ICT
Course Overview
Throughout the course you will study a variety of topics and build upon your knowledge and understanding of the world of Computing. The nature of the course not only gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding, but it also allows you to improve your organisational skills, time management and the ability to apply learning to a vocational context. You will develop personal skills and attitudes essential for successful performance at university and in working life.
Examination Board:
EDEXCEL
Entry Requirements:
Ideally you will have a grade 4 in Maths/English Language. You must have the required qualifications for the Advanced Pathway.
Course Level:
BTEC – Level 3
Assessment Objectives
Unit 1: Information Technology Systems (33%)
This is a mandatory unit that is externally assessed by an unseen paper-based examination. You will explore the relationships between the hardware and software that form an IT system, and the way that systems work individually and together, as well as the relationship between the user and the system. You will examine issues related to the use of IT systems and the impact that they have on organisations and individuals. In this unit you will draw on your learning from across your programme to complete assessment tasks. This unit will give you a fundamental and synoptic understanding of all areas of IT, supporting your progression to an IT-related higher education course.
Unit 2: Creating Systems to Manage Information (25%)
This is a mandatory unit that is externally assessed under supervised conditions. You will study the design, creation, testing and evaluation of a relational database system to manage information. You will examine the structure of data and its origins, and how an efficient data design follows through to an effective and useful database. You will examine a given scenario and develop an effective design solution to produce a data- base system. You will then test your solution to ensure that it works correctly. Finally, you will evaluate each stage of the development process and the effectiveness of your database solution.
Unit 3: Social Media in Business (25%)
This is a mandatory unit that is internally assessed. You will explore different social media websites, the ways in which they can be used and the potential pitfalls when using them for business purposes. You will develop a plan to use social media strategies for business purposes to achieve specific aims and objectives. You will then implement the plan, developing and posting content and interacting with others. Finally, you will collect data on the businesses, use of social media and review the effectiveness of your efforts.
Unit 6: Website Development (17%)
This is an optional unit that is internally assessed. In this unit, you will review existing websites – commenting on their overall design and effectiveness. You will use scripting languages such as Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript® and a simple text editor, or rapid application development tools. Finally, you will reflect on the website design and functionality using a testing and review process.
How will I be assessed?
Single Award – Two of the units are internally assessed and worth 42% of the overall grade. Two units are externally assessed and worth 58% of the overall grade.
Double award – 13 units of which 7 are mandatory and 4 are external. Mandatory content (67%). External assessment (42%).
Progression Routes
This qualification can also be opted for as an Extended Diploma equivalent to 2 A Levels.
The Extended Diploma covers all of the content above along with mandatory units in:
- Programming
- Project Management
- Cyber Security and Incident Management.
- There is also a choice of optional units including:
- Mobile Apps Development
- Computer Games Development
- Big Data and Business Analytics
- IT Technical Support and Management
- Software Testing
- Digital 2D and 3D Graphics
- Digital Animation and Effects
- Enterprise in IT