AS and Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education Information and Communication Technology Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced version 1.1 This specification should be read in conjunction with: Specimen Assessment Materials and Mark Schemes Examiners’ Reports Teachers’ Guide AQA ADVANCED VCE 8254 AQA ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY VCE 8251 AQA ADVANCED VCE (DOUBLE AWARD) 8257 This specification will not be re-issued annually but will remain in force until further notice. Details of any amendments to the document will be notified to the centres both in print and on the Website (www.aqa.org.uk). The version on the Website will be updated and become the definitive version of the specification. In the Spring Term before the start of the course, details of any year-specific information, such as set texts, theme/topics, will be notified to centres in print and on the Website. Vertical black lines indicate a significant change or addition to the specification published for 2003. Further copies of this specification booklet are available from: Aldon House, 39 Heald Grove, Rusholme, Manchester M14 4NA Tel: 0161 953 1170 Fax: 0161 953 1177 or download from the AQA Website: www.aqa.org.uk © Assessment and Qualifications Alliance 2002 COPYRIGHT AQA retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specimen units and mark schemes/teachers’ guides. However, registered centres of AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Set and published by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance. Printed in Great Britain by Pindar plc, 481 Walton Summit Centre, Bamber Bridge, Preston, PR5 8AR. The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is an company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales 3644723 and a registered Charity 1073334 Registered address Addleshaw Booth & Co., Sovereign House, PO Box 8, Sovereign Street, Leeds LS1 1HQ. The AQA was formed by the merger of the Associated Examining Board (AEB)/Southern Examining Group (SEG) and the Northern Examinations and Assessment Board (NEAB). Kathleen Tattersall, Director General. Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards – ICT Contents Background Information 1 Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education 5 2 Specification at a Glance 7 3 Availability of Assessment Units and Entry Details 9 Scheme of Assessment 4 Introduction 11 5 Aims and Objectives 12 6 Scheme of Assessment 13 Subject Content 7 Unit 1 Presenting Information 14 8 Unit 2 ICT Serving Organisations 29 9 Unit 3 Spreadsheet Design 41 10 Unit 4 System Installation and Configuration 53 11 Unit 5 Systems Analysis 66 12 Unit 6 Database Design 78 13 Unit 7 Communications and Networks 91 14 Unit 8 Interactive Multimedia Presentations 106 15 Unit 9 Computer Artwork 117 16 Unit 10 Publishing 128 17 Unit 11 Internet Services and Web Page Design 140 18 Unit 12 Supporting ICT Users 151 (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) 3 ICT – Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards 19 Unit 13 ICT Training 161 20 Unit 14 ICT Solutions for People with Individual Needs 172 21 Unit 15 Impact of ICT on Society 184 22 Unit 16 Programming 196 Key Skills and Other Issues 23 Key Skills 208 24 Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social, Cultural and Other Issues208 Centre-Assessed Components 25 Guidance on Setting Centre-Assessed Components 210 26 Supervision and Authentication 210 27 Standardisation 211 28 Administrative Procedures 211 29 Moderation 212 Awarding and Reporting 30 Grading, Shelf-Life and Re-Sits 213 Appendices A Overlaps with Other Qualifications 215 B Centre Declaration Sheet 216 C Candidate Record Form 217 D Unit Record Sheet 219 E Summary of Key Skill Opportunities 221 4 (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards – ICT Background Information Advanced Subsidiary and 1 Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education 1.1 Introduction The Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education (VCE) qualifications have been designed to provide a broad education as a foundation both for training leading to employment, and for further and higher education. This is achieved by ensuring that candidates develop the general skills, knowledge and understanding that underpin a range of occupations or professions and by offering the opportunity to study a number of Key Skills including Application of Number, Communication and Information Technology. As a result of the Government’s review of post-16 qualifications, these new style VCEs started in September 2000. The new model Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE have been designed to further enhance the motivation and achievement of learners, improving the consistency and manageability of the qualification and incorporating an improved quality assurance and assessment process. The key features of the new model Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE are: • a revised unit structure, which includes clear details of learning requirements (‘What you need to learn’), clear statements of assessment requirements (Assessment Evidence Grid) and guidance for teachers (Essential Information for Teachers). • revised grading criteria related to each individual unit • a new style of external assessment • simplified recording • monitoring and moderation exercises by subject specific moderators. There has, however, been no change to levels as a result of the introduction of the new model Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE qualifications and in the National Qualifications Framework, the 6 unit Advanced VCE continues to be broadly equivalent to one Advanced GCE qualification at grades A-E or to NVQ Level 3. The Advanced VCE (Double Award) consists of 12 units and is broadly equivalent to two Advanced GCE qualifications at grades A-E or NVQ Level 3. The Advanced Subsidiary VCE, where available, consists of 3 units and is broadly equivalent to one Advanced Subsidiary GCE qualification. (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) 5 ICT – Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards 1.2 Rationale The qualification has been designed to enable students to gain an understanding of key Information and Communication Technology pathways and the application of Information and Communication Technology principles. The qualification provides students with the essential skills, knowledge and understanding of the sector and develops career opportunities in the information and communication technology industry as well as enabling entry to further or higher education programmes. 1.3 Key Skills The development of Key Skills is integral to all Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE specifications. The opportunities to develop Key Skills are signposted within each unit. In order to assist teachers these are summarised in the chart in Appendix E. 6 (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards – ICT Specification at a Glance 2 Information and Communication Technology Three qualifications are available. 2.1 Qualifications Available Advanced Subsidiary VCE 3 Units (formerly Part Award) Advanced VCE 6 Units (formerly Single Award) Advanced VCE (Double Award) 12 Units (formerly Full Award) 2.2 Award Requirements The table below lists the units and indicates for which qualification each is available. Units 1 – 6 are compulsory for the Advanced VCE (Double Award). Details of the assessment schemes are given within each unit. Unit 3 unit 6 unit 12 unit Unit 1: Presenting Information (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 2: ICT Serving (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) Organisations Unit 3: Spreadsheet Design (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 4: System Installation & (cid:1) (cid:1) Configuration Unit 5: Systems Analysis (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 6: Database Design (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 7: Communications and (cid:1) (cid:1) Networks Unit 8: Interactive Multimedia (cid:1) (cid:1) Presentations Unit 9: Computer Artwork (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 10: Publishing (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 11: Internet Services and (cid:1) (cid:1) Web Page Design Unit 12: Supporting ICT Users (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 13: ICT Training (cid:1) (cid:1) Unit 14: ICT Solutions for People (cid:1) (cid:1) with Individual Needs Unit 15: Impact of ICT on (cid:1) (cid:1) Society Unit 16: Programming (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) 7 ICT – Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards 2.3 Optional Language Units In addition, optional language units have been developed for French, German and Spanish (see 6.5). These are available for the Advanced VCE and Advanced VCE (Double Award). 2.4 Requirements for 3 Unit In order to obtain the Advanced Subsidiary VCE (3 units) the Award following entry code must be used: 8251 and candidates must take the following units: Unit 1: Presenting Information Unit 2: ICT Serving Organisations Unit 3: Spreadsheet Design. 2.5 Requirements for 6 Unit In order to obtain the Advanced VCE the following entry code must Award be used: 8254 and candidates must take the three compulsory units: Unit 1: Presenting Information Unit 2: ICT Serving Organisations Unit 3: Spreadsheet Design plus any 3 other units (as indicated in 2.2 Award Requirements). Each unit for the 6-unit AVCE contributes one sixth to the award. Content is outlined in the About this Unit section. Learning outcomes are contained in the Assessment Evidence Grid. The mode of assessment is specified in the About this Unit section and the Assessment Evidence Grid of the specifications. 2.6 Requirements for 12 Unit In order to obtain the Advanced VCE (Double Award) the following Award entry code must be used: 8257 and candidates must take the six compulsory units: Unit 1: Presenting Information Unit 2: ICT Serving Organisations Unit 3: Spreadsheet Design Unit 4: System Installation and Configuration Unit 5: Systems Analysis Unit 6: Database Design plus any 6 other units (as indicated in 2.2 Award Requirements). Each unit for the 12-unit AVCE contributes one twelfth to the award. Content is outlined in the About this Unit section. Learning outcomes are contained in the Assessment Evidence Grid. The mode of assessment is specified in the About this Unit section and the Assessment Evidence Grid of the specifications. 8 (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards – ICT Availability of Assessment Units 3 and Entry Details 3.1 Availability of Units for Assessments based on this specification are available as follows: assessment Externally Portfolio Assessed Units Moderation for Qualifications each Unit 3 6 12 January (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) June (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) (cid:1) 3.2 Entry Codes Entry must be made for the specification. Please refer to sections 2.4, 2.5 and 2.6 for the specification entry code. In addition the following unit entry codes should be used: Unit 1 I01A Unit 9 I09A Unit 2 I02A Unit 10 I10A Unit 3 I03A Unit 11 I11A Unit 4 I04A Unit 12 I12A Unit 5 I05A Unit 13 I13A Unit 6 I06A Unit 14 I14A Unit 7 I07A Unit 15 I15A Unit 8 I08A Unit 16 I16A 3.3 Prohibited Combinations There are no prohibited combinations of qualifications. 3.4 Multiple Entries Multiple entries using the same piece of work must comply with the specific criteria for each qualification. 3.5 Private Candidates This specification is not available to private candidates. 3.6 Special Consideration Special consideration may be requested for candidates whose work has been affected by illness or other exceptional circumstances. The appropriate form and all relevant information should be forwarded to the department which deals with such matters at the AQA office for the centre concerned. Special arrangements may be provided for candidates with special needs. Details are available from AQA and centres should ask for a copy of “Regulations and Guidance relating to Candidates with Particular Requirements”. (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3) 9 ICT – Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced VCE 2004 onwards 3.7 Language of Examination All Assessment units are provided in English. Centres wishing to have a Welsh translation must notify AQA at least four months before the date of the examination. 10 (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3)