L-R: Elaine Dennehy – Project Coordinator Access Service MTU Cork, Cormac Fleming – Coláiste an Chraoibhín student, Kate Larkin – Coláiste an Chraoibhín student, Louise O’Callaghan – Project Coordinator Access Service MTU Cork, Rory O Connor – Coláiste an Chraoibhín Acting Deputy Principal. Image: Vitaliy Makhnanov, All About Us Video.

MTU Access Service has provided almost 2,000 students from 15 Linked Schools across Cork city and county access to Ireland’s most popular study website Studyclix.ie.

MTU Access Service delivers a range of pre-entry support programmes for students in Linked Schools. The Service works with 23 second level schools in the city and county. Through MTU’s Access Linked Schools Programme, students are offered opportunities to get involved in science, drama, academic support programmes, and information sessions for parents, students and academic staff in relation to progression to Higher Education.

Studyclix.ie is an online resource that simplifies the study process by breaking each subject down into topics. For each topic past exam questions, marking schemes, quizzes and videos are available. In a recent survey of Leaving Cert points attained, Studyclix users scored an average of 127 points more than the national average.

MTU Access Service first approached Studyclix.ie in 2020 during the pandemic to provide online academic supports to students from Linked Schools. Since then, students and staff have offered feedback that this online resource, Studyclix, has added value and operates in tandem to compliment teaching and learning within their schools, like Coláiste an Chraoibhín in Fermoy. 

Coláiste an Chraoibhín in Fermoy has a strong track record of helping students achieve their first-choice course in third-level education. According to a recent survey, some 96% of the school’s Leaving Certificate students progressed to third-level education while the remaining 4% took up apprenticeships

Laura Coleman, Access Officer from the Access Service at MTU Cork, said: 

“The MTU Access Service Linked Schools Programme works in partnership with school staff, local communities, MTU staff, and students from primary and second level schools to support greater participation by students from our Linked Schools.  We were delighted to be able to offer the support of Studyclix.ie to so many students across our Linked Schools. This platform can serve to enhance teaching and learning in the schools by offering the connection to this accessible and efficient resource to help students with their learning and how to study effectively” 

Rory O’Connor, Deputy Principal at Coláiste an Chraoibhín, said:

“We have found Studyclix to be a great addition to the teaching and learning resources available at our school. Teachers can create assessments for their classes and students can manage their own learning to revise previously covered topics. The feedback I have gotten from our 6th years has been overwhelmingly positive – so much so that we also added access for our Junior Certificate students.” 

Luke Saunders, former teacher and CEO of Studyclix, said:

“The partnership between MTU and Studyclix to sponsor schools in the Cork region dates back to an initiative we began to help students learn from home during the pandemic. I am happy to see that schools have continued to see the value in what we do, even as school life has returned to normal. In schools such as Coláiste an Chraoibhín Studyclix has become an integral part in the way students build upon the learning that happens in the classroom with resources such as past questions, quizzes, flashcards, and sample answers.” 

Notes:

Studyclix.ie is Ireland’s largest study website with 200,000 registered secondary school users and 29,000 registered secondary school teachers. Studyclix.ie sorts all the past junior and leaving certificate exams into topics and, for each question, gives students access to the marking schemes and sample answers to help them understand how they can improve their answering technique. See: https://studyclix.ie/

Some 15 schools across Cork will benefit from access to Studyclix.ie. Along with Coláiste an Chraoibhín these schools include: Skibbereen Community School, Presentation Secondary School Ballyphehane, Terence MacSwiney College, North Monastery Secondary School, Mayfield Community School, St. Vincent’s Secondary School, Davis College, Coláiste Éamann Rís, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire , St. Aidans Community College, Bishopstown Community School, Coláiste Fionnchua, McEgan College,  Cork Migrant Centre and Cork Life Centre.