http___www.universitytimes.ie_2017_06_le-hathchruthu-na-deighilte-idir-ealaiona-agus-eolaiochtai-ta-ait-ar-thus-cadhnaiochta-ag-fanacht-le-colaiste-na-trionoid__1.xml
1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 5.1 6.1 6.2 6.3
With some exceptions, Trinity’s degree structure is divided on clear lines. Much like the campus itself, with its hubs of the Arts Block and Hamilton Building, most students take a course that’s neatly labelled under “Arts” or “STEM”, with courses that bridge the divide often finding themselves lost in a confusing and bureaucratic maze. Trinity is not unique in this way, with these terms largely defining what a student learns in universities across the world. But talk is growing of a move from STEM – which represents the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – to STEAM, which, proponents argue, would see STEM subjects enhanced through the arts. But Trinity has now decided to dedicate years to rethinking its undergraduate curriculum, even committing to creating new course combinations and new modules as part of this, the Trinity Education Project. It remains possible that Trinity will be conservative, these new options simply providing new combinations of arts subjects. But Trinity, equally, could be bold, and recognise that these disciplines, such as mathematics and philosophy, were not once so separate, and could set itself apart both in Ireland and internationally. Those that argue that the purpose of higher education is to create employable graduates are questioning the value of arts programmes. This attitude has been creeping in through academics, with even the then-President of Queen’s University Belfast stating in 2016 that “society doesn’t need a 21-year-old who is a sixth century historian”. Greater integration of arts disciplines into STEM courses is a recognition of their value, and it’s equally difficult to argue that there’s a STEM student that wouldn’t benefit from learning to question the structures of our society or a new language. In some ways, Trinity is already pioneering in this area. Its Science Gallery, for example, has been bridging that divide since its creation in 2008, and has resulted in the creation of galleries around the world, from London to Melbourne, through Science Gallery International. If the university takes a similarly innovative approach – looking to change what it offers to student without sacrificing the quality and uniqueness of its degrees, as it has promised to do through the Trinity Education Project – we could see an equally influential effect.
1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 5.1 6.1 6.2 6.3
Le cúpla eisceachtaí, tá struchtúr céime Choláiste na Tríonóide roinnte de réir línte soiléire. Cosúil leis an gcampas féin, leis na moil i mBloc na nEalaíon agus an Foirgneamh Hamilton, tá cúrsa ag an gcuid is mó de mhic léinn a churtha go slachtmhar faoina lipéid “Ealaíona” nó “STEM”, agus cúrsaí atá gnéithe acu ar an dá thaobh den deighilt sin fágtha i gcathair ghríobháin mearbhallach maotlathach. Ní heisceacht í Coláiste na Tríonóide sa chomhthéacs sin, agus is iad na téarmaí seo a shainmhíníonn a bhfuil á foghlaim ag mic léinn in ollscoileanna ar fud an domhain. Ach tá sé ráite níos minice ná riamh gur gá bogadh ó STEM – a bhaineann le heolaíocht, teicneolaíocht, innealtóireacht agus matamaitic – go STEAM, ina bhfuil ábhair STEM feabhsaithe, mar a áitítear, ag na healaíona. Ach tá sé cinnte ag Coláiste na Tríonóide anois blianta a thiomnú chun a churaclam fochéime a athchruthú, agus é á ghealladh ag an ollscoil go mbeidh comhcheangail nua ábhair agus modúil nua mar ghné de seo, agus iad ag cur i gcrích Tionscnamh Oideachais na Tríonóide. Tá féidearthacht fós ann go mbeidh Colaiste na Tríonóide caomhach, agus iad ag cur comhcheangail nua de ábhair ealaíona i bhfeidhm. Ach tá seans ann go mbeidh an ollscoile misniúil, agus go n-aithneoidh sé go bhfuil disciplíní mar fhealsúnacht agus matamaitic níos gaire dá chéile ná a cheapadh, rud a chuirfeadh í ar thús cadhnaíochta ní hamháin in Éirinn ach sa domhan iomlán, rud atá tabhachtach agus í ag iarraidh níos mó mic léinn idirnáisiúnta a mhealladh. Tá na daoine a cheapann go bhfuil sé mar bhunchuspóir ardoideachais céimithe infhostaithe a dhéanamh ag cur ceisteanna faoi luach na n-ealaíona. Tá na dearcthaí sin ag druidim leis an saol acadúil, agus é ráite ag iar-Uachtarán ag Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste sa bhliain 2016 “nach bhfuil duine de 21 bhliain d’aois atá ina staraí den 6ú aois ag teastáil ón tsochaí.” Is aithint a luacha atá in ábhair ealaíona a chomhtháthú i gcúrsaí STEM, agus is deacair a shéanadh go mbeadh buntáiste ag mac léinn STEM atá in ann struchtúir ár sochaí a cheistiú nó teanga eile a fhoghlaim. I ngnéithe éagsúla, tá Coláiste na Tríonóide cheana féin ar thús cadhnaíochta sa chomhthéacs sin. Tá a Áiléar Eolaíochta, mar shampla, ag cruthú droichid thar an deighilt sin ónar bhunaíodh é sa bhliain 2007 agus a bhí áiléir eile ar fud an domhain, ó Londain go Melbourne, mar thoradh aige trí Áiléar Eolaíochta Idirnáisiúnta. Má tá cur chuige nuálach den saghas céanna ag an ollscoil – ag iarraidh athrú gan uathúlacht agus cáilíocht a gcéimeanna a laghdú, mar atá geallta aici mar ghné de Thionscnamh Oideachais na Tríonóide – tá seans ann go mbeidh éifeacht suntasach den saghas sin feicthe againn.