ICT

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (UPDATED)

In September 2009 students will have three options available in order to gain an ICT qualification.

OPTION 1 - CiDA

Students in year 10 can opt to study for the Certificate in Digital Applications (CiDA), one of a suite of three paperless qualifications that comprise the Diploma in Digital Applications (DiDA).

DiDA qualifications prepare students for the real world of work or further education. They are designed to stimulate students’ creativity and develop real-world, practical skills that will motivate learning across a wide range of subjects.

The CiDA qualification is 100% coursework and designed to:

• develop students’ ability to select and use digital applications appropriately and produce high quality outcomes;

• promote the use of digital applications for achieving a goal, rather than for their own sake;

• enhance creativity and communication;

• equip students with some of the skills that they will need in the workplace or in further education or training;

• develop project management skills;

• free students’ work from paper, making it organised, searchable, dynamic and transportable;

• encourage students to reflect critically on their own and others’ use of digital applications.

This is a double award qualification worth a minimum of 2 GCSEs. Some pupils may be able to progress further and gain 3 GCSEs. Consequently students will get 5 lessons per week in years 10 and 11. This course is intended for those students who are positively interested in ICT and who are able to work largely on their own initiative. It is essential that all students opting for this course have access to a computer out of school.

OPTION 2 – AiDA

Students in year 10 can opt to study for the Award in Digital Applications (AiDA), one of a suite of three paperless qualifications that comprise the Diploma in Digital Applications (DiDA). The framework is essentially the same as Option 1 except the pupils do fewer projects.

This is a single award qualification worth a minimum of 1 GCSE. Some pupils may be able to progress further and gain 2 GCSEs. Consequently students will get 3.5 lessons per week in years 10 and 11. This course is intended for those students who are positively interested in ICT and who are able to work largely on their own initiative. It is essential that all students opting for this course have access to a computer out of school.

OPTION 3 – Short Course GCSE ICT

If students do not opt for the CiDA or AiDA course they must study the OCR GCSE Short Course in ICT, which will result in a half GCSE qualification. Students will study ICT for one lesson per week in year 10 and three lessons per fortnight in year 11. The course will comprise 60% coursework, and a 40% written examination at the end of the course. The coursework consists of two coursework projects; the first is based around communication and the second is about handling data.

Candidates who undertake this course should be able to:

• choose, use and design information and communication systems to carry out a range of tasks and to solve problems, making effective use of appropriate principles and techniques;

• develop a broad and balanced experience of the range of information and communication systems and their applications and an understanding of their capabilities and limitations.

• apply their knowledge, skills and understanding of ICT to a range of situations;

• analyse, design, implement and test information and communication systems and develop understanding of the wider applications and effects of ICT;

• reflect critically on the way they and others use ICT;

• consider the impact of ICT applications in the wider world;

• consider the social, economic, political, legal, ethical and moral issues and security needs for data, which surround the increasing use of ICT.