ICT – Advanced Subsidiary

ICT – Advanced Subsidiary GCE and Advanced GCE

Course Synopsis:

The ICT Department now offers the Edexcel GCE in Applied ICT at Post-16. This is a ‘must-have’ skills course open to every post-sixteen student. Highly motivating, it will develop the knowledge and skills students need to be competent and informed ICT users and practitioners.

The GCE in Applied ICT qualifies for UCAS points. It gives students a wide choice of progression options into further study, training, or relevant employment. Students who successfully complete the qualification will be well equipped to move onto degrees in related subjects such as e-business, multimedia, ICT and Information Management.

GCE Structure - This new qualification adopts the GCE structure, the AS is the first half of the course, A2 the second, with each part contributing 50% of the total Advanced GCE marks. The AS is made up of three equally weighted units and the A2 a further three.

With this new course there are plenty of opportunities in place for visits and work experience. These are essential to the success of the course as the students will need to become more aware of their surroundings and how ICT impacts upon everyday life. A visit to the GITEX expo in Dubai will be planned for September as it will give the students an opportunity to see how ICT is currently being used in society and what developments are being planned for the future. The ICT department will also work closely with local businesses in the ICT industry so as to bring in guest speakers and arrange trips to their places of work. This is essential to the success of this ‘hands-on’ course.

Syllabus Summary

Year 12 – AS Level (Edexcel)

Year 13 – A2 Level (Edexcel)

Unit 1 The Information Age (Portfolio) Internally Assessed June 2007

It will look at how ICT technologies enable people to access and exchange information and take a critical look at the impact the internet has had on everyday life. The unit will also look at the divide between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ and will evaluate measures being taken to bridge the gap in the digital divide. This unit is assessed through an e-book which will show a snap shot of life in the information age.

Unit 7 Using Database Software (Practical assessment)

Assessed June 2008

The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly relevant to those who use advanced ICT skills on a daily basis. In this unit you will develop your knowledge and skills of databases further. You will learn the principles of data modeling and sound database design and will use relational database software to build working database systems capable of storing large quantities of data.

Unit 2 The Digital Economy (Portfolio) Assessed June 2007

Paperless transactions are hallmarks of the digital economy. In the global e-marketplace transactional websites are the interface between e-enabled customers and organisations, allowing them to do business with one another anytime, anywhere. In this unit, students will investigate how organisations are responding to the pressures of the e-marketplace by using transactional websites.

Unit 8 Managing ICT Projects (Portfolio)

Assessed June 2008

In this unit you will be introduced to some formal project management tools and methods and will be given the opportunity to use specialist software to plan and monitor projects. . You will need to identify other resource requirements such as expertise, equipment and time. You will be working closely with others since people skills and good communication are key to successful project management.

Unit 3 The Knowledge Work (Practical Assessment) Assessed June 2007

This unit is about making informed decisions using the information available to you. The students will be given a scenario and will be asked to make decisions of how to solve the problems identified within the scenario using ICT. This is a two hour pratical exam.

Unit 10 Using Multimedia Software. (Portfolio)

Assessed June 2008

Advances in digital technology have transformed the way we live and learn and, in particular, how we communicate. In this unit you will design, develop and test an interactive multimedia product for a specified target audience, you will use a combination of multimedia types in a way that will have a major impact on the audience.

Entry Requirements: GCSE ICT at grade A or B unless other previous experience at this level can be demonstrated.