow it. But I think the key thing, as well as, I’ve done this project, it ain't
for me. It gives them the interest. Like I said, why worry about any other subjects in
Science if you have the interest. You’ll get bitten by the bug, and they stick with it. (CIT
President, interview, April 20, 2018).
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Chapter Summary
Through analysis of data generated from the review of literature, the results of survey
responses, interview responses, and observations, themes emerged related each of the four
research questions driving this study. The data were analyzed and aligned with the research
questions and the six frameworks: Spring (2015) and Friedman (2007) to examine globalization
and its impact on education; Wagner (2008) to study the need for 21st-century skills and STEM
education through SciFest; Slough and Milam (2013) to examine the link between STEM
education and PBL through SciFest; Acker (1987) to apply feminist theory to examine how
participation in SciFest influences women in STEM majors and careers; and Bolman and Deal
(2013) to examine the role of leadership in participation in STEM education through SciFest.
The triangulation of data collected via surveys, interviews, and observations was connected with
the literature review to yield the eight themes reported in this chapter. The following summarizes
the results related to the four research questions.
Research Question 1 asked, How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students
for the Leaving Certificate Examination? Two major themes emerged from the data. The first
theme was that participation in SciFest helps students to feel better prepared to take the Irish
Leaving Certificate Examination. All stakeholders agreed that the critical thinking and
communication skills that are utilized in creating and presenting SciFest projects are very
beneficial to students when they take Leaving Certificate Examination. The second theme was
that teachers and administrators are actively supporting students to participate in SciFest as a
mechanism to prepare them to take the examination. It was clear from the data that teachers and
administrators saw the value in SciFest as a means to prepare students to take the Leaving
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Certificate Examination and that they utilized several strategies to encourage student
participation.
Research Question 2 asked, How does school leadership influence participation in
SciFest? Two themes emerged from the data related to this question. The first theme was that
principals and teachers are influential in students’ decisions to participate in SciFest. The data
from students indicated that they chose to participate in SciFest due to direct encouragement
received from teachers. The business leaders saw teachers as the key link to student SciFest
participation. The second theme was that school leaders must provide the necessary resources for
students to participate in SciFest. From the first theme, it was clear that it takes teachers to get
students interested in SciFest. This second theme indicated that, once teachers get students
interested, the school site leadership (the principal) must provide the necessary resources for
SciFest to be successful. SciFest requires extensive resources in both time and money, and the
principal is the key to allocating school resources.
Research Question 3 asked, How does participation in SciFest influence female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level and third-level STEM courses? Two themes emerged from
the data related to this question. The first theme was that schools are actively encouraging female
students to participate in SciFest. While this theme was not as apparent at JGD, since it was an
all-boys school, the data from all schools clearly supported this theme. Observations at the
SciFest in Cork showed a high level of female students participating in SciFest. The second
theme was that participation positively influences females’ participation in taking senior-level
and third-level STEM courses. JGD School is an all-boys school, so their responses were not a
factor in this theme.
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Research Question 4 asked, What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students,
civic leaders, college/university professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student
participation in SciFest? Two themes emerged from the data related to this question. The first
theme was that all stakeholder groups strongly agreed that participation in SciFest helps students
to develop the 21st-century skills needed in a global economy. All agreed that students’
development of creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration was enhanced as a
result of SciFest participation. The second theme was that participation in SciFest enhances
students’ academic development of STEM content and coursework. It was clear from these data
that, when students are exposed to science in a genuine, hands-on way, they can quickly
determine what they like and do not like, which furnishes insight when pursuing future STEM
courses and possible careers.
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CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Like many countries, Ireland has embraced globalization and is seen as a country that has
done well in this new era (Fagan, 2002). Ireland is considered to be the most globalized nation in
the West and the world’s third most globalized economy (Irish America Staff, 2013). The
emergence of the “Celtic Tiger” stems from Irish policy that has encouraged FDI by MNCs in
high-technology manufacturing and service industries (Wickham & Bruff, 2008). As economies
have shifted from manufacturing to information and knowledge services, so have the key
competencies and skills needed by workers to be successful (Binkley et al., 2012). To stay
competitive, students will need a high level of scientific and technological literacy to work in
growing scientific and engineering careers (Bybee & Fuchs, 2006). Ireland’s national
commitment to an educated society reflects the nation’s commitment to developing the education
and skills of its people, which they see as an important source of wealth for the country equal to
that of traditional forms of capital (McDonagh, 2000).
This study examined the collective perceptions of a variety of stakeholders, including
teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders, college and university professors, and
representatives of MNCs regarding the influence of STEM education and the influence of
globalization and educational policy as they pertain to development of 21st-century skills,
inquiry-based learning, and gender imbalance in STEM coursework and school leadership. The
study also examined how participating in science competitions, such as SciFest, influences
students, particularly female students, to enroll in senior-level and third-level STEM courses,
culminating in the pursuit of STEM-related careers.
Chapter 1 presents an overview of the study, background, and statement of the problem,
the purpose of and significance of the study, limitations and delimitations of the study, definition
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 139
of key terms, and overall organization of the dissertation. Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive
review and summary of related literature. The basis of the literature review was six sources that
provided the conceptual framework for the study. The first two, by Spring (2015) and Friedman
(2007), examined globalization and its impact on education. Wagner (2008) studied the need for
21st-century skills and STEM education through SciFest. Slough and Milam (2013) examined
the link between STEM education and PBL through SciFest. Work by Acker (1987) on feminist
theory was utilized to examine how participation in SciFest influences women in STEM majors
and careers. The four-frame theory of leadership by Bolman and Deal (2013) was utilized to
examine the role of leadership in participation in STEM education through SciFest.
In addition to the theoretical framework outlined in Chapter 2, the review of literature
provides an overview, definition, and history of globalization and how it caused the “flattening”
phenomenon. The review examines specific impacts of globalization on Ireland related to the
formation of a knowledge economy and the corresponding need for skilled Irish workers to fill
these new jobs. Next, the review recounts the history of politics of Ireland as it relates to FDI by
MNCs in Ireland. A section details the history of education in Ireland, including the current
education structure. Next, the review identifies the 21st-century skills that are needed in a
knowledge economy and how those skills are connected to STEM, gender, and PBL. The history
and impact of science and technology fairs are reviewed, with a focus on SciFest. The review
concludes with a review of the role of school leadership.
Chapter 3 describes the research design used for this study, as well as the research team,
population, and sampling techniques used for the study. The chapter identifies the instruments
used to conduct the study, including a description of the protocols and data collection
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 140
procedures. The chapter addresses issues of validity, credibility, and trustworthiness of the study
and their impact on the reliability of the study, as well as ethical considerations.
Chapter 4 presents the research findings of the collected data and identifies emergent
themes related to the four research questions and six theoretical frameworks. Data are presented
for each of the four research questions by participant group (students, teachers, administrators,
business leaders, and educational policymakers) as collected via survey, interview, or
observation. Following the discussion of each theme, conclusions are drawn for each of the
study’s four research questions.
Chapter 5 summarizes Chapters 1 through 4, provides a review of the study’s findings,
presents and discusses implications of the findings, and makes recommendations for future
research.
The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of globalization and
educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of STEM
education and inquiry-based instructional practices, such as PBL, and student participation in
science competitions. The study examined how participation in SciFest prepares students for the
Leaving Certificate Examination and influences school leadership practices, female students’
interest in STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of SciFest.
To achieve the purpose of this study, four research questions were addressed:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in SciFest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses?
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4. What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders,
college/university professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in
SciFest?
Summary of Findings
The analysis of the data collected via surveys, interviews, and observations yielded eight
themes related to the four research questions. This section presents a summary of the study’s
findings organized according to each research question.
Research Question 1
Research Question 1 asked, How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students
for the Leaving Certificate Examination? The objective of this question was to understand the
approaches that schools take to incorporate and balance student participation in SciFest
participation while focusing on successful completion of the Leaving Certificate Examination.
This research question was designed to determine how stakeholder groups perceived the SciFest
to help or hinder in the preparation and successful completion of the Leaving Certification
Examination. Student qualifying Leaving Certificate scores are a key factor in determining
acceptance into the third-level education, consisting of the university sector, the technical sector,
and colleges of education (substantially state funded) and independent private colleges (Citizens
Information Board, 2017). Two findings emerged from the data collected from the literature,
surveys, interviews, and surveys.
The initial finding that emerged related to Research Question 1 was that student
participation in SciFest helps students to feel better prepared to take the Leaving Certificate
Examination. While all stakeholders agreed with this theme, teachers and administrators were
strong in agreement, with 80% agreeing or strongly agreeing that SciFest helps students to feel
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prepared to take the Leaving Certificate Examination. Stakeholder interviews showed the highest
level of support for this emergent theme. Stakeholders agreed that student SciFest participation
helped students to develop and enhance their analytical and communication skills. All
stakeholders agreed that the authentic learning stemming from SciFest participation provided
students confidence in their ability to be successful in science and directly led to overall
enjoyment of science. The opinions of the stakeholders were supported by works by Wagner
(2010) that suggest that educators must do more to encourage development of 21st-century skills
that are applicable to the needs of a knowledge-based economy.
The second finding related to Research Question 1 was that teachers and administrators
encourage and support students to participate in SciFest as a mechanism to prepare them to take
the Leaving Certificate Examination. Teachers and administrators showed a higher level of
agreement (80%) than that for students (60%). It should be noted that, at JGD School, 93% of the
students who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that teachers encouraged participation in
SciFest to support success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. The data from all stakeholder
interviews supported this theme. An educational policymaker summarized it best: ‘The teacher is
key to the whole thing.” The opinions of the participants were supported by the work by Bolman
and Deal (2013), which considered the role and importance of leadership in education.
Research Question 2
Research Question 2 asked, How does school leadership influence participation in
SciFest? The objective of this question was to examine the role of school site leadership in
influencing student participation in science and technology fairs in Ireland, such as SciFest. Two
themes emerged from the analysis of data collected through surveys, interviews, and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 143
observations of a SciFest science fair and STEM classes. Two findings emerged from the data
related to this research question.
The first finding was that the principal and teacher leaders are influential in students’
decision to participate in SciFest. This theme is in line with the concepts and ideas presented by
Marzano et al. (20015) and Bolman and Deals (2013) related to the importance of site leadership
in student achievement. Since this theme relates to school leaders’ influence on participation in
SciFest, Bolman and Deal’s human resource frame is critical, as it speaks to support and
empowerment, which are key to motivate students to participate in SciFest (Bolman & Deal,
2013). Most respondents indicated a high level of agreement that principal and teacher leadership
is a key factor in student participation in SciFest. This was clearly the case at JGD School, where
81% of students and 92% of teachers and administrators who were surveyed agreed or strongly
agreed that school leadership is a positive influence on SciFest competition at their school. As
one JGD teacher shared, “It was the teacher, really. I think it mostly often is the teacher. Students
just particularly like a particular teacher, and they just tend to go with them.”
The second finding related to Research Question 2 was that school leaders do not provide
the necessary resources for students to participate successfully in SciFest. In education, the
distribution of time, access to equipment, and financial resources of schools and students’ homes
are key; all related to the political approach as leaders must deal with scarce or diminishing
resources (Bolman & Deal, 2013). Students, teachers, and administrators reported insufficient
resources for students to participate successfully in SciFest. Only 41% of all students surveyed
and 31% of all teachers and administrators surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that school
leadership provided the necessary support, including time, materials, and training, for
participation in SciFest. As the JGD principal shared, “Money probably is the biggest concern.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 144
You’d love to do more, but we as a school, simply do not have the wherewithal, but at the same
time, it works.”
Research Question 3
Research Question 3 asked, How does participation in SciFest influence female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level and third-level STEM courses? The objective of this
question was to determine whether female secondary students’ participation in SciFest increases
their likelihood of enrolling in senior-level and third-level STEM courses. According to the Irish
CSO, fewer than 25% of the approximate 120,000 people working in jobs that use STEM skills
are women (Sherlock, 2016). The shortage of women in STEM occupations is directly linked to
the proportion of women in higher education. While overall access to higher education has
greatly improved for women in Ireland, females remain underrepresented in the technologic
sector, with less than 20% being female (Patrick, 1996). Access to STEM education and
increasing the number of women in STEM careers align with the aim of liberal feminism, which
is to remove barriers in education that prevent girls from reaching their full potential (Acker &
David, 1994). The data collected relative to this research question address access by women to
STEM majors and STEM careers, which aligns with the work by Acker (1987) on feminist
theory.
The first theme was that schools are actively encouraging female participation in SciFest.
Seventy-three percent of all students who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that their
schools are actively encouraging female participation in SciFest. These results are especially
interesting because the majority of student survey results were from single-sex schools, many of
which are all-boys schools. The gender equity in SciFest was most apparent from observations at
the SciFest 2018 Invitation contest held at the Cork Institute of Technology. A review of the 330
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 145
secondary school students participating revealed an even distribution of female and male
participants. While JGD School is an all-boys school, many had competed against girls. JGD
Student 3 shared, “There’s no real difference. Our projects were similar.” After judging SciFest
2018, a business leader commented, “I was surprised to see the gender balance that was there
today. Now I don’t think that was done in any kind of a targeted way? I think it was very
impressive in terms of the gender balance that was achieved in terms of the presenters today.”
The second theme was that participation in SciFest positively influences females’ interest
in taking senior-level and third-level STEM courses. Close to 70% of all teachers and
administrators who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that SciFest influences development
of female students’ interests in enrolling in senior-level and third-level STEM courses. As one
JGD student put it, “To be honest, there’s not really a difference between us and them. It’s like if
you have a love for science just go out and try and make something.” While JGD School serves
only boys, many of the students have female siblings. One JGD student shared, “More and more,
now girls are the same as boys there and in college courses like my sister is doing science in
college, and she said it’s very even down there.” An educational policymaker added,
Every college we go to, to validate programs or accredit their programs we look at gender
balance. It’s a key factor. We ask them, “What is your percentage of girls, what is the
percentage of boys?” And by asking that question every year, they have to report on it
every year. It’s a target, and you know yourself, what gets measured, gets improved.
Research Question 4
Research Question 4 asked, What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students,
civic leaders, college/university professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student
participation in SciFest? This research question was designed to gather perceptions of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 146
stakeholders related to students’ participation in SciFest, specifically to determine the relative
value to the students to develop and acquire 21st-century skills. Wagner (2008) listed seven
survival skills for the 21st century: (a) critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, (b)
collaboration across networks, (c) agility and adaptability, (d) initiative and entrepreneurship, (e)
effective oral and written communication, (f) accessing and analyzing information, and (g)
curiosity and imagination. Slough and Milam (2013) examined the link between STEM
education and PBL through activities such as SciFest. Capraro et al. (2013) contended that PBL
equips students with problem-solving skills that enable them to find systematic solutions
regardless of the specific problems that they face. While there are many ways for students to
acquire 21st-century skills, quality PBL provides contextualized, authentic experiences that are
necessary to scaffold learning and build powerful STEM concepts (Capraro et al., 2013). The
frameworks detailed by Wagner (2010) and Slough and Milam (2013), analyzed with the data
collected related to Research Question 3, yielded two themes for this study.
The first theme was that participation in SciFest helps students to develop 21st-century
skills needed in a global economy. Through both survey and interview data, it was established
that students, teachers, administrators, business leaders, and educational policymakers agreed
that participation in SciFest contributed to 21st-century skill development. All of the teachers,
administrators, business leaders, and policymakers who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed
that SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-century skills. One JGD teacher
shared, “I think it would be obviously they had more of transferable skills, like problem-solving,
thinking skills, being an independent learner. Developing skills that we don’t really focus on as
much.”
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 147
The second theme was that participation in SciFest enhances students’ academic
development in STEM content and coursework. Improving STEM education has become a major
economic factor in developing countries, emerging economies, and long-established economies
(Kennedy & Odell, 2014). The continued success of the knowledge economy in Ireland is
directly linked to the quality and quantity of STEM graduates (Sherlock, 2016). Ninety-seven
percent of all teachers who were surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that participation in SciFest
demonstrates the skills needed by students to obtain careers in STEM fields and 92% agreed or
strongly agreed that SciFest participation enhances STEM educational development in students.
Many participants supported the theme that participation in SciFest gives students exposure to
STEM that helps them to identify what they like or do not as they move forward in STEM. When
asked how SciFest prepares students for STEM majors and careers, one JGD student observed,
I think it helps because like if you do SciFest and you realize that you really like science
and you think it’s very interesting then you think like you’d want to do it when you’re
older and want to do a science or chemistry course in college.
Similarly, a business leader shared,
But I can only see it [SciFest] being something that opens up their eyes to the world of
science, technology, engineering, and maths. It really allows them to say, do I like this or
not? Is this lighting the fire within my belly?
Implications for Practice
This study examined the collective perceptions of a variety of Irish education
stakeholders regarding the influence of STEM education and the influence of globalization and
educational policy in development of 21st-century skills, inquiry-based learning, and gender
imbalance in STEM coursework and school leadership. Ireland is considered to be the most
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 148
globalized nation in the West and the world’s third most globalized economy (Irish America
Staff, 2013). The emergence of the “Celtic Tiger” stems from Irish policy that encouraged FDI
by MNCs in high-technology manufacturing and service industries (Wickham & Bruff, 2008).
As economies have shifted from manufacturing to information and knowledge services, so have
the key competencies and skills needed by workers to be successful (Binkley et al., 2012). To
stay competitive, students will need a high level of scientific and technological literacy to work
in growing scientific and engineering careers (Bybee & Fuchs, 2006). Ireland’s national
commitment to an educated society reflects the nation’s commitment to developing the education
and skills of its people, which they see as an important source of wealth for the country equal to
that of traditional forms of capital (McDonagh, 2000).
The first practical implication for change in the Irish education system arises in response
to the impact of globalization, which has increased the need for STEM education and infusion of
21st-century skills. To address the skilled worker shortage, the Irish government is attempting to
reorient the education system toward technical education for 21st-century skills, culminating in
new colleges focused on technical and scientific education linked to industry (O’Riain, 2000). A
common need expressed by all stakeholders in this study was the need to reexamine the
summative assessment systems in Ireland. Currently, the Leaving Certificate encourages
examination-focused teaching to the detriment of learning essential knowledge and skills that are
vital to students’ future success in education and life (Faulkner, Hannigan, & Gill, 2010). To this
end, Ireland is currently in the process of making significant changes to the Junior Certification
and Leaving Certification Examinations. As Richard Brown, current Minister for Education in
Ireland, shared, the new examinations are an attempt to “equip children to excel in a new world.
The changes will focus more on the individual student developing their capacity to analyze and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 149
discern, to problem solve and collaborate” (Brennan, 2018, para. 8-9). It is hoped that these
changes to the Irish high-stakes examinations will empower administrators and teachers to focus
on the key 21st-century skills that Wagner (2008) identified that students must develop to be
globally competitive. Students must be able to think critically and solve problems, collaborate
across networks, be agile and adaptable, take the initiative, be entrepreneurial, communicate
effectively through written and oral communication, access and analyze information, and have
curiosity and imagination (Wagner, 2008).
The second practical implication for change that is required to infuse PBL projects and
21st-century skill development in Irish classrooms is to consider having all students participate
in SciFest during their Junior and Senior Cycles. Sahin’s (2013) research supported the position
that students who participate in science fairs that incorporate PBL are more likely to continue
their interest in STEM-related fields. Sherlock’s (2016) report on the status of STEM education
in the Irish school system highlighted the important role of the informal STEM education sector
in Ireland. One of the strongest examples of the informal Irish education sector operating outside
the formal curricular teaching in schools is the presence of many science fairs and technology
exhibitions. The goal of SciFest is to encourage a love of STEM subjects through active,
collaborative, inquiry-based learning. SciFest aims to make STEM fairs highly accessible and
inclusive (Porter, 2017). The data gathered in this study support the idea that students,
particularly female students, who participate in SciFest have increased interest to pursue senior-
level and third-level STEM courses, culminating in the pursuit of STEM-related careers.
Requiring all students to participate in SciFest during their Junior and Senior Cycles would
provide opportunities to develop and hone skills that are desired by MNCs to fill the current gap
in Ireland for knowledge workers.
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Limitations
The first identified major limitation was the lack of resources for schools to support
successful participation in SciFest. One of the major observations made was the deficit of
technology available for student learning. A byproduct of requiring SciFest participation could
be increased funding for schools to acquire the necessary equipment to provide a 21st-century
education for their students.
While the study showed that schools are actively encouraging female students to
participate in SciFest, many schools, especially all-female schools, currently do not offer SciFest
participation. Many policies and attitudes create a structural disadvantage for girls. Teachers’
attitudes are a major contributing factor to sex-stereotyped choices in schools and eventual sex-
stereotyped occupations after graduation, which accounts for the discrepancy in females in
science and technology fields. If Irish schools, regardless of gender makeup, were required to
participate in SciFest, this would go a long way to negating sex-stereotyped limitations for
female students.
The last limitation addressed by requiring all students to participate in SciFest during
their Junior and Senior Cycles would address differing emphasis that school leaders place on the
importance of STEM-related content and the development of 21st-century skills. Leadership is
the primary driver of the focus and vision of any organization (Bolman & Deal, 2013). The data
gathered from this study supported the idea that leadership is integral in encouraging
participation in SciFest and providing the necessary resources, both time and money. Requiring
all students to participate in SciFest during their Junior and Senior Cycles would remove site
principals from the role of gatekeeper to student participation in SciFest.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 151
Recommendations for Future Research
This research study focused on 13 single- and mixed-gender schools, free and fee-based
secondary schools in Ireland. By design, all schools that were selected had participated in SciFest
and in some instances at regional science competitions. Since the majority of schools in Ireland
do not participate in SciFest, this selection criterion was a major constraint that limits the
generalization of the findings. Further research on this topic could address this constraint by
increasing the scope of participants to include all types of schools in Ireland, whether or not their
students currently compete in SciFest. It would also be interesting to compare fee-based school
participation rates to those of free schools in Ireland.
It could be informative to examine the trajectory of students who competed in SciFest
and their subsequent third-level area of focus and job attainment, compared to those of students
who did not participate in SciFest at their secondary school. It would be interesting to see
whether SciFest participation had an impact on STEM degree attainment and students’ ultimate
career choices after leaving third-level education.
It is recommended to explore science fairs in other countries to determine whether
student participation in those countries translates to increased STEM college degrees and STEM-
related careers. This research, along with the existing body of research on science fairs based in
Ireland, could lead to conclusions about the best practices for successful implementation of
strategies to promote STEM education and development of 21st-century skills.
Conclusion
Ireland is considered to be the most globalized nation in the West and the world’s third
most globalized economy (Irish America Staff, 2013). For Ireland to stay globally competitive,
students will need a high level of scientific and technological literacy to work in growing
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 152
scientific and engineering careers (Bybee & Fuchs, 2006). Ireland’s national commitment to an
educated society reflects the nation’s commitment to developing the education and skills of its
people, which they see as an important source of wealth for the country equal to that of
traditional forms of capital (McDonagh, 2000). In this new knowledge economy, the Irish
education systems must prepare students who can learn new things, work in teams, communicate
effectively, self-manage, question and innovate, and assume personal responsibility (Spring,
2008). Thus, education and training systems must focus on promoting social and personal skills
that allow students to be flexible and adaptable and quick to learn in rapidly changing work
environments (Green, 1999).
While conflicts remain in the Irish education system between high-stakes culminating
assessments and incorporation of 21st-century skill development, it is clear from the results of
this study that student participation in SciFest is a significant means for students to acquire 21st-
century skills and STEM exposure. Moving forward, stakeholders in Ireland’s economy must
decide how to ensure 21st-century skill development for all students, especially female students,
in order for Ireland to maintain a competitive edge for its economic future.
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Spooner, B. (2015). Globalization via world urbanization: The crucial phase. In B. Spooner
(Ed.), Globalization: The crucial phase (pp. 1-21). Boston, MA: University of
Pennsylvania Press.
Spring, J. (2008). Research on globalization and education. Review of Educational Research, 78,
330-363.
Spring, J. (2015). Globalization of education: An introduction. London, UK: Routledge.
Stringer, E. T. (2014). Action research (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Thurow, L. C. (2000). Globalization: The product of a knowledge-based economy. Annals of the
American Academy of Political and Social Science, 570(1), 19-31.
Tierney, W. G. (2004). Globalization and educational reform: The challenges ahead. Journal of
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Torres, C. A. (2002). Globalization, education, and citizenship: Solidarity versus markets?
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INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 160
Wagner, T. (2014). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don't teach the new
survival skills our children need and what we can do about it. New York, NY: Basic
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Wang, Y. (2012). Education in a changing world: Flexibility, skills, and employability.
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Women in Technology and Science (WITS). (2016). WITS action manifesto. Retrieved from
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2016.pdf
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 161
APPENDIX A
RECRUITMENT LETTER TO PRINCIPAL
Dear [CONTACT NAME],
My name is [USC STUDENT’S NAME] and I am currently [USC STUDENT’S TITLE/POSITION],
located in the United States. I am also a doctoral student at the University of Southern California (USC).
In April, 2018, I will travel with 12 other doctoral students from USC to Ireland as part of a research team
led by Dr. Michael Escalante.
Your name was provided to me as an innovative leader running an exemplary program. Recently, Sheila
Porter, CEO of SciFest, contacted you or a representative at your school to request your participation in a
1-day study. From April 16 to 19, 2018, another doctoral student and I hope to visit [NAME OF
SCHOOL/INSTITUTION] to talk with, observe, and survey willing students, teachers, and you.
This study’s ultimate goal is to understand how schools and SciFest are helping students to develop 21st-
century skills, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM). We are
interested in STEM education as a means of producing knowledge-ready workers and citizens prepared
for the 21st-century. Expanding on prior studies, we hope to understand how leadership and increased
female participation influence broader acquisition of 21st-century skills and/or pursuit of STEM in
college-career. Furthermore, we aim to understand the influence of globalization and multinational
corporations on schools throughout Ireland.
The following questions will guide our research:

1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in SciFest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female students’ interest in enrolling into senior-level
and third-level STEM courses?
4. What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders, college/university
professors, and multinational corporations (MNCs) have regarding the value of student
participation in SciFest?
Please know that participation during our visit will be entirely voluntary, confidential, and nonevaluative.
If you would like, at the completion of the overall study, I would be more than happy to provide a copy of
the final dissertation results and conclusions report.
Thank you for considering my request and taking your valuable time to read this correspondence; without
your help, this experience would not be possible. May I request that you reply at your convenience via
email to [USC STUDENT’S EMAIL] to provide a contact number and preferred time for me to call you
to discuss details about my visit to [NAME OF SCHOOL/INSTITUTION].
Sincerely,
[USC STUDENT’S NAME]
Doctoral Candidate
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 162
APPENDIX B
POLITICAL LEADER/EDUCATIONAL POLICY MAKER INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

Interviewer: ____________________________ Date: _______________________________
Interviewee: ____________________________ Location: ___________________________
Job Title: _______________________________ Contact Information: __________________
Length of Time in Your Position: _________________________________________________
Start Time: _____________________________ End Time:___________________________
Introduction:
[Introduce yourself and your affiliation.]
During this conversation, we hope to learn more about [insert affiliation] and your experiences
with regard to SciFest participation in Ireland. The ultimate goal of this study is to understand
the influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills
through implementation of STEM education, instructional practices, and student participation in
the SciFest science competition. The study examines how school leadership influences student
participation in SciFest while preparing for the Leaving Certificate Exam. Additionally, this
study investigates how SciFest influences female students’ interest in STEM courses and
stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value in preparing students to compete in the 21st-century
workforce. For clarification, we are particularly interested in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and maths (STEM). Students need 21
st
-century skills to compete in a global
workforce and economy; these 21st-century skills include critical thinking, collaboration,
effective oral and written communication skills, and creativity.
Your comments will remain confidential. We would like to record this interview to ensure the
accuracy of our conversation. The recording will be used only by our research team to review
responses and to provide an opportunity to code themes among the various respondents. The
information recorded will never be made public by any means. Do we have your consent to
record?
This interview will last approximately 45 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?
I. Schools’ engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination

1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the Leaving Exam while participating in SciFest
at the same time?
2. What strategies should schools employ to prepare students for SciFest while preparing
students for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence preparation for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
4. Some principals say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for the
Leaving Certificate Exam. How would you respond to that?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 163
II. The influence of school leadership on SciFest participation

1. If possible, talk to me about instances that you are aware of when school leadership
influenced students to participate in SciFest.
2. What leadership qualities are important in getting schools to participate in SciFest?
3. What challenges do you think school leaders face in supporting their school’s participation in
SciFest?
4. Suppose I am a new principal and I am considering implementing SciFest at my school.
What would you say?

III. The influence of SciFest participation on female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses

1. How has SciFest affected female students’ interest in continuing their study in STEM courses
in the senior level and/or third level, if at all?
2. Why do you believe female students participate in SciFest?
3. What do you see as some of the advantages of female students’ participation in SciFest?
4. What, if any, barriers exist for female students’ participation in senior-level and third-level
STEM courses?

IV. The value of student participation in SciFest

1. How does student participation in SciFest benefit students, if at all?
2. What is the role of SciFest in the development of 21st-century skills, if at all?
3. How does SciFest influence students’ college and career choices?
4. How does SciFest contribute to Ireland’s economic prosperity, if at all?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 164
APPENDIX C
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY (MNCS) INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Interviewer: ____________________________ Date: _______________________________
Interviewee: ____________________________ Location: ___________________________
Job Title: _______________________________ Contact Information: __________________
Length of Time in Your Position: _________________________________________________
Start Time: _____________________________ End Time: ___________________________
Introduction:
[Introduce yourself and your affiliation.]
During this conversation, we hope to learn more about [insert affiliation] and your experiences
with regard to SciFest participation in Ireland. The ultimate goal of this study is to understand
the influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills
through implementation of STEM education, instructional practices, and student participation in
the SciFest science competition. The study examines how school leadership influences student
participation in SciFest while preparing for the Leaving Certificate Exam. Additionally, this
study investigates how SciFest influences female students’ interest in STEM courses and
stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value in preparing students to compete in the 21st-century
workforce. For clarification, we are particularly interested in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and maths (STEM). Students need 21st-century skills to compete in a global
workforce and economy; these 21st-century skills include critical thinking, collaboration,
effective oral and written communication skills, and creativity.
Your comments will remain confidential. We would like to record this interview to ensure the
accuracy of our conversation. The recording will be used only by our research team to review
responses and to provide an opportunity to code themes between the various respondents. The
information recorded will never be made public by any means. Do we have your consent to
record?
This interview will last approximately 45 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?
I. Schools’ engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination

1. What is your opinion of the ideal way to prepare students for the Leaving Exam while
participating in SciFest at the same time?
2. What strategies should schools employ to prepare students for SciFest while preparing
students for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence preparation for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 165
4. Some principals say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for the
Leaving Certificate Exam. How would you respond to that?

II. The influence of school leadership on SciFest participation

1. If possible, talk to me about instances you are aware of when school leadership influenced
students to participate in SciFest.
2. What leadership qualities are important in getting schools to participate in SciFest?
3. What challenges do you think school leaders face in supporting their school’s participation in
SciFest?

III. The influence of SciFest participation on female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses

1. How has SciFest affected female students’ interest in continuing their study in STEM fields
in the senior level and/or third level, if at all?
2. Why do you believe female students participate in SciFest?
3. What do you see as some of the advantages of female student participation in SciFest?
4. What, if any, barriers exist for female students’ participation in senior-level and third-level
STEM courses?

IV. The value of student participation in SciFest

1. How does student participation in SciFest benefit your organization, if at all?
2. What is the role of SciFest in the development of 21st-century skills, if at all?
3. How does SciFest influence students’ college and career choices?
4. How does SciFest contribute to Ireland’s economic prosperity, if at all?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 166
APPENDIX D
SCHOOL LEADER INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Interviewer: ____________________________ Date: _______________________________
Interviewee: ____________________________ Location: ___________________________
Job Title: _______________________________ Contact Information: __________________
Length of Time in Your Position: _________________________________________________
Start Time: _____________________________ End Time: ___________________________
Introduction:
[Introduce yourself and your affiliation.]
During this conversation, we hope to learn more about [insert affiliation] and your experiences
with regard to SciFest participation in Ireland. The ultimate goal of this study is to understand
the influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills
through implementation of STEM education, instructional practices, and student participation in
the SciFest science competition. The study examines how school leadership influences student
participation in SciFest while preparing for the Leaving Certificate Exam. Additionally, this
study investigates how SciFest influences female students’ interest in STEM courses and
stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value in preparing students to compete in the 21st-century
workforce. For clarification, we are particularly interested in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and maths (STEM). Students need 21st-century skills to compete in a global
workforce and economy; these 21st century skills include critical thinking, collaboration,
effective oral and written communication skills, and creativity.
Your comments will remain confidential. We would like to record this interview to ensure the
accuracy of our conversation. The recording will be used only by our research team to review
responses and to provide an opportunity to code themes between the various respondents. The
information recorded will never be made public by any means. Do we have your consent to
record?
This interview will last approximately 45 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?
I. Schools’ engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination

1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the Leaving Exam while participating in SciFest
at the same time?
2. What strategies are employed to prepare students for SciFest at your school while preparing
students for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence preparation for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 167
4. Some principals say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for the
Leaving Certificate Exam. How would you respond to that?

II. The influence of school leadership on SciFest participation

1. Talk to me about instances, if any, when your leadership has influenced participation in
SciFest.
2. What leadership qualities are important in getting your school to participate in SciFest?
3. What challenges do school leaders face in supporting their school’s participation in SciFest?
4. Suppose I am a new principal and I am considering implementing SciFest at my school.
What would you say?

III. The influence of SciFest participation on female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses.

1. How has SciFest affected female students’ interest in continuing their study in STEM fields
in the senior level and/or third level, if at all?
2. Why do you believe female students participate in SciFest?
3. What do you see as some of the advantages of female students’ participation in SciFest?
4. What, if any, barriers exist for female students’ participation in senior-level and third-level
STEM courses?

IV. The value of student participation in SciFest

1. How does student participation in SciFest benefit students, if at all?
2. What is the role of SciFest in the development of 21st-century skills, if at all?
3. How does SciFest influence students’ college and career choices?
4. How does SciFest contribute to Ireland’s economic prosperity, if at all?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 168
APPENDIX E
TEACHER INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Interviewer: ____________________________ Date: _______________________________
Interviewee: ____________________________ Location: ___________________________
Job Title: _______________________________ Contact Information: __________________
Length of Time in Your Position: _________________________________________________
Start Time: _____________________________ End Time: ___________________________
Introduction:
[Introduce yourself and your affiliation.]
During this conversation, we hope to learn more about [insert affiliation] and your experiences
with regard to SciFest participation in Ireland. The ultimate goal of this study is to understand
the influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills
through implementation of STEM education, instructional practices, and student participation in
the SciFest science competition. The study examines how school leadership influences student
participation in SciFest while preparing for the Leaving Certificate Exam. Additionally, this
study investigates how SciFest influences female student’s interest in STEM courses and
stakeholder perceptions of SciFest’s value in preparing students to compete in the 21st-century
workforce. For clarification, we are particularly interested in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and maths (STEM). Students need 21st-century skills to compete in a global
workforce and economy; these 21st-century skills include critical thinking, collaboration,
effective oral and written communication skills, and creativity.
Your comments will remain confidential. We would like to record this interview to ensure the
accuracy of our conversation. The recording will be used only by our research team to review
responses and to provide an opportunity to code themes between the various respondents. The
information recorded will never be made public by any means. Do we have your consent to
record?
This interview will last approximately 45 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?
I. Schools’ engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination

1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the Leaving Exam while participating in SciFest
at the same time?
2. What strategies are employed to prepare students for SciFest at your school while preparing
students for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
3. Are you finding that participation in SciFest influences preparation for the Leaving
Certificate Exam? Please describe this influence.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 169
4. Some teachers might say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation
for the Leaving Certificate Exam. How would you respond to that?

II. The influence of school leadership on SciFest participation

1. Talk to me about instances, if any, where your school principal or other school leaders have
influenced participation in SciFest.
2. What leadership qualities does your principal demonstrate in getting your school to
participate in SciFest?
3. What challenges does your school principal, or other school leaders, face in supporting the
school’s participation in SciFest?
4. If you worked at a school where the principal was considering implementing SciFest, what
advice would you give them?

III. The influence of SciFest participation on female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses

1. In your opinion, how has SciFest affected female students’ interest in continuing their study
in STEM fields in the senior level and/or third level, if at all?
2. Why do you believe female students participate in SciFest?
3. What are examples of the advantages that female students get when they participate in
SciFest?
4. What, if any, barriers exist for female students’ participation in senior-level and third-level
STEM courses?

IV. The value of student participation in SciFest

1. What is your perception of the benefit that students may get from participation in SciFest?
2. What is the role of SciFest in the development of 21st-century skills, if at all?
3. If I were a student at this school and I were trying to decide on a college major (third-level
course of study), how would SciFest influence my decision?
4. What is your opinion of SciFest’s contribution to Ireland’s economic prosperity?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 170
APPENDIX F
STUDENT/PARENT INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
Interviewer: ____________________________ Date: ______________________________
Interviewee: ____________________________ Location: ___________________________
Select One: Student______ Parent _______ Contact Information: _________________
(Child’s) Gender:_____________________ (Child’s) Grade:______________________
(Child’s) School:______________________________________________________________
Start Time: _____________________________ End Time: __________________________
Introduction:
[Introduce yourself and your affiliation.]
During this conversation, we hope to learn more about [insert affiliation] and your experiences
with regard to SciFest participation in Ireland. The ultimate goal of this study is to understand
the influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills
through implementation of STEM education, instructional practices, and student participation in
the SciFest science competition. The study examines how school leadership influences student
participation in SciFest while preparing for the Leaving Certificate exam. Additionally, this
study investigates how SciFest influences female students’ interest in STEM courses and
stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value in preparing students to compete in the 21st-century
workforce. For clarification, we are particularly interested in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, and maths (STEM). Students need 21st-century skills to compete in a global
workforce and economy; these 21st-century skills include critical thinking, collaboration,
effective oral and written communication skills, and creativity.
Your comments will remain confidential. We would like to record this interview to ensure the
accuracy of our conversation. The recording will be used only by our research team to review
responses and to provide an opportunity to code themes between the various respondents. The
information recorded will never be made public by any means. Do we have your consent to
record?
This interview will last approximately 45 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 171
I. Schools’ engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination

1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the Leaving Exam while participating in SciFest
at the same time?
2. What strategies are utilized to prepare students for SciFest at your (child’s) school while
preparing students for the Leaving Certificate Exam?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence students’ preparation for the Leaving Certificate
Exam, if at all?
4. Some say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for the Leaving
Certificate Exam. How would you respond to that statement?

II. The influence of school leadership on SciFest participation

1. Talk to me about instances, if any, when school leadership has influenced your (child’s)
participation in SciFest.
2. What leadership qualities are important in getting your (child’s) school to participate in
SciFest?
3. What challenges do school leaders face in supporting their school’s participation in SciFest?
4. Suppose I am a new principal and I am considering implementing SciFest at my school.
What would you say?

III. The influence of SciFest participation on female students’ interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses.

1. How has SciFest affected female students’ interest in continuing their study in STEM courses
in the senior level and/or third level, if at all?
2. Why do you believe that female students participate in SciFest?
3. What do you see as some of the advantages of female students’ participation in SciFest?
4. What, if any, barriers exist for female students’ participation in senior-level and third-level
STEM courses?

IV. The value of student participation in SciFest

1. How does student participation in SciFest benefit students, if at all?
2. What is the role of SciFest in the development of 21st-century skills, if at all?
3. How does SciFest influence students’ college and career choices?
4. Why do you (does your child) participate in SciFest?
5. (Parent Only) How does SciFest contribute to Ireland’s economic prosperity, if at all?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 172
APPENDIX G
CLASSROOM OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
Date: _______________________ Location of Observation: ___________________________
Teacher Observed: _________________________ Time of Observation: __________________
Class Size (total students): ________________ Males ______ Females ______
Class Title and Grade Level: ______________________________________________________
DESCRIPTION/DIAGRAM
OF CLASSROOM

- Position of student desks

- Position of teacher’s desk

- Whiteboard

- Grouping of students

- Technology

- Tables, computers, shelves

- Wall displays, decorations

* Reflection on how physical
space promotes 21st
-
century
skills

FRONT OF CLASSROOM

Overview of Lesson (Learning Objective for the Day):

Instructional Materials Used:

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 173
Additional
Classroom
Information: 21st-
Century Skills
(Wagner, 2008)
STEM/
Inquiry-Based
(Slough &
Milam, 2013)
Actions and Comments
Observed
Observer Comments
Critical Thinking
and Problem
Solving
Making
Content
Accessible

Collaborating
Across Networks
Making
Thinking
Visible

Agility and
Adaptability
Helping
Students Learn
from Others

Initiative and
Entrepreneurialism
Promoting
Autonomy and
Lifelong
Learning

Effective Oral and
Written
Communication

Accessing and
Analyzing
Information

Curiosity and
Imagination

Other Observations

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 174
Reflection Questions:

1. RQ1: What evidence exists of STEM education and 21st-century skill development?

2. RQ1: What evidence exists of inquiry-based learning strategies?

3. RQ1: What evidence is there in preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?

4. RQ1: How does the teacher integrate elements of SciFest during the lesson?

5. RQ3: How are female students engaged in STEM activities in the classroom?

6. RQ1: What is the nature of student interactions in class?

7. RQ1: How is the teacher engaging students in STEM education?

8. Are there additional questions for the teacher?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 175
APPENDIX H
SCIFEST OBSERVATION PROTOCOL
Date: April 20, 2018 Location of Fair: Cork Institute of Technology
Time of Observation: ______________________
Number of Students Participating: ____________ Males ______ Females ______
Grade Level of Students Participating: ______

DESCRIPTION/DIAGRAM
OF FAIR

- Position of student projects

- Grouping of students/themes

- Technology

- Tables, computers

- Wall displays, decorations

* Reflection on how physical
space promotes 21st-century
skills
FRONT OF FAIR

Overview of Events/Themes:

Additional SciFest Information:

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 176

21st -Century
Skills
(Wagner, 2008)
STEM/
Inquiry-Based
(Slough &
Milam, 2013)
Actions and Comments
Observed
Observer Comments
Critical Thinking
and Problem
Solving
Making Content
Accessible

Collaborating
Across Networks
Making
Thinking
Visible

Agility and
Adaptability
Helping
Students Learn
from Others

Initiative and
Entrepreneurial-
ism
Promoting
Autonomy and
Lifelong
Learning

Effective Oral
and Written
Communication

Accessing and
Analyzing
Information

Curiosity and
Imagination

Other
Observations

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 177
Reflection Questions:

1. RQ1: What evidence exists of STEM education and 21st-century skill development?

2. RQ1: What evidence exists of inquiry-based learning strategies?

3. RQ1: What evidence is there in preparing students for the Leaving Certificate
Examination?

4. RQ1: How does the teacher integrate elements of SciFest during the lesson?

5. RQ3: How are female students engaged in STEM activities in the classroom?

6. RQ1: What is the nature of student interactions in class?

7. RQ1: How is the teacher engaging students in STEM education?

8. Are there additional questions for the teacher?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 178
APPENDIX I
SURVEY PROTOCOL FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR OR TEACHER

Date: ___________________ Location of Survey: ____________________________________

Select One: School Administrator ______ Teacher ___________

Directions: Please read the terms and definitions below prior to proceeding to the questions. Once you
have read the terms and definitions, proceed to survey items 1–26 and rate your opinion next to each
statement.

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
21st-Century Skills: Skills that students need to compete in a global workforce and economy, including
critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, effective oral and written communication skills,
ability to access and analyze information, and curiosity and imagination.
Inquiry-Based Learning: A teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working
for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem,
or challenge.
MNC: Multinational corporation.
Globalization: The increased interaction and integration of multinational companies from other countries
and their influence on education and policy in Ireland (e.g., Intel).
School Leadership: Principal, other school administrator, or SciFest lead teacher.
SA = Strongly Agree; A = Agree; N = Neutral; D = Disagree; SD = Strongly Disagree; DK = Don’t Know

1. Participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful
on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

2. School leadership encourages participation in SciFest to support
student success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to support
student success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

4. School leadership employs strategies to positively influence
school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 179

4a. Check all strategies that school leadership employs at your school: Yes No
Common planning time
Department meetings
Professional development
Student incentives
Teacher incentives
Instructional materials
Instructional coaches
Held informational meetings
Promotes SciFest on social media
Family Science Nights
Alignment of curriculum to exit exam
Actionable feedback to teachers to improve science instruction
Recruitment of partners/sponsors
Schoolwide student recognitions
Schoolwide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 180
5. Teachers at my school employ strategies to positively influence
school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

5a. Check all strategies that teachers employ: Yes No
Inquiry-based learning
Before or after school clubs
Science competitions
Independent study
Science Olympiads (series of events)
Interdisciplinary teaching
Family Science Nights
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest activities
with the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

7. School leadership develops a shared vision for implementing
SciFest at the school. SA A N D SD DK

8. School leadership effectively communicates to all stakeholders
a shared vision for implementing SciFest competitions
at the school. SA A N D SD DK

9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions at my school. SA A N D SD DK

10. School leadership allocates adequate financial resources
to effectively implement SciFest at my school. SA A N D SD DL

11. School leadership provides support, including time, materials,
and training, for participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 181
12. Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to
select maths-based or technology-based projects. SA A N D SD DK

13. I actively encourage and recruit female students to
participate in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

14. Female students are encouraged by their parents to
participate in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

15. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

16. My school actively employs strategies to increase
female participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

17. SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK

18. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment in senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK

19. SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK

20. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK

21. SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop
21st-century skills. SA A N D SD DK

22. Participants in SciFest demonstrate skills needed to
obtain careers in STEM fields. SA A N D SD DK

23. SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students. SA A N D SD DK

24. SciFest provides opportunities to develop skills needed
in a global economy. SA A N D SD DK

25. Students benefit from participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

26. MNCs are an important partner in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 182
APPENDIX J

SURVEY PROTOCOL FOR POLITICAL LEADER,
BUSINESS LEADER, OR POLICY MAKER

Date: ___________________ Location of Survey: ____________________________________

Select One: Political Leader ______ Business Leader___________ Policy Maker___________

Directions: Please read the terms and definitions below prior to proceeding to the questions. Once you
have read the terms and definitions, proceed to survey items 1–26 and rate your opinion next to each
statement.

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
21st-Century Skills: Skills that students need to compete in a global workforce and economy, including
critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, effective oral and written communication skills,
ability to access and analyze information, and curiosity and imagination.
Inquiry-Based Learning: A teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working
for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem,
or challenge.
MNC: Multinational corporation.
Globalization: The increased interaction and integration of multinational companies from other countries
and their influence on education and policy in Ireland (e.g., Intel).
School Leadership: Principal, other school administrator, or SciFest lead teacher.
SA = Strongly Agree; A = Agree; N = Neutral; D = Disagree; SD = Strongly Disagree; DK = Don’t Know

1. Participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful
on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

2. School leadership encourages participation in SciFest to
support student success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK

4. School leadership employs strategies to positively influence
school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 183

4a. Check all strategies that school leadership employs at your
school:
Yes No Don’t
Know
Common planning time

Department meetings

Professional development
Student incentives
Teacher incentives
Instructional materials
Instructional coaches
Family Science Nights
Alignment of curriculum to exit exam
Actionable feedback to teachers to improve science instruction
Recruitment of partners/sponsors
Schoolwide student recognitions
Schoolwide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 184
5. Teachers at my school employ strategies to positively influence
school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK

5a. Check all strategies that teachers employ: Yes No Don’t
Know
Inquiry-based learning
Before- or after-school clubs
Science competitions
Independent study
Science Olympiads (series of events)
Interdisciplinary teaching
Family Science Nights
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest activities
with the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
7. School leadership develops a shared vision for implementing
SciFest at the school. SA A N D SD DK
8. School leadership effectively communicates a shared vision
to all stakeholders for implementing SciFest at the school. SA A N D SD DK
9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions at my school. SA A N D SD DK
10. School leadership allocates adequate financial resources
to effectively implement SciFest in schools. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 185
11. School leadership provides support, including time, materials,
and training, for participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
12. Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to select
maths-based or technology-based projects. SA A N D SD DK
13. School leadership encourages and recruits female students
to participate in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
14. Female students are encouraged by their parents to participate
in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
15. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
16. Schools actively employ strategies to increase female
students’ participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
17. SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
18. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment in senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
19. SciFest influences the development of female students’ interest
in enrolling into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
20. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
21. SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop
21st-century skills. SA A N D SD DK
22. Participants in SciFest demonstrate skills needed to obtain
careers in STEM fields. SA A N D SD DK
23. SciFest participation enhances STEM educational development
in students. SA A N D SD DK
24. SciFest provides opportunities to develop the skills needed
in a global economy. SA A N D SD DK
25. Students benefit from participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
26. MNCs are an important partner in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 186
APPENDIX K

SURVEY PROTOCOL FOR PARENT OF SENIOR CYCLE STUDENT

Date:____________________ Location of Survey:____________________________________

Your child’s gender: Female_____ Male_____

Directions: Please read the terms and definitions below prior to proceeding to the questions. Once you
have read the terms and definitions, proceed to survey items 1–26 and rate your opinion next to each
statement.

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
21st-Century Skills: Skills that students need to compete in a global workforce and economy, including
critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, effective oral and written communication skills,
ability to access and analyze information, and curiosity and imagination.
Inquiry-Based Learning: A teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working
for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex question, problem,
or challenge.
MNC: Multinational corporation.
Globalization: The increased interaction and integration of multinational companies from other countries
and their influence on education and policy in Ireland (e.g., Intel).
School Leadership: Principal, other school administrator, or SciFest lead teacher.
SA = Strongly Agree; A = Agree; N = Neutral; D = Disagree; SD = Strongly Disagree; DK = Don’t Know

1. Participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful on the
Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
2. The school leadership at my child’s school encourages
participation in SciFest to support student success on the
Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to support
student success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
4. The school leadership at my child’s school employs strategies
to positively influence school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 187

4a. Check all strategies that the school leadership employs: Yes No Don’t
Know
Student incentives
Teacher incentives
Instructional materials
Instructional coaches
Held informational meetings
Promotes SciFest on social media
Family Science Nights
Alignment of curriculum to exit exam
Recruitment of partners/sponsors
Schoolwide student recognitions
Schoolwide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

5. Teachers at my child’s school employ strategies to
positively influence school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
5a. Check all strategies that teachers employ: Yes No Don’t
Know
Inquiry-based Learning
Before- or after-school clubs
Science competitions
Independent study
Science Olympiads (series of events)
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 188
Interdisciplinary teaching
Family Science Nights
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest
activities with the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
7. School leadership develops a shared vision for implementing
SciFest at the school. SA A N D SD DK
8. School leadership effectively communicates to all stakeholders
(students, parents, teachers, etc.) a shared vision for
implementing SciFest competitions at the school. SA A N D SD DK
9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions at my child’s school. SA A N D SD DK
10. School leadership allocates adequate materials and resources
to effectively implement SciFest at my child’s school. SA A N D SD DK
11. School leadership provides support, including time, classroom
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
12. Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to select
maths-based or technology-based projects. SA A N D SD DK
13. My child’s school actively encourages and recruits female
students to participate in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
14. Female students are encouraged by their parents to participate
in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
15. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment in senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
16. My child’s school actively employs strategies to increase
female students’ participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
17. SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 189
18. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment in senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
19. SciFest influences the development of female student’ interest
in enrolling into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
20. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
21. SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop
21st-century skills. SA A N D SD DK
22. Participants in SciFest demonstrate the skills needed
to obtain careers in STEM fields. SA A N D SD DK
23. SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students. SA A N D SD DK
24. SciFest provides opportunities to develop the skills
needed in a global economy. SA A N D SD DK
25. Students benefit from participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
26. MNCs are an important partner in promoting SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 190
APPENDIX L

SURVEY PROTOCOL FOR STUDENT PARTICIPANT IN SCIENCE COMPETITION

Date: _____________________ School: _________________________________________

Directions: Please read the terms and definitions below prior to proceeding to the questions. Once you
have read the terms and definitions, proceed to survey items 1–26 and rate your opinion next to each
statement.
STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
21st-Century Skills: Skills that students need to compete in a global workforce and economy, including
critical thinking, collaboration, adaptability, initiative, effective oral and written communication skills,
ability to access and analyze information, and curiosity and imagination.
Inquiry-Based Learning: Learning through teaching methods in which students gain knowledge and
skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an engaging and complex
question, problem, or challenge.
MNC: Multinational corporation.
Globalization: The increased interaction and integration of multinational companies from other countries
and their influence on education and policy in Ireland (e.g., Intel).

Background Information:

Have you taken part in a @School science competition? Yes No

Have you taken part in a @College science competition? Yes No

You are: Male______ Female______ Decline to State______

SA = Strongly Agree; A = Agree; N = Neutral; D = Disagree; SD = Strongly Disagree; DK = Don’t Know

1. Participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful on the
Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
2. The school leadership at my school encourages participation
in SciFest to support student success on the Leaving Certificate
Examination. SA A N D SD DK
3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to support
student success on the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
4. The school leadership at my school employs strategies to
positively influence school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 191

4a. Check all strategies that the school leadership employs at
your school:
Yes No Don’t
Know
Student incentives
Teacher incentives
Instructional materials
Instructional coaches
Held informational meetings
Promotes SciFest on social media
Family Science Nights
Alignment of curriculum to exit exam
Recruitment of partners/sponsors
Schoolwide student recognitions
Schoolwide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 192
5. Teachers at my school employ strategies to positively
influence school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
5a. Check all strategies that teachers employ: Yes No Don’t
Know
Inquiry-based learning
Before- or after-school clubs
Science competitions
Independent study
Science Olympiads (series of events)
Interdisciplinary teaching
Family Science Nights
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:

6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest
activities with the Leaving Certificate Examination. SA A N D SD DK
7. School leadership develops a shared-vision for implementing
SciFest at the school. SA A N D SD DK
8. School leadership effectively communicates to all stakeholders
(students, parents, teachers, etc.) a shared-vision for
implementing SciFest competitions at the school. SA A N D SD DK
9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions at my school. SA A N D SD DK
10. School leadership allocates adequate financial resources to
effectively implement SciFest at my school. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 193
11. School leadership provides support, including time,
classroom materials, and training, for participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
12. Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to select
maths-based or technology- based projects. SA A N D SD DK
13. My school actively encourages and recruits female students
to participate in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
14. Female students are encouraged by their parents to participate
in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
15. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
16. My school actively employs strategies to increase female
students’ participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
17. SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
18. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment in senior-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
19. SciFest influences the development of female students’ interest
in enrolling into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
20. Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into third-level STEM courses. SA A N D SD DK
21. SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop
21st-century skills. SA A N D SD DK
22. Participants in SciFest demonstrate the skills needed
to obtain careers in STEM fields. SA A N D SD DK
23. SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students. SA A N D SD DK
24. SciFest provides opportunities to develop skills needed
in a global economy. SA A N D SD DK
25. Students benefit from participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
26. MNCs are an important partner in promoting SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 194
APPENDIX M

INFORMATION SHEET FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH

University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089

THE INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION, LEADERSHIP, AND SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY FAIRS ON STUDENTS’ ACQUISITION OF 21ST-CENTURY SKILLS
AND THEIR COLLEGE-CAREER PURSUIT OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS MAJORS-CAREERS IN SCHOOLS IN IRELAND

You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Dr. Michael Escalante, Professor
of Clinical Education, principal investigator and faculty advisor, from the University of Southern
California. This study is entirely student funded and the data collected will to be used to produce
individual doctoral dissertations for the co-investigators listed below at the University of
Southern California. Please read through this form and ask any questions you might have before
deciding whether or not you want to participate.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
Influence of globalization, leadership, and science fairs on the female student acquisition of 21st-
century skills and their college-career pursuit of STEM majors-careers in schools in Ireland.

PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you could be asked to participate in any combination of the
following activities: a 15-minute online survey; a 45-minute audiotaped face-to-face interview; a
45-minute classroom observation (teachers/students only); and/or a 10-minute observation at
SciFest in Cork, Ireland (students/parents/teachers/principals only). You are not obligated to
answer any questions that cause you discomfort.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
There are no potential risks to your participation; however, you may feel uncomfortable
answering some of the questions. You do not have to answer any question you do not want to.

ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
You may elect to participate in the interview process and not be audio recorded. In addition, you
may elect not to participate. Your relationship with your school/employer will not be affected
whether you participate or not in this study.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO PARTICIPANTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
There are no anticipated benefits to your participation. We hope that this study will help
researchers and policy-makers to better understand the drivers that increase the likelihood of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 195
students pursuing studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) while
acquiring 21
st
Century Skills necessary for all citizens.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
There is no payment for your involvement in the study. However, the co-investigator to your
site, might provide tchotchkes (swag) from the University of Southern California or create a
lottery for your participation in the study.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Survey and observation data will be anonymous for all groups. Interview protocols for teachers,
principals and students collect identifiers. However, any identifiable information obtained in
connection with this study will remain confidential. Responses will be coded with a false name
(pseudonym) and maintained separately. The audiotapes of interviews will be destroyed once
they have been transcribed.

Interview protocols for business leaders, government officials and educational policy makers
collect identifiers (participant names/job titles/time in position and contact information). Only
names and titles will be identifiable in the study. The audiotapes of interviews will be destroyed
once they have been transcribed.

The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects
Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research
studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.

INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Michael Escalante, Clinical Professor, University of Southern California, mescalan@usc.edu

Co-investigators:
Jonathan Blackmore, Director, Covina-Valley Unified School District, jblackmo@c-vusd.org
Roger Brossmer, Assistant Superintendent, Downey Unified School District, brossmer@usc.edu
Elizabeth Eminhizer, Assistant Superintendent, Covina-Valley Unified School District,
eminhize@usc.edu
Raquel Gasporra, Assistant Superintendent, Whittier City School District, gasporra@usc.edu
Jennifer Graziano, Director, Compton Unified School District, jgrazian@usc.edu
Jason Hasty, Director, Los Angeles County Office of Education, jhasty@usc.edu
Chris Hollister, Assistant Superintendent, Chaffey Joint Union High School District,
chollist@usc.edu
Veronica Lizardi, Director, Downey Unified School District, vlizardi@usc.edu
Robert McEntire, Assistant Superintendent/CBO, Covina-Valley Unified School District,
rmcentir@usc.edu
Josh Randall, Assistant Superintendent, Sulphur Springs Union School District,
jirandal@usc.edu
Wayne Shannon, Assistant Superintendent, Downey Unified School District, twshanno@usc.edu
Marc Trovatore, Director, West Covina Unified School District, trovator@usc.edu
Diana Velasquez, Director, Los Angeles County Office of Education, vela983@usc.edu
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 196
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about your rights as a research participant or the
research in general and are unable to contact the research team, or if you want to talk to someone
independent of the research team, please contact the University Park Institutional Review Board
(UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street, #301, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or
upirb@usc.edu

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The Irish government, through its policies, has harnessed the economic potential of globalization by attracting and rewarding foreign direct investment by multinational corporations (MNCs). To sustain its economic prowess, the Irish education system must adapt if it is going to produce the knowledge-based workers needed to feed the economy. The Irish education system must produce globally competitive students who possess the 21st-century skills demanded by high-technology manufacturing and service industries. To stay competitive, students will require a high level of scientific and technological literacy to work in the growing scientific and engineering careers that are enhanced by participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences provided through project-based learning (PBL) strategies, such as science and technology fairs. ❧ This study examined the collective perceptions of a variety of stakeholders, including teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders, college and university professors, and MNC representatives, regarding the influence of STEM education and the influence of globalization and educational policy as they pertain to the development of 21st-century skills, inquiry-based learning, and gender imbalance in STEM coursework and school leadership. This study also examined how participating in science competitions such as SciFest influences students, particularly female students, to enroll in senior-level and third-level STEM courses, subsequently culminating in the pursuit of STEM-related careers. ❧ The principal findings of this qualitative and quantitative case study indicated that participation of students in PBL science competitions such as SciFest helps students feel better prepared to take the Leaving Certificate Examination, encourages female students to pursue senior-level and third-level STEM courses, and gives students exposure to the 21st-century skills that they will need to be successful. The challenge remains that despite these data, school leadership remains the most critical piece in determining student access to participation in PBL-based science and technology fairs.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Brossmer, Roger Carl (author)

Core Title The influence of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and in...

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 03/22/2019

Defense Date 03/11/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag 21st‐century skills,Globalization,Ireland,OAI-PMH Harvest,science competitions,STEM

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Escalante, Michael (committee chair)

Creator Email brossmer@usc.edu,rbrossmer@dusd.net

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-135176

Unique identifier UC11675192

Identifier etd-BrossmerRo-7176.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-135176 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-BrossmerRo-7176.pdf

Dmrecord 135176

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Brossmer, Roger Carl

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA