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Influence of globalization and educational policy on development of 21st-century skills and education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and the science and technology fairs in ...
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Influence of globalization and educational policy on development of 21st-century skills and education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and the science and technology fairs in ...
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Content
Running head: INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 1
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION AND EDUCATIONAL POLICY ON DEVELOPMENT
OF 21ST-CENTURY SKILLS AND EDUCATION IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS AND THE SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY FAIRS IN SCHOOLS SUCH AS DUBLIN BOYS
COLLEGE IN IRELAND
by
Veronica Lizardi
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 Veronica Lizardi
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 2
Dedication
My dissertation is dedicated to my two children. It is through their love, understanding,
encouragement, and patience that supported my professional and personal journey. Their resil-
ience and perseverance through life’s challenges set the tone for my success. Their strength and
willpower provided me with the fuel to endure my own personal and professional challenges. I
am a stronger and kinder person because of them, and together the three of us can pursue and
accomplish our dreams.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 3
Acknowledgments
I have always wondered what the difference was between a PhD and an EdD degree until
I met USC professor Dr. Artineh Samkian, who clarified, “Those who earn a PhD understand the
world, but those who earn an EdD change the world.” It has been professors like this who
provided me with the guidance and leadership that afforded me the incredible experience of
completing my EdD and all the learning experiences and opportunities provided during the
process.
First, I begin by recognizing and thanking my Superintendent, Dr. John Garcia, for his
unwavering support and guidance and the permission to attend classes at USC while missing
district events.
I thank my dissertation chair, Dr. Michael Escalante, for selecting me to be a part of the
USC Superintendent Executive Cohort. His innovative thinking and leadership around education
provided me with the opportunity to experience an international research study in Ireland that has
contributed to my professional and personal experience that I will always remember. His
patience and guidance throughout the process were invaluable and kept us on track. I appreciated
the collaborative structure that he embedded through the cohort process and the support that this
structure provided for me in completing my dissertation on time and hearing Dr. Escalante’s
words, “Fight on!” I would also like to thank my dissertation committee—Dr. John Garcia,
Dr. Charles Hinman, Dr. Michele Doll, and Dr. Rudy Castruita—for their leadership and guid-
ance through our dissertation defense process.
I thank my two Assistant Superintendents, Roger Brossmer and Wayne Shannon, who
provided me with the “push” to begin the doctoral process and for carpooling with me to USC
every Thursday evening for 2 years. Thanks to my Chief Technology Officer, Chris Nezzer, who
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 4
supported our cohort in navigating technology tools that aided us in our data collection endeav-
ors. Thank you to my editor, Phyllis Parmet, for providing me with professional advice on my
dissertation and for all the finishing touches.
A special thank you goes to George and Sheila Porter for their genuine kindness and
support through our dissertation process. Their support in helping us connect to our schools as
well as business and educational leaders was invaluable. I thank them for helping to make our
trip to Ireland special and informative. This experience impacted me in more ways than one.
I would like to thank my USC Executive Cohort: Wayne Shannon, Roger Brossmer,
Elizabeth Eminhizer, Marc Trovatore, Jason Hasty, Diana Velasquez, Robert McEntire, Raquel
Gasporra, Jonathan Blackmore, Christopher Hollister, Jennifer Graziano, and Joshua Randall. It
was an honor to work with all of them and to travel to Ireland and experience this opportunity
with them. The memories and experiences will always be a part of me, and I wish them you all
the best. Sláinte!
Finally, a special thank you goes to my children, Oscar and Amber, for their love and
support that they give me each and every day. It is because of them that I can stand on my two
feet every day with a smile on my face.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 5
Table of Contents
Dedication 2
Acknowledgments 3
List of Tables 8
Abstract 11
Chapter One: Overview of the Study 12
Background of the Problem 13
Statement of the Problem 14
Purpose of the Study 14
Research Questions 14
Significance of the Study 15
Limitations of the Study 16
Delimitations of the Study 16
Definitions of Terms 16
Organization of the Dissertation 18
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 20
Globalization 22
Overview and Definition 22
History of Globalization 24
Flattening Phenomenon 25
Impact of Globalization 26
Globalization in Ireland 29
Ireland 30
History and Political Overview 30
Economic History 33
MNCs and FDI 36
Influence of Economics and Educational Policy 39
Education in Ireland 40
Historical Overview 40
Current Education in Ireland 42
Irish Educational Policy and Economic Impact 44
Leadership 48
21st-Century Skills 50
STEM and Gender 52
PBL 55
Science and Technology Fairs 57
Theoretical Frameworks 60
Figure 1. Diagram of the relationships among the theoretical frameworks for
the study 61
Chapter Three: Research Methodology 62
Research Design 64
Research Team 66
Population and Sample 66
Educators and Students 68
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 6
Business and Industry Leaders 68
Political Leaders and Educational Policymakers 69
Instrumentation 69
Interview Protocols 71
Observation Protocols 72
Survey Protocols 74
Data Collection 76
Data Analysis 78
Validity, Credibility, and Trustworthiness 80
Reliability 80
Ethical Considerations 80
Chapter Summary 81
Chapter Four: Results 82
Study School 84
Research Design 85
Study Participants 86
Findings for Research Question 1 86
Theme 1: School Leaders and Teachers Encourage Participation in SciFest to
Support Student Achievement on the Leaving Certificate 88
Theme 2: School Leadership and Teachers Employ Various Strategies and
Resources to Support Student Participation in SciFest and Success on the
Leaving Certificate 94
Findings for Research Question 2 99
Theme 1: School Leaders Have a Positive Influence on SciFest Participation 100
Theme 2: School Leaders Provide Adequate Resources that Support the
Participation of SciFest 104
Findings for Research Question 3 110
Theme 1: SciFest Participation is Encouraged for All Females and Evident
Strategies Are Employed to Increase Their Participation 110
Theme 2: Females Have Access to Role Models, Coursework, and Other
Experiences That Increase Their Interest in Enrolling in STEM Coursework 117
Findings for Research Question 4 123
Theme 1: SciFest Provides Opportunities for Students to Develop the Necessary
Skills to Compete in a Global Economy 124
Theme 2: Science Fairs Benefit Students and Expose Them to MNCs as They
Develop 21st-Century Skills 130
Chapter Summary 136
Chapter Five: Summary, Implications, Recommendations and Conclusions 141
Summary of Findings 144
Findings for Research Question 1 144
Findings for Research Question 2 146
Findings for Research Question 3 148
Findings for Research Question 4 150
Practical Implications 151
Recommendations for Future Research 154
Conclusion 155
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 7
References 156
Appendices
Appendix A: Recruitment Letter to Principal 167
Appendix B: Political Leader/Educational Policy Maker Interview Protocol 168
Appendix C: Business and Industry (MNCs) Interview Protocol 170
Appendix D: School Leader Interview Protocol 172
Appendix E: Teacher Interview Protocol 174
Appendix F: Student/Parent Interview Protocol 176
Appendix G: Classroom Observation Protocol 178
Appendix H: SciFest Observation Protocol 181
Appendix I: Survey Protocol for School Administrator or Teacher 184
Appendix J: Survey Protocol for Political Leader, Business Leader, or Policy
Maker 188
Appendix K: Survey Protocol for Parent of Second-Level Student 192
Appendix L: Survey Protocol for Student Participation in SciFest 196
Appendix M: Information/Fact Sheet for Exempt Research 200
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 8
List of Tables
Table 1: Alignment of Interview Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and
Theoretical Frameworks 73
Table 2: Alignment of Survey Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and
Theoretical Frameworks 77
Table 3: Summary of Participants, Their Organization/Position, and Data Types 87
Table 4: Responses Indicating How Students Are Encouraged to Participate in
SciFest to Support Their Achievement on the Leaving Certificate
Exam: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students 90
Table 5: Responses Indicating How Students Are Encouraged to Participate in
SciFest to Support Their Achievement on the Leaving Certificate:
Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers/Administrators and All
Teachers/Administrators 91
Table 6: Responses Indicating How Students Are Encouraged to Participate in
SciFest to Support Their Achievement on the Leaving Certificate:
Business Leaders and Educational Policymakers 92
Table 7: Responses Indicating That School Leadership and Teachers Employed
Various Strategies and Resources to Influence Participation in SciFest
by Students and School: Dublin Boys College (DBC) and All Students 96
Table 8: Responses Indicating That School Leadership and Teachers Employed Various
Strategies and Resources to Support Participation in SciFest by Students
and School and Students’ Success on the Leaving Certificate: Dublin Boys
College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Admin-
istrators 97
Table 9: Responses Indicating Strategies Employed by School Leadership and Teachers
to Support Students’ Participation in SciFest and Their Success on the
Leaving Certificate: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students 98
Table 10: Responses Indicating That School Leadership Had a Positive Influence on
SciFest Participation: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All
Students 102
Table 11: Responses Indicating That School Leaders Had a Positive Influence on SciFest
Participation: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators
and All Teachers and Administrators 103
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 9
Table 12: Responses Indicating That School Leaders Provided Adequate Resources
That Supported Participation in SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC)
Students and All Students 106
Table 13: Responses Indicating That School Leaders Provided Adequate Resources That
Supported Participation in SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers
and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 107
Table 14: Responses Indicating That School Leaders Provided Adequate Resources to
Support Participation in SciFest: Business Leaders and Educational
Policymakers 108
Table 15: Responses Indicating That Female Students’ Participation Was Encouraged
and That Strategies Were Employed to Increase Their Participation in
SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students 113
Table 16: Responses Indicating That Female Students’ Participation Was Encouraged
and That Strategies Were Employed to Increase Their Participation in
SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and
All Teachers and Administrators 114
Table 17: Responses Indicating That Female Students’ Participation Was Encouraged and
That Strategies Were Employed to Increase Their Participation: Business
Leaders and Educational Policymakers 115
Table 18: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Female Students Had Access to Role
Models, Coursework, and Other Experiences That Increased Their Interest
in Enrolling in STEM Coursework: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students
and All Students 118
Table 19: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Female Students Had Access to Role
Models, Coursework, and Other Experiences That Increased Their Interest
in Enrolling in STEM Coursework: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers
and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators 120
Table 20: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Female Students Had Access to Role
Models, Coursework, and Other Experiences That Increased Their Interest
in Enrolling in STEM Coursework: Business Leaders and Educational
Policymakers 121
Table 21: Participants’ Responses Indicating That SciFest Provides Opportunities for
Students to Develop the Necessary Skills to Compete in a Global
Economy: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students 126
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 10
Table 22: Participants’ Responses Indicating That SciFest Provides Opportunities for
Students to Develop the Necessary Skills to Compete in a Global Economy:
Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All
Teachers and Administrators 127
Table 23: Participants’ Responses Indicating That SciFest Provides Opportunities for
Students to Develop the Necessary Skills to Compete in a Global Econ-
omy: Business Leaders and Educational Policymakers 128
Table 24: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Science Fairs Benefit Students and
Expose Them to Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as They Develop
21st-Century Skills: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All
Students 132
Table 25: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Science Fairs Benefit Students and
Expose Them to Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as They Develop
21st-Century Skills: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Admin-
istrators and All Teachers and Administrators 134
Table 26: Participants’ Responses Indicating That Science Fairs Benefit Students and
Expose Them to Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as They Develop
21st-Century Skills: Business Leaders and Educational Policymakers 135
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 11
Abstract
Due to the influence of globalization and the increasing presence of multinational corpo-
rations (MNCs) and their need of a knowledge-based workforce, Ireland has had to make revi-
sions to its educational system. These revisions have become essential and have resulted in the
need for an educational transformation. This would require Irish students to develop 21st-
century skills and to increase their experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathe-
matics (STEM) courses through project-based learning (PBL) strategies, such as science and
technology fairs. An obstacle that Ireland faces is that not all of its students are developing these
skills due to the current curriculum standards that are preparing students for the Leaving Certifi-
cate that serves as the summative assessment that determines whether students are prepared for
the universities or colleges.
This study examined the influence of globalization and educational policy on the devel-
opment of 21st-century skills through implementation of STEM education and inquiry-based
instructional practices, such as PBL, as well as students’ participation in science competitions.
The study explored how participation in SciFest has prepared students for the Leaving Certificate
Exam and has influenced school leadership practices, female students’ interest in STEM courses,
and stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value.
The principal findings of this study indicated that 21st-century skills and STEM develop-
ment were essential in Irish schools in order for students to have the experiences necessary to
prepare them for the globalized economy. The findings further supported that participation in
science fair competitions such as SciFest has benefitted students and has contributed to their
interest in STEM-related courses and career choices.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 12
Chapter One: Overview of the Study
Globalization, as described by Spring (2008), is the process of international integration by
which worldview, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture become interconnected. This
process is a multifaceted state of circumstances that has driven Ireland’s economic, social,
political, and educational change. The Celtic Tiger era for Ireland was a time of economic pros-
perity, followed by substantial hardship during the Great Recession. During the Celtic Tiger era,
foreign direct investment (FDI) and multinational corporations (MNCs) fueled the period and
transformed Ireland into one of the most economically successful countries in Europe (Dorgan,
2006). Fanning and Munck (2011) noted that in 15 years, Ireland progressed from Britain’s
ex-colony on the European margin to the epitome of neo-liberal globalization. MNCs and FDI
have a significant impact on countries such as Ireland that want to remain in competition as
leaders in economic growth. As a result of the significant role that MNCs and FDI play, there is
a demand for highly skilled workers in order for Ireland to remain competitive and productive.
While the fiscal state is rebounding, leaders who impact decision making in Ireland
around the educational system are trying to reinforce their country’s economic future through a
process of curriculum adjustments and modifications, coupled with increased student opportuni-
ties that will promote inquiry. Ireland has created these opportunities by encouraging involve-
ment in science and technology fairs such as SciFest, which provide Irish students with the ability
to experience science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and project-
based learning (PBL) experiences prior to the completion of their secondary-level education.
The secondary level, which consists of 2 or 3 years, is referred to in this study and within the
Irish educational system as the Senior Cycle. This cycle concludes with summative examinations
by which Irish students earn a Leaving Certificate (O’Reilly, 2012). Through participation in
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 13
science and technology fairs, Irish students have the opportunity to develop and enhance their
21st-century skills. These skills are important characteristics of individuals who compete in a
global workforce and economy. The 21st-century skills include critical thinking, collaboration,
adaptability, initiative, effective oral and written communication skills, the ability to analyze
information, and curiosity and imagination (Wagner, 2008). The duty of the Irish educational
system is to develop 21st-century workers who are ready and prepared for a competitive global
economy.
This study explored the perceptions of school leaders, teachers, parents, students, local
leaders, college and university professors, and MNCs in regard to the influence of STEM educa-
tion; globalization; leadership; and educational policy as it relates to the preparation of 21st-
century skills, PBL, AND gender inequalities in STEM coursework. Additionally, this study
investigated how participation in SciFest has influenced students to enroll into second-level and
third-level STEM coursework that has the potential to lead them to develop the necessary 21st-
century skills for a chance to be successful in a knowledge economy.
Background of the Problem
A country’s economy is dependent on its educational system and its capacity to provide
citizens who work in the service sectors with opportunities to be successful and competitive in
the workforce (Fernandes, 2009). This task entails a collaborative effort among political leaders,
educational leaders, and business leaders to guarantee that the job market sustainability can meet
the present and future needs of its knowledge-based economy (KBE; Fernandes, 2009).
Ireland is dedicated to providing students with the highest quality STEM education pos-
sible and has demonstrated this commitment through organizations such as SciFest (SciFest,
2018). Student participation in science and technology fairs such as SciFest ensures that students
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 14
are 21st-century ready for the workforce (SciFest, 2018). In addition, the nation is focusing on
first- and second-level courses that instruct critical thinking, collaboration, and computational
skills to train students for third-level, STEM-related courses (Childs, 2001).
Statement of the Problem
As a result of FDI, globalization, and multinational economic conditions, companies have
completely altered the manner in which they produce, market, and sell goods and services world-
wide (Dorgan, 2006). As a result, Ireland has made momentous adjustments in trade agreements,
educational policy, and federal and local government mandates. Since the Celtic Tiger era of the
1990s, Ireland has enjoyed a positive transformational shift in industry based on its aspiration and
ability to attract FDI and MNCs. Ireland is facing challenges due to this economic infusion. In
order to attract and retain foreign companies, Ireland’s educational system must enhance opportu-
nities for all students to develop 21st-century skills in STEM through inquiry-based instructional
strategies, including PBL (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). This process will ensure that students
develop the necessary and critical skills to prepare them for the new KBE.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the 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 competi-
tions. The study examined how participation in SciFest prepares students for the Leaving Certif-
icate Exam and influences school leadership practices, female students’ interest in STEM
courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of its value.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 15
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certifi-
cate Exam?
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/uni-
versity professors and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in SciFest?
Significance of the Study
According to O’Hagan and Newman (2014), a key rationale for government intervention
in educational policies is the importance of education for creation of a skilled workforce. As a
result, globalization and the need to be competitive have affected educational practices and
policy around the world (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). Friedman (2007) affirmed that globaliza-
tion has influenced many nations as the worldwide community has been “flattened” and drawn
closer together due to technology and the need to outsource production. Economic competitions
between countries and MNCs have allowed for national platforms upon which students will
comprise the workforce for generations to come. The transference to a KBE has increased the
need for attention to school curriculum as new generations of workers are prepared for the 21st
century (Thurow, 2000).
This study explored how student participation in SciFest, experiences with PBL, and their
experiences with STEM-related courses are supported by MNCs and the effects of globalization
on the education system. Ireland once had an esteemed economy; however, the Great Recession
upset the thriving nation. As Ireland continues its economic recovery, the future lies in its
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 16
educational system and the ability of its students to adapt to future workforces that will require
knowledge-ready employees who can create a competitive edge (Fernandes, 2009).
Limitations of the Study
Limitations of this study included the distance between Los Angeles, California, and the
study location in Dublin, Ireland. Due to the flight distance to Ireland that is more than 5,000
miles from southern California, the data collection process was condensed to include only the 10-
day period allocated to visit Ireland. In addition to this short time frame, the interactions between
participants and researchers were limited. The timing of data collection was primarily based on
the requirements of travel in relationship to the Irish school year rather than periodic visits
throughout the school year.
Delimitations of the Study
According to Simon and Goes (2011), delimitations are limitations that result from
specific decisions made by the researcher. The delimitations confronted by the study included
choosing schools that participated in the SciFest competitions and that were located in the
general Dublin area. There is no generalizability of the study because schools that did not
participate in SciFest were not included. In addition, there was no consideration for the selection
of schools based on socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or other demographics.
Definitions of Terms
The following terms are used throughout this dissertation to describe and understand the
study:
FDI: An investment involving a long-term business relationship in one country by an
entity based in a separate country (Razin & Sadka, 2007).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 17
Globalization: The process of increased interaction and integration among individuals,
companies, and governments driven by international trade and FDI (Spring, 2015). The contrast
between how the world was in the past and now, becoming smaller and flatter, has significant
effects on the environment, on culture, on educational and political systems, on economic devel-
opment, and on the level of prosperity in societies around the world (Chanda, 2007; Friedman,
2007).
Human capital: A set of skills, knowledge, and/or experience possessed by an individual
or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to their country (Chanda, 2007).
Inquiry-based learning (IBL): A method of instruction that poses questions, problems, or
scenarios while placing the student and his or her interaction at the center of the learning experi-
ence (Capraro, Capraro, & Morgan, 2013; Slough & Milam, 2013).
Junior Cycle: An education cycle that focuses on Irish secondary students in the age range
of 12 to 15 years. Following the sequence of Junior Cycle courses, students are administered the
Junior Cycle Certificate examinations that are currently in revision to include practical work,
group work, and inquiry assessments (Citizens Information, 2013).
KBE: A system of consumption and production based on intellectual capital or ideas
rather than on physical abilities. A KBE comprises a large percentage of the economic activity in
developed countries (Chanda, 2007).
Leaving Certificate: A series of six to seven subject examinations that culminate the Irish
secondary school system (J. Donnelly, 2011).
PBL: An inquiry-based, student-driven, teacher-facilitated approach to learning in which
students confront real-world problems, determine how to address them, and then act in a collabo-
rative fashion to create solutions (Capraro et al., 2013; Slough & Milam, 2013).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 18
Science and technology fairs: A form of PBL used to promote interest in STEM fields. In
Ireland, students may participate in fairs and competitions through SciFest and other experiences
(Capraro et al., 2013; SciFest, 2018).
SciFest: A series of voluntary science competitions for secondary students in Ireland that
are hosted in schools and at regional and international levels. This PBL strategy promotes
creativity, critical thinking, innovation, and STEM education (SciFest, 2018).
Senior Cycle: The final 2 or 3 years of courses in Irish secondary education that lead to a
Leaving Certificate. Students in Senior Cycle range in age between 15 and 18 (Citizens Informa-
tion, 2013).
STEM: An interdisciplinary and applied educational approach requiring students to solve
problems that, when considered in their entirety, demonstrate student mastery of concepts
through hands-on PBL tactics (Capraro et al., 2013).
Organization of the Dissertation
The dissertation is divided into five chapters. Chapter One has provided an overview of
the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the
study, limitations and delimitations, assumptions, and definitions of key terms. Chapter Two
reviews relevant literature on the topics of globalization and the political and economic impact
on education in Ireland; the historic implications; current instructional methodologies such as
STEM, PBL, and science and technology fairs that are influencing students’ acquisition of 21st-
century skills; the impact of leadership; and issues regarding gender equity. The theoretical
frameworks that guided the methodology are identified. Chapter Three describes the methods
used in the study. A mixed-methods, predominantly qualitative approach with some quantitative
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 19
designs of the research is discussed, as well as the research team, population and sample, instru-
mentation, data collection, and data analysis plan.
Chapter Four presents the research findings from the data collection, along with identifi-
cation of themes and a description and analysis of the data. Chapter Five summarizes the study’s
findings, identifies implications for practice, and presents recommendations for further research.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 20
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature
Friedman (2007) described the interconnectedness of the world as it is fueled by technol-
ogy and the fall of trade barriers. These developments have directed the world to the integration
of markets and nations and allowed individuals, companies, and nation-states to reach around the
world quicker and less expensive than ever before (Stewart, 2012). According to Tierney (2004),
globalization is a social process in which the nation-state as the unit of economic, political, and
cultural analysis becomes less important, or even irrelevant, replaced by borderless worldwide
social relations. A “flattening” phenomenon has eliminated many of the world’s physical, tech-
nological, and social borders, allowing unique levels of communication and participation around
the globe (Friedman, 2007). This rise in developing markets steers to economic growth and the
need to prepare students for jobs that require new skills (Stewart, 2012). This is significant
because MNCs may now subcontract certain jobs to receive more competitive prices for labor
and production of materials, causing nations such as Ireland to build competitive platforms as
they endeavor to attract investments by MNCs (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014; Thurow, 2000).
Efforts in the area of producing a more skilled and productive labor force will generate more
output, enable development and diffusion of new technologies, enhance growth, and make the
economy a more appealing place in which to invest, particularly if the skills of the labor force
match labor demands (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014).
Ireland has a structure in place to examine its economy in terms of global competitive-
ness, with a goal of establishing areas in which it can increase its capability in relation to other
nations (National Competitiveness Council [NCC], 2014). Ireland has been forced to examine
strategies to improve the economy that resulted from the debilitating recession that began in 2008
(O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). The recession followed the Celtic Tiger period (1996–2008),
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 21
during which Ireland realized significant economic growth through FDI and subsequent property
inflation that ultimately impaired the economy (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). O’Hagan and
Newman (2014) suggested that Ireland’s educational system must play a critical role in the
nation’s efforts to become a competitive entity in a globalized economy in order to revitalize the
robust financial market. From a political, educational, and business lens, this theory has led to
significant changes in Ireland’s educational system with an emphasis on the preparation of future
generations and a related focus on curriculum—specifically, a focus on curriculum in the area of
science and technology fairs, such as SciFest. The focus on STEM fields is provided for students
to learn through inquiry-based strategies, such as PBL, within exhibitions and competitions. As a
result of the flattening effect (Friedman, 2007) and a need for a skilled work force, schools are
faced with the challenge of helping students to develop 21st-century skills in STEM fields to
prepare the next generation of workers (Wagner, 2008).
This chapter presents a review of related literature that examines globalization and its
impact on Ireland and the Irish educational system. It is necessary to understand the process of
globalization and its influence on Ireland over time. This chapter presents a review of related
literature that examines globalization and its impact on Ireland and the Irish educational system,
specifically on the curriculum and instructional practices. The review also examines how science
competitions influence the use of inquiry by teachers in the classroom to prepare students for the
21st-century workforce in STEM fields. The literature reviewed explores the methodologies
used by educators and leaders in Ireland to build human capital and to prepare students for the
21st-century jobs, particularly in STEM fields. In order to view this issue in a global and histori-
cal context, this literature review is organized in four main sections. The first section provides an
overview of globalization and examines the history of globalization, the impact of technology on
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 22
globalization, and the effects of globalization on Ireland. The second section focuses on the
history of Ireland and how political and economic historical events have affected the current Irish
landscape. The third section outlines Ireland’s educational system and focuses on the signifi-
cance of 21st-century learning skills, PBL, STEM, educational leadership, and the incorporation
of science fairs and competitions as an initiative to influence interest and involvement in STEM
fields, especially for females. The final section focuses on the theoretical frameworks that focus
on 21st-century preparedness, educational leadership, PBL, and gender. Together, these ele-
ments provide a framework on which research may be conducted to develop and address the
following four research questions:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certifi-
cate 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/uni-
versity professors and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in SciFest?
Globalization
Overview and Definition
Economist Theodore Levitt is crediting for creating the term globalization in 1985 to
illustrate changes in global economic affecting production, consumption, and investment (Strom-
quist, 2002). According to Chanda (2007), globalization explains the widening and strengthen-
ing of world links that have taken place gradually since World War II. This trend has now
reached a point where almost no one is completely untouched by events originating outside his or
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 23
her own country and where international constraints increasingly restrict independent national
action. Tierney (2004) described globalization as a social process where the nation-state as the
unit of economic, political, and cultural analysis becomes less important, or even irrelevant, and
in its place are borderless worldwide social relations. The Levin Institute (2017) defined global-
ization as a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and govern-
ments of different nations, driven by international trade and investment and aided by information
technology.
Spooner (2015) depicted globalization as accelerating open-ended change. This type of
change challenges the human need for order and predictability. As civilization has become larger
and more complex, people developed more intricate cultural rules for the regulation of public
interaction which increased the cultural divergence between different parts of the world
(Spooner, 2015). Osterhammel (2011) further described this movement as the increasing inter-
connectedness between people across vast spaces, mainly driven by technological innovation that
was accompanied by a growing density within subspheres of society. Friedman (2007) portrayed
the globalization development as a tightly woven communication infrastructure that authorizes
quick and inexpensive correspondence across the globe. Friedman (1999) explained that coun-
tries around the world are no longer merely dependent on Western leadership to produce products
or take the lead in business ventures; instead, small nations can now take part in and benefit from
the globalized market. Corporations can divide their production around the globe to decrease
cost and to increase efficiency. In order to understand today’s social and economic transforma-
tions in Ireland, it is essential to understand globalization conceptually and historically and its
relationship to Ireland.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 24
History of Globalization
Globalization has its roots as far back as the beginning of written history. Globalization
processes can be tracked back to the emergence of homo sapiens and the migrations out of Africa
to the rest of the world (Gills & Thompson, 2006). Gills and Thompson (2006) suggested that
this early process, in important ways, became the central globalization driver in the sense that it
initiated linked processes of demographic expansion and the increasing density of human habita-
tion.
Friedman (2007) studied human history through a series of globalization movements and
determined that globalization has occurred in three distinct eras. It is documented that an early
globalization effort commenced in 1492 with the opening of trade between the Old World and
the New World, as represented by Christopher Columbus’s expedition. Following this era, an
increase in industry shaped the period from 1800 until 2000. This period endured global events
such as the Great Depression and the World Wars. During this era were the Industrial Revolu-
tion, falling transportation costs, and advancement in telecommunication technology that served
as catalysts for globalization. At the end of this period, the Internet was a dominating influence
that quickly projected the world into the current era of globalization. Since the millennium,
technical advances that include the increasing presence of the Internet have “flattened” or shrunk
the world so that both individuals and companies have the capability to compete on a global scale
(Friedman, 2007). Friedman (2007) referred to these events in the early 2000s as the triple
convergence, in which the wide spreading of the Internet, fiber optics, sophisticated software, and
the sharing of ideas allowed companies to outsource jobs to other countries. The free flow of
ideas and the ability to communicate virtually allowed countries to enter the global market
(Friedman, 2007). In collaboration with this work, Chanda (2007) referred to globalization as a
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 25
phenomenon of mobile capital, trade, and technology that has created today’s instantaneously
connected, interdependent world that stems from a basic human urge to seek a more fulfilling
life.
Flattening Phenomenon
The flattening phenomenon permits an individual to engage in a global economy where
ideas are shared, work is often outsourced, and individuals compete worldwide. Technology is
one of the major causes of the flattening of the globe (Downing, 2007). Friedman (2007) sug-
gested 10 reasons for the flattening process. He began with the fall of the Berlin Wall on
November 9, 1989, one of the most vivid examples of the impact of technology on human
history. This event increased communication, trade, idea sharing, and competition between
formerly separated parts of the world.
Downing (2007) described that for the first decades following World War II, the world
was divided into three major trading blocks. The advances in information technology created a
dilemma for those regimes that tightly controlled the flow of information. Either leaders could
continue to deny their people access to information technology and see their economies fall
further behind, or they could relinquish control of information. Russia moved toward openness,
and the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the literal and symbolic disappearance of some of the
barriers that had kept the world’s people apart (Downing, 2007).
Following these events, Netscape became public on August 9, 1995. This date signifies
when the Internet was made available to a much broader audience within the general public. This
event continues to break down the barriers, to speed communication, and to allow individuals to
participate in a globalized community and economy (Friedman, 2007).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 26
Following the Internet came workflow software, the use of software permitted individuals
to manage, design, and collaborate globally on business projects. Although many individuals
began to access these powerful technologies, they were not alone. Competitive global business
markets climbed to exceptional levels with the infrastructure of the Internet and the ease of
global access.
Friedman (2007) continued to outline the other flatteners, which included uploading,
outsourcing, offshoring, supply chaining, insourcing, and in-forming. Through the expansion
and development of these components, the global community was united and MNCs increased
their ability to divide across the globe tasks that had previously been managed at a central
location. The division of labor allowed companies to assess ways to increase production while
decreasing production costs. People and countries in the globalized community were now
involved in competitive struggles to retain work while decreasing production costs (Friedman,
2007).
The flatteners were supported by other technological expansions to increase the globaliza-
tion of the world. Some examples of these were the actual pipelines of technology and the
common language that allowed people to communicate globally, such as Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML; Friedman, 2007; Spring, 2015). As a result of this common language and the
linked global technology infrastructure, companies and individuals were united globally.
Impact of Globalization
Globalization can have both a positive and negative effect on countries, according to
Goldberg and Pavcnik (2007). Some positive aspects of globalization are that it can create a
country’s interdependence, mobilization of goods and services, and changes in policy and trade
barriers. These elements increase how technology, comprehension, culture, and information
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 27
across nations are shared. Conversely, the negative effects of globalization can include inequali-
ties in economy, skilled versus unskilled wages, and lack of compliance with labor market regu-
lations (Goldberg & Pavcnik, 2007). Torres (2002) supported this theory and described
globalization as a double-edged sword with benefits and implications.
On one hand, it is quite obvious that it removes competence from the national context and
that it undermines the institutions which civil society and the democratic public hitherto
have used for communication. On the other hand, globalization opens up new possibili-
ties for democratic influence on essential common issues which by their nature are about
the notion of the nation state. Attempts to democratize are, therefore, forced to work for
the establishment of democratic global structures, including international organs for civil
society. (Mayo, 1999, pp. 175–176)
Torres (2002) debated that globalization positions restrictions on state autonomy and national
sovereignty and intensifies tensions between global and local dynamics in practically every
policy domain.
Thurow (2000) depicted that globalization is just one of the impacts of the new technolo-
gies that include microelectronics, computers, robotics, telecommunication, new materials, and
biotechnology that are reshaping the economies of the 3rd millennium. Collectively, these tech-
nologies and their interactions are producing a KBE that is systematically changing how all
people conduct their economic and social lives (Thurow, 2000). Thurow described how Bill
Gates is the symbol of the new era because he has become one of the wealthiest men in the world
by controlling a knowledge process. Bill Gates marks a fundamental shift to a KBE; this shift
will come to be seen as the third industrial revolution, with steam being the first and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 28
electrification the second (Thurow, 2000). In a KBE, a nation’s needs and capabilities often
determine how knowledge is shaped.
According to Lawlor (2007), various advances have had a significant impact on the
progression of globalization such as the personal computer, the invention of the World Wide
Web in 1991, and the implementation of fiber optic cables. As a result of advancements in
technology, information technology has become the driving force behind globalization and an
integral part of an organization’s business strategy (Lawlor, 2007). It has also conveyed what
Lawlor termed “time-space compression,” whereby the transitions between moments and dis-
tances between spaces are reduced. In simpler words, it takes less time to complete tasks than
ever before, and geographic distance is no longer an impediment.
Globalization has also had an impact on education. Through technological advance-
ments, it has increased the speed of communication to disseminate educational techniques and
concepts. This advance is evident in Spring’s (2015) statement, “World education culture
developed alongside the worldwide spread of Western models of government and nation” (p. 9).
Spring noted that global educational discourses play an integral role in creating common educa-
tional practices and policies. Additionally, Spring explained that contained within discourses
about knowledge economy are discussions of technology, human capital, lifelong learning, and
the global migration of workers. Discourses about the knowledge economy highlight the neces-
sity of educating students with skills for the global workplace; therefore, technology plays a
double role (Spring, 2015). Spring described four major interpretations for the globalization of
education. First, mass schooling is a component of globally spreading Western traditions;
second, world models of school systems are being drawn on in planning new schools; third, edu-
cational credentials are becoming more necessary globally; and fourth, educational research of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 29
best practices is now available on a globalized scale. Spring suggested that “a general political
agenda among culturalists is recognition of multiple knowledges, alternative cultural frameworks
for schooling, and the importance of studying the interaction between the local and the global (p.
337).
Globalization in Ireland
According to Kirby and Murphy (2011), Ireland’s economic boom from 1994 to 2000,
known as the Celtic Tiger era, has been noted by analysts as indicating the country’s success in
benefitting from the opportunities offered by globalization. Rubs and Quinn (2009) added that
during this era, Ireland transformed into a country of net immigration by the early 2000s. Ireland
developed from one of the poorest countries in Western Europe to one of the most successful in
just over a generation (Dorgan, 2006). Fagan (2002) referenced the influential U.S. magazine,
Foreign Policy, in which the Republic of Ireland was at the top of the list on the Globalization
Index. The indicators that were utilized to construct the index included information technology,
finance, trade, travel, politics, and personal communication (Fagan, 2002). Ireland was described
as a showcase of globalization in the economic arena (Fischer, 2009). Adding to these statistics,
the Irish America Staff (2013) reported that Ireland has been ranked as the most globalized nation
in the West and as the world’s third-most globalized economy in terms of gross domestic product
(GDP). Ireland’s high-ranking status was accredited to the country’s high performance in the
areas of movement of capital finance, cultural integration, and a disproportionately high level of
FDI (Irish America Staff, 2013).
Lane and Ruane (2006) suggested that Ireland’s economy is heavily dependent on FDI.
They stated that the sum of foreign assets and liabilities ranks near the top of the international
rankings at more than 1,500% of GDP and that Ireland’s FDI assets amounted on average to
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 30
37.5% of GDP with FDI liabilities at 127.8%. The authors further reported that the United States
is the single most important source of FDI, followed by the United Kingdom. According to the
Irish Development Authority (IDA), U.S. companies employ more than 100,000 people in Ireland
and more than 174,000 Irish are employed in foreign-owned companies in Ireland. Globalization
has caused in approximately 25,000 people per year to migrate to Ireland, with approximately 6%
of the population comprised of foreign-born nationals (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Fischer (2009)
reported similar findings and stated that the proportion of non-nationals was around 10% on
average and up to 13% in the greater Dublin area, according to the 2006 census. Fischer noted
that this new population is also characterized by a diverse make-up of immigrants from the
United Kingdom, the United States, the western European Union (EU) states, Asia, Africa
(mainly Nigeria), and Latin America. The Irish Times (“We Need,” 2007) reported more than
200 languages are spoken in Ireland. Prior to this era, Ireland had remained largely a homoge-
neous society with little racial or religious diversity (Lentin & McVeigh, 2006). The new global-
ized economy is multifaceted and comprehending the effect on Ireland necessitates some insight
into Ireland’s history.
Ireland
History and Political Overview
The island of Ireland consists of the Republic of Ireland, which is about 89,000 square
kilometers (32,000 square miles) and occupies almost 85% of the total land mass, which includes
Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom (Family Search, 2018). According to
Cronin (2001), Ireland is located in the North Atlantic west of Great Britain and is the 20th
largest island in the world.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 31
The first authentic date in Irish history is the year AD 431 (Bartlett, 2010). Ireland was
arranged into five larger groupings that formed the basis of Ireland’s four modern provinces:
Ulster (northeast), Munster (southwest), Leinster (southeast, including the ancient kingdom of
Meath), and Connacht (northwest). These provinces are subdivided into 32 counties (Cronin,
2001). Once completely under British rule, Ireland is politically divided as the Irish Republic
and Northern Ireland—a divide that took place in 1920–1922 (Holwell, 2001). Six of the coun-
ties form Northern Ireland, which is part of Great Britain and ruled from the Palace of Westmin-
ster in London; the other 26 counties form the Irish Republic, which is governed in Dublin
(Cronin, 2001).
The history of Ireland stretches back into the depths of time and can be documented into
four periods: Mesolithic Period, Neolithic Period, Bronze Age, and Gaelic Ireland (Duffy et al.,
2012). The Mesolithic Period, or Middle Stone Age, had traces of hunters and fishers who
traveled the short distance across the water from Scotland into northeastern Ireland as early as
8,000 BC. The Neolithic Period, or New Stone Age, followed a mere 2,500 years later. The
Neolithic settlers brought diverse skills such as agriculture, pottery, and weaving to Ireland
(Cronin, 2001). During the Bronze Age, which is defined as the period 2,500-2,600 BC, Ire-
land’s first metal workers exploited the island’s rich copper deposits to produce a variety of
craftsmen’s tools (Duffy et al., 2012). The Gaelic Period, approximately 700 BC, is when the
Gaels began to arrive in Ireland and brought their own distinctive culture, Irish language, and
artwork (Cronin, 2001; Duffy et al., 2012).
According to Cronin (2001), Ireland was the location for a golden age of Christianity and
monasticism while avoiding any major contact with Rome. and it willfully became the center of
European Christianity. In the 5th century, Christianity was introduced and Ireland first emerged
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 32
into the light of history in documents ascribed to the British missionary, St. Patrick (Duffy et al.,
2012). Coohill (2014) described St. Patrick as the most significant Christian missionary in Irish
history. This missionary period was fronted by St. Patrick, who was brought to Ireland as a slave
(Cronin, 2001). St. Patrick had a significant role in transforming what was essentially a system
of religious orders, churches, and monasteries and in bringing about a semblance of central
ecclesiastical authority (Cronin, 2001). During his time in Ireland, St. Patrick introduced two
important religious structures: the episcopal system of dividing the country into areas controlled
by bishops and the system of church monasteries (Coohill, 2014). St. Patrick alone is credited as
having created some 300 bishops (Cronin, 2001).
During the first 40 years of the 9th century, Viking ships raided islands off the coast of
Ireland (Coohill, 2014). Cronin (2001) noted that the Viking presence had an important impact
on Irish life. The modern towns and cities of Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Youghal, Cork,
Bantry, and Limerick all originate from the time of the Viking invasions. Vikings populated
these regions that included ports such as Dublin. These trading networks had an effect over time
of drawing sites in Britain into a more consistent commercial relationship with Ireland (Killeen,
2012). Consequently, waterways were used in international trade and constituted one of the first
examples of globalization in Ireland. The Vikings developed trading networks overseas and
added to the wealth of what was otherwise a largely pastoral economy (Duffy et al., 2012).
Throughout the 10th century, the Vikings had an influence over Irish power politics, but that
power waned by the end of the 11th century and Viking power in Ireland came to an end (Bart-
lett, 2010).
In comparison with Ireland’s strength during the golden age of Irish monasticism, the
Irish Church was in a position of weakness during the battles between the Vikings and the Irish
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 33
(Cronin, 2001). In an attempt to bring itself into line with other European systems during the
12th century, the Irish Church geographically determined dioceses, which were under the Arch-
bishops of Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam. The new Archbishops were formally recognized
by the Pope—an act that inextricably linked the Irish Church to the Vatican (Cronin, 2001).
The Norman arrival and settlement of Ireland was one of the most significant events in
the history of Ireland because it established the effective control of the crown of England over
Ireland (Coohill, 2014). Many Normans from England moved to Ireland in what was known as
the Norman Invasion, and they settled in the eastern areas, especially around Dublin (Cronin,
2001). During this period, life was very chaotic for the Irish. Even though some of the Normans
adapted, contention persisted between them and the native Irish. This conflict resulted in a law
enacted in 1937 to maintain the two populations separated (Holwell, 2001).
By the 13th century, the Norman stronghold began to weaken—a situation that allowed
Irish landowners to fight and win back sections of their land. Unfortunately, during the 14th
century, the Black Death ravaged Europe and all of Ireland suffered. But the settlers, Normans
and English, were most affected because they lived in close quarters with one another in towns.
The Irish, living in the open in less densely populated groups, were less affected (Cronin, 2001).
In the following century, England’s focus was aimed at conflicts outside of Ireland. Local
lords expanded their kingdom throughout Ireland free of the high levels of oppression inflicted
by Britain’s rule (Bartlett, 2010).
Economic History
Lane and Ruane (2006) contended that globalization is not new to the Irish economy. For
several decades, enterprises operating in Ireland were shielded by the very high barriers to trade
and FDI was introduced in the 1930s. As these barriers decreased from the 1950s, Ireland has
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 34
steadily become more integrated into the global economy (Lane & Ruane, 2006). Ireland is
regularly acknowledged as a model of how to achieve economic success under the conditions of
today’s globalization (Jacobson & Kirby, 2006).
In 1922, when the Irish Free State won independence from the United Kingdom, the
economic history of the Republic of Ireland began (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). O’Hearn
(1990) recounted this era as a long struggle of liberation, waged primarily by Irish workers and
farmers but supported by large numbers of professionals and small capitalists. After the years of
struggle, a section of the Irish nationalist movements signed a treaty with the British in 1921
(O’Hearn, 1990).
The new Irish state inherited a fragile economy (O’Hearn, 1990), plagued by poverty and
emigration. Between 1921 and 1932, agriculture included 54% of Ireland’s employment and
32% of its GDP. According to O’Hagan and Newman (2014), the primary exports were brewing,
distilling, and biscuit making—all related to agricultural industries.
The Republic of Ireland has experienced three major events of debt crisis since its foun-
dation (Dorney, 2011). The first event began at the start of 1923, when the costs of and damage
incurred by the Civil War nearly crippled the new state at birth. The second was a long period of
rising debt and huge public borrowing that lasted roughly from the late 1970s until the mid
1990s. The deficit here was caused in part by the world oil crises, but to a much greater extent by
very large increases in public spending designed to trigger economic growth. When the economy
did not grow as forecasted, public finances were left with a massive gap between what was spent
and what was taken in from taxes. Repaying this debt placed a huge burden on Irish taxpayers
throughout the 1980s and influenced the poor economic performance and enormous emigration
of that period. Finally, the third fiscal crisis of independent Ireland began in 2008 and onward.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 35
The state’s finances have fallen precipitously from a position of surplus to a crushing deficit
(Dorney, 2011).
Dorney (2011) noted that the Civil War did very serious short-term economic damage to
the Irish state. By 1926, it was determined that the cost of war, including rebuilding, compensa-
tion, and financing the Army, came to roughly 170% of the state’s annual income (Dorney,
2011). The Irish banks, mostly found in London, were reluctant to loan money to the Free State
until they were sure that it would survive.
In 1931, the Irish Free State overcame its first debt crisis and became a creditor nation
until the 1970s. Due to this it invested minimally to health, education, or social services during
this period (Dorney, 2011). O’Hagan and Newman (2014) noted that the 1950s did not improve
Ireland’s economic outlook when compared to the rebounding economies of its European neigh-
bors. In addition, many countries in the Western world were swept up in the post-war boom.
During this period, Ireland’s GDP rose less than 1% per year while Europe’s average rate was
8%. For Ireland, this period was also marked by increasing jobless and unemployment rates,
resulting in another increase in emigration. O’Hagan and Newman depicted Ireland’s economic
stagnation as a failure to match its products with export needs.
According to Dorney (2011), under the leadership of the Taoiseach, Sean Lemass, the
economic plan of this era managed to jolt the Irish economy into growth of 4% a year between
1959 and 1973. During this era, there was investment in social infrastructure, and emigration fell
as living standards in Ireland rose by 50% and began to catch up with the European average.
However, as living standards rose, public spending eventually reached an unsustainably high
level. In the 1970s, National Pay Agreements between the government and unions resulted in
higher rates of pay for public servants often financed by foreign borrowing (Dorney, 2011).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 36
Dorney (2011) described two factors that converged to rescue Ireland from the financial
and economic chaos of the 1980s. One was growing the economy by attracting foreign invest-
ment by offering low taxes on profits and by investing in education. Second, Ireland managed to
get public spending under control. Ireland was forced to accept a 16-year loan of €85 billion at
under 6% interest (Dorney, 2011).
The period known as the Celtic Tiger was marked by unprecedented growth in the Irish
economy and a sharp decline in the national debt (Dorney, 2011). By 2000, Ireland had a large
budget surplus, and the 1st decade of the new millennium saw a significant development of
public spending on infrastructure, education, and social services.
MNCs and FDI
According to Lane and Ruane (2006), it is widely agreed that Ireland is at the forefront of
the economic globalization process. Paus (2007) noted that globalization is at the center of
economic change in the 21st century. Friedman (2007) discussed the nature of power going to
individuals and entities worldwide through the development of competition as a product of
globalization. O’Hagan and Newman (2014) pointed out that competition exists to provide the
best product at the best price, which gives MNCs opportunities to outsource production and
services and to invest locally.
Lane and Ruane (2006) noted that Ireland’s economy is heavily dependent on FDI and its
relationship with MNCs. The NCC (2014) reported that despite the challenges have affected the
Irish economy over recent years, international competitiveness has improved. As evidence of
trade and investment flows, Ireland has remained open for business and offers an attractive
location from which to do business. However, the NCC (2014) contended that many competi-
tiveness gains achieved in recent years have risen as a result of cyclical factors. These gains
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 37
could be quickly weathered as economic conditions improve. The NCC reported that this
situation risks a repeat of Irish experience in the 1st decade of the 21st century when much of
Ireland’s international competitiveness was quickly eroded by the impact of rapid and unsustain-
able economic growth. In addition, the NCC stated that for continued reform, Ireland’s efforts
should focus on improving competitiveness in areas that are subject to domestic policy control:
(a) continued steady fiscal consolidation, (b) supplying essential skills to enterprise and reducing
unemployment, (c) developing a more sustainable enterprise base, (d) enhancing access to
finance, and (e) maintaining cost competitiveness. The NCC (2014) reported that
for a small open economy like Ireland, generating export-led growth is the only sustain-
able strategy to secure long-term growth and prosperity. Our ability to export success-
fully represents one of the key indicators of competitiveness. At the same time, the
growth in trade which accrues through strong international competitiveness offers the
opportunity to expand our enterprise base and grow incomes on a sustainable basis. (p.
15)
In the face of difficult global market conditions, Ireland’s overall trade performance has remained
largely positive since the recession (NCC, 2014). Ireland continues to be one of the most open
economies in the EU with respect to international trade.
FDI has been a primary driver of Ireland’s productivity and innovation performance for
several decades, as well as a source of employment (NCC, 2014). Most recent data suggested
that from a regulatory perspective, Ireland performs well in the OECD’s FDI Regulatory Restric-
tiveness Index, where it is ranked 14th out of 32 countries (NCC, 2014).
Many of the world’s most successful companies across a variety of industries have sub-
stantial operations in Ireland. These include companies such as Microsoft, Pfizer, Abbott, and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 38
Intel. Ireland is also home to 9 of the world’s top 10 medical technology companies, such as
Boston Scientific and Medtronic, as well as home to the top 10 Internet companies, including
Google and Facebook (ConnectIreland.com, 2015). In addition, companies found that Ireland
has one of the lowest corporation tax rates in Europe (12.5%), a 25% tax credit against research
and development costs, and double taxation waiver agreements with more than 60 countries
(ConnectIreland.com, 2015).
According to O’Hagan and Newman (2014), policies targeted at enticing FDI are
grounded on the logic that FDI generates new investment for the economy to increase national
income and employment. They argued that FDI is critical to the Irish economy, in particular to
the manufacturing sector and internationally traded services. The manufacturing segment was
once the backbone of Ireland’s economy; however, as an outcome of FDI, it is fading in impor-
tance and is being replaced by a lively, internationally traded services segment (O’Hagan &
Newman, 2014). Over the past 20 years, FDI flows into Ireland have been essential in terms of
increased employment and bringing technological and managerial skills that eventually blend
into other sectors of the economy (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). The NCC (2014) reported that
an economy’s productivity performance is the ultimate determinant of success. The Irish produc-
tivity levels improved considerably between 2008 and 2013 (NCC, 2014).
O’Hagan and Newman (2014) explained that both the market and the education of the
future workforce must be equipped to compete. This competitive viewpoint exists in Ireland and
was shared in work by O’Hagan and Newman in a dialogue regarding a shift of educational focus
in Ireland to maintain competitiveness,
bending to such tasks as gearing society to produce entrepreneurs, vitalizing indigenous
enterprise, providing adequate and appropriate education and training, evaluating public
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 39
investment more thoroughly, introducing flexibility into the labor market, reducing the
disincentives to do unskilled jobs, and fostering competition among firms. (p. 29)
Most recently, this opinion was shared by the NCC (2014) in a report entitled Ireland’s Competi-
tiveness Scorecard 2014. The Taoiseach stated: “Our traditional strengths remain— Ireland is a
good place to do business, with a well-educated workforce, a responsive and responsible regula-
tory system, and a pro-enterprise environment” (p. 3). This statement is significant and empha-
sizes the current perception of the Irish government to maintain a strong global competitive edge
through educating a workforce that can innovate and produce at high levels.
Investment by MNCs has brought substantial benefits to the Irish economy, including
increased employment, economic prosperity, and modernization of the Irish industrial base (Gun-
nigle, 2001). These modifications have permitted Ireland to make technological changes at a
national level to compete in international markets. As swift economic growth has stimulated the
demand for labor in the Irish economy, predominantly in relation to technical and highly skilled
workers, quality labor availability is critical to ensuring Ireland’s economic viability moving
forward. To guarantee that skilled labor is obtainable entails an educational system that prepares
and develops workers to meet the demands of a rapidly growing economy.
Influence of Economics and Educational Policy
Thurow (2000) remarked that the globalization movement changed the position of nations
from those who control their own economy to those who must foster and build their individual
platforms to which MNCs are attracted to conduct business. This platform expansion is directly
linked to the process of educating a nation’s workforce and modifying curriculum to amplify
competitiveness (O’Hagan & Newman, 2014). Leahy and Phelan (2012) described noteworthy
changes in Ireland’s technology education:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 40
Technology education syllabi were revised to include more design activity at the Senior
Cycle. These changes reflect the forward thinking of policymakers in reflection of the
progression from the industrial era to the conceptual era. Yet, one most emphasize the
importance of this curriculum being delivered with fidelity. (p. 375)
Amendments and modifications to curriculum and instruction in Ireland are directly linked to its
need to maintain a competitive edge and to continue to recover from the recession that abruptly
eliminated the Celtic Tiger.
According to Turner and D’Art (2008), it is now clear that the application of knowledge
is the driving force in the development and growth of advanced economies. For policymakers,
the obligation is to ensure appropriately equipped workers are available to promote this knowl-
edge economy (Turner & D’Art, 2008). Turner and D’Art reported that by 2015, 1 in 4 people
would be employed in knowledge-intensive professions and that “the growth of knowledge
intensive work will be one of the most important influences shaping work and workplaces in the
coming years (p. 700). Employees in these occupations would require a high level of thinking
and analytical skills, information technology skills, and—with the growth of the service sector—
social and interpersonal skills (Turner & D’Art, 2008). Ananiadou and Claro (2009) contended
that governments should make an effort to properly identify and conceptualize the set of skills
and competencies required so as to incorporate them into the educational standards that every
student should be able to reach by the end of compulsory schooling.
Education in Ireland
Historical Overview
In 1831, when the national school regime was set up under control of the United King-
dom, the Irish educational system was in place. History records that the Irish education system
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 41
has been dominated by the Catholic Church for many years (O’Reilly, 2012). The influences of
government and religious institutions have shaped the history of Ireland’s educational system
since its foundation. O’Reilly (2012) noted that the original intent of the educational system had
roots in the concept of globalization through the establishment of a national school system that
would unite students from all religious backgrounds in one educational setting. From the begin-
ning, the national school system was dedicated to more than just merely educating children. Its
core intention was to offer an interconnected moral and literary educational experience to chil-
dren (J. Donnelly, 2011). Soon after the establishment of national schools, religious control
placed pressure on the Irish government to permit schools to be under the guidance of individual
churches. The pressure that was applied to churches was successful; and by the mid-1800s, only
4% of the national schools were under mixed management with blended student religious beliefs
(O’Reilly, 2012). These historic actions started a series of intentional decisions that are still seen
today. Ireland has made these decisions for the educational system in order to continue to ensure
that the nation can continue to create a skilled knowledge workforce that will promote FDI, MNC
acquisitions, and a sustained flow of employment opportunities (J. Donnelly, 2011).
According to Raftery and Hout (1993), the Irish Church is very much involved in the
educational system, and the schools are not public as the term is used in the United States.
Almost all the primary schools are denominational and parochial with most of the funds coming
from the state, which also determines the curriculum and fixes teachers’ salaries (Raftery &
Houts, 1993). Rougier and Honohan (2015) confirmed this fact and stated that 96% of all
primary schools and a large portion of secondary schools are denominational. Ireland’s educa-
tional system is highly developed with higher participation rates than in many other, wealthier
European countries.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 42
Ireland’s education system has always been viewed as a key component of national
identity and a great source of national pride (Harford, 2010). Ireland’s success over the past 2
decades is not the result of any one factor, but of many. One of these factors is its investment on
education (Dorgan, 2006). The people of Ireland have diligently invested in human capital over
the past 40 years.
Current Education in Ireland
According to Ananiadou and Claro (2009), today’s labor force must to be equipped with
the set of skills and competencies that are suited to the knowledge economies. Ireland has been
on the journey to better the educational system and has experienced milestones that have led to
ensuring a well-educated and skilled labor force: (a) free second-level education beginning in
1967; (b) building 10 Regional Technical Colleges and two National Institutes of Higher Educa-
tion in 1972 with a technological and industrial focus; (c) a traditional education system focusing
on basics in which mathematics and English are required through all years of the school system;
and (d) a young, well-educated, English-speaking adaptable workforce (Childs, 2001).
According to Citizens Information (2013), education is compulsory for children in Ireland
between the ages of 6 and 16, or until students have completed 3 years of second-level education.
The Irish education system is comprised of primary (first-level), Junior Cycle (second-level), and
third-level and further education.
First and second levels. Children do not have to attend school until the age of 6, but it is
usual for children to begin school the September following their fourth birthday. The curriculum
for first-level covers language, mathematics, social, environment and scientific education, visual
and performing arts, physical integration, social personal and health education (Citizens
Information, 2013). At age 12, children transfer to the second level ,where they are offered
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 43
subjects at Higher or Ordinary levels; mathematics, English, and Irish are compulsory (Childs,
2001).
Secondary level consists of a 3-year cycle followed by a 2-year or 3-year Senior Cycle,
depending on whether an optional Transitional Year without a fixed curriculum is taken follow-
ing the Junior Certificate examination (Childs, 2001; Citizens Information, 2013). Students
usually commence the Junior Cycle at the age of 12, and the Junior Certificate is taken after 3
years. A transition year follows the Junior Certificate examination; this year is free from formal
examinations and allows students to experience a wide range of educational inputs, including
work experience (Citizens Information, 2013). During their final 2 years in the Senior Cycle,
which is from the ages of 15–16 to 17–18, students take one of three programs, each leading to a
state examination: the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational
Program, or the Leaving Certificate Applied (Childs, 2001; Citizens Information, 2013). The
established Leaving Certificate is the main basis upon which places in universities, institutes of
technology, and colleges of education are allocated. The Leaving Certificate Vocational Program
places a concentration on technical subjects, including additional modules that have a vocational
focus. The Leaving Certificate Applied Program has a primary objective of preparing partici-
pants for adult and working life through relevant learning experiences aimed at developing the
spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, aesthetic, and physical human endeavor (Citizens Infor-
mation, 2013). The Leaving Certificate Applied and Leaving Certificate Vocational Program are
intended for less academic students and do not lead to entrance to the third level (Childs, 2001).
Third level. The established Leaving Certificate is the main method of selection for the
third level. This level is comprised of the university sector (seven), the technological sector (14
institutes), the colleges of education, and a number of independent private colleges (Citizens
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 44
Information, 2013). A point system is utilized that aggregates national examination scores;
higher points are given to grades in the Higher Level compared to the Ordinary Level courses
(Childs, 2001).
The universities, which are autonomous and self-governing, offer degree programs at
bachelor, master, and doctorate level. The technology institutes, which are overseen by the
Ireland Department of Education and Skills (DES), provides programs of education and training
in areas such as business, science, engineering, linguistics, and music to certificate, diploma, and
degree levels (Citizens Information, 2013). The colleges of education specialize in training for
first-level teachers. They offer a 3-year bachelor of education degree and a postgraduate
diploma. The training of second-level teachers usually involves completing a primary degree in
university or other third-level institution, followed by a 1-year higher diploma in education. In
addition, there are colleges of education that specialize in the training of second-level home
economics, religion, and physical education (Citizens Information, 2013).
Irish Educational Policy and Economic Impact
Ball (1994) noted that policies do not normally tell people what to do but rather create
circumstances where the range of options available in deciding what actions to take is narrowed
or particular goals or options are set. In Ireland, adjustments to curriculum and instruction are
connected to its need to maintain a competitive edge and to continue to recover from the reces-
sion that abruptly eliminated the Celtic Tiger. Regarding the curriculum adjustment, Granville
(1995) remarked that there are difficulties associated with consideration of the curriculum at the
upper secondary level, where the stakes are higher and the needs of the economy have shaped a
more centrally driven model of curriculum reform and development. Interestingly, Gleeson
(2000) commented that Irish curriculum policy over the last 25 years have resulted in piecemeal
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 45
adjustments or alignments while avoiding addressing fundamental curriculum issues. Kenny,
Larkin, MacSithigh, and Thijssen (2009) stated that education policymakers often have difficul-
ties making the development of implicit knowledge part of a formal curriculum. The advance-
ment in technologies in formal education structures sometimes experienced a slow turnaround.
In Ireland, educational policy decisions are viewed as process and product. How this
process and product are constructed is dealt with in the partnership among teachers, local educa-
tion agencies, and the ministry. The tasks of planning curriculum and resources is a distributed
system of decision making by these partners (Ransome, 1995). Ireland has a strong partnership
rhetoric running through social and economic policy development (Looney, 2001). This is also
true in education where teacher unions, school managers, and parent representative groups are
viewed as partners in education. These partnerships are articulated in the curriculum policy
structures. Gleeson (2000) described that in this partnership, the teacher unions have greater
power than parents. Further, partnerships can hide the role of policy elites. The Interim Curricu-
lum and Examinations Board (CEB) was established in 1984. Representatives of all the partners
in education established the CEB successor, the National Council for Curriculum and Assess-
ment on a statutory basis (Looney, 2001). Hall (2000) noted that there has been educational
debate within the Irish policy-making community and that the process of policy decision making
receives inadequate attention from scholars.
Irish educational policy has been debated for many years. A documented debate took
place at the National Education Convention (NEC) in 1993. It was described as an unprece-
dented democratic event in the history of Irish education and brought together representatives
from 42 Irish organizations (Hall, 2000). Key issues of educational policy that were debated
included assessment and the rejection of the Green Paper indicating that all pupils should be
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 46
tested through standardized tests at ages 7 and 11. During the NEC, participants objected to the
proposal that test results for schools should be made available to the Ireland DES. The reason for
this objection stemmed from the viewpoint that such actions would lead to high accountability
situations which would affect the primary school curriculum. The establishment of the National
Council for Curriculum and Assessment in 1987 supported educational issues by advising the
government. The council also published A Programme for Reform (as cited by Kenney et al.,
2009), which incorporated policy statements and recommendations on curriculum and assess-
ment. Kenny et al. (2009) added that these decisions impacted educational policy. The authors
argued that educational performance should be measured through an individual’s capacity for
original thought and entrepreneurship.
In January 2011, the Republic of Ireland optimistically launched the National Strategy for
Higher Education to 2030 (Strategy Group, 2011). Walsh and Loxley (2015) argued that higher
education is being repositioned as a “cure and restorative” (p. 1130) for economic failures and
structural deficiencies revealed during and after the Celtic Tiger era. This report conveys and
reinforces an overarching theme of the knowledge economy agenda, which is significant because
the knowledge economy agenda has dominated Irish policymaking in higher education for 3
decades. The Irish higher education system has experienced a significant transformation over the
past 4 decades as a partial result of demographic trends and more recently a 15-year period of
economic growth. There has been a focus around main policy themes, including expansion of
knowledge transfer through professional and vocational education and upskilling of the labor
force, as well as the knowledge generation through increased levels of research activity (Walsh &
Loxley, 2015).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 47
Education as a road to economic recovery is not a new phenomenon in the Irish state.
Since the early 1960s, Ireland has functioned as a powerful and normalizing narrative. Clancy
(1989) identified a clear vocational emphasis in higher education policy over the last two gen-
erations and contended that practical considerations, firmly linked to labor market requirements,
became dominant in determining policy from the late 1960s. Human capital theory was viewed
as a major strand of economic thinking in this time era and embraced by political elites. This
theory held that investment in people and human resources produced an even greater return of
investment than investment in physical capital (O’Sullivan, 2005). An important event in the
conceptual reorientation of higher education policy in Ireland came with the publication of the
seminal Investment in Education report in 1965 (Government of Ireland, 1965). This report
emphasized the development of a consensus among politicians, officials, and other key stake-
holders that the educational sector would play an important role in producing a steady flow of
highly skilled graduates to meet the demand of a developing economy.
Since the mid-1990s, many policy changes in Ireland have been driven by an education–
innovation–competitiveness mantra. Governments in small countries such as Ireland are
extremely aware that good governance includes sustained economic growth and the jobs that
economic development ensures. Kenny et al. (2009) described that education has been consid-
ered by economists and policy specialists as an important part of this process. Recently, policy-
makers and analysts have created a direct link between (a) education, economic growth, and
innovation; and (b) long-term competitiveness.
Another important area to discuss in educational policy is teacher education. In Ireland,
teacher education has structurally experienced significant reform. However, there is still a gap in
teacher education policy in relation to continuous professional development. This will impact
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 48
Ireland’s capacity to adequately prepare teachers for the challenges of the 21st century if not
properly addressed (Harford, 2010). In the past, the Catholic Church played a central role in the
design of educational policy. Schools, teachers’ training colleges, and university education
departments were largely organized along denominational lines. The Catholic Church continues
to have a strong influence over the Irish system of education and teacher education, but experts
notice that the influence is diminishing. Another action that followed the NEC was the produc-
tion of the White Paper: Charting our Education Future (Government of Ireland, 1995), which
addressed a policy framework for education action in the future. It further addressed the need to
have a cohesive national policy on teacher professional development related to long-term devel-
opment of the teaching profession and the education system as a whole (Government of Ireland,
1995). Resulting from the work concerning teacher education policy was the Education Act in
1998 and the Teaching Council Act in 2001 (Harford, 2010). In the Education Act, education
centers were established on a statutory basis. These centers support teacher professional devel-
opment for both primary and postprimary teachers. The Teaching Council Act resulted in the
establishment in March 2006 of a Teaching Council, which was responsible for entry standards,
courses, inservice provision, research, professional codes of behavior, and the review and accred-
itation of teacher education programs (Harford, 2010).
Leadership
In any type of reform, a component that is essential for the success of an organization is
the capacity of leadership. According to Bolman and Deal (2013), the most universal improve-
ment strategy is upgrading management. Managers are supposed to see the big picture and look
out for their organization’s overall health and productivity. The framework introduced is based
on the theory around a “frame.” Bolman and Deal described this frame as a mental model or a
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 49
set of ideas and assumptions that people carry in their heads to help them understand and negoti-
ate a particular “territory.” These frames are vital to organizations because there is no computer-
ized navigation system to guide a leader to the destination. Bolman and Deal suggested that
leaders must develop and carry accurate maps in their heads. Northouse (2016) suggested that
some authors have defined leadership in terms of the power relationship that exists between
leaders and followers, a transformational process, or a skills perspective. From the viewpoint of
a power relationship, leaders have a power that they wield to effect change in others, whereas a
skills perspective stresses the capabilities—knowledge and skills—that make effective leadership
possible (Northouse, 2016).
Bolman and Deal (2013) promoted a framework that contains four major frames: struc-
tural, human resource, political, and symbolic. The structural frame looks beyond individuals to
examine the social architecture of work and emphasizes goals, specialized roles, and formal
relationships that are commonly portrayed in organizational charts. The human resource frame
highlights the relationship between people and the organization. The political frame supports
leaders by viewing their organization as a coalition composed of individuals and groups with
enduring differences who live in a world of scarce resources. The symbolic frame highlights the
tribal aspect of contemporary organizations, centers on complexity and ambiguity, and empha-
sizes the idea that symbols mediate the meaning of work. This framework encourages leaders to
operate in one of these four frames when appropriate. According to Bolman and Deal, it is essen-
tial that leaders understand the importance of being aware of all four frames, because relying on
any one of these frames in isolation would prove to be inefficient.
J. C. Maxwell (2007) noted that the true measure of leadership is influence—nothing
more, nothing less. Several factors contribute to the rationale why some leaders influence others
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 50
such as character, relationships, knowledge, intuition, experience, past success, and ability. In
the setting of schools, a vibrant school principal requires leadership that can influence a commu-
nity of stakeholders and exercise the ability to manage their own behaviors when necessary. J. C.
Maxwell depicted leadership as complicated and as having many facets: respect, experience,
emotional strength, people skills, discipline, vision, momentum, and timing, to name a few.
Northouse (2016) noted that leadership is a process that involves influence that occurs in groups
and includes attention to common goals.
21st-Century Skills
Preparing students for the future requires educational shifts to fully integrate and imple-
ment instructional techniques where 21st-century skills are part of everyday teaching and learn-
ing. Larson and Miller (2011) emphasized that the skills that students will need for the society in
which they will work and love should not be thought of as one more thing to teach, but rather
training integrated across all curricula. Silva (2009) reminded readers that 21st-century skills are
not new but “newly important.” She further noted that due to the nature of the economy and how
work has changed, this skill set is more intensified. Students need to be prepared to find and
analyze information from multiple sources and to use this information to make decisions and
create new ideas. According to Saavedra and Opfer (2012), the contributing need for 21st-
century skills is due to globalization, economic necessity, and low civic engagement. Wagner
(2008) suggested that success in a globalized society requires a society with skills that prepare
them to compete. As the economic environment transforms, the skills necessary for educational
systems to cultivate students to compete also change and demand advancement of 21st-century
skills (Wagner, 2008). Following this philosophy, Wagner (2008) identified seven survival skills
for the 21st century: (a) critical thinking and problem solving, (b) collaboration across networks,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 51
(c) agility and adaptability, (d) initiative and entrepreneurship, (e) effective oral and written com-
munication, (f) accessing and analyzing information, and (g) curiosity and imagination.
Advancements in society and economy necessitate that educational systems prepare
young people with new skills and competencies that allow them to benefit from the emerging
new forms of socialization and to contribute actively to economic development under a system
where the main asset is knowledge (Ananiadou & Claro, 2009). Thurow (2000) depicted that
members of the workforce must adapt to ongoing fluctuations in the KBE due to continuous
changes. O’Hagan and Newman (2014) supported this theory and contended that educational
institutions must prepare the future workforce not only in technical skills required to maintain a
competitive edge but also in the adaptability to collaborate. Further, Thurow noted that the
stagnation of curriculum and educational philosophy is a precarious phenomenon as nations
struggle to construct a platform upon which MNCs will be attracted to a country where a KBE is
thriving.
Today a student is required to have the ability to analyze, synthesize, problem solve, and
think critically. In contrast, the learning of the 20th century consisted of teaching students core
subjects followed by assessments to determine proficiency. Presently, a student must be trained
to use technologies not invented to compete for jobs that do not yet exist (Partnership for 21st
Century Skills, 2012; Wagner, 2008). Education faces a new task: to provide the populace with
the information skills needed in an information society. Educational systems must be modified
to emphasize information and technological skills rather than production-based ones (Griffin,
Care, & McGaw, 2012). Griffin et al. (2012) noted that changes in the labor markets in devel-
oped economies have changed the skill demands of many jobs:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 52
Work environments are technology-rich, problems are frequently ill-defined and people
work in teams, often multidisciplinary teams, to deal with them. Major employers
bemoan deficiencies in skills in new recruits to their workforces. Cisco, Intel and Micro-
soft joined forces to sponsor an international, multi-year project to define the skills
required in operational terms. (Griffin et al. 2012, p. 21)
STEM and Gender
With the flattening of the global economy in the 21st century, the teaching of STEM has
taken priority as economic competition has become truly global (Kennedy & Odell, 2014). The
need to bring additional professionals into STEM fields has become a driving force in meeting
the demands of a skilled and changing workforce (Bybee, 2010). Kennedy and Odell reported
that improving STEM education has become a major economic aspect in developing countries,
emerging economies, and long-established economies. In STEM Education in the Irish School
System, A Report on Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Education, the
STEM Education Review Group (2016) reported how the quality and quantity of STEM educa-
tion in Ireland are linked directly to the pipeline of talent necessary to support both FDI and
start-up companies. The STEM Education Review Group connected the continued achievement
of the knowledge economy in Ireland to the quality and quantity of STEM graduates in its
system.
The Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI; 2017) annual report for 2016 described its con-
tinued support of STEM education through the considerable funding of programs. The report
depicted an awareness and understanding of the value of STEM to the Irish community and its
importance for the growth of the economy. The annual report also highlighted noteworthy inter-
national rankings such as Ireland being first in the world for knowledge diffusion, (b) third in the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 53
world for knowledge and technology outputs, (c) third in the world for knowledge impact, (d) the
seventh most innovative country in the world, and (e) 10th in global scientific ranking (SFI,
2017).
The Irish government established a vision for STEM education where it declares that
students in Ireland will obtain a STEM education of the highest international quality that is based
on high levels of student engagement, satisfaction, and high performance in all STEM disciplines
(STEM Education Review Group, 2016). Ireland has demonstrated and carried out this philoso-
phy, as is evident in the 2016 annual report of SFI (2017), which indicates that SFI researchers
were involved in 2,359 international academic collaborations in 63 countries. The STEM Edu-
cation Review Group (2016) reported that in order to accomplish this task, three main areas were
focused on: teacher quality, implementation of best practices to enhance learning, and improving
awareness of STEM careers. A significant issue in regard to STEM education in Ireland, as
reported by the STEM Education Review Group, is in the area of gender equity. In the STEM
workforce in Ireland, gender equity is a critical threat to the sustainability and progress of the
Irish knowledge economy.
While overall enrollment in higher education has greatly increased for women in Ireland,
females remain underrepresented in the technological sector, with less than 20% being female
(Patrick, 1996). The STEM Education Review Group (2016) reported that fewer than 20% of the
estimated 120,000 people working in STEM-related jobs are women. According to the STEM
Education Review Group, parents of females fail to counsel their daughters about STEM career
options due to a lack of information with respect to this field of study. Much of this underrepre-
sentation of girls in the STEM field can be connected to deficiencies produced in the number of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 54
females who choose fields of academic study that fundamentally provide the potential pathway to
careers in the nation’s technological sector (Clancy, 1989).
Acker (1987) posited that securing equal opportunities for the sexes is the main aim of
liberal feminism. The aim of liberal feminists in education is to remove barriers that prevent
girls reaching their full potential, whether these barriers are related to the school, the individual,
or discriminatory labor practices. Acker argued that three major themes establish the conceptual
foundation for liberal feminist educational scholarship: (a) equal opportunities, (b) socialization
and sex stereotyping, and (c) sex discrimination. Feminist theories consist of a dual purpose: as
guides to understand gender inequality and as guides to action (Aker, 1987). Acker and David
(1994) added that policies and attitudes generate a structural disadvantage for girls. The discrep-
ancy in the numbers of females in the science and technology fields is a result of teachers’ atti-
tudes toward sex-stereotyped choices in schools that continues postgraduation (Acker & David,
1994). A factor that contributes to the shaping of girls’ lives in school and after they leave school
is how gender, race, and class are intertwined in their lives. Acker and David noted that the
answer lies in women having access to power and policymaking in education. Allegrini (2015)
argued that “women continue to be the largest under-represented group in STEM, especially in
physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering” (p. 43). Allegrini claimed that this
gender gap is apparent in every European country but argued that girls’ detachment from science
begins in the early school years. Ultimately, it is important to consider the issue of gender and its
implications in the area of STEM education. Allegrini suggested that
gender is a comprehensive approach that might help to reformulate traditional concepts
and analytical tools in different research fields, introducing a new perspective in the
interpretations of social and cultural phenomena. Paying systematic attention to gender
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 55
can provide new insights about women and other marginalized subjects. Furthermore, it
makes it possible to formulate a more articulated set of questions, issues, and methodolo-
gies within research fields. (p. 46)
PBL
Bell (2010) defined PBL as “an innovative approach to learning that teaches a multitude
of strategies critical for success in the 21st century” (p. 39). PBL is both a curriculum and a
process (R. Donnelly & Fitzmaurice, 2005). The origins of PBL date back over 100 years to the
writing of educator and philosopher, John Dewey, whose work was based on the process of
inquiry (Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2002). Dewey’s philosophy was that students would develop
personal investment in the materials if they engaged in real, meaningful tasks and problems that
mimic what experts do in real-world situations (Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2002). Bell supported
this theory and added that PBL is a student-driven, teacher-facilitated approach to learning.
Stemming from Dewey’s stance, Bell noted that learners pursue knowledge by asking questions
that have interested them and piqued their curiosity.
PBL offers a way for implementation of STEM education at the classroom level to inte-
grate 21st-century skills (Capraro et al., 2013). Capraro et al. (2013) described PBL as a learning
method that compels students to utilize multiple sources of information and then utilize this
information acquired through collaboration to deepen their learning. Moreover, PBL prepares
students with the necessary problem-solving skills that allow them to find systematic solutions
regardless of the specific challenges faced (Capraro et al., 2013). Grant (2002) noted that PBL
reflects a constructivist theory as its foundation. Constructivists explain that individuals con-
struct knowledge through interactions with their environment (Piaget, 1969; Vygotsky, 1978).
This concept is significant to PBL because through conducting investigations, conversations, or
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 56
activities, a student is learning by constructing new knowledge and building on his or her current
knowledge (Grant, 2002).
Slough and Milam (2013) suggested four key principles as a guide for implementation of
STEM PBL: (a) making content accessible, (b) making things visible, (c) helping students to
learn from others, and (d) promoting autonomy and life-long learning. As students take control
of their learning both academically and cognitively, changes in conceptual understanding occur
as they learn to set goals, seek feedback, interpret input, adjust behavior, and evaluate their ideas
(Slough & Milam, 2013). For successful implementation of PBL, the role of the teacher and the
student are vital to the success of PBL.
As the amount of direct instruction is reduced in PBL, students assume greater responsi-
bility for their own learning (R. Donnelly & Fitzmaurice, 2005). The teacher’s role becomes one
of subject matter expert, resource guide, and facilitator of learning in the classroom. R. Donnelly
and Fitzmaurice (2005) noted that this arrangement promotes group processing of information
rather than an imparting of information by teachers. Because PBL is a student-centered process,
it is the responsibility of the individual student to participate fully, not only for his or her own
learning but also for guiding the learning of others in the group.
The research suggests that the relationship between STEM and PBL as an instructional
platform is critical in preparing the 21st-century student with appropriate survival skills (Wagner,
2008). The process of combining STEM and PBL establishes an increased level of authentic
learning with practical application for students as they enter the global KBE (Thurow, 2000).
The critical nature of the STEM–PBL relationship is apparent:
PBL within STEM requires collaboration, peer communication, problem solving, and
self-directed learning, while incorporating rigor for all students. PBL within STEM
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 57
builds on engineering design as the cornerstone and as the foundation on which students
bring their compartmentalized knowledge of STEM to bear on solving meaningful real-
world problems. (Capraro & Slough, 2013, p. 2)
Science and Technology Fairs
It is difficult to pinpoint the origins of science fairs in the educational arena (McComas,
2011). But there is evidence that the traditional science fair can be traced to at least 1928, when
the American Institute of New York City hosted its first research competition at the American
Museum of Natural History (McComas, 2011). It is evident through the history of science fairs
that these fairs have existed for many years. Science fairs have been considered to be a strategy
to nurture student interest in the sciences (Bellipanni & Lilly, 1999). According to Bellipanni
and Lilly (1999), a foundation for science fairs is that they offer students the opportunity for
hands-on research and learning as they demonstrate their ability to identify a problem, formulate
a hypothesis, establish a procedure, gather evidence, and draw conclusions.
The original student science and technology fair eventually became the International
Science and Engineering Fair, which is currently sponsored by Intel Corporation (Bellipanni &
Lilly, 1999). This annual even includes the top science competition projects from around the
world and provides monetary awards as prizes. The Intel Corporation (2014) has assumed an
interest in science and technology fairs in the United States, Ireland, and other international
countries:
Intel has a vested interest in strengthening the STEM talent pipeline to improve the
current trends in STEM education. Finding enough qualified candidates for Intel job
openings remains a daunting challenge, underscoring the economic imperative to resolve
the STEM skills gap in the U.S. and other parts of the world. (p. 69)
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 58
Abernathy and Vineyard (2001) noted that many educators encourage participation in
science fairs as a way for students to further develop science content knowledge, process skills,
and interest. Bellipanni and Lilly (1999) stated that “if students follow the scientific method as
they carry out experiments for their science fair projects, it will help them understand scientific
concepts” (p. 46).
Sahin (2013) reported that because of recent calls for action to supplement the STEM
workforce in a technology-driven society, a variety of initiatives been developed to enhance
STEM literacy and interest in STEM-related professions. STEM advanced coursework has been
a research focus surrounding STEM education (Sahin, 2013). Developing an early interest in
science is suggested as being a vital step in fostering authentic discovery for young children in
the area of science and technology (Maltese & Tai, 2010). McComas (2011) suggested that
initial teacher preparation and continuing staff development programs are essential and must
include strategies for successfully managing science fairs: “School districts should adopt a
longitudinal perspective to help students prepare for science fairs” (p. 36). Some controversy
lingers in the air among some educators. Craven and Hogan (2008) noted that it is important to
recognize that there are deep divisions among some teachers, educators, and scientists with
respect to the value of science fair projects. The solution is to ask parents and teachers to recon-
sider the fundamental purpose of science fair projects, to allocate more resources in student
experiences outside of the classroom, and to create experiences designed to engage young
citizens with real-life issues (Craven & Hogan, 2008). Tortop (2013) conducted a study where
the findings revealed that science teachers’ views about their efficacy in mentorship are not
enough. Science teachers must serve as role models, coaches, and supporters of science fair
competitions, which are necessary and important.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 59
According to Bencze and Bowen (2009), science fairs seem to function in ways that lend
support for the concept of the knowledge economy. Student participation in student-led science
is essential in developing authentic problem-solving skills that are valuable in science-based
careers and in using science in everyday situations (Bencze & Bowen, 2009). A unique factor to
consider in regard to science fair participation is that while it is generally believed to be a valu-
able learning experience, little is known about what influences participation in science fairs
(Czerniak, 1996). Czerniak (1996) argued that although there are plenty of opinions about
science fairs, there is not substantial research on what motivates students to participate in science
fairs. Czerniak found that 85% of students who participated in a school district science fair
reported that they were required to complete a science fair project rather than participating on
their own account. Ninety-two percent of students reported that their science fair project would
be reflected in their course grade in science, and 42% reported that the judges’ rating on the
project would impact their school course grade (Czerniak, 1996). Hampton and Licona (2006)
concurred that science fairs have become institutionalized in schools across the nation.
In Ireland, STEM appeal is fostered through a national science competition called
SciFest. SciFest sponsors 1-day science fairs for second-level students. These science fairs are
hosted locally in schools and regionally at Institutes of Technology (SciFest, 2018):
The SciFest project consists of four distinct strands—local, regional, national, and inter-
national. The aim of the programme is to encourage a love of science, technology,
engineering and maths through active, collaborative, inquiry-based learning and to pro-
vide a forum for students at local, regional, and national level to present and display their
scientific investigations. (SciFest, 2018, About SciFest section, para. 1)
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 60
It also encourages the development of the skills sets that are required to address future
global concerns of food, water and energy security, create wealth to sustain growth and to
provide better health services and better infrastructure. Addressing such global concerns
will create and drive the jobs and skills needs of the future. (SciFest, 2018, Aim of
SciFest section, para. 2)
Theoretical Frameworks
J. A. Maxwell (2013) suggested that a key part of your design is the conceptual frame-
work of your study which consists of a system of concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs,
and theories that supports and informs your research. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) preferred the
term theoretical framework because it encompasses all the terms, concepts, models, thoughts,
and ideas.
Six frameworks were used to analyze and comprehend Ireland’s encounter in globaliza-
tion, curriculum, and instruction integrating 21st-century skills and the relationship between
PBL, and STEM. The theoretical framework is comprised of work by Friedman (2007) and
Spring (2015), who explored globalization and its impact on education. Slough and Milam
(2013) investigated the connection between STEM and PBL. Wagner (2008) examined the
demand for 21st-century skills and STEM. The research conducted by Acker (1987) around
feminist theory contributed to understanding discrepancies in numbers of females in the STEM
field and demonstrating how participation in SciFest impacts females in STEM majors and
careers. Bolman and Deal (2013) examined the influence of leadership. The present study
examined the impact that leaders have on student participation in SciFest. Figure 1 illustrates the
relationships between the theoretical framework components.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 61
Figure 1. Diagram of the relationships among the theoretical frameworks for the
study. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; PBL =
project-based learning.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 62
Chapter Three: Research Methodology
Ireland’s era of prosperity during the 1990s helped transform the nation into a country of
net immigration by the early 2000s (Rubs & Quinn, 2009). Dorgan (2006) noted that in just over
a generation, Ireland developed from one of the poorest countries in Western Europe to one of
the most successful. Ireland achieved a reputation as a thriving, knowledge-driven economy
(Dorgan, 2006). According to Irish America Staff (2013), Ireland has been ranked as the most
globalized nation in the West and as the world’s third most globalized economy in terms of the
GDP. Irish America Staff reported this ranking based on the annual globalization index pub-
lished by accounting giant, Ernst and Young. Ireland’s high ranking was attributed to the
country’s high performance in the areas of movement of capital and finance, cultural integration,
and a disproportionately high level of FDI (Irish America Staff, 2008).
Ireland’s economy is dependent mainly on FDI (Lane & Ruane, 2006). As a product of
FDI, globalization and MNCs, companies have completely changed the manner in which they
produce, market, and sell goods and services worldwide. As a result, Ireland has made substan-
tial changes in trade agreements, educational policy, and federal and local mandates (Lane &
Ruane, 2006).
The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of globalization and educa-
tional policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of STEM educa-
tion 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. This research study used
qualitative and quantitative research methods in the Irish educational setting to study how science
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 63
and technology competitions such as SciFest influence the use of inquiry and PBL by teachers in
the classroom to prepare students for a 21st-century workforce in fields related to STEM.
J. A. Maxwell (2013) noted that “the function of your research questions is to explain
specifically what your study is intended to learn or understand” (p. 75). Research questions serve
two important purposes: (a) to help the researcher to focus the study and (b) to provide guidance
for how to conduct the study (J. A. Maxwell, 2013). This research study was intended to address
the research questions by utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches that elicit feedback
from governmental, educational, business, and student respondents in Ireland. An inductive
investigation was conducted to gather an in-depth description of events and actors in the setting
while using the researcher as the primary instrument in data collection and analysis (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). Four research questions steered this study through interviews, surveys, and
observations:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certifi-
cate Examination?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in Scifest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female student interest in enrolling into
senior-level and third-level STEM courses?
4. What perceptions do teachers, principals, parents, students, civic leaders, college/uni-
versity professors and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in SciFest?
The following sections in this chapter outline how the research questions were addressed:
(a) Research Design, (b) Research Team, (c) Sample and Population, (d) Instrumentation, (e)
Data Collection, (f) Data Analysis, (g) Credibility and Trustworthiness, and (g) Ethical Consider-
ations.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 64
Research Design
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) noted that having an interest in knowing more about one’s
practice and improving one’s practice leads to asking researchable questions. Research is
intended to aid in the discovery of those questions and improving practice. Using a specific
structured method for conducting that research permits the researcher to efficiently and effec-
tively gather information and to organize that information to answer the questions posed by the
study. Selecting the appropriate design for a study is essential to maintaining the integrity of the
conclusions drawn from the research (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
The research study was designed using a mixed-methods approach. This type of research
utilizes both qualitative and quantitative data collection. This design is based on the assumption
that “collecting diverse types of data best provides a more complete understanding of a research
problem than either quantitative or qualitative data alone” (Creswell, 2014, p. 48). In addition, a
mixed-method approach allows for the integration of differing databases that may build on one
another, lead to comparisons, and support the validity of the study (Creswell, 2014). It allows the
researcher the flexibility of asking both closed survey question to determine opinions from
participants and to combine those quantified results with more open-ended types of information
collected from interviews and observations (Creswell, 2014). J. A. Maxwell (2013) distin-
guished three purposes for combining methods in a research study. First, using different methods
of data collection allows for triangulation where different forms of data are examined to assist in
building a cohesive justification for themes or patterns within the data. The second purpose is to
gain information about various aspects of the same phenomenon and therefore broaden the re-
searcher’s perspective. Third, the researcher acquires a greater depth of understanding and
ultimately a more complex understanding of the phenomenon being researched.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 65
The research was supported through the use of theoretical frameworks related to the
study’s research questions. Each of these theoretical frameworks is used to support assumptions,
beliefs, and theories of practice resulting from patterns seen in the data collected during the
research (J. A. Maxwell, 2013). The research team members will utilize the six frameworks as
they consider the research design, data collection process, and analysis of the data. The frame-
works consist of the following:
1. The work of Friedman (2007) and Spring (2015), who explored globalization and its
impact on education;
2. The work of Slough and Milam (2013), who investigated the connection between
STEM and PBL;
3. The work of Wagner (2008), who examined the demand for 21st-century skills and
STEM;
4. The research conducted by Acker (1987) around feminist theory, which contributed to
understanding discrepancies among the number of females in the STEM field and how participa-
tion in SciFest impacts females in STEM majors and careers; and
5. The work of Bolman and Deal (2013), who examined the influences of leadership.
The data collected were compared to the theoretical frameworks outlined in this research
and to each other (i.e., quantitative and qualitative). This process will allow a description of how
science and technology fairs such as SciFest influence the use of PBL and STEM- related content
and curriculum in the Irish education system to prepare students for postsecondary education and
careers that support the needs of MNCs in a globalized economy. The findings from this
research can be utilized to further enlighten educational leaders in Ireland regarding modifying
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 66
and refining the educational instructional approaches used to prepare students to become part of
the 21st-century workforce.
Research Team
The research team for this study was comprised of 13 doctoral students from the USC
Rossier School of Education under the direction of Dr. Michael Escalante. The team prepared
for the study by reviewing the literature supporting the elements of STEM education, PBL, 21st-
century learning, leadership, and gender. In addition, the team researched the phenomena of
globalization, MNCs, and FDI and how they are related to Ireland’s economy, educational
policies, and instructional practices. The group worked together to create common research
questions for the study, to select the theoretical frameworks that were used to support the study,
to design common protocols and instruments that will be utilized to collect the data, and to
prepare for conducting research abroad. This thematic approach resulted in similarities among
the dissertations; however, the majority of each group member’s study is individualized. Many
of the protocols used were built from a 2016 executive USC cohort that conducted similar
research in Ireland.
Population and Sample
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) noted that “purposeful sampling is based on the assumption
that the investigator wants to discover, understand, and gain insight and they must select a
sample from which the most can be learned” (p. 96). This form of sampling was utilized to select
the participants for this study. In mid-April 2018, the research team traveled to Ireland to
conduct research at schools in and around the general vicinity of Dublin and in education and
business centers in the southern part of Ireland. The schools, business leaders, and educational
leaders were selected purposefully as they each had a connection to a globalized Ireland and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 67
SciFest (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In addition, these participants demonstrated a strong founda-
tion in the instructional initiatives of STEM, PBL, and 21st-century learning. It is essential to
choose participants who have knowledge and experience in these areas in order to understand the
connection among globalization, MNCs, and FDI. Selecting schools that regularly compete in
SciFest should provide the researchers with the appropriate type of knowledge sample in this
area. Business leaders connected to SciFest, MNCs leading the Irish economy, and leaders
linked to schools will constitute additional samples that can contribute to answering the research
questions with the most information possible. In addition, the research team communicated
regularly with Dr. Sheila Porter, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the SciFest
Project, and with George Porter, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SciFest. Their support
assisted the research team in making contacts with Irish schools, school leaders, and business
leaders to facilitate the purposeful selection of participants and locations.
Each individual researcher made personal contact with his or her selected school via
email and/or phone call to establish a relationship prior to visiting the school and conducting
research in April 2018. The researcher’s assigned site was is Dublin Boys College (DBC) in
Dublin, Ireland. The history of DBC dates back to the early 19th century when in 1839, a year
after the passing of Catholic Emancipation, four young priests from Maynooth College obtained
permission to open a day school in the heart of Dublin city, under the patronage of the Arch-
bishop of Dublin. DBC is a fee-paying school managed by a Board of Management. The college
prepares students for the Junior Certificate developed by the Ireland DES, the Transition Year
Program, and the Leaving Certificate state examinations. The average number of students per
class is 22. The college is situated within 70 acres of parkland which includes 10 rugby pitches, a
soccer pitch, a gymnasium with a basketball court, a weight room, a recovery room, a
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 68
physiotherapy room, and an athletic field. The college is currently ranked in the top 10 schools
feeding to high-point courses (over 400 points) in Irish universities. The college was also ranked
as the top school in Dublin County North of the Liffey 2013 (“Fee-Paying Schools,” 2015).
Educators and Students
As mentioned, the research team traveled to Ireland to conduct research and collect data
for the study in April of 2018. School site participants were purposely selected by school admin-
istration to ensure that participants had the appropriate knowledge to provide data to address the
study’s research questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In addition, classroom observations were
conducted at assigned schools in Dublin, Ireland, and at a SciFest event at the Cork Institute of
Technology to capture data on the influence of globalization, inquiry-based instructional strate-
gies, STEM education, educational policy, development of 21st-century learning, gender inequity
in STEM coursework, and school leadership. SciFest was selected as an event for the study due
to its high level of importance in the Irish community and its prominent role within the Irish
educational system. Students, teachers, and site administrators who participated in SciFest were
interviewed and surveyed. The team also surveyed and interviewed the CEO and CFO of
SciFest.
Business and Industry Leaders
During the visit to Ireland, research team members interviewed and surveyed purpose-
fully identified MNC executives. It was believed that these business and industry leaders had
influenced Irish educational policy and the need for 21st-century skills and STEM (O’Hagan &
Newman, 2014). These key participants allowed the research team to understand the relationship
between students who participate in STEM education and SciFest and the MNCs that hire them.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 69
Political Leaders and Educational Policymakers
There is clear evidence of the influence that Irish political leaders and educational pol-
icymakers have on the country’s educational system and direction (J. Donnelly, 2011). To gain a
deeper understanding of policy and its influence on education, the research team interviewed
political leaders and representatives from the Ireland DES and the Lord Mayors of Dublin and
Cork to learn their perspectives on current educational progress and future political direction.
The research team purposefully selected leaders and policymakers based on recommendations by
the SciFest organizers, as well as local school leaders.
Instrumentation
This predominantly qualitative research study required the researchers to serve as the
primary instruments for data collection. Using the researchers to collect the data allowed for an
inductive investigation to produce rich data regarding the influence on Irish schools of globaliza-
tion and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of
STEM education and SciFest (Creswell, 2014). The instrumentation and protocols used by the
team included five interview protocols, two observation protocols, and four survey protocols.
The main instrument for data collection was the interview protocol, which supported the
researchers in gathering information from educators, students, business and industry leaders, and
policy and political leaders. All members of the research team worked collaboratively to create
the research instrument protocols. In the fall and spring of 2017–2018, the researchers met to
develop interview protocols, including interview questions that were finalized prior to their
departure in April 2018. During the same period, the research team also developed a survey
protocol, including survey questions. The data gathered via interviews and surveys were triangu-
lated through the implementation of an observation protocol developed in the spring of 2018.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 70
The observation, interview, and survey protocols contain meaningful questions that
helped the research team to conduct interviews, focus observations, and validate the survey
questions. These instruments allowed the team to understand the influence of globalization and
educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through STEM education and
SciFest (Creswell, 2014). The protocols were reviewed by officials from SciFest prior to the
research team’s departure to Ireland. This process ensured that items had been written in a
manner that was clear to citizens of Ireland. For example, it was recommended that the term
project-based learning be changed to inquiry-based learning and that the term 21st-century skills
be defined for study participants. The protocols address how science and technology compe-
titions, such as SciFest, have influenced development of 21st-century skills through the use of
inquiry-based experiences and STEM. The questions were designed to determine how students’
participation in science and technology competitions such as SciFest have prepared students for
the Leaving Certificate Exam and have influenced school leadership practices, female students’
interest in STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value. All interview
protocol questions were aligned with the study’s research questions and theoretical frameworks.
The research team triangulated all data obtained through interviews, observations, and
surveys, as this procedure served to increase the study’s internal validity (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). These methods allowed the researcher to understand how globalization and educational
policy influenced the development of 21st-century skills and how SciFest has prepared students,
influenced school leadership, and stimulated the interest of female students. All participants
were contacted via a recruitment/consent correspondence (see Appendix A). All research instru-
ments were submitted to the USC Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval in 2018. The
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 71
IRB permitted the team to perform an expedited study on human participants in a country other
than the United States (IRB Approval #UP-18-00119).
Interview Protocols
The interview protocols (Appendices B through F) were developed using a semistructured
approach, and each one incorporated Patton’s (2002) justification for using a recording device, as
well as an agreement to participate. The questions were created to guide the interview with the
goal of obtaining deep, meaningful data to address each of the research questions (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016; Patton, 2002). 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. Based on the work of Merriam and Tisdell (2016) and
Patton (2002), the research team attempted to reduce the number of yes/no and “why” questions
so as to glean pertinent information from participants.
The research team aligned the interview questions for political and educational policy-
makers, 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 1–4 were aligned with Research Question 1, which addresses how
schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certificate Exam. In this
section, the first question was aligned with Bolman and Deal’s (2013) framework on leadership
and reframing organizations and Wagner’s (2008) framework for 21st-century skills. The second
question in Section I was aligned with Bolman and Deal’s (2013) framework for leadership,
Spring’s (2015) work on a global uniformity of schooling that provides entrance into the global
economy, and Wagner (2008) framework of globalization. Questions 3 and 4 in Section I aligned
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 72
with Acker’s (1987) feminist theory and Slough and Milan’s (2013) framework for the design of
STEM PBL.
Section II of the interview protocols included four questions that addressed Research
Question 2. All four questions in this section focused on how school leadership has influenced
participation in SciFest. The conceptual frameworks of both Bolman and Deal (2013) and
Wagner (2008) were used in analyzing 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 has influenced female students’
interest with regard to enrolling into senior-level and third-level STEM courses. Each of the four
questions in this section was analyzed using the theoretical frameworks of feminist theory in
education (Acker, 1987); Questions 3 and 4 covered all six frameworks.
Section IV of the interview protocol addressed Research Question 4. All five questions in
this section revolved around what perceptions teachers, principals, parents, students, civic
leaders, college/university professors and MNCs had with regard to the value of student partici-
pation in SciFest. Questions 1 and 3 covered all six frameworks; Question 5 was designed
specifically for students and parents. Friedman’s (2007) concepts of globalization along with the
work of Acker (1987), Slough and Milan (2013), and Spring (2015) were considered when
analyzing responses to Question 5. The alignment of the interview questions to the research
questions is shown in Table 1.
Observation Protocols
According to Merriam and Tisdell (2016), observations take place in a location where a
phenomenon that is being studied can be studied in its natural form. An observation enables a
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 73
Table 1
Alignment of Interview Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and Theoretical Frameworks
Bolman/ Slough/
Item RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 RQ4 Friedman Spring Wagner Deal Acker Milam
Section I
1 X # # #
2 X # # # #
3 X # # # # #
4 X # # # # #
Section II
1 X # # #
2 X # # #
3 X # # # #
4 # # # # # #
Section III
1 X # # #
2 X # # # #
3 X # # # # # #
4 X # # # # # #
Section IV
1 X # # # # # #
2 X # # # #
3 X # # # # # #
4 X # # # #
first-hand account of what an interview cannot provide. Observations and associated fieldwork
are effective and important tools for qualitative research because they directly focus on the
research questions (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007). “Learning to pay attention, learning how to write
descriptively practicing recording of field notes, knowing how to separate detail from trivia is
very important to data collection” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 118). In this study, an observa-
tion protocol was developed to assist in data collection in two environments.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 74
The observation protocols, in template form, were designed for this study to be flexible
and accessible for quick notes. Understanding the importance of observational data, the research
team developed an observation protocol that was used in classrooms in Ireland (see Appendix G).
Through implementation of this protocol, the research team recorded and examined instructional
strategies in STEM classes and at multiple SciFest events and/or competitions (see Appendix H).
The observation protocols developed by the research team focused on various compo-
nents that allowed team members to capture as much data as possible. The cited frameworks
were applied to align the protocols to the various areas observed. The first section of the obser-
vation protocols allowed researchers to gather basic information about the setting and location
and to recreate a representation of the location, to record an overview of the lesson, and to
identify materials to be used. The second section charted the conceptual frameworks of Slough
and Milam (2013) and Wagner (2008) and helped tp guide the researchers to focus on the seven
skills for 21st-century learning and IBL within STEM. To capture data through observations, the
researchers noted actions and conversations as they recorded comments based on the conceptual
frameworks. The third section presented eight reflective questions in the classroom observation
protocol and eight questions in the SciFest protocol that corresponded to the first three research
questions. Each set of the questions served as a guide for the researchers to ensure that observa-
tions would capture what the study was designed to understand.
Survey Protocols
According to Fink (2013), surveys are self-administered questionnaires, to be completed
by hand or via a computer, for the purpose of gathering information to describe, compare, or
explain knowledge, feelings, values, or behavior. Survey data can provide quantitative data that
may be reliable and usable in a study (Creswell, 2014).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 75
The research team developed quantitative surveys to be distributed to school leaders or
teachers (Appendix I), political and/or business leaders or policymakers (Appendix J), parents of
Senior Cycle students, (Appendix K), and students (Appendix L). The survey items were aligned
with the study’s research questions and formatted using a 6-point Likert-type response scale
(Fink, 2013) as follows: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree, and I
Don’t Know. Each survey item targeted each participant group to enable the researchers to
acquire the best possible responses to address the research questions: two items for Research
Question 1, eight items for Research Question 2, nine items for Research Question 3, and three
items for Research Question 4. In developing the survey questions, the following characteristics
were considered to develop clear and valid items: Jargon was avoided; standard grammar and
syntax, including common Irish terminology, were used; and items were kept concrete and
appropriate to the participants’ experience (Fink, 2013).
All survey items were modified to be relevant to each participant group. The research
team aligned the survey items in the following manner: Items 1 and 3 were aligned with Research
Question 1, pertaining to how schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving
Certificate Examination. These items were aligned with the four frameworks identified in the
following assignments: Friedman (2007) and Spring (2015), Items 3–7 concerning globalization;
and Slough and Milam (2013), Items 1–7 for STEM PBL and Wagner (2008) for 21st-century
skills. Survey Items 8–17 aligned with Research Question 2, pertaining to how school leadership
influences participation in SciFest.
Each survey item was aligned to the four frameworks in the following manner: Acker
(1987), Items 21–26; Bolman and Deal (2013) Items 2–13, 15–16, 18, and 20; Friedman (2007),
Items 6–8, 17–22, and 24); Spring (2015), Items 1–8 and 17–24); and Wagner (2008), Items
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 76
1–8). Items 11–20 were aligned with Research Question 3 and related to how participation in
SciFest has influenced female students’ interest in enrolling into senior-level and third-level
STEM courses. Items 21–26 related to Research Question 4, which pertained to how participa-
tion in SciFest has influenced female students’ interest in enrolling into senior-level and third-
level STEM courses. Alignment of the survey items to the research questions and the four
frameworks is summarized in Table 2.
Data Collection
The research team traveled to Ireland in April of 2018 to complete in-person interviews,
to conduct observations, and to administer surveys at various sites. According to Creswell
(2014), the ability to collect data in the participants’ natural location is an advantage in using
qualitative research methods. As part of the data collection protocol, participants read and
completed a consent form describing the purpose of the study and the measures ensuring confi-
dentiality (see Appendix M). Once permission was granted, interviews were recorded. Inter-
views occurred in quiet office spaces and required 35–45 minutes for each participant. Research
team members informed participants that they could pause or terminate the recording at any time.
Research team members transcribed all recordings for coding purposes and took notes during
interviews to capture important points and comments made by the participants. The research
team utilized observation and survey protocols during SciFest and at assigned school sites;
surveys were administered via email, in classrooms, and at other locations. Research team
members administered and collected surveys immediately upon completion to increase the
response rate.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) explained that triangulation consists of linking multiple
sources of data, including interviews, observations, and surveys. It was important to triangulate
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 77
Table 2
Alignment of Survey Protocols to Research Questions (RQs) and Theoretical Frameworks
Bolman/ Slough/
Item RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 RQ4 Friedman Spring Wagner Deal Acker 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 # # # # #
the data for this study because research team members conducted observations at different sites.
The research team used three methods of triangulation described by Merriam and Tisdell (2016):
multiple methods, multiple sources of data, and multiple investigators.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 78
Data Analysis
The data collected examined 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.
Moreover, this study examined how participation in SciFest prepared students for the Leaving
Certificate Exam and influenced school leadership’s practices, female students’ interest in STEM
courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of its value.
As a case study, this type of research required detailed descriptions of settings and
individuals (Creswell, 2014). For the purposes of this study, the researcher followed Creswell’s
(2014) model for data analysis and interpretation of qualitative research. Creswell’s model was
used to guide data analysis gathered via the surveys. Each research team member used individual
data gathered from his or her assigned school, as well as data collected from political leaders,
educational policymakers, and business and industry leaders of MNCs who had an interest in the
future of Ireland’s education and workforce. Each researcher organized and prepared the data for
analysis once the team returned to the United States. This process began immediately with
transcribing interviews, typing field notes, and sorting and rearranging data into categories for
accessibility. The second step was reading and reflecting on the data to identify emerging
patterns, along with consistency of information. Next, the researcher labeled and coded the
information to identify themes that were organized into chunks to create meaning.
At this stage, the researcher followed Creswell’s (2014) eight substeps designed to
facilitate the coding process:
1. Establish what is being read, comprehended, and record ideas.
2. Select one document and create essential questions that support theory and inquiry.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 79
3. List topics and common themes after individually reviewing all documents.
4. Establish codes that will identify the data from the created list.
5. Reduce the number of categories by identifying similarities in data.
6. Organize the established codes in alphabetical order.
7. Perform preliminary analysis after data has been organized.
8. Recode data as necessary. (p. 185)
Creswell’s (2014) fourth step focused on coding and generating a rich description from
the data. The fifth step provided an interpretation of the researcher-identified themes in the form
of rich descriptions or detailed identification of connected findings and themes. The final step
was creating meaning from the data. This step involved clarifying the reviewed literature and
bringing forth meaning, understanding that might support past research. and identifying areas for
further research. This study was organized in such a way as to facilitate the collection of data by
the research team; thus, it was crucial to monitor how data would be collected and how data
would be applied to the overall purpose of the study.
As Merriam and Tisdell (2016) recommended, a database was established to serve as a
hub for data organization, editing, and accessibility to research team members throughout the
course of the study. Researchers ensured that all data and files were organized periodically for
quality assurance. This process ensured that researchers had access to information related to the
focus and purpose of the study.
Validity, Credibility, and Trustworthiness
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) described validity as the degree to which a study accurately
reflects the specific concept that the researcher is attempting to measure, whereas credibility
indicates the researcher’s conclusions supported by the research findings. Trustworthiness is the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 80
evidence of both validity and credibility (Patton, 2002). The research team aligned its practices
with those recommended by Creswell (2014) as data were collected, analyzed, and interpreted.
The team confirmed the accuracy of the data with participants, resolved potential issues regard-
ing misuse of data, and refrained from using language containing bias in any aspect of the study.
The acknowledgment and focus on researcher bias minimized its impact on validity. Multiple
data points were used to increase the validity of the study’s findings through the use of data
triangulation.
Reliability
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) referred to reliability as how research findings can be repli-
cated. Creswell (2014, p. 197) suggested a series of procedures to ensure the reliability of a
research study. Based on these suggestions, the researcher followed the prescribed process to
guarantee reliability of the research study:
1. Transcripts were analyzed to ensure that they had been transcribed accurately;
2. Codes were identified and analyzed to ensure uniformity and consistent definitions;
3. Communication with other coders on the research team occurred to document and
share analyses; and
4. Codes were developed by other researchers to crosscheck and ensure accuracy.
Ethical Considerations
All members of the research team completed the IRB process (IRB Approval #UP-18-
00119) prior to traveling to Ireland in April of 2018. Additionally, research team members
completed the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI), an online training module that
ensures that prospective researchers have an adequate understanding of why ethics in research are
so critically important, particularly when studying humans and protecting their interests and
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 81
anonymity. In addition to reviewing past studies that have been detrimental to human subjects,
the training covered subject matter that taught the researchers to protect the physical and mental
health of all participants. Finally, the training assisted the researchers in ensuring that appropri-
ate consent forms must be made available to parents of students who will be participating in the
study.
The research team considered all aspects of protecting the names of students, profession-
als, and institutions and create pseudonyms and aliases to ensure that each person and place was
protected under the IRB guidelines while in Ireland. The research team sent an informational
letter to the schools and described to parents of participating schools their child’s role in the
study.
Chapter Summary
This chapter presented the methodology that was used in the study, including the research
design, research team, population and sample, and instrumentation. The method of data analysis
was described, along with the validity, credibility and trustworthiness, reliability, and ethical
considerations.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 82
Chapter Four: Results
The rise of the Celtic Tiger era of the 1990s (Paus, 2007) set the stage for Ireland’s
experiences, both positive and negative, as being part of a globalized economy. Ireland pros-
pered during this era and also suffered during the Great Recession. These events resulted in
Ireland becoming a model for how the “flattening” of the world transpired (Friedman, 2007).
The IDA has concentrated on improving the Irish economy through FDI for the last 60 years
(IDA Ireland, 2017). Due to MNCs in the fields of technology, the need for changes to the Irish
Educational system commenced (IDA Ireland, 2017). Even though it is evident that Ireland’s
financial recovery is rebounding, there is a movement in Ireland’s educational system to
strengthen the country’s future through a process of curriculum revision and increased student
opportunities that enhance inquiry (O’Reilly, 2012). Ireland’s success is based on maintaining its
competitiveness. The Chairman and CEO of IDA Ireland stated that
while Ireland has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to absorb foreign investment, the
business environment for Foreign Direct Investment is more competitive now than ever
before with many other countries, large and small, vying for the same investments.
The continued employment growth and decreasing unemployment rate in Ireland
is consistent with an FDI base currently increasing its presence in Ireland. This is a
remarkable turnaround for the Irish economy and foreign investment has been a key
catalyst in this area. (IDA Ireland, 2017, p. 3)
The significance of this statement demonstrates the long history of Ireland’s success in
the global economy and the continued efforts to maintain its competitive edge. The country is
currently undergoing educational reform. An increase in students’ participation in science and
technology fairs such as SciFest illustrates how the educational system is providing opportunities
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 83
for students to explore and experience STEM education and IBL, such as PBL. This focus on
science, technology fairs, and PBL strategies does have its challenges due to the country’s
emphasis on the Leaving Certificate during the Senior Cycle. However, voluntary programs exist
to provide STEM educational experiences to students despite the political emphasis on the
Leaving Certificate. These purposeful and intentional educational policy revisions, in addition to
supporting increased student participation in science and technology fairs and STEM education
opportunities, can support Irish students in the growth and enhancement of their 21st-century
skills that can create knowledge-ready workers equipped for a global economy.
The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of globalization and educa-
tional policy on the development of 21st-century skills through implementation of STEM educa-
tion and inquiry-based instructional practices, such as PBL, and student participation in science
competitions. The present study examined how participation in SciFest prepares students for the
Leaving Certificate Exam and influences school leadership practices, female students’ interest in
STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of its value.
This chapter reports the results of data collected and analyzed for the study. The study
was driven by four research questions:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certifi-
cate Exam?
2. How does school leadership influence participation in Scifest?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence female student 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?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 84
Six frameworks were used to analyze and comprehend Ireland’s encounter in globaliza-
tion, curriculum and instruction integrating 21st-century skills, and the relationship between PBL
and STEM. The theoretical framework was comprised of work by Friedman (2007) and Spring
(2015), who explored globalization and its impact on education. Slough and Milam (2013)
investigated the connection between STEM and PBL. Wagner (2008) examined the demand for
21st-century skills and STEM. The research conducted by Acker (1987) around feminist theory
contributed to discrepancies among females in the STEM field and demonstrated how participa-
tion in SciFest has impacted females in STEM majors and careers. Bolman and Deal (2013)
examined the influence of leadership, and the present demonstrates the impact that leaders have
had on students’ participation in SciFest. The fundamental structure of the theoretical framework
created a pattern in which the skills taught in 21st-century classrooms continue to flatten the
globe, increase competition among nations, and prepare new generations with 21st-century skills
that are critical in order to be active participants in the increasing competitive global market
(Friedman, 2007; Spring, 2008; Wagner, 2008).
Chapter Four entails a short description of the school that was researched for the study, a
review of the research design, and a description of the participants in the study. This review is
followed by outlining the findings as a result of the various surveys, interviews, and observations
conducted. Themes emerged for each research question that were connected to the literature and
frameworks mentioned for the study. Responses to address each of the research questions were
framed and elaborated through triangulation of all the results (Creswell, 2014).
Study School
The assigned researcher’s site was DBC in Dublin, Ireland. The history of DBC dates
back to the early 19th century when in 1839, a year after the passing of the Catholic
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 85
Emancipation, four young priests from Maynooth College obtained permission to open a day
school in the heart of Dublin city, under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin. DBC is a
fee-paying school controlled by a Board of Management. The college prepares students for the
Ireland DES’s Junior Certificate, Transition Year Program, and Leaving Certificate state exami-
nations. The average number of students per class is 22. The college is situated within 70 acres
of parkland that includes 10 rugby pitches, a soccer pitch, a gymnasium with a basketball court, a
weight room, a recovery room, a physiotherapy room, and an athletic field. The college is
currently ranked in the top 10 schools feeding to high-point courses (over 400 points) in Irish
universities. The college was also ranked top school in Dublin County North of the Liffey 2013
(“Fee-Paying Schools,” 2015).
Research Design
The research team for this study consisted of 13 doctoral students under the direction of
Dr. Michael Escalante. Through his guidance and instruction, the team met monthly to establish
research questions, present and study research literature, and determine the theoretical framework
that contributed to the study. This foundational work provided support and understanding of how
globalization and inquiry-based instructional strategies in STEM education and science and
technology fairs, such as SciFest, have influenced the educational system in Ireland. Due to the
thematic group approach that this research team designed, there are some similarities among the
dissertations; however, the majority of each group member’s study is individualized and specific
to the assigned school. Through a special connection with CEO Sheila Porter and CFO George
Porter of SciFest Ireland, the research team designed and organized a process for data collection.
Through this partnership, with George and Sheila Porter assisted the group by selecting site-level
connections and initiating the contact. The team then worked with these contacts to establish an
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 86
interview participant list that would ensure participation from education, business and industry,
and government sectors.
Study Participants
Purposeful sampling (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016) was used to select the participants for
this predominately qualitative study. All the participants for this study were from Ireland and
were grouped into four well-defined categories: students, teachers and administrators, political
leaders and educational policymakers, and industry leaders from MNCs that were based in
Ireland. These participants symbolized the specific groups necessary to triangulate the
researcher’s findings.
According to Patton (2002), the method of purposeful sampling in qualitative research
allows for an in-depth study of a problem. Data for this study were gathered from the DBC
administrators, teachers, and students using surveys, interviews and observations. The informa-
tion from these data was then compared to the responses, surveys, interviews, and observations
gathered from the 12 other research team members’ schools and from participants in the SciFest
at the college competition held at the Cork Institute of Technology. Data from business and
industry leaders, in addition to political leaders and educational policymakers, were collected and
shared among research team members through interviews and surveys. Table 3 provides a
summary of participants involved in this study.
Findings for Research Question 1
Research Question 1 asked, “How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students
for the Leaving Certificate exam?” This research question was intended to yield information on
how schools managed their curriculum, instructional strategies, schedules, and resources between
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 87
Table 3
Summary of Participants, Their Organization/Position, and Data Types
Participants Organizations/positions Data type(s)
Students
12 students DBC Interview
53 students DBC Survey
1,295 students All schools in study Survey, interview
Teachers and administrators
4 teachers/administrators DBC Interview
14 teachers/administrators DBC Survey
92 other teachers/admin- All schools in study Survey, interview
istrators
19 business and industry leaders Various organizations and MNCs Survey, interview
12 political leaders/educational Various organizations Survey/interview
policymakers
Note. DBC = Dublin Boys College, a pseudonym for researcher’s assigned school; MNC =
multinational corporation.
participation of SciFest and preparing students for the Leaving Certificate Exam. Because the
Leaving Certificate Exam has political implications and has strong support and advocacy in the
Irish educational system, this research question explored this phenomenon. It is important to
understand the relationship between SciFest participation and exam preparation. To address this
inquiry, data were collected in the form of surveys, interviews, and observations at DBC and
other school sites and in the form of surveys and interviews with business leaders and policy-
makers. Data were triangulated to provide a thorough understanding of the relationship between
these two competing entities through themes that emerged from the data collected. It is critical to
note that none of the data gathered provided direct insight into how schools engaged in SciFest
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 88
while directly preparing students for the Leaving Certificate Examinations due to the allotment of
time that students spent on participating in SciFest in their Junior Cycle. However, two themes
did develop that could assist in the understanding of how SciFest participation has contributed to
the preparation for the Leaving Certificate Exams.
Theme 1: School Leaders and Teachers Encourage Participation in SciFest to Support
Student Achievement on the Leaving Certificate
Throughout the review of the literature, it was noted that in any type of reform, a compo-
nent that is essential for the success of an organization is the capacity of leadership. According to
Bolman and Deal (2013), the most universal improvement strategy is upgrading management.
Leaders are supposed to see the big picture and look out for the organization’s overall health and
productivity. J. C. Maxwell (2007) added that the true measure of leadership is influence—
nothing more, nothing less. Several factors such as character, relationships, knowledge, intu-
ition, experience, past success, and ability contribute to the rationale of why some leaders influ-
ence others.
Several questions were asked about how students were encouraged to participate in
SciFest in support of higher achievement on the Leaving Certificate Exams. The data around the
encouragement and importance of participation in SciFest and the connection to the Leaving
Certificate Exam produced a high level of agreement among the various stakeholder groups.
The students at DBC showed a 51% agreement level regarding the participation in
SciFest and that it prepares students on state examinations. The data collected from DBC were
aligned to the information gathered from all schools within the study. For all schools, 41%
strongly agreed or agreed that participation in SciFest prepares students on state examinations.
The students at DBC showed a 64% agreement level regarding the importance of school
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 89
leadership encouragement in SciFest participation and a 73% agreement level regarding the
importance of teachers’ encouragement with respect to participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on state examinations. The data collected from DBC were aligned to the
information gathered from all schools within the study. For all schools, 56% strongly agreed or
agreed on the importance of school leadership’s encouragement regarding SciFest participation,
and 63% strongly agreed or agreed regarding the importance of teachers’ encouragement in the
participation in SciFest activities to support students’ success on state examinations (see Table
4).
Similarly, the teachers and administrator at DBC also demonstrated a high level of
agreement regarding the importance of staff encouragement in participation in SciFest and
providing activities to support student success on the state examinations. Of the teachers and
administrator surveyed at DBC, 64% strongly agreed or agreed on the importance of school
leadership encouragement in the participation in SciFest and 74% strongly agreed or agreed
regarding the importance of teachers’ encouragement in the participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on state examinations (see Table 5). Likewise, this information was in
agreement with the data gathered across all schools in the study. For all teachers and administra-
tors at all the schools, 76% strongly agreed or agreed on the importance of school leadership
encouragement in the participation in SciFest and 83% strongly agreed or agreed regarding the
importance of teachers’ encouragement in the participation in SciFest activities to support
student success on state examinations (see Table 5).
There is an inconsistency regarding the role school leadership and teacher encouragement
in correlation to students’ success as they prepare for the state examinations. From the business
leaders or policy makers who submitted a survey, there was no evidence to show that they
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 90
Table 4
Responses Indicating How Students Are Encouraged to Participate in SciFest to Support Their
Achievement on the Leaving Certificate Exam: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All
Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
Participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful on
state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 20 457
Neutral 7 342
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 13 248
I Don’t Know 0 71
School leadership encourages participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 25 620
Neutral 4 262
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 6 147
I Don’t Know 3 85
Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to support
students’ success on the state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 29 704
Neutral 4 231
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 6 132
I Don’t Know 0 52
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 91
Table 5
Responses Indicating How Students Are Encouraged to Participate in SciFest to Support Their
Achievement on the Leaving Certificate: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers/Administrators
and All Teachers/Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
Participation in SciFest prepares students to be successful
on the state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 6 54
Neutral 1 9
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 5
I Don’t Know 0 3
School leadership encourages participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 59
Neutral 2 9
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 3
I Don’t Know 0 0
Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on the state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 54
Neutral 2 10
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 5
I Don’t Know 1 2
strongly agreed or agreed that school leadership or teacher encouragement played a role in
SciFest participation or success on the Leaving Certificate (see Table 6).
Interview statements by DBC students indicated that school leadership and teacher
encouragement were important actions necessary to support students in the participation and
success of SciFest and the state examinations. Most students felt that the teachers had more of an
influence during the duration of the SciFest preparations and administrator, or Head Master,
played a larger role during the competitions. Student 2 from DBC stated, “Mainly the science
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 92
Table 6
Responses Indicating How Students Are Encouraged to Participate in SciFest to Support Their
Achievement on the Leaving Certificate: Business Leaders and Educational Policymakers
Business leaders/
Survey item and response categories policymakers
Participation in SciFest prepares students for state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
School leadership encourages participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4
I Don’t Know 1
Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to support
student success on state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4
I Don’t Know 1
teachers are the big influence of SciFest. The head master is usually present during the competi-
tions” (DBC Student 3, interview, April 18, 2018). Student 9 described how the head master and
teachers encouraged students’ participation in SciFest: “They encourage you to do your best and
to learn as much as you can and have fun in your experiments and stuff” (DBC Student 9, inter-
view, April 18, 2018). Student 10 added that “the head master was giving prizes for the best
projects. That gave people a boost to do their best” (DBC Student 10, interview, April 18, 2018).
Interview comments from the educators at DBC also supported the notion that the encour-
agement of school leadership and teachers was an important factor in the participation in SciFest
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 93
and success on the Leaving Certificate Exams. The DBC head master commented on his view
regarding the influence of DBC leadership on those students participating in SciFest:
Well, I suppose our main input is to just, is to cheer on. Because the energy comes from
the Science Department itself. From people like Tom and the other science teachers, they
have—are very energetic—they’re a very functioning department. (interview, April 18,
2018)
DBC Teacher 1 commented on how staff work together to provide a supportive structure
for students:
Well, I suppose it’s not so much the administrative, or the people who would be above,
here. We have, I suppose, our department, our Science Department, and then we would
hold our own meetings, and we would nominate somebody to run that department, for
maybe a year or 2 years, and then that person might change then, over the next couple of
years. But while they’re running it, they basically take on board that they’re going to hold
meetings. They’re going to look at the competitions we’ve put students in. And then
they’re going to just ask the rest of us to work with them, and to do a lot of ground work,
and to set up SciFest in the school. And then, we all work together and correlate what we
do to get it up and running, and that allows us to exit all the first years at a given time.
So, it’s really done within the department, rather than within the outside. It’s an inner
circle in the school, rather than . . . the management would just give us the time off to do
it, that’s all. (interview, April 18, 2018)
An educational leader who worked for the Ireland DES’s support service for teachers of
the new Junior Cycle science curriculum provided personal insight on the influence of school
leadership:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 94
For the school leaders, absolutely. I mean, our view on this is if the school leaders aren’t
involved, we’re going nowhere, you know? Because we come in and we provide support
and advice and training for teachers, and then we leave, you know? We come back again
at a different period in time. On the ground, in the school, we are not there. Someone has
to lead or urge on this process. That’s going to be the school principal. . . . If there’s no
buy-in from the school principal, well, then it’s going to be hard to get buy-in from the
teachers, because if they don’t see it come from the top, it’s going to prove more difficult.
(Director of Junior Cycle, Ireland DES, interview, April 16, 2018)
During classroom observations, the researchers witnessed two science classrooms. These
classes were structured to support students in preparation for their Classroom-Based Assessment
(CBA). A CBA is all IBL; students work in a collaborative team of two to three students and
self-select a topic to research. They are provided with trial runs to practice their experiment.
Once they have completed these tests, each student must individually prepare a report on his or
her project. This new feature is a result to the Junior Cycle reform that began in 2016. It is an
add-on meant to be a support to the Junior Cycle assessment. The CBA also complements
SciFest in that it aids students in providing another avenue to prepare them for their SciFest
projects. During this classroom observation, students were practicing their CBA project. They
were allowed to complete three trial runs before they began their individual write-ups (personal
observation, April 18, 2018).
Theme 2: School Leadership and Teachers Employ Various Strategies and Resources to
Support Student Participation in SciFest and Success on the Leaving Certificate
The review of the literature supported the idea that for Ireland to ensure continued pros-
perity through FDI and MNCs, it must ensure that the nation possesses a culture of knowledge
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 95
workers. Ireland must provide a high-quality educational system that is based on STEM initia-
tives that produce innovation and 21st-century thinkers. According to Ananiadou and Claro
(2009), today’s labor force must be equipped with a set of skills and competencies that are suited
to the knowledge economies. Ireland has been on the journey to better the educational system
and has experienced milestones that have led to ensuring a well-educated and skilled labor force:
(a) free second-level education that occurred in 1967; (b) building 10 Regional Technical Col-
leges and two National Institutes of Higher Education in 1972 with a technological and industrial
focus; (c) a traditional education system focusing on basics in which mathematics and English
are required through all years of the school system; and (d) a young, well-educated, English-
speaking adaptable workforce (Childs, 2001). In addition, the literature supported that students
who participate in IBL activities requiring 21st-century skills will gain the ability to successfully
engage and sustain knowledge-based employment opportunities that today’s global economy
demands (Walsh & Loxley, 2015).
Survey data relating to this research question supported the idea that school leadership
and teachers employ various strategies and resources to support students’ participation in SciFest
and success on the Leaving Certificate Exams. The student data for DBC illustrated that 55%
strongly agreed or agreed and 61% of all students in the study strongly agreed or agreed that
school leadership and teachers employed various strategies and resources to support students’
participation in SciFest and success on the Leaving Certificate Exams (see Table 7).
Similarly, the teachers and administrator at DBC also demonstrated a high level of
agreement regarding the various strategies and supports that the school leadership and teachers
employed to support students in SciFest participation and success on the Leaving Certificate
Exams. Of the teachers and administrator surveyed at DBC, 89% strongly agreed or agreed that
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 96
Table 7
Responses Indicating That School Leadership and Teachers Employed Various Strategies and
Resources to Influence Participation in SciFest by Students and School: Dublin Boys College
(DBC) and All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
School leadership employs strategies to influence students’
participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 22 675
Neutral 4 250
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 7 95
I Don’t Know 0 92
Teachers employ strategies to positively influence school’s
participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 27 669
Neutral 0 147
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 79
I Don’t Know 0 61
school leadership and teachers employed strategies and resources to support students’ participa-
tion in SciFest and success on the Leaving Certificate Exams, and 72% of all teachers/adminis-
trators in the study agreed or agreed that school leadership and teachers employed various strate-
gies and resources to support students’ participation in SciFest and success on the Leaving
Certificate Exams (see Table 8).
Additional survey data collected that supported this research question demonstrated the
specific strategies that were employed by school leadership and teachers in order to support the
students’ participation in SciFest and success on the Leaving Certificate Exams. DBC students
and all students in the study rated the most employed strategies by their school leadership as
student incentives, instructional materials, schoolwide student recognition, real-world
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 97
Table 8
Responses Indicating That School Leadership and Teachers Employed Various Strategies and
Resources to Support Participation in SciFest by Students and School and Students’ Success on
the Leaving Certificate: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All
Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
School leadership employs strategies to influence students’
participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 8 55
Neutral 0 11
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 4
I Don’t Know 0 1
Teachers employ strategies to positively influence school’s
participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 27 669
Neutral 0 147
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 79
I Don’t Know 0 61
application, and use of technology to promote science learning (see Table 9). DBC students and
all students in the study rated that the most employed strategies by their teachers were IBL,
science competitions, independent study, real-world application, and use of technology to
promote science learning (see Table 9).
Interview data gathered from students at DBC supported survey data that were collected
in relation to the theme that school leaders and teachers employed various strategies that sup-
ported student participation in SciFest and led to success on the state exams. Student 5 at DBC
noted that “our teachers are enthusiastic and interested in our topic. And they have students share
their ideas with others” (interview, April 18, 2018). Student 7 added that the “head master really
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 98
Table 9
Responses Indicating Strategies Employed by School Leadership and Teachers to Support
Students’ Participation in SciFest and Their Success on the Leaving Certificate: Dublin Boys
College (DBC) Students and All Students
DBC All
Survey item students students
Strategies that school leadership employs at my school:
Student incentives 25 698
Teacher incentives 13 534
Instructional materials 30 722
Instructional coaches 18 519
Instructional meetings held 14 514
SciFest promoted on social media 12 449
Family science nights 3 83
Alignment of curriculum to exit exam 14 312
Recruitment of partners/sponsors 5 284
Schoolwide student recognition 24 689
Schoolwide teacher recognition 14 484
Real-world application 26 527
Use of technology to promote science learning 27 821
Strategies that teachers employ at my school:
Inquiry-based learning 27 881
Before- or after-school clubs 11 657
Science competitions 32 927
Independent study 27 924
Science olympiads (series of events) 10 339
Interdisciplinary teaching 14 487
Family science nights 2 134
Real-world application 25 649
Use of technology to promote science learning 29 871
encourages people to get involved in school activities and is really involved in SciFest” (DBC
Student 7, interview, April 18, 2018). A summary of all of the students interviewed at DBC
indicated that along with all the strategies employed both by school leadership and teachers,
students felt supported in participating in SciFest.
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Teachers interviewed at DBC agreed with their students that various strategies were
employed by their school leadership and teachers. The teachers provided adequate time for
students to prepare. Teacher 3 stated, “We give it a long lead time” (interview, April 18, 2018).
The teachers also emphasized that little guidance and explicit directions were provided to
students. They tried to encourage students to find their SciFest topics based on their interests
rather than providing them with explicit guidelines. Teacher 2 confirmed this when he said:
The head of the department emphasizes that it is all about participation and fun. It is not
formal. We provide students examples of previous work done, and they comment on it.
We dedicated classes to what are you interested in. We provide websites with sample
projects that have been done. We support them in sparking an interest for them. The key
is to find an interest. That they find something they want to get their teeth in. We tend to
give them very little explicit direction. (interview, April 18, 2018)
Business leaders interviewed agreed that school leaders and teachers employed strategies
and resources to support students in SciFest participation. A business leader from the Intel
Corporation stated that “principals or head masters have a massive impact on science competi-
tion participation. Schools that do well are a result of the school leadership” (Business Leader 1,
interview, April 16, 2018). This individual also added that schools reach out to corporations
such as Intel to be science competition judges at the school level (interview, April 16, 2018).
Findings for Research Question 2
Research Question 2 asked, “How does school leadership influence participation in
SciFest?” This research question was intended to produce information on how school leaders set
the stage for success in participation in SciFest. Because participation in SciFest is an additional
opportunity for students, leaders of the school must create successful conditions for this to take
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 100
place. Two important themes emerged from this research question. The first theme explored
whether or not school leaders had a positive influence on participation in SciFest and the second,
whether or not adequate resources were provided to students to successfully participate in SciFest
competition.
Theme 1: School Leaders Have a Positive Influence on SciFest Participation
J. C. Maxwell (2007) described the law of influence as “if you can’t influence people,
then they will not follow you. And if people won’t follow, you are not a leader” (p. 20). In
addition, J. C. Maxwell depicted leadership as complicated and has many facets: respect, experi-
ence, emotional strength, people skills, discipline, vision, momentum, and timing—to name a
few. Northouse (2016) noted that leadership is a process that involves influence that occurs in
groups and includes attention to common goals. A successful leader can engage leadership and/
or management behaviors when necessary that results in strong school leadership (Bolman &
Deal, 2013). Northouse described an effective leadership model as
transformational leadership whereby a person engages with others and creates a connec-
tion that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower.
This type of leader is attentive to the needs and motives of followers and tries to help
followers reach their fullest potential. (p. 162)
Survey data gathered from the DBC students indicated that school leadership had a
positive influence on SciFest participation. For DBC students, 72% strongly agreed or agreed
that school leadership demonstrated a positive influence on SciFest participation, and 66% of all
students in the study strongly agreed or agreed. In relation to actions that connected to school
leadership and their positive influence on SciFest participation, 62% of DBC students strongly
agreed or agreed that school leadership developed a shared vision for implementing SciFest at
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their school, and 50% of all students in the study strongly agreed or agreed. In addition, 62% of
DBC students strongly agreed or agreed that school leadership effectively communicated a
shared vision to all stakeholders, and 43% of all students in the study strongly agreed or agreed
(see Table 10). Students seemed to agree that school leadership had a positive influence on
SciFest participation but might not have seen the big picture on how school leadership’s actions
connected to the influence they had on SciFest participation.
The survey data gathered from the Irish teachers and administrators coincided with those
gathered from the students. For DBC teachers and administrators, 78% strongly agreed or agreed
that school leadership demonstrated a positive influence on SciFest participation, and 82% of all
teachers and administrators surveyed strongly agreed or agreed. In relation to actions that con-
nected to school leadership and their positive influence on SciFest participation, educators
similarly agreed with the students (see Table 11).
The students interviewed acknowledged that their school leadership had a significant and
positive impact on their SciFest participation. Many of the students viewed their teacher leaders
as the main leaders around SciFest. Student 4 from DBC commented:
Our science teacher is our main guy. He is in charge of the Science Department. It is
mainly the science teachers. Here in DBC, it is mandatory to participate in SciFest our
first year. If it is in your head that you have to do it, then I think it is quite better that way
because then you become lazy and don’t want to do it. (interview, April 18, 2018)
Student 5 had a similar view: “It isn’t really our principal or vice principal. It’s our science
teachers who talk to us mainly about SciFest” (interview, April 18, 2018).
The teachers interviewed for the study acknowledged that the school leadership had a
positive influence on SciFest participation. They shared that the principal or head master
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Table 10
Responses Indicating That School Leadership Had a Positive Influence on SciFest Participation:
Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest
activities with state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 20 413
Neutral 5 275
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 7 187
I Don’t Know 6 222
School leadership develops a shared vision for implementing
SciFest at their school.
Strongly Agree/Agree 18 532
Neutral 1 253
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4 78
I Don’t Know 5 203
School leadership effectively communicates a shared vision
to all stakeholders.
Strongly Agree/Agree 18 466
Neutral 1 254
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4 143
I Don’t Know 5 203
School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions.
Strongly Agree/Agree 16 703
Neutral 6 182
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 74
I Don’t Know 2 108
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Table 11
Responses Indicating That School Leaders Had a Positive Influence on SciFest Participation:
Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest
activities with state examinations.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3 31
Neutral 2 22
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 11
I Don’t Know 2 7
School leadership develops a shared vision for imple-
menting SciFest at their school.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 45
Neutral 0 17
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 2
I Don’t Know 3 4
School leadership effectively communicates a shared
vision to all stakeholders.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 33
Neutral 1 23
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 7
I Don’t Know 2 4
School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest
competitions.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 56
Neutral 0 8
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 3
I Don’t Know 1 1
provided the teachers support in the activities. DBC Teacher 3 commented, “The support has
been more moral support for us doing it [SciFest]. They give me a few euros to go and buy
prizes, which matters to the kids” (interview, April 18, 2018). Teachers who were interviewed
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 104
for the study seem to feel supported by their leadership, even new teachers such as DBC Teacher
4:
When I came to this school, it was the principal who told me that SciFest happens. He
was telling me that and was very proactive in pushing SciFest. So I imagine behind all
the scenes, there is a lot of work done. I am not the head of the department, but someone
like the head of the department would know exactly what goes on. I just know that it
clearly couldn’t go ahead without their [school leadership] approval, but there is always
—even in the interview it was pushed. I was told how proactive they were and how much
they enjoyed the participation in SciFest. (interview, April 18, 2018)
During the SciFest competition that was held at the Cork Institute of Technology, the
observations that were conducted confirmed the survey and interview data around the positive
influence that school leadership had on SciFest participation. As the researchers observed the
competition area, they could see multiple numbers of principals, vice principals, and teachers
who were present to support their competition teams. The follow-through from the school lead-
ership was evident as they supported their students outside of the school setting and demon-
strated their support by being present at the SciFest competition (personal observation, April 20,
2018).
Theme 2: School Leaders Provide Adequate Resources that Support the Participation of
SciFest
The literature review illustrated that it is critical for students to acquire and sustain a
broad knowledge skillset that they have readily available when needed on occasions such as
rigorous assessments. However, they also need to acquire the knowledge capacity to be 21st-
century thinkers who understand their strengths and the limitations of their thinking (Capraro &
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 105
Slough, 2013). With the flattening of the global economy in the 21st century, the teaching of
STEM has taken priority as economic competition has become truly global (Kennedy & Odell,
2014). The need to bring additional professionals into STEM fields has become a driving force
in meeting the demands of a skilled and changing workforce (Bybee, 2010). Kennedy and Odell
(2014) reported that improving STEM education has become a major economic aspect in devel-
oping countries, emerging economies, and long-established economies. SFI’s (2017) annual
report for 2016 described its continued support of STEM education through the considerable
funding of programs.
The literature also depicted that school leadership is an integral piece to a successful
educational program. Bolman and Deal (2013) suggested that leaders must develop and carry
accurate maps in their heads. Northouse (2016) suggested that some define leadership in terms
of the power relationship that exists between leaders and followers, a transformational process, or
a skills perspective. From the viewpoint of a power relationship, leaders have a power that they
wield to effect change in others whereas in skills perspective, this viewpoint stresses the
capabilities—knowledge and skills—that make effective leadership possible (Northouse, 2016).
The survey data collected from DBC students demonstrated a higher majority than all the
students in the study who strongly agreed or agreed about whether or not school leaders provided
adequate resources to support participation in SciFest. Of the DBC students surveyed, 55%
strongly agreed or agreed that school leaders allocated adequate financial resources to implement
SciFest; however, only 41% of all students in the study strongly agreed or agreed (see Table 12).
From the surveys collected from students, there was more agreement around school leadership
and the support they provided to students with respect to SciFest. Of the DBC students surveyed,
62% strongly agreed or agreed that school leadership provided support, including time, materials,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 106
and training, for participation in SciFest; 65% of all student in the study strongly agreed or agreed
(see Table 12).
Table 12
Responses Indicating That School Leaders Provided Adequate Resources That Supported
Participation in SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
School leadership allocates adequate financial resources to
implement SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 18 430
Neutral 1 237
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4 164
I Don’t Know 5 227
School leadership provides support, including time,
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 18 677
Neutral 3 152
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4 119
I Don’t Know 3 105
Survey data gathered from teachers and administrators revealed similar findings around
school leaders and whether or not they provided adequate resources that supported participation
in SciFest. For DBC teachers and administrators, 44% strongly agreed or agreed that school
leaders allocated adequate financial resources to implement SciFest, and 52% of all teachers/
administrators in the study strongly agreed or agreed (see Table 13). From the surveys collected
from teachers and administrators, there was a higher level of agreement around school leadership
and the support that they provided to students with SciFest. Of the DBC teachers and administra-
tors surveyed, 67% strongly agreed or agreed that school leadership provided support, including
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 107
time, materials, and training, for participation in SciFest; 59% of all teachers/administrators in
the study strongly agreed or agreed (see Table 13).
Table 13
Responses Indicating That School Leaders Provided Adequate Resources That Supported
Participation in SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All
Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
School allocates adequate financial resources to implement
SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 35
Neutral 0 12
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 7
I Don’t Know 0 13
School leadership provides support, including time,
materials, and training, for participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 6 39
Neutral 0 16
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 6
I Don’t Know 0 5
Table 14 summarizes survey data gathered from business leaders and educational policy-
makers around adequate financial resources and other specific supports that are necessary for the
implementation of SciFest. Survey data collected showed that 40% of business leaders and edu-
cational policymakers strongly agreed or agreed that school leadership allocated adequate finan-
cial support for the implementation of SciFest; and 60% strongly agreed or agreed that adequate
support, including time, materials, and training, was provided for participation in SciFest.
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Table 14
Responses Indicating That School Leaders Provided Adequate Resources to Support Participa-
tion in SciFest: Business Leaders and Educational Policymakers
Business leaders/
Survey item and response categories policymakers
School leadership allocates adequate financial resources to implement
SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 2
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1
I Don’t Know 1
School leadership provides support, including time, materials, and
training, for participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Interview data gathered from students and teachers at DBC supported survey data around
the theme that school leadership provided adequate resources for the implementation of SciFest.
They also shared that school leadership made participation in SciFest fun and easy. DBC Student
9 said, “They [school leaders] don’t make it complicated” (interview, April 18, 2018). DBC
Student 10 added, “They encourage you to do your best and to learn as much as you can” (inter-
view, April 18, 2018). When asked about the type of support that school leadership provided to
students, DBC Student 9 stated, “The head master gives prizes for the best projects. It gives
people a boost to do their best” (interview, April 18, 2018). The teachers acknowledged that
their school leadership provided time and resources for students to have successful participation
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 109
in SciFest. DBC Teacher 3 shared how his head master provided funds for adequate materials for
the day of SciFest competition and the ability to be flexible with the daily schedule:
We bought those blue display boards. I don’t know if they’re blue, but you see them at
conferences all around the world. And they kick together. And they turn a hall into an
exhibition space. We bought 30 of them. And it adds up. Each one is not expensive, but
I think it cost close to €2,000. And they did that. And I was pushing for that. Because I
wanted it to look good. I wanted the kids to walk into the room and think, “Okay, this is
an event.” I didn’t want them to put it on a table, have them make a poster but you can’t
even put it up. I feel that’s so mean to a student. So they backed me in that. They let us
spend that money. They let us break the school schedule for today. They allow all the
science teachers to cancel and step out of their classes and supervise all those classes for
us. So it’s small things, but they are the things that really matter that allows us to run.
It’s not particularly encouraging participation from the students. We do that. But it’s
encouraging to us to run it. (interview, April 18, 2018)
Educational policy makers and business leaders who were interviewed shared their
insight on how they perceived school leadership supports and allocated resources for the imple-
mentation of and participation in SciFest. Educational Policymaker 2 noted:
I think the school leadership has a huge influence where I have seen schools that enter for
SciFest and BT Young Scientist and science competitions; and the principal, in the
majority of instances, has a background in science or a science—some science-related
area. I’m just thinking of one school that I was in fairly recently, they actually . . . I think,
it wasn’t last year—it was the year before, they actually had the most entries in SciFest,
and the principal there is a former chemistry teacher. It’s the first thing he tells you nearly
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 110
when you go in the door: “Look at all these plaques, and we had so many entries this year
and so many entries,” whatever. So yeah, I think the leadership has a huge influence.
(interview, April 16, 2018)
Findings for Research Question 3
Research Question 3 asked, “How does participation in SciFest influence female stu-
dents’ interest in enrolling into senior-level and third-level STEM courses?” This research
question was intended to yield information around the role of SciFest and female students’ par-
ticipation in the STEM field and around third-level and senior-level courses. Survey and inter-
view data gathered by this researcher and the team found that SciFest participation was encour-
aged by schools. The data collected further demonstrated that this encouragement has increased
female students’ participation in school- and college-level competitions. The data further sug-
gested that female students who participated in SciFest were positively influenced into pursuing
third-level and senior-level STEM related courses.
Theme 1: SciFest Participation is Encouraged for All Females and Evident Strategies Are
Employed to Increase Their Participation
The Irish government established a vision for STEM education where it declared that
students in Ireland would obtain a STEM education of the highest international quality based on
high levels of student engagement, satisfaction, and high performance in all STEM disciplines
(STEM Education Review Group, 2016). Ireland has demonstrated and carried out this philoso-
phy, and it is evident that in 2016, SFI researchers were involved in 2,359 international academic
collaborations in 63 countries (SFI, 2017). The STEM Education Review Group (2016) reported
that to accomplish this task, three main areas of focus were implemented: teacher quality, best
practices to enhance learning, and improving awareness of STEM careers. A significant issue in
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relation to STEM education in Ireland, as reported by the STEM Education Review Group, has
been in the area of gender equity. In the STEM workforce in Ireland, gender equity is a critical
threat to the sustainability and progress of the Irish knowledge economy.
While overall enrollment in higher education has been greatly increased for women in
Ireland, females remain underrepresented in the technological sector (Patrick, 1996). The STEM
Education Review Group (2016) reported that fewer than 20% of the estimated 120,000 people
working in STEM-related jobs were women. According to the STEM Education Review Group,
parents of females have failed to counsel their daughters about STEM career options due to a
lack of information about this field of study. Much of this underrepresentation of females in the
STEM field can be connected to deficiencies produced in the number of females who choose
fields of academic study that fundamentally provide the potential pathway to careers within the
nation’s technological sector (Clancy, 1989). Acker (1987) posited that securing equal opportu-
nities for the sexes is the main aim of liberal feminism. The aim of liberal feminists in education
is to remove barriers that prevent girls from reaching their full potential, whether these barriers
are located in the school, the individual, or discriminatory labor practices.
The survey data collected from DBC students did not demonstrate sufficient information
around female participation in SciFest due to the fact that DBC is an all-boys school. The major-
ity of the responses were I Don’t Know (see Table 15). For the purpose of Research Question 3,
the data utilized are the survey data collected from all students in the study, of whom 64%
strongly agreed or agreed that their school actively encouraged and recruited female students to
participate in SciFest. In the area around parent encouragement for females to participate in
SciFest, 39% of the students in the study strongly agreed or agreed; 47% strongly agreed or
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 112
agreed that females had access to female role models who influenced their participation in
SciFest (Table 15).
The survey data collected from DBC teachers and administrators did not demonstrate
sufficient information around female students’ participation in SciFest due to the fact that DBC is
an all-boys school. The majority of the responses were I Don’t Know (see Table 16). For the
purpose of Research Question 3, the data utilized are the survey data collected from all teachers
and administrators in the study. The data for teachers and administrators showed that 49%
strongly agreed or agreed that their school actively encouraged and recruited female students to
participate in SciFest. In the area around parent encouragement for females to participate in
SciFest, 49% of teachers and administrators in the study strongly agreed or agreed. Of the
teachers and administrators in the study, 68% strongly agreed or agreed that females have access
to female role models who influence their participation in SciFest (see Table 16).
Table 17 summarizes survey data gathered from business leaders and educational policy-
makers around the actions leading to female students’ participation in SciFest. Findings demon-
strate that 60% of business leaders and educational policymakers strongly agreed or agreed that
schools actively encouraged and recruited female students to participate in SciFest but that only
40% strongly agreed or agreed that females had access to female role models who influenced
their participation in SciFest (Table 17).
Interview data collected from DBC students and teachers supported the information that
was collected about schools and their encouragement of female students’ participation in SciFest.
Although DBC is an all-boys school, the researcher thought it would be relevant to seek their
perception around female students and SciFest participation. DBC Student 1stated that “there
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 113
Table 15
Responses Indicating That Female Students’ Participation Was Encouraged and That Strategies
Were Employed to Increase Their Participation in SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students
and All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to select
math-based or technology-based projects.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0 193
Neutral 4 179
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 5 410
I Don’t Know 16 265
The school encourages and recruits female students to
participate in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 673
Neutral 3 149
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 3 64
I Don’t Know 15 163
Female students are encouraged by their parents to
participate in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 5 407
Neutral 4 230
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 89
I Don’t Know 13 322
Female students have access to female role models who
influence their participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 5 407
Neutral 4 230
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 89
I Don’t Know 13 322
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 114
Table 16
Responses Indicating That Female Students’ Participation Was Encouraged and That Strategies
Were Employed to Increase Their Participation in SciFest: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers
and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to select
math-based or technology-based projects.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0 14
Neutral 2 21
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 5 17
I Don’t Know 16 22
The school encourages and recruits female students to
participate in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 1 33
Neutral 2 22
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 7
I Don’t Know 4 5
Female students are encouraged by their parents to
participate in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 1 33
Neutral 2 19
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 4 15
Female students have access to female role models who
influence their participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0 45
Neutral 2 13
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 1
I Don’t Know 4 7
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 115
Table 17
Responses Indicating That Female Students’ Participation Was Encouraged and That Strategies
Were Employed to Increase Their Participation: Business Leaders and Educational Policymak-
ers
Business leaders/
Survey item and response categories policymakers
Female students who participate in SciFest tend not to select math-based
or technology-based projects.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
The school encourages and recruits female students to participate in
SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Female students are encouraged by their parents to participate in
SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Female students have access to female role models who influence their
participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 2
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 2
isn’t really a reason that boys should participate and girls shouldn’t, really. So both can partici-
pate in it” (interview, April 18, 2018). DBC Teacher 3 delved a bit deeper around the theme of
female participation in SciFest:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 116
I think they participate for all the same reasons the boys do. I don’t think there’s a dis-
tinction there. The motivation to participate is not going to be very different to boys or
girls. I don’t think. It’s what comes next. Do they feel validated? I think that’s the part
that could cause problems. We have a situation in our . . . And I think it’s international,
where girls outperform boys academically in almost all subjects. Usually to a small
extent, but in almost all subjects. So the image broadly is that girls are more academic
than boys. I think it’s a bit exaggerated, but that’s certainly the perception. (interview,
April 18, 2018)
Business leaders and educational policymakers who were interviewed also shared their
perceptions and thoughts around female students participation in SciFest. Business Leader 2
from Intel commented:
There was a study by Cheryl Sorbet, PhD, who found that females become more con-
scious they can’t do STEM. When children are small, you see that boys tend to play with
blocks and girls play with dolls. This creates barriers for females and can affect their
confidence in doing STEM. The media portrays scientists and engineers a certain way—
for example, Big Bang Theory. I was at a school, and young students were asked to draw
a scientist, and the majority of the children drew male scientists. (interview, April 16,
2018)
Allegrini (2015) argued that “women continue to be the largest underrepresented group in
STEM, especially in physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering” (p. 43). Allegrini
claimed that this gender gap was apparent in every European country but argued that girls’
detachment from science begins in the early school years. Ultimately, it is important to consider
the issue of gender and its implications in the area of STEM education. Allegrini suggested that
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 117
gender is a comprehensive approach that might help to reformulate traditional concepts
and analytical tools in different research fields, introducing a new perspective in the
interpretations of social and cultural phenomena. Paying systematic attention to gender
can provide new insights about women and other marginalized subjects. Furthermore, it
makes it possible to formulate a more articulated set of questions, issues, and methodolo-
gies within research fields. (p. 46)
Theme 2: Females Have Access to Role Models, Coursework, and Other Experiences That
Increase Their Interest in Enrolling in STEM Coursework
The STEM Education Review Group (2016) reported how the quality and quantity of
STEM education in Ireland are linked directly to its pipeline of talent necessary to support both
FDI and start-up companies. The STEM Education Review Group connected the continued
achievement of the knowledge economy in Ireland to the quality and quantity of STEM graduates
in its system.
Acker (1987) posited that securing equal opportunities for the sexes is the main aim of
liberal feminism. The aim of liberal feminists in education is to remove barriers that prevent
girls reaching their full potential, whether these barriers are located in the school, the individual,
or discriminatory labor practices.
The survey data collected from DBC students did not demonstrate sufficient information
around female access to STEM coursework due to the fact that DBC is an all-boys school. The
majority of the responses were I Don’t Know (see Table 18). For the purpose of research Ques-
tion 3, the data utilized are the survey data collected from all students in the study. Data for these
students showed that 46% strongly agreed or agreed that SciFest influenced the development of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 118
Table 18
Participants’ Responses Indicating That Female Students Had Access to Role Models,
Coursework, and Other Experiences That Increased Their Interest in Enrolling in STEM
Coursework: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 453
Neutral 4 197
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 73
I Don’t Know 15 319
Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 445
Neutral 2 178
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 116
I Don’t Know 14 306
SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4 451
Neutral 4 197
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 73
I Don’t Know 16 319
Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 6 415
Neutral 2 199
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 93
I Don’t Know 15 340
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
female students’ interest in enrolling in senior-level STEM courses, and 43%, about female
students’ interest for enrolling in third-level STEM courses. Data on all students in the study
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indicated that 42% strongly agreed or agreed that female students had access to female role
models who influenced their enrollment into senior-level STEM courses, and 40% strongly
agreed or agreed about role models for third-level STEM courses (Table 18). For all schools, the
findings suggested a lower level of confidence around the influence of SciFest and female stu-
dents’ interest in enrolling into STEM coursework.
The survey data collected from DBC teachers and administrators did not demonstrate
sufficient information around female access to STEM coursework due to the fact that DBC is an
all-boys school. The majority of the responses were I Don’t Know (see Table 19). For the
purpose of Research Question 3, the data utilized are the survey data collected from all teachers
and administrators in the study. Data for these individuals indicated that 66% strongly agreed or
agreed that SciFest influenced the development of female students’ interest in enrolling in senior-
level STEM courses, and 67%, for enrolling in third-level STEM courses (Table 19).
Data for students in the study indicated that 61% strongly agreed or agreed that female
students had access to female role models who influenced their enrollment into senior-level
STEM courses and 60% have role models for third-level STEM courses (see Table 19). For all
schools, the findings differed from the students in that the data suggested a higher level of confi-
dence around the influence of SciFest and female students’ interest in enrolling into STEM
coursework (see Tables 18 and 19).
The data presented in Table 20 summarizes the perceptions of business leaders and edu-
cational policymakers related to female students’ access to role models, coursework, and other
experiences that increased their interest in enrolling in STEM coursework. The business leaders
and educational policymakers in the study showed that 80% strongly agreed or agreed that
SciFest influenced the development of female students’ interest in enrolling in senior-level
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Table 19
Participants’ Responses Indicating That Female Students Had Access to Role Models, Course-
work, and Other Experiences That Increased Their Interest in Enrolling in STEM Coursework:
Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into senior-level courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 1 44
Neutral 2 13
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 4 9
Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0 41
Neutral 2 17
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 2
I Don’t Know 4 7
SciFest influences the development of female students’
interest in enrolling into third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 1 44
Neutral 2 12
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 4 9
Female students have access to female role models who
influence their enrollment into third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 0 40
Neutral 2 16
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 2
I Don’t Know 4 9
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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Table 20
Participants’ Responses Indicating That Female Students Had Access to Role Models, Course-
work, and Other Experiences That Increased Their Interest in Enrolling in STEM Coursework:
Business Leaders and Educational Policymakers
Business leaders/
Survey item and response categories policymakers
SciFest influences the development of female students’ interest in
enrolling into senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Females students have access to female role models who influence their
enrollment into senior-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
SciFest influences the development of female students’ interest in
enrolling into third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3
Neutral 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Female students have access to female role models who influence their
enrollment into third-level STEM courses.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
STEM courses and 60%, for enrolling in third-level STEM courses. The data also showed that
60% strongly agreed or agreed that female students had access to female role models who
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influenced their enrollment into senior-level STEM courses, and 80%, role models for enrolling
in third-level STEM courses (see Table 20).
Interview data collected from students and teachers from DBC supported the information
that was collected about schools and their encouragement of female students’ participation in
SciFest. Although DBC is an all-boys school, the researcher thought it would be relevant to seek
their perceptions around female access to STEM coursework. Student 7 shared that his female
cousin participated in SciFest because “she wanted to do a course in chemistry and she is really
into all the science stuff” (interview, April 18, 2018). Teacher 3 provided a personal perspective
around female students’ participation in SciFest and STEM:
This is close to my heart. I teach an all-boys school, but I have a daughter. So I’m not
indifferent to these topics or just looking at them academically. There’s two things that
strike me. First of all, in the specific engineering courses, as opposed to the more broad-
based physics or science or applied science courses. The courses are so male dominated;
that is self-perpetuating. Not many girls have just going to want to walk into an environ-
ment that is 85%-90% male, at that age, or any age, I suppose. (interview, April 18,
2018).
Business leaders and educational policymakers who were interviewed also shared their
perceptions and thoughts about female students’ access to STEM coursework. Educational
Policymaker 3 noted that “in one of our schools, there were eight students in their physics class.
That’s an increase where we only had two students. They’re only in year 3 of SciFest, and they
believe it’s having an impact” (interview, April 16, 2018). Educational Policymaker 5 described
the role that SciFest has on the influence on female students’ enrollment into senior- and third-
level STEM coursework:
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Yeah, I think it is part of a whole series of things that we need to be doing, so I don’t
think that one project like SciFest changes everything, although it helps, a lot, but I think
it’s an attitude thing. Again, that’s got to come from students, teachers, parents, and an
education system generally that doesn’t categorize people as male or female; and there-
fore they should be pursuing different academic interests—well, initially different aca-
demic courses. But ultimately, it’s about shaping them, in terms of what they should be
expecting out of life. (interview, April 20, 2018)
The researcher spent an ample amount of time observing and annotating during the
SciFest competition at the Cork Institute of Technology. During the observations, the researcher
noticed high levels of enthusiasm from the female participants. The number of female partici-
pants at the SciFest competition seemed to be equally as high as the number of male participants.
Competition teams varied from single-sex teams to co-ed teams. During these observations, it
was difficult to detect the specific interests that females had around STEM education or course-
work. However, research has shown that a result of early interest in science may be a result of
self-intrinsic motivation, educational experiences such as science competitions, or inspiration
from a family member or teacher (Maltese & Tai, 2010). Maltese and Tai (2010) suggested that
women and men demonstrate equal levels of early interest that was a motivating factor leading to
an attraction to science.
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 intended to produce information on how
various groups viewed the value of students’ participation in SciFest. Data gathered by this
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researcher and the research team suggested that SciFest participation did heighten the
development of STEM educational opportunities for students and the necessary skillset needed to
acquire a STEM career.
Theme 1: SciFest Provides Opportunities for Students to Develop the Necessary Skills to
Compete in a Global Economy
O’Hagan and Newman (2014) explained that both the market and the education of the
future workforce must be equipped to compete. This competitive viewpoint exists in Ireland and
was shared in work by O’Hagan and Newman in a dialogue regarding a shift of educational focus
in Ireland to maintain competitiveness:
Bending to such tasks as gearing society to produce entrepreneurs, vitalizing indigenous
enterprise, providing adequate and appropriate education and training, evaluating public
investment more thoroughly, introducing flexibility into the labor market, reducing the
disincentives to do unskilled jobs, and fostering competition among firms. (p. 29)
Preparing students for the future requires educational shifts to fully integrate and imple-
ment instructional techniques where 21st-century skills are part of everyday teaching and learn-
ing. Larson and Miller (2011) emphasized that skills that students will need for the society in
which they will work should not be thought of as one more thing to teach, but rather as training
integrated across all curricula. According to Saavedra and Opfer (2012), the contributing need
for 21st-century skills is due to globalization, economic necessity, and low civic engagement.
Wagner (2008) suggested that success in a globalized society requires a society with skills that
prepare them to compete. As the economic environment transforms, the skills necessary for
educational systems to cultivate students to compete also change, subsequently demanding
advancement of 21st-century skills (Wagner, 2008).
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The survey data gathered from students demonstrated that SciFest provides opportunities
for students to develop the 21st-century skills necessary to compete in a global economy. The
DBC students indicated showed higher levels of agreement compared to all the students in the
study. For the DBC students surveyed, 82% strongly agreed or agreed that SciFest provides
opportunities for students to develop 21st-century skills, as compared to all students in the study
where 68% strongly agreed or agreed. For the DBC students surveyed, 78% strongly agreed or
agreed that participants in SciFest demonstrated the skills needed to obtain careers in STEM
fields, as compared to all students in the study, of whom 54% strongly agreed or agreed. It is
interesting to note that DBC is an all-male school and that students’ perceptions might have
consisted of higher levels of agreement than all the students in the study, of whom 50% of the
participants included females (see Table 21). Another interesting finding was that 52% of all
students in the study strongly agreed or agreed that SciFest provides students with opportunities
to develop the skills needed in a global economy (Table 21). These results suggested that
students might not have viewed the connection regarding how SciFest provides learning opportu-
nities that promote 21st-century skills or might not have spent time discussing the purpose of
SciFest participation.
Survey data gathered from teachers and administrators demonstrated higher levels of
agreement compared to the students surveyed. Of the DBC teachers and administrators surveyed,
100% strongly agreed or agreed that SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-
century skills, and 99% of all teachers and administrators in the study strongly agreed or agreed
(see Table 22). One hundred percent of DBC teachers and administrators strongly agreed or
agreed that participants in SciFest demonstrated the skills needed to obtain careers in STEM
fields and 96% of all teachers and administrators in the study strongly agreed and agreed (Table
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 126
Table 21
Participants’ Responses Indicating That SciFest Provides Opportunities for Students to Develop
the Necessary Skills to Compete in a Global Economy: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Students and
All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-
century skills.
Strongly Agree/Agree 23 702
Neutral 3 145
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 1 70
I Don’t Know 0 118
Participants in SciFest demonstrate the skills needed to
obtain careers in STEM fields.
Strongly Agree/Agree 23 559
Neutral 2 206
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 3 71
I Don’t Know 0 192
SciFest provides opportunities to develop the skills
needed in a global economy.
Strongly Agree/Agree 13 533
Neutral 6 233
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 6 99
I Don’t Know 1 162
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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Table 22
Participants’ Responses Indicating That SciFest Provides Opportunities for Students to Develop
the Necessary Skills to Compete in a Global Economy: Dublin Boys College (DBC) Teachers
and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-
century skills.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 67
Neutral 0 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 0
I Don’t Know 0 1
Participants in SciFest demonstrate the skills needed to
obtain careers in STEM fields.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 65
Neutral 0 1
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 1
SciFest provides opportunities to develop skills needed in
a global economy.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 62
Neutral 0 4
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 1
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
22). Unlike the students in the survey, 100% of DBC teachers and administrators strongly agreed
or agreed that SciFest provides students with opportunities to develop skills needed in a global
economy and 91% of all teachers and administrators in the study strongly agreed or agreed (Table
22).
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Table 23 summarizes the results from the surveys completed by business leaders and
educational policymakers. Similar to the data gathered from the teachers and administrators, the
business leaders and educational policymakers demonstrated agreement that SciFest provides
opportunities for students to develop the necessary skills to compete in a global economy. The
data indicated that 100% of business leaders and educational policymakers strongly agreed or
agreed that SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-century skills and that
SciFest participants demonstrate the skills needed to obtain careers in STEM fields (Table 23).
Table 23
Participants’ Responses Indicating That SciFest Provides Opportunities for Students to Develop
the Necessary Skills to Compete in a Global Economy: Business Leaders and Educational
Policymakers
Business leaders/
Survey item and response categories policymakers
SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop 21st-century skills.
Strongly Agree/Agree 5
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
Participants in SciFest demonstrate the skills needed to obtain careers in
STEM fields.
Strongly Agree/Agree 5
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
SciFest provides opportunities to develop the skills needed in a global
economy.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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The interview data collected from students and teachers and administrators supported the
survey data gathered around the theme that SciFest provides opportunities for students to develop
the 21st-century skills that are necessary to compete in a global economy. DBC Student 4 com-
mented that “it gives you a real taste of the actual science and what it feels like being in a lab and
presenting to the world and showing them what you can do” (interview, April 18, 2018). Student
2 added that “SciFest definitely helps your social skills because you’re presenting in front of
judges” (interview, April 18, 2018).
When asked about the benefits of SciFest and 21st-century skills development, DBC
Teacher 1 responded:
What it [SciFest] should be doing is providing you with an initiative and an ability to
actually function on your own, so that when you go into a workplace, if you’re asked to
carry out a task, then you could use initiative and ability to carry that task. So even if it’s
something that you’re not fully in tune with, you can still progress in it, because you’ve
learned the skills of understanding what you’ve been asked, and thinking about how you
might go through it, and thinking of where that’s going to go, and how would you get
there, and then coming up with some way of doing that. (interview, April 18, 2018)
The teachers acknowledged that communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking
(Wagner, 2008) are an integral part of the process used in creating a project such as those in the
SciFest competitions.
The educational policymakers and business leaders interviewed also concurred that
SciFest has an influence on 21st-century skills development that provides students with the
necessary skills for a global economy. Business Leader 2 from Intel noted that “students who
participate in SciFest or Young BT Scientist have to convey their work to the general public and
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explain their scientific project well and be able to work in teams. This provides them an early
university experience” (interview, April 16, 2018).
The observations conducted provided additional support to the data collected about
SciFest and how it provides students with the opportunities to develop the 21st-century skills
necessary for a global economy. At DBC, participation in SciFest was mandatory for all first-
year Junior Cycle students. All these students collaborated together to complete a problem-based
project for their competition. The recent educational reform around the Junior Cycle certificate
and the introduction to CBAs has also assisted students in the scientific process and their success
in SciFest competitions. The exploration of a problem and the structure of collaborating as a
group are steps that encourage students to participate in both project-based instructional strate-
gies and 21st-century skills development (personal observations, April 18, 2018). The research
suggested that the relationship between STEM and PBL as an instructional platform is critical in
preparing the 21st-century student with appropriate survival skills (Wagner, 2008). The process
of combining STEM and PBL establishes an increased level of authentic learning with practical
application for students as they enter the global KBE (Thurow, 2000).
Theme 2: Science Fairs Benefit Students and Expose Them to MNCs as They Develop 21st-
Century Skills
Science fairs have been considered as a strategy to nurture students’ interest in the
sciences (Bellipanni & Lilly, 1999). According to Bellipanni and Lilly (1999), a foundation for
science fairs is that they offer students hands-on research and learning as they demonstrate their
ability to identify a problem, formulate a hypothesis, establish a procedure, gather evidence, and
draw conclusions. Abernathy and Vineyard (2001) noted that many educators encourage
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participation in science fairs as a way for students to further develop science content knowledge,
process skills, and interest.
Lane and Ruane (2006) noted that Ireland’s economy is heavily dependent on FDI and its
relationship with MNCs. Investment by MNCs has brought substantial benefits to the Irish
economy, including increased employment, economic prosperity, and modernization of the Irish
industrial base (Gunnigle, 2001). As swift economic growth has stimulated the demand for labor
in the Irish economy, predominantly in relation to technical and highly skilled workers, quality
labor availability is critical to ensuring that Ireland’s economic viability moving forward.
Guaranteeing that skilled labor is obtainable entails an educational system that prepares and
develops workers to meet the demands of a rapidly growing economy. In relation to these
factors, O’Hagan and Newman (2014) explained that both market and education of the future
workforce must be equipped to compete.
The data obtained from students indicated support of the benefits of science competitions
and how these competitions expose them to MNCs as they develop their 21st-century skills. Of
the DBC students surveyed, 89% strongly agreed or agreed that students benefit from participa-
tion in SciFest, compared to a lower level of confidence from all students in the study, of whom
68% strongly agreed or agreed (see Table 24). Similar results were obtained from DBC students,
surveyed, of whom where 74% strongly agree or agree that SciFest participation enhances STEM
educational development in students as compared to 55% of all students in the study who
strongly agreed or agreed (see Table 24). These results suggest that schools that are all male,
such as DBC, tend to have higher levels of agreement with respect to SciFest and career fields in
STEM compared to the mixed group of all students in the study. This finding could be a result of
the continued stigma of STEM fields being viewed as male dominant. Although the data also
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Table 24
Participants’ Responses Indicating That Science Fairs Benefit Students and Expose Them to
Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as They Develop 21st-Century Skills: Dublin Boys College
(DBC) Students and All Students
Survey item and response categories DBC students All students
SciFest participation enhances STEM educational development
in students.
Strongly Agree/Agree 20 566
Neutral 3 214
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 3 62
I Don’t Know 0 187
Students benefit from participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 24 700
Neutral 0 160
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 59
I Don’t Know 0 110
MNCs are an important partner in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 9 327
Neutral 2 221
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 4 54
I Don’t Know 11 420
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
suggested that female students’ interest in STEM education and career choices were increasing,
the data also suggested that deep-rooted stigmas around females and STEM continue to exist. It
is interesting to note that only 32% of all students in the study strongly agreed or agreed that
MNCs are an important partner in SciFest. The data suggested that students might not have
comprehended how MNCs partner with SciFest or did not understand which businesses were
considered MNCs.
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Survey data collected from teachers and administrators demonstrated higher levels of
agreement compared to the students surveyed. Of all the teachers and administrators in the study
who were surveyed, 100% strongly agreed or agreed that SciFest participation enhanced STEM
educational development in students, and 100% strongly agreed or agreed that students benefitted
from participation in SciFest (see Table 25). In a slightly higher percentage than the all students
in the study, 56% of all teachers and administrators strongly agreed or agreed that MNCs have
been an important partner in SciFest (Table 25). Again, teachers and administrators might not
have seen or understood how MNCs partner with SciFest.
The business leaders and educational policymakers surveyed indicated support of the
benefits of science competitions and how they exposed students to MNCs as they developed
21st-century skills. One hundred percent of all business leaders and educational policymakers
strongly agreed or agreed on the benefits of SciFest competitions and the fact that SciFest has
enhanced STEM educational development in students (see Table 26). Unlike all the students,
teachers, and administrators, 80% of all business leaders and educational policymakers strongly
agreed or agreed that MNCs are an important partner in SciFest (Table 26).
Interview data from students indicated that they benefitted from participation in science
fair competitions such as SciFest. When asked about participation in SciFest, DBC Student 3
responded:
If you put loads of effort in your SciFest project and go on to bigger competitions like
Young Ireland’s BT, it gives you confidence and shows that you are capable of becoming
a good scientist. You have conquered the first stage and then go on to the next stage.
(interview, April 18, 2018)
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Table 25
Participants’ Responses Indicating That Science Fairs Benefit Students and Expose Them to
Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as They Develop 21st-Century Skills: Dublin Boys College
(DBC) Teachers and Administrators and All Teachers and Administrators
DBC teachers/ All teachers/
Survey item and response categories administrators administrators
SciFest participation enhances STEM educational
development in students.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 63
Neutral 0 2
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0 1
I Don’t Know 0 2
Students benefit from participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 7 67
Neutral 0 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 0
I Don’t Know 0 0
MNCs are an important partner in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 3 38
Neutral 1 11
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 2 5
I Don’t Know 1 14
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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Table 26
Participants’ Responses Indicating That Science Fairs Benefit Students and Expose Them to
Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as They Develop 21st-Century Skills: Business Leaders and
Educational Policymakers
Business leaders/
Survey item and response categories policymakers
SciFest participation enhances STEM educational development in
students.
Strongly Agree/Agree 5
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
Students benefit from participation in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 5
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 0
MNCs are an important partner in SciFest.
Strongly Agree/Agree 4
Neutral 0
Strongly Disagree/Disagree 0
I Don’t Know 1
Note. STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Students were positive and enthusiastic when they shared their experiences in science education
and participation in SciFest. Student 3 said that SciFest “made it seem more interesting because
you’ve done it all from scratch” (interview, April 18, 2018). Similar sentiments were disclosed
by the teachers and administrators who were interviewed for this study. DBC Teacher 1 shared
that “it’s coming from them. It’s student based, and we’re just advising. It’s stimulating their
interest and their reason for doing it, and that’s what’s important” (interview, April 18, 2018).
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 136
Business leaders and educational policymakers interviewed for this study also supported
the benefit of SciFest participation. Educational Leader 4 noted that “it encourages the problem
solving and the analysis and synthesis” (interview April 16, 2018).
Observations related to the benefits of participation in SciFest were visible at the SciFest
competition in Cork and resulted in obvious benefits for the students (personal observations,
April 20, 2018). Students participating in the SciFest competition possessed a strong knowledge
of their topic or theme for their projects,;they understood the process of the scientific method;
and they were able to clearly articulate their learning and process. The exposure to the benefits
of 21st-century skills suggested by Wagner (2008) and the advantages of PBL suggested by
Slough and Milam (2013) was apparent when the researchers were observing the students share
their projects with the judges and guests at the science fair (personal observations, April 20,
2018).
Chapter Summary
Through triangulation of the data gathered (Creswell, 2014) from all stakeholder surveys,
interview question responses, and onsite observations, several themes developed in answer to
each of the four research questions guiding this study. A review of the literature was utilized to
offer background and support of each theme. The following frameworks were utilized in
analyzing the data:
1. The framework of Friedman (2007) and Spring (2015), to understand globalization
and its impact on education;
2. The framework of Slough and Milam (2013), to understand the connection between
STEM and PBL;
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3. The framework of Wagner (2008), to understand the demand for 21st-century skills
and STEM;
4. The research conducted by Acker (1987), to understand how feminist theory has
contributed to discrepancies among females in the STEM field and to demonstrate how participa-
tion in SciFest has impacted female students’ interest in STEM majors and careers; and
5. Bolman and Deal (2013) to understand how leadership influence demonstrates the
impact leaders have on student participation in SciFest.
Through connecting the various data formats collected and the literature review, eight themes
emerged that were discussed:
In response to Research Question 1, a total of two themes surfaced. The first theme was
that school leaders and teachers encouraged participation in SciFest to support students’ achieve-
ment on the Leaving Certificate. According to Ananiadou and Claro (2009), today’s labor force
must be equipped with a set of skills and competencies that are suited to the knowledge econo-
mies. Ireland has been on the journey to better its educational system and has experienced
milestones that have led to ensuring a well-educated and skilled labor force. Educational policy-
makers and education leaders have demonstrated specific actions to guarantee curricula that are
embedded with STEM content and coursework opportunities that will prepare students to be
successful on the Leaving Certificate Exams. The second theme was that school leadership and
teachers employed various strategies and resources to support students’ participation in SciFest
and success on the Leaving Certificate. The collective efforts of teacher leaders, department
heads, and administrators led to actions that have supported student participation in SciFest (see
Table 8). Students felt that the strategies employed the most consisted of student incentives,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 138
instructional materials, schoolwide student recognition, real-world application, and use of
technology to promote science learning (see Table 8).
Research Question 2 produced two themes. The first theme indicated that school leaders
had a positive influence on SciFest participation. Survey data collected from students, teachers,
and administrators demonstrated high levels of agreement that school leaders were influential
with respect to SciFest participation (see Tables 10 and 11). Students who were interviewed saw
their teachers as being the most positive influence in participation in SciFest (DBC Students
1–10, interviews, April 18, 2018). These data suggested that students had the most interaction
with their teacher leaders and might not always have observed all the actions and activities of
their school leadership pertains to participation in SciFest.
The second theme indicated that school leaders provided adequate resources that sup-
ported participation in SciFest. Survey data collected from students, teachers, and administrators
demonstrated high levels of agreement that school leaders provided the necessary resources to
support SciFest participation (see Tables 12 and 13). Data collected from students and teachers
who were interviewed indicated that school leadership has provided financial support and
resources to support SciFest participation (interviews, April 18, 2018).
Two themes emerged from Research Question 3. The first theme indicated that SciFest
participation was encouraged for all female students and that evident strategies were employed to
increase their participation. It is important to note that DBC is an all-boys institution. Their
perspectives were somewhat limited if they did not have a close female relative to whom they
could relate when making the connections to female students’ participation in SciFest and STEM
coursework. The results of surveys from all stakeholders did not yield high levels of agreement
in relation to females and the strategies utilized to increase their participation in SciFest (see
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 139
Tables 15–17). The data suggested that stakeholders might not have had the necessary knowl-
edge on how these activities were implemented at all the schools because there was a mixture of
single-sex and co-ed schools. The second theme indicated that females had access to role
models, coursework, and other experiences that increased their interest in enrolling in STEM
coursework. This theme yielded an even lower level of confidence among the stakeholders who
were surveyed (see Tables 18–20). The data indicated that there may still be a negative stigma
around female students’ participation in STEM and science fairs; however, the information
obtained from interviews shed a more positive light around females and their role in SciFest and
STEM coursework.
Research Question 4 produced two themes. The first theme suggested that SciFest
provides opportunities for students to develop the necessary skills to compete in a global econ-
omy. Data results from DBC showed higher levels of agreement as compared to all the results
from all the schools in the study. It is interesting to note that it is a possibility that an all-male
school views science competitions, such as SciFest, and STEM coursework as integral (see
Tables 21-23). This can be a result of the types of resources establish at an all boy private school
versus an all-female or co-ed school. The second theme indicated that science fairs benefit
students and expose them to MNCs as they develop 21st century skills. Data collected from all
stakeholders yielded high levels of agreement that science fairs benefit students in learning and
practicing the scientific process as part of their PBL. Results also concurred that participation in
SciFest supported the development of 21st century skills throughout the students’ experience of
their science projects. There was a discrepancy between the students, teachers, and administra-
tors’ groups and MNCs in relation to the partnership role MNCs play in SciFest. This can be a
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 140
result of limited understanding on the school side of how MNCs are involved as partners with
SciFest.
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Chapter Five: Summary, Implications, Recommendations and Conclusions
A country’s economy is reliant on its educational system and its ability to provide its
people who work in the service sectors with opportunities to be successful and competitive in the
workforce (Fernandes, 2009). In order to meet the present and future needs of its KBE, a collab-
orative effort among political leaders, educational leaders, and business leaders must take place
to guarantee the job market’s sustainability (Fernandes, 2009). Ireland’s economic outlook and
educational system have been set up to flourish in a globalized economy with numerous MNCs
occupying their country. Success in Ireland has been achieved through educational reform by
understanding that STEM education is critical to the development of 21st-century skills. Ireland
has been dedicated to providing students with the highest quality STEM education possible and
has demonstrated this commitment through organizations such as SciFest (SciFest, 2018). The
science fairs have become a greater and greater part of the educational system and experience for
students in Ireland, as these 21st-century skills are put into everyday practice and curriculum (see
Tables 21–23).
This study was designed to gather data from various stakeholders in the Irish educational
setting, including students, teachers, administrators, business leaders, and educational
policymakers. The collection of data permitted the researcher to form meaning based on the
perspectives of the participants in the study associated with Ireland’s educational system. Data
were gathered using surveys; interviews; observations at schools and at a SciFest competition,
and businesses in Ireland. The study was intended to explore the effectiveness of Ireland’s
current and developing educational policies and to establish their influence on the classrooms and
student experiences.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 142
A review of the structure of this dissertation is presented to provide an understanding of
the various sources of information that generated this study. Chapter One provided a general
overview, including a statement of the problem and purpose, discussion of limitations, and
definitions of terms used in the study. The purpose of this study was to understand the influence
of globalization and educational policy on the development of 21st-century skills through imple-
mentation of STEM education, inquiry-based instructional practices such as PBL, and students’
participation in science competitions. The study examined how participation in SciFest has
prepared students for the Leaving Certificate exam and has influenced school leadership prac-
tices, female students’ interest in STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of
SciFest. This chapter also presented the four research questions that drove this study:
1. How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students for the Leaving Certifi-
cate Exam?
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/uni-
versity professors, and MNCs have regarding the value of student participation in SciFest?
Chapter Two presented a comprehensive review of the literature that was the foundation
for the study. The cornerstone of the literature review was the six sources that provided the
theoretical framework for the study. These frameworks were used to analyze and comprehend
the impact of globalization on Ireland’s academic curricula and instruction integrating 21st-
century skills as well as the relationship between PBL and STEM. The first frameworks were by
Friedman (2007) and Spring (2015), who explored globalization and its impact on education.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 143
Slough and Milam (2013) investigated the connection between STEM and PBL. Wagner (2008)
examined the demand for 21st-century skills and STEM. The research conducted by Acker
(1987) around feminist theory revealed discrepancies among females in the STEM field. Bolman
and Deal (2013) examined the influence of leadership and this work will demonstrate the impact
leaders have on student participation in SciFest.
In addition to the review of literature and insight regarding the six theoretical frame-
works, Chapter Two provided a historic background on the development of Ireland’s educational
system from the church era to modern times, as well as an overview of Ireland’s economic
history and journey to be part of the globalized market. This chapter concluded with the review
of literature in the areas of STEM, PBL, 21st-century skills, gender, science and technology fairs,
and leadership.
Chapter Three explained the process for conducting the research study. This chapter
presented the study’s methodology, including critical elements, such as participants, setting,
instrumentation, research design, data collection and analysis procedures, and ethical consider-
ations in relation to the implemented procedures. The researcher was the primary instrument in
data gathering and utilized Irish schools, SciFest competition fair, and representatives from
various offices and businesses throughout Ireland as the setting for data collection. Surveys,
interviews, and observations were utilized to collect and triangulate the most authentic and
appropriate data.
Chapter Four detailed the findings of the data collection. This chapter included a brief
overview of the target school, a description of the study design, and a review of the study
participants. In this chapter, each of the four research questions was revisited, and the data
gathered in the study were discussed in terms of the identified themes related to each of the
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 144
research questions. Students, teachers, administrators, business leaders, and educational
policymakers provided data to establish the eight themes outlined in this chapter. The triangula-
tion of the data was accomplished by examining the surveys, interviews, and observations for
each of these participating groups (Creswell 2014).
Chapter Five is the summary of the first four chapters and offers implications for current
practice and recommendations for future research. The chapter begins with a review of the
structure of the previous chapters in the dissertation. continues with a summary of the findings,
moves on to an exploration of the practical implications related to the study, and finally examines
some ways to extend the study in the future.
Summary of Findings
The analysis of the data gathered through surveys, interviews, and observations produced
eight themes related to the four research questions. A summary of the themes connected with
each research question is organized as findings for each research question.
Findings for Research Question 1
Research Question 1 asked, “How do schools engage in SciFest while preparing students
for the Leaving Certificate Exam? This research question was intended to yield information on
how schools manage their curriculum, instructional strategies, schedules, and resources between
the participation of SciFest in addition to preparing students for the Leaving Certificate Exam.
Because the Leaving Certificate Exam has political implications and is strongly advocated for in
the Irish educational system, this research question explored the phenomenon. The findings for
Research Question 1 yielded two themes related to how schools engaged in SciFest while
preparing students for the Leaving Certificate Exams. It is critical to note that none of the data
gathered provided direct insight into how schools engaged in SciFest while directly preparing
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 145
students for the Leaving Certificate Examinations due to the allotment of time that students spent
on participating in SciFest in their Junior Cycle. However, two themes did develop that can
assist in the understanding of how SciFest participation has contributed to the preparation for the
Leaving Certificate Exams.
The first theme generated for Research Question 1 showed support regarding how much
school leaders and teachers encouraged participation in SciFest. All stakeholders surveyed
indicated high levels of agreement that schools demonstrated encouragement for SciFest partici-
pation. Many of the students and teachers interviewed concurred that teachers played a more
active role in the day-to-day encouragement of participation in SciFest because they work with
students on a frequent basis. The data also supported that school leadership was viewed as an
integral part of encouraging students to participate in SciFest but was also viewed to be involved
more at the competition level or as encouraging through student incentives at the culminating
event that is SciFest. This idea is supported by J. C. Maxwell (2007), who noted that the true
measure of leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less. Several factors such as charac-
ter, relationships, knowledge, intuition, experience, past success, and ability contribute to the
rationale as to why some leaders influence others.
The second theme produced by the data for Research Question 1 was that school leader-
ship and teachers employed various strategies and resources to support students’ participation in
SciFest and their success on the Leaving Certificate. Again, it is important to note that none of
the data gathered provided direct insight into how schools engaged in SciFest while directly
preparing for the Leaving Certificate Examinations due to the allotment of time that students
spent on participating in SciFest in their Junior Cycle. The stakeholder survey data for this theme
had high percentages of support in that approximately 75% of stakeholders within each group
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 146
strongly agreed or agreed that school leadership and teachers employed various strategies and
resources to support student participation in SciFest. Similar to the work by Ananiadou and
Claro (2009), stakeholders acknowledged that today’s labor force must be equipped with the set
of skills and competencies that are suited to the knowledge economies and that participation in
SciFest provides those skills. Stakeholders also acknowledged that students who participate in
PBL activities requiring 21st-century skills will enhance their ability to successfully engage in
and sustain the knowledge-based employment opportunities that today’s global economy
demands (Walsh & Loxley, 2015). Additionally, students in the study indicated that the strate-
gies most employed by their school leadership were student incentives, instructional materials,
schoolwide student recognition, real-world application, and use of technology to promote science
learning.
Findings for Research Question 2
Research Question 2 asked, “How does school leadership influence participation in
SciFest?” This research question was intended to produce information on how school leaders set
the stage for students’ success in participation in SciFest. Because participation in SciFest is an
additional opportunity for students, school leaders must create successful conditions in order for
participation to take place.
The first theme related to Research Question 2 was that school leaders had a positive
influence on SciFest participation. The findings around this theme connected to J. C. Maxwell
(2007), who described the law of influence as “if you can’t influence people, then they will not
follow you. And if people won’t follow, you are not a leader” (p. 20). Students in the study
indicated high levels of agreement that their school leadership demonstrated a positive influence
on SciFest participation and that developed a shared vision for implementing SciFest. However,
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 147
there was less agreement from the students in the study on the on the point that school leadership
effectively communicated a shared vision to all stakeholders. Again, students in the study
seemed to agree that school leadership had a positive influence on SciFest participation but may
not have seen the big picture regarding how school leadership’s actions connected to the influ-
ence they had on SciFest participation.
The second theme that emerged was that school leaders provided adequate resources that
supported participation in SciFest. The majority of stakeholders agreed that their school leader-
ship provided adequate support via time, materials, and training for participation in SciFest.
There were lower levels of agreement among all stakeholders surveyed that their school leader-
ship provided adequate financial resources to implement SciFest. The interview data collected
from all stakeholders suggested that school leadership was very supportive and demonstrated this
action by providing the resources that the SciFest teams needed to prepare for the science fair
competition. These actions were supported by the SFI (2017), as described in the 2016 annual
report, which depicts continued support of STEM education through the considerable funding of
programs. In relation to school leadership support, it was noted earlier in a teacher’s interview
response that
we bought those blue display boards. I don’t know if they’re blue, but you see them at
conferences all around the world. And they kick together. And they turn a hall into an
exhibition space. We bought 30 of them. And it adds up. Each one is not expensive, but
I think it cost close to €2,000. And they did that. And I was pushing for that. Because I
wanted it to look good. I wanted the kids to walk into the room and think, “Okay, this is
an event.” I didn’t want them to put it on a table, have them make a poster but you can’t
even put it up. I feel that’s so mean to a student. So they backed me in that. They let us
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 148
spend that money. They let us break the school schedule for today. They allow all the
science teachers to cancel and step out of their classes and supervise all those classes for
us. So, it’s small things, but they are the things that really matter that allow us to run. It’s
not particularly encouraging participation from the students. We do that. But it’s encour-
aging to us to run it. (DBC Teacher 3, interview, April 18, 2018)
Findings for Research Question 3
A significant issue in relation to STEM education in Ireland, reported by the STEM
Education Review Group (2016) was in the area of gender equity. Research Question 3 asked,
“How does participation in SciFest influence female students’ interest in enrolling into senior-
level and third-level STEM courses?” This research question was intended to yield information
around female students’ participation in SciFest and the STEM field and around third-level and
senior-level courses. Two themes emerged from this research question.
The initial theme for Research Question 3 was that SciFest participation has encouraged
all females and that evident strategies were employed to increase their participation. The survey
data collected from the target school, DBC, did not demonstrate sufficient information around
female students’ participation in SciFest due to the fact that DBC is an all-boys school. The
majority of the responses were I Don’t Know (see Table 15). However, their perception data
were still captured, analyzed, and taken into account in the findings of this study. Survey data for
students in the study indicated that approximately 64% agreed their school actively encouraged
and recruited female students’ participation in SciFest. Nevertheless, in the area around parents’
encouragement for female participation in SciFest, the results correlated with Sherlock’s (2016)
claims that parents of females failed to counsel their daughters about STEM career options due to
a lack of information about this field of study. In the present study, only 47% of students agreed
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 149
that parents encouraged female students’ participation in SciFest. In the area of females having
positive role models that influenced their participation in SciFest, there were higher levels of
agreement among stakeholders. This claim was supported in a visit to the Intel Corporation,
where a female engineer was interviewed by the research team. She showed the researchers a
hallway on the first floor of the Intel building that is dedicated to female engineers. The hallways
had 20 x 30 inch portraits of females engineers from their company (personal communication and
observation, April 16, 2018).
The second theme related to Research Question 3 was that female students had access to
role models, coursework, and other experiences that increased their interest in enrolling in STEM
coursework. While overall enrollment in higher education has greatly increased for women in
Ireland, females remain underrepresented in the technological sector, with less than 20% being
female (Patrick, 1996). Sherlock (2016) reported that fewer than 20% of the estimated 120,000
people working in STEM-related jobs were women. Much of this underrepresentation of girls in
the STEM field can be connected to deficiencies produced by the number of females who choose
fields of academic study that fundamentally provide the potential pathway to careers within the
nation’s technological sector (Clancy, 1996). Again, the survey data collected from DBC
students did not demonstrate sufficient information around female students’ access to STEM
coursework due to the fact that DBC is an all-boys school. The majority of the responses were I
Don’t Know (see Table 18), but students’ perception data were still captured, analyzed, and taken
into account in the findings of this study. This theme yielded a difference in the data gathered
from the students in the study and the teachers and administrators in the study. Students demon-
strated lower levels of agreement around SciFest and female students’ interest in enrolling in
senior- and third-level STEM courses, whereas teachers and administrators had higher levels of
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 150
agreement. This difference suggested that students did not understand or see the connection
between SciFest participation and female students’ interest in enrolling in senior- and third-level
STEM courses.
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 intended to produce information on how
various groups viewed the value of students’ participation in SciFest. Data gathered by this
researcher and the research team suggested that SciFest participation has heightened the develop-
ment of STEM educational opportunities for students and the necessary skillset needed to acquire
a STEM career.
The first theme that surfaced was that SciFest provides opportunities for students to
develop the necessary skills to compete in a global economy. Thurow (2000) remarked that the
globalization movement changed the position of nations from those who control their own
economy to those who must foster and build their individual platform to which MNCs are
attracted to conduct business. This platform expansion is directly linked to the process of edu-
cating a nation’s workforce and modifying curriculum to amplify competitiveness (O’Hagan &
Newman, 2014). One factor that was part of the Irish educational reforms was encouraging
STEM education. As a result, many Irish schools now embed science and technology competi-
tions. Abernathy and Vineyard (2001) noted that many educators encouraged participation in
science fairs as a way for students to further develop science content knowledge, process skills,
and increase their interest. Bellipanni and Lilly (1999) stated that “if students follow the scien-
tific method as they carry out experiments for their science fair projects, it will help them under-
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 151
stand scientific concepts” (p. 46). The study yielded high levels of agreement from all stake-
holders around this theme. Approximately 80% of all students and 99% of all teachers and
administrators agreed that SciFest has provided opportunities for students to develop 21st-
century skills. Students who were interviewed also concurred that SciFest participation has
helped students with the soft skills needed in life. One student stated that “SciFest definitely
helps your social skills” (DBC Student 4, interview, April 18, 2018).
The second theme related to Research Question 4 was that science fairs benefit students
and expose them to MNCs as they develop 21st-century skills. Advancements in society and
economy necessitate that educational systems prepare young people with new skills and compe-
tencies that allow them to benefit from the emerging new forms of socialization and to contribute
actively to economic development under a system where the main asset is knowledge (Ananiadou
& Claro, 2009). DBC requires all 1st-year students to participate in SciFest at school competi-
tion. The students work in teams to develop a project and then display and share their results at
the science fair competition. This practice is in line with the work presented by Wagner (2008)
related to innovation and the fact that students should be able to collaborate with others on a
topic, think critically about a problem, and communicate their thinking. Through both the survey
data and interview data collected, it was determined that students and educators felt that partici-
pation in SciFest contributed to the implementation of 21st-century skills development. Stake-
holders indicated that students used skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and
creativity (Wagner, 2010).
Practical Implications
The research study examined the history of globalization and how Ireland’s economy and
educational system were impacted throughout the years. Ireland’s economy changed from simple
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 152
exports to one of innovative technology headed by some of the largest companies in the industry.
The country’s educational system has a history that stems from a dominant Catholic background
to a more independent system with continued ties to the church. Current demands to remain
competitive in a globalized industry have led to several implications for change on which Ireland
may want to reflect as it looks into maintaining its high ranking in the globalized economy.
One practical implication for change is taking a closer look at how participation in
SciFest can help students prepare for the Leaving Certificate Exam. The data gathered supported
that schools engage in SciFest participation but stakeholders could not make the connection on
how this science competition prepared students for the state exams. There was evidence that
students who participate in SciFest are acquiring critical skills that will lead them to success in
the Leaving Certificate; however, there was a disconnect with the preparation for the Leaving
Certificate and preparation for SciFest competitions. Classroom observations were not consis-
tent at all schools. Some classroom observations demonstrated that test preparation for the
Leaving Certificate Exam and SciFest projects were not embedded as a support or practice for
these exams. There were discussions with the educational leaders from the Junior Cycle’s
Teacher Department around the new Irish reform that includes a new embedded assessment
called the CBA. This new assessment will have a positive impact on the preparation for SciFest
as well as for the Leaving Certificate. Educational policymakers and leaders should consider
correlating the activities around the CBA and science competitions, such as SciFest, as part of the
Junior Cycle curriculum.
A second implication for change relates to the important role that school leaders play in
promoting STEM education and project-based instructional programs, such as SciFest, as a way
to provide students with opportunities to develop the necessary 21st-century skills. The data
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supported that school leaders and teacher leaders are encouraging and promoting STEM-related
activities to assist students in acquiring the necessary soft skills. The skills recognized as part of
21st-century learning—communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity—are
important for students who are participating in a curriculum that requires them to construct their
learning (Wagner, 20108. Educational policymakers should consider expanding the role of the
school leaders and provide them with a network to allow them to collaborate with one another on
strategies, resources, and trainings for their teachers. Interviews with various groups revealed
that schools work independently on STEM projects and PBL programs such as SciFest. A
school’s success is dependent on the teacher leaders on the campus and whether or not they value
participation in SciFest for their students. As was evident in the survey data, teachers were not
provided with an adequate amount of financial support because schools sites were on their own
to allocate these funds out of their own budgets.
A third implication for change relates to the underrepresentation of females in STEM-
related fields. Although there has been a concerted effort to support female students in pursuing
STEM college courses and future careers, the data showed discrepancies between male and
female students. It was troubling to hear from the researchers who studied all-girls schools that
some of their schools did not have the same STEM course access as the all-boys schools.
Educational policymakers must ensure equity across all school settings, regardless of their
gender, so that students have access to a broad course of study in all content areas and that ade-
quate funding is provided to those programs.
The final implication for change is to develop stronger relationships between MNCs and
Irish schools. Although there was evidence that existing partnerships did exist between MNCs
and Irish schools, there is a need for growth in this area. The Intel Corporation expects
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employees to volunteer their time to schools and to support them with STEM-related activities
(Business Leader 2, interview, April 16, 2018). They support schools by being on the judging
panel for science competitions, serving as guest speakers, and the like (interview, April 16,
2018). Partnering with MNCs can provide schools with financial incentives to promote STEM
careers and generate excitement for students to participate in and make connections with real-
world activities if the MNCs are willing to budget funds for schools.
Recommendations for Future Research
One recommendation for future research related to this study is to explore the connection
between students who participate in SciFest and whether or not they pursue STEM-related
careers, as compared to students who do not participate in SciFest. Although there was evidence
that students had a positive outlook about SciFest and science competitions in general, there was
no evidence of what happened to students after they participated in SciFest. Perhaps a longitudi-
nal study could be conducted to examine this concept and see the long-term effect or lack of
science and technology competitions in relation to STEM-related fields.
Another recommendation for further study is to research the core content areas and
electives that are offered at all schools, specifically a comparison between schools that females
attend and do not attend. It would behoove the Irish educational system to examine the STEM
offerings that females have at their schools. Do all-female schools have access to the same
electives offered at the all-male schools or co-ed schools? What happens if a female student
wants to take physics but their school does not offer it? Is there policy around equitable access to
all content areas; and if not, what is the procedure? Further examining this area would shed light
on the discrepancies between female students’ participation in STEM activities and all students’
participation.
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Conclusions
Ireland has experienced a chaotic economic history from the era of the Celtic Tiger
through the Great Recession and now through a period of renewal as globalization and MNCs
dominates a majority of the economy. In reaction to this globalized economy, Ireland has expe-
rienced educational reform where an emphasis on 21st-century skill development and STEM
education is at the forefront of every classroom. Part of this reform includes an enhancement to
the Junior Cycle assessment, where a CBA is now part of the cycle. All of these reforms are in
response to the issue of increasing the rigor of instruction and assessment to produce higher
levels of knowledge-based skilled students ready to compete in the globalized world.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 156
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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)
and 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 state examinations?
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 participa-
tion 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 168
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 state examinations. 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 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 state examinations
1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the state examinations while participating in
SciFest at the same time?
2. What strategies should schools employ to prepare students for SciFest while preparing
students for the state examinations?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence preparation for the state examinations?
4. Some principals say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for
the state examinations. How would you respond to that?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 169
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 influ-
enced 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. 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 any?
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 170
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 state examinations. 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 state examinations
1. What is your opinion of the ideal way to prepare students for the state examinations while
participating in SciFest at the same time?
2. What strategies should schools employ to prepare students for SciFest while preparing
students for the state examinations?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence preparation for the state examinations?
4. Some principals say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for the
state examinations. How would you respond to that?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 171
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 that 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 any?
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 172
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 state examinations. 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 state examinations
1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the state examinations 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 state examinations?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence preparation for the state examinations?
4. Some principals say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for
the state examinations. How would you respond to that?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 173
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 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 any?
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 174
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 state examinations. 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. School’s engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the state examinations
1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the state examinations 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 state examinations?
3. Are you finding that participation in SciFest influences preparation for the state examina-
tions? Please describe this influence.
4. Some teachers might say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation
for the state examinations. How would you respond to that?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 175
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 par-
ticipate in SciFest?
3. What challenges do 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 that 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 any?
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 176
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 state examinations. 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. School’s engagement in SciFest while preparing students for the state examinations
1. What is the ideal way to prepare students for the state examinations 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 state examinations?
3. How does participation in SciFest influence students’ preparation for the state examinations,
if at all?
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 177
4. Some say that SciFest takes away from the core instruction and preparation for the state
examinations. 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 any?
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 178
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:
Additional Classroom Information:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 179
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 Adapt-
ability
Helping Students
Learn From Oth-
ers
Initiative and Entre-
preneurialism
Promoting Au-
tonomy and Life-
long Learning
Effective Oral and
Written Communica-
tion
Accessing and Ana-
lyzing Information
Curiosity and Imagi-
nation
Other Observations
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 180
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 state examinations?
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 181
Appendix H: SciFest Observation Protocol
Date: 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 182
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 Adapt-
ability
Helping Students
Learn From Oth-
ers
Initiative and Entre-
preneurialism
Promoting Au-
tonomy and Life-
long Learning
Effective Oral and
Written Communica-
tion
Accessing and Ana-
lyzing Information
Curiosity and Imagi-
nation
Other Observations
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 183
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 state examinations?
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 184
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 coun-
tries 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 state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
2. School leadership encourages participation in SciFest to
support student success on the state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on the state examinations. 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 185
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
Hold 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/spouses
School-wide student recognitions
School-wide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:
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
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 186
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:
6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest activities
with the state examinations. 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 competitions at
the school. SA A N D SD DK
9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest competi-
tions 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
11. School leadership provides support, including time, materi-
als, 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. 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
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 187
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 develop-
ment 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 188
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 coun-
tries 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
state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
2. School leadership encourages participation in SciFest to
support student success on the state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on the state examinations. 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 189
4a. Check all strategies that school leadership employs: Yes No
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/spouses
School-wide student recognitions
School-wide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:
5. Teachers in schools 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
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 190
Other:
6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest activities
with the state examinations. 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 competitions at the
school. SA A N D SD DK
9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest competi-
tions in schools. 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
11. School leadership provides support, including time, materi-
als, 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
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 191
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 SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 192
Appendix K: Survey Protocol for Parent of Second-Level 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 coun-
tries 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 state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
2. The school leadership at my child’s school encourages partici-
pation in SciFest to support student success on the state
examinations. SA A N D SD DK
3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on the state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
4. School leadership at my child’s school employs strategies to
positively influence school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
4a. Check all strategies that school leadership employs at your child’s school: Yes No
Student incentives
Teacher incentives
Instructional materials
Instructional coaches
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 193
Hold 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/spouses
School-wide student recognitions
School-wide 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
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 state examinations. 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
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 194
8. School leadership effectively communicates a shared vision
to all stakeholders for implementing SciFest competitions at
the school. SA A N D SD DK
9. School leadership is a positive influence on SciFest competi-
tions at my child’s school. SA A N D SD DK
10. School leadership allocates adequate financial resources to
effectively implement SciFest at my child’s school. SA A N D SD DK
11. School leadership provides support, including time, materi-
als, 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 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 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
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 develop-
ment in students. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 195
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 196
Appendix L: Survey Protocol for Student Participant in SciFest
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: 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 coun-
tries and their influence on education and policy in Ireland (e.g., Intel).
Background Information
Have you taken part in a SciFest@School science fair: Yes No
Have you taken part in a @College science fair: 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 state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
2. The school leadership at my school encourages participation
in SciFest to support student success on the state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
3. Teachers encourage participation in SciFest activities to
support student success on the state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
4. School leadership at my school employs strategies to positively
influence school participation in SciFest. SA A N D SD DK
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 197
4a. Check all strategies that school leadership employs at your school: Yes No
Student incentives
Teacher incentives
Instructional materials
Instructional coaches
Hold informational meetings
Promotes SciFest on social media
Family Science Nights
Alignment of curriculum to exit exam
Recruitment of partners/spouses
School-wide student recognitions
School-wide teacher recognitions
Real-world applications
Use of technology to promote science learning
Other:
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:
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 198
6. School leadership works with teachers to align SciFest activities
with the state examinations. SA A N D SD DK
7. School leadership develops a shared vision for implement-
ing SciFest at the school. SA A N D SD DK
8. School leadership effectively communicates a shared
vision to all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers,
etc.) for implementing 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
11. School leadership provides support, including time, materi-
als, 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
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 199
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 devel-
opment 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 200
Appendix M: Information/Fact 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; the data collected will 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 female students’ 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 and 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 ques-
tions 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 or not
you participate 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 students pursuing studies in
science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) while acquiring 21st-century skills necessary for all
citizens.
INFLUENCE OF GLOBALIZATION 201
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
There is no payment for your involvement in the study. However, the co-investigator at your site might
provide tchotchkes (swag) from the University of Southern California or create a lottery for your partici-
pation in the study.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Survey and observation data will be anonymous for all groups. Interview protocols for teachers, princi-
pals, 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 main-
tained 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 Protec-
tion 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 202
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
Due to the influence of globalization and the increasing presence of multinational corporations (MNCs) and their need of a knowledge-based workforce, Ireland has had to make revisions to its educational system. These revisions have become essential and have resulted in the need for an educational transformation. This would require Irish students to develop 21st-century skills and to increase their experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses through project-based learning (PBL) strategies, such as science and technology fairs. An obstacle that Ireland faces is that not all of its students are developing these skills due to the current curriculum standards that are preparing students for the Leaving Certificate that serves as the summative assessment that determines whether students are prepared for the universities or colleges. ❧ This study examined 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, as well as students’ participation in science competitions. The study explored how participation in SciFest has prepared students for the Leaving Certificate Exam and has influenced school leadership practices, female students’ interest in STEM courses, and stakeholders’ perceptions of SciFest’s value. ❧ The principal findings of this study indicated that 21st-century skills and STEM development were essential in Irish schools in order for students to have the experiences necessary to prepare them for the globalized economy. The findings further supported that participation in science fair competitions such as SciFest has benefitted students and has contributed to their interest in STEM-related courses and career choices.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Lizardi, Veronica
(author)
Core Title
Influence of globalization and educational policy on development of 21st-century skills and education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and the science and technology fairs in ...
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Education (Leadership)
Publication Date
04/28/2019
Defense Date
04/25/2019
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
educational policy,Globalization,OAI-PMH Harvest,project based learning,school leadership,science and technology fairs
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Escalante, Michael (
committee chair
), Castruita, Rudy (
committee member
), Doll, Michele (
committee member
), Garcia, John Jr. (
committee member
), Hinman, Charles (
committee member
)
Creator Email
vlizardi@usc.edu,vlizardi75@gmail.com
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-153315
Unique identifier
UC11660443
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etd-LizardiVer-7319.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-153315 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-LizardiVer-7319.pdf
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153315
Document Type
Dissertation
Format
application/pdf (imt)
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Lizardi, Veronica
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University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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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...
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Tags
educational policy
project based learning
school leadership
science and technology fairs