INTERNATIONAL

ADVANCED LEVEL
Applied ICT

SPECIFICATION
Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary in Applied ICT (XIT01)
Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT (YIT01)
For first teaching in September 2016
First examination June 2017
Issue 1

INTERNATIONAL
ADVANCED LEVEL
Applied ICT

SPECIFICATION
Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary in Applied ICT
(XIT01)
Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT (YIT01)
For first teaching in September 2016
First examination June 2017

Acknowledgements
This specification has been produced by Pearson on the basis of consultation with teachers,
examiners, consultants and other interested parties. Pearson would like to thank all those
who contributed their time and expertise to the specifications development.

References to third party material made in this specification are made in good faith. Pearson
does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of materials, which may
be subject to change, or any opinions expressed therein. (Material may include textbooks,
journals, magazines and other publications and websites.)
All information in this specification is correct at time of going to publication.
ISBN 978 1 446 93152 3
All the material in this publication is copyright
Pearson Education Limited 2016

About this specification

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT is designed for use in schools
and colleges outside the United Kingdom. It is part of a suite of International Advanced Level
qualifications offered by Pearson.
This qualification is not accredited or regulated by any UK regulatory body.
This specification includes the following key features.
Structure: six units, modular qualification. Five mandatory units and one optional unit.
Content: relevant, engaging to an international audience.
Assessment: four units are internally assessed and the evidence is presented as either an
ebook or eportfolio. Two units are externally assessed and students will be required to use
computer systems throughout the assessment.
Approach: independent learning and critical thinking skills incorporating synoptic
assessment at International A2.

Specification updates
This specification is Issue 1 and is valid for the Pearson Edexcel International Advanced
Subsidiary and International Advanced Level examination from 2017. If there are any
significant changes to the specification Pearson will write to centres to let them know.
Changes will also be posted on our website.
For more information please visit [Link]

Using this specification

This specification has been designed to give guidance to teachers and encourage effective
delivery of the qualification. The following information will help you get the most out of the
content and guidance.
Compulsory content: as a minimum, all the bullet points in the content must be taught.
Examples: throughout the unit content, we have included examples of what could be
covered or what might support teaching and learning. It is important to note that examples
are for illustrative purposes only and centres can use other examples. We have included
examples that are easily understood and recognised by international centres.
Unit assessments use a range of material and are not limited to the examples given.
Teachers should deliver the qualification using a good range of examples to support the
assessment of the unit content.
Depth and breadth of content: teachers should use the full range of content and all the
assessment objectives given in the unit.

Qualification abbreviations
International Advanced Level IAL
International Advanced Subsidiary IAS
International A2 (the additional content required for an IAL) IA2

Qualification aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of this qualification are to enable students to:

develop a broad range of ICT skills and knowledge of the uses of ICT in vocational
contexts, as a basis for progression to further learning in ICT-related fields, including
progression from IAS to IA2

develop knowledge and understanding of the components, functions and applications of

information systems in a range of organisations

develop an understanding of the main principles of solving problems using ICT and
development of the skills necessary to apply this understanding

apply their knowledge and understanding of ICT and use skills (e.g. planning, research,
evaluation, problem solving) in vocational contexts

develop an understanding of the impact of information systems on organisations

personnel, policies and practices

develop project management skills and an understanding of the need to work with
others.

Contents

Qualification at a glance

Qualification structure

Unit overview

Applied ICT unit content

11

Unit 1: The Information Age

13

Unit 2: The Digital Economy

43

Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker

67

Unit 4: Using Database Software

79

Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects

91

Unit 6: Using Multimedia Software

117

Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet Software

141

Unit 8: Customising Applications

165

Assessment information

189

Assessment objectives and weightings

189

Relationship of assessment objectives to units

189

Assessment availability and first award

190

Administration and general information

191

External assessment

191

Internal assessment

191

Applying the mark bands

192

Quality of Written Communication

193

Eportfolio

193

Security and backups

193

Entries

193

Resitting of units

194

Forbidden combinations

194

Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments, special

consideration and malpractice

194

Language of assessment

194

Access arrangements

194

Reasonable adjustments

195

Special consideration

195

Further information

195

Malpractice

196

Candidate malpractice

196

Staff/centre malpractice

196

Awarding and reporting

196

Performance descriptions

197

Unit results

197

Qualification results

197

Support, training and resources

199

Support

199

Training

199

Resources

200

Specifications, Sample Assessment Materials and Teacher Support

Materials

200

Appendices

201

Appendix A: Unit mapping

203

Appendix B: Performance descriptions

205

Appendix C: The context for the development of this qualification

211

Appendix D: Transferable skills

213

Appendix E: Level 3 Extended Project qualification

215

Appendix F: Codes

217

Appendix G: Glossary

219

Qualification at a glance

Qualification structure

The Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT comprises six units and
contains an International Advanced Subsidiary subset of three IAS units.

The International Advanced Subsidiary is the first half of the International Advanced
Level qualification and consists of Units 1, 2 and 3. It may be awarded as a discrete
qualification or contribute 50 per cent of the total International Advanced Level marks.

The full International Advanced Level award consists of three IAS units (Units 1, 2
and 3), plus three IA2 units (Units 4 and 5, plus one from either Units 6, 7 or 8) which
make up the other 50 per cent of the International Advanced Level. Students wishing to
take the full International Advanced Level must, therefore, complete all six units.

The structure of this qualification allows teachers to construct a qualification of study that
can be taught and assessed either as:

distinct modules of teaching and learning with related units of assessment taken at
appropriate stages during the qualification, or

a linear qualification which is assessed in its entirety at the end.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Subsidiary in Applied ICT (XIT01)

Unit

Mandatory units

Assessment
method

GLH

The Information Age

Internal

60

The Digital Economy

Internal

60

The Knowledge Worker

External

60

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT (YIT01)

Unit

Mandatory units

Assessment
method

GLH

The Information Age

Internal

60

The Digital Economy

Internal

60

The Knowledge Worker

External

60

Using Database Software

External

60

Managing ICT Projects

Internal

60

Optional units (one unit from this group)

6

Using Multimedia Software

Internal

60

Using Spreadsheet Software

Internal

60

Customising Applications

Internal

60

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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Unit overview
IAS

Unit 1: The Information Age

Internally assessed

IAL compulsory unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2017

*Unit code WIT01

33% of the
total IAS

17% of the
total IAL

Content summary
Students will learn about the information communication technologies that enable people to
access and exchange information and to carry out transactions anytime, anywhere.
Students will take a critical look at the impact that the internet has had on the way people
conduct their personal and professional lives, explore the services it offers and gain
hands-on experience of using some of them.
The internet provides fantastic opportunities to those individuals and communities who are
technology enabled. However, for one reason or another, not everyone is able to take full
advantage of what is on offer. Students will investigate the causes and effects of the digital
divide which separates the haves from the have-nots and evaluate measures being taken
to bridge the gap. Their investigation and evaluation of all these aspects of the age in which
we live will be presented in the form of an ebook designed to be read on a computer
screen.
Throughout the unit students will acquire the tools and techniques needed to make effective
use of the information available to them on the internet. The skills and knowledge they gain
while studying this unit will be a useful foundation for the rest of the qualification.
Assessment

Students must submit an eportfolio of their work.

Teachers are expected to guide and advise students on the production of their
eportfolios.

Teachers should monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the
requirements of the specification.

Eportfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson.

Each of the internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three
broad mark bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the
assessment objectives.

The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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IAS

Unit 2: The Digital Economy

Internally assessed

IAL compulsory unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2017

*Unit code WIT02

33% of the
total IAS

17% of the
total IAL

Content summary
Students will investigate how organisations are responding to the pressures of the
e-marketplace by using transactional websites to:

present their products and services

gather information

provide a personalised service.

Security and privacy are two key concerns for organisations and individuals operating in the
digital economy. Students will assess potential threats to customer data and evaluate the
effectiveness of current legislation and measures taken by organisations to protect data.
Databases are key to managing the large amount of data that organisations collect.
Students will learn how to use database software to analyse data and identify trends and
patterns.
The work for this unit will culminate in an in-depth investigation into the design of a
commercial transactional website and the back-office processes involved in handling an
online purchase.
Assessment

Students must submit an eportfolio of their work.

Teachers are expected to guide and advise students on the production of their
eportfolios.

Teachers should monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the
requirements of the specification.

Eportfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson.

Each of the internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three
broad mark bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the
assessment objectives.

The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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IAS

Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker

Externally assessed

IAL compulsory unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2017

*Unit code WIT03

33% of the
total IAS

17% of the
total IAL

Content summary
Knowledge workers are discerning consumers of information. They have the information
handling skills to turn information into knowledge.
Students will learn about making informed decisions using the knowledge available to them.
They will learn how to select their sources and decide on how much credence you can place
in them. They will learn that there are often many factors to consider when making a
decision and that part of the process is to identify gaps in their knowledge. Decisions often
have to be made within time constraints. Students will learn how to manage their time
effectively by prioritising tasks and setting interim deadlines.
In Unit 2: The Digital Economy, students will have used database software to organise and
interrogate a large data set and to extract useful information. In this unit, they will develop
their skills as a knowledge worker by learning how to use spreadsheet models to investigate
alternatives and answer what if questions. The formulae in these models will allow them to
try out some of the possible alternatives that have been identified.
Together with information from other sources, students will use the outcome of the models
to inform their decision making.
Assessment

Assessment will be by examination.

Students will be required to use computer systems throughout the assessment.

Students will work under exam conditions on a problem solving assessment set by
Pearson.

The duration of the examination will be 2 hours and 30 minutes. Printing and
assembling work for submission must be completed within this time allocation.

The assessment for this unit will be available to students in the June examination series.

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IA2

Unit 4: Using Database Software

Externally assessed

IAL compulsory unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2018

*Unit code WIT04

17% of the total IAL

Content summary
Students will develop their knowledge of, and skills in using, databases further. They will
learn the principles of data modelling and database design, and will use relational database
software to build working database systems capable of storing large quantities of data and
of handling both routine and one-off requests for information.
Students will design and implement user interfaces that make it easier for people to enter
data and extract information, while ensuring the overall security and integrity of the
database. They will also make full use of the facilities of the software to generate reports
that are well presented, easy to read and fit for purpose.
The work for this unit will culminate in the design, development, testing and evaluation of a
database for a specific purpose in a given scenario.
Assessment

Assessment will be by examination.

Students will be required to use computer systems throughout the assessment.

Students will work under exam conditions on a database assessment set by Pearson.

Students are expected to spend no more than ten hours working on the assignment.
Printing and assembling work for submission must be completed within this time
allocation.

The assessment for this unit will be available to students in the June examination series.

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IA2

Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects

Internally assessed

IAL compulsory unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2018

*Unit code WIT05

17% of the total IAL

Content summary
It is now widely recognised that specialist knowledge and skills are required to manage
projects successfully.
Students will learn to develop some formal project management tools and methods and will
have the opportunity to use specialist software to plan and monitor projects. They will put
into practice what they have learned by setting up and running a small-scale software
project. They will draw on the knowledge and skills learned throughout the qualification in
order to plan for and produce the required software product.
Although budgeting is an important factor in any project in real life, in this instance
students will not be expected to consider finance. However, they will need to identify other
resource requirements such as expertise, equipment and time. This is not a team activity,
but it will involve working closely with others, since people skills and good communication
are key to successful project management.
The summative evaluation of students work for this unit will take the form of an
end-of-project review at which they and other project stakeholders will assess the success
of the project and their performance as the project manager.
Assessment

Students must submit an eportfolio of their work.

Teachers are expected to guide and advise students on the production of their
eportfolios.

Teachers should monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the
requirements of the specification.

Eportfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson.

Each of the internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three
broad mark bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the
assessment objectives.

The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

IA2

Unit 6: Using Multimedia Software

Internally assessed

IAL optional unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2018

*Unit code WIT06

17% of the total IAL

Content summary
One of the major areas of development is digital multimedia which combines two or more
media types such as text, graphics and video, and allows us to present information in ways
that have a major impact on the audience. Multimedia is widely used throughout the world
in business, education, industry and leisure.
Students will increase their understanding of the features and possibilities of these media
types and other tools so that they can combine them to produce well-designed multimedia
products that communicate their ideas effectively.
The work for this unit will culminate in the design, development and testing of an
interactive multimedia product for a specified target audience.
Assessment

Students must submit an eportfolio of their work.

Teachers are expected to guide and advise students on the production of their
eportfolios.

Teachers should monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the
requirements of the specification.

Eportfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson.

Each of the internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three
broad mark bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the
assessment objectives.

The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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IA2

Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet Software

Internally assessed

IAL optional unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2018

*Unit code WIT07

17% of the total IAL

Content summary
Students will learn the skills and techniques needed to design and create technically
complex spreadsheets. They will learn how to use data validation and other techniques to
reduce the potential for data entry errors.
In order to get maximum return from any spreadsheets, students will learn how to
incorporate future-proofing features which will make it easier for them to implement
modifications and extensions at a later date should they need to do so. They will also
establish the functional requirements of the spreadsheet at the outset and carry out
formative evaluation and testing throughout its development. They will learn the
importance of seeking and making use of feedback from others to help them with their
work.
The work for this unit will culminate in the design, development and testing of a
spreadsheet capable of analysing, interpreting and communicating complex data.
Assessment

Students must submit an eportfolio of their work.

Teachers are expected to guide and advise students on the production of their
eportfolios.

Teachers should monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the
requirements of the specification.

Eportfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson.

Each of the internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three
broad mark bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the
assessment objectives.

The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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IA2

Unit 8: Customising Applications

Internally assessed

IAL optional unit

Availability: June

First assessment: June 2018

*Unit code WIT08

17% of the total IAL

Content summary
Students will learn how to use an event-driven programming language such as Visual Basic
for Applications (VBA) to enhance the existing functionality of applications software,
enabling them to create applications with more scope and flexibility than is possible using
ready-made macros, forms etc.
The work for this unit will culminate in the design, development and testing of a custom
solution to a problem requiring the use of either database or spreadsheet software, with
added functionality provided by an event-driven programming language.
Assessment

Students must submit an eportfolio of their work.

Teachers are expected to guide and advise students on the production of their
eportfolios.

Teachers should monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the
requirements of the specification.

Eportfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson.

Each of the internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three
broad mark bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the
assessment objectives.

The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands.

*See Appendix F:Codes for a description of this code and all other codes relevant to this
qualification.

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Applied ICT unit content

Unit 1: The Information Age

13

Unit 2: The Digital Economy

43

Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker

67

Unit 4: Using Database Software

79

Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects

91

Unit 6: Using Multimedia Software

117

Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet Software

141

Unit 8: Customising Applications

165

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12

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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Unit 1: The Information Age

IAL compulsory unit
Internally assessed
Unit description
We are living in an age in which an enormous amount of information television broadcasts,
text messages, photographs, news reports, emails, etc. is produced, communicated and
stored in digital format every day. The pace of development is very fast.
In this unit you will learn about the information communication technologies that enable
people to access and exchange information and to carry out transactions anytime,
anywhere.
You will take a critical look at the impact that the internet has had on the way people
conduct their personal and professional lives, explore the services it offers and gain
hands-on experience of using some of them.
As you will discover, the internet provides fantastic opportunities to those individuals and
communities who are technology enabled. However, for one reason or another, not
everyone is able to take full advantage of what is on offer. You will investigate the causes
and effects of the digital divide which separates the haves from the have-nots and
evaluate measures being taken to bridge the gap.
Your investigation and evaluation of all these aspects of the age in which you live will be
presented in the form of an ebook designed to be read on a computer screen.
You will probably already have some experience of using the ICT tools and techniques
needed to produce an ebook. What you now need to learn is how to make the most of the
medium in which you are working so as to make your ebook truly an artefact of the
Information Age!
Throughout the unit you will acquire the tools and techniques you need to make effective
use of the information available to you on the internet. The skills and knowledge you gain
while studying this unit will be a useful foundation for the rest of the qualification.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use ICT on a daily basis at work or at school/college for personal,
social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

This unit builds on the ICT knowledge and skills which you bring to the qualification.
It assumes that you already have some experience of using ICT to combine and present
information.

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What students need to learn

1.1

The
Information
Age

This is the Information Age! Rapidly advancing computing power is

resulting in ever-increasing volumes of information being created
and stored. Much of this information can be accessed, copied and
modified by anyone, anytime, anywhere. You, as an individual, can
create and store information that can be accessed by anyone
across the globe.
An increasingly wide range of digital technologies is affecting the
way we lead our lives. You will need to be aware of key
technologies used to convey information in various ways,
including:

internet

multimedia

broadband

wireless

digital television and video.

You will need to learn about some of the opportunities created by

the Information Age, including:

presenting information in different ways

sharing information quickly

greater interaction with others and organisations

business opportunities, large and small

virtual communities, where people are brought together via the

internet

mobile technologies that are blurring the distinction between

home and work

a self-service environment in which consumers carry out

activities and transactions by themselves, including shopping,
banking and learning.

You will need to develop an awareness of the issues and

challenges arising from the Information Age, including:

14

the need for us all to be lifelong learners in a world of change

privacy rights

copyright and legislation

impact on employment

the digital divide.

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1.2

Online
services

The internet is a key player in the Information Age. Some people

regard it as being an essential service on a par with water and
electricity! You will need to find out about the types of online
services available, including:

communication, e.g. email, instant messaging, newsgroups,

online conferencing, blogs, social networking

real-time information, e.g. train timetables, news services,

traffic reports, weather

commerce, e.g. shopping, banking, auctions

government, e.g. online tax returns, e-voting, applications for

services/grants, revenue collection

education, e.g. online learning/training, virtual learning

environments (VLEs)

business, e.g. videoconferencing, collaborative working,

business networks

entertainment, e.g. multi-user games, radio players

download services, e.g. music, film, upgrades, software

web storage

online mapping and route planning (not satnav)

cloud-based applications, e.g. Google Docs, Office 365, Adobe

Creative Cloud.

You will be expected to explore and evaluate a range of different

types of services available online, considering factors such as
target audience, benefits and drawbacks, fitness for purpose,
possible enhancements, non-internet alternatives, etc.
From your investigation of different types of online services, you
will be able to assess the current scope and limitations of the
internet as a whole.

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1.3

Life in the
Information
Age

You will need to understand how ICT is affecting the way people
conduct their personal, social and professional lives, including its
impact on:

working styles

communication

education

entertainment and leisure

banking and shopping

decision making

employment opportunities

crime and crime prevention

civil rights

legislation.

From your research you will be able to piece together a realistic

picture of life in the Information Age taking account of both
advantages and disadvantages.

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1.4

The digital
divide

Many people believe that everyone, regardless of circumstances,

should be able to benefit from the Information Age and that
technology-enabled information and services should be available to
all. You will need to consider whether this is always the case.
A so-called digital divide exists both in your local community and
globally, separating those who have full access and those who do
not. You will need to be able to define the meaning of the term
digital divide and explain:

factors which create the digital divide:

technological

economic

social

geographical

fear of technology

lack of motivation

the impact of the digital divide:

economic

social

educational

cultural

the extent of the divide:

is it widening or narrowing?

how can the gap be reduced?

measures being taken to narrow the gap:

are they working?

what else could be done?

the benefits and drawbacks of reducing the gap.

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1.5

What is an
ebook?

Digital technology potentially turns everyone into an e-author and

opens up access to a worldwide readership on the web. You are
going to produce an ebook to present your evidence for this unit.
Ebooks are digital and designed to be viewed on screen. Although
the pages can be read in sequence as with most traditional books,
ebooks enable the reader to easily view pages in any order. In
addition to the normal text and static images found in paper-based
books, ebooks can have animated video clips and audio files,
animated diagrams, 360 degree stills, photographs that can be
zoomed into, etc., designed to immerse the reader in the subject
matter and provide a multi-sensory experience.
Most ebooks have a hypertext structure consisting of a series of
information nodes (pages). Users navigate from node to node
using the navigation links provided on each page.
Ebooks are produced in a format which can be easily distributed,
archived and is environmentally friendly.
There is a wide range of ebooks available on the web. You need to
find examples of ebooks produced for different purposes, such as:

creative writing

reference materials, e.g. encyclopedias, historical manuscripts

collaborative projects

childrens books.

When looking at ebooks produced by others you should be

evaluating aspects, such as:

18

content

structure and layout

format and style

use of multimedia components

navigation

ease of use/accessibility

fitness for purpose.

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1.6

Developing
an ebook

Once you have evaluated a variety of ebooks found on the web,

you will learn how to create ebooks of your own that convey
information using an appropriate format and range of multimedia
components.
Before sitting down to design an ebook you need to be clear
about:

the intended audience

the purpose of the ebook

any prescribed content that must be included

the message you are trying to convey

the technical specification you must adhere to

the deadline for completion.

You will learn how to use:

storyboards to map out the layout and content of each page

structure charts to provide a graphical representation of the

overall structure of the product.

You should get feedback on your initial designs to ensure that your
final product will meet the needs of the target audience.
As soon as you are happy that your design meets the specified
requirements you will be in a position to implement your design on
the computer.
In addition to using ready-made multimedia components in your
ebook, you will learn how to create multimedia components for
yourself (see Section 1.7).
As you develop an ebook you should test it by:

proofreading content

checking layout

checking all links and pathways

trying it out on test users.

Ebooks should be tested during development by as many people

as possible. You should listen to what they have to say and if
necessary rethink your design in the light of their comments.
You will learn how to evaluate your ebooks by considering
individual features, such as:

content

structure

screen layout

use of multimedia components

presentation techniques

ease of navigation

consistency

accessibility.

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You should also assess their overall fitness for purpose and
audience. No matter how good a multimedia product is, there is
always room for improvement. You will need to be able to identify
possible improvements/enhancements.

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1.7

ICT skills

You must be able to use a range of ICT tools and techniques to:

carry out internet research tasks, including

understanding and applying the main features of browser

software, e.g. forward and backward buttons, bookmarking
and organising favourites

understanding and applying the main search principles of

internet search engines, e.g. string, key word searching

navigating large websites to locate a specific information

resource in a given site using hyperlinks to pursue
investigations

making informed judgements about the accuracy, reliability

and currency of the information you find

acknowledging sources and references correctly

produce the multimedia content for your ebook, including

using ready-made multimedia components

using a digital camera and scanner to capture images

capturing screen-based images

producing word-processed documents

creating links

using appropriate file formats

combining and presenting information

adding information from one type of software to information

produced using different software.

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21

1.8

Standard
ways of
working

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

22

file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly

eportfolio

creating an appropriate structure for an eportfolio

collecting together all the required information, converting

files to an appropriate format if necessary

authenticating your work

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

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providing a table of contents, using hyperlinks to locate

information easily

testing for size, compatibility and ease of use, making sure

that the eportfolio conforms to the technical specification.

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23

Assessment evidence
For this unit you will:

investigate aspects of the Information Age in which you live

(assessment evidence (a), (b) and (c))

design and create an ebook to present your evidence for (a),

(b) and (c) (assessment evidence (d) and (e)) and provide a
snapshot of life in todays Information Age

evaluate your ebook and own performance (assessment

evidence (f)).

Imagine that your ebook will form part of a virtual time capsule on
the internet which is programmed to open in 100 years time. The
potential target audience for your ebook is enormous. Anyone with
internet access in 100 years time will be able to read it. The
ebook should be designed as an on-screen publication. The
technical specification for the ebook will be provided by your
teacher.
Your eportfolio for this unit should include:
An ebook that provides a snapshot of life in the Information Age.
It must include the following.
(a)*

A description and evaluation of at least five different types

of online service, drawn together to give a picture of the
current scope and limitations of the internet as a whole.

(b)

A description of how ICT is affecting at least five different

aspects of peoples lives, considering the benefits and
drawbacks, drawn together to give a picture of life overall
in the Information Age.

(c)

A description of at least three factors contributing to the

digital divide and some of the measures being taken to
bridge the gap, with an evaluation of the impact/extent of
the digital divide, drawn together to give a picture of the
current situation.

(d) and (e)

The ebook should:

(f)

contain your work for (a), (b) and (c)

demonstrate your understanding of multimedia design

principles and your ability to use software tools
appropriately

include some ready-made and some original multimedia

components.

An evaluation of your ebook and your own performance on

this unit.

*Opportunity for students to be assessed on Quality of Written

Communication (QWC) (i-iii).

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Assessment criteria
Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(a)

The student:

The student:

The student:

(AO1, 2, 4)

uses the internet to find some

relevant information about
different types of online services,
but needs extensive prompting

uses the internet to find a range

of relevant information about
different types of online services,
needing only limited prompting

uses the internet to find a wide

range of relevant information
about different types of online
services, independently

gives a brief description of at

least five different types of online
service

makes some evaluative

comments about each of the
online services described, but
not sufficient to give a clear
picture of the current scope and
limitations of the internet as a
whole

gives a detailed description

supported by examples of at
least five different types of online
service

makes some relevant

evaluative comments about
each of the online services
described and gives an
indication of the current scope
and limitations of the internet as
a whole

gives a comprehensive
description supported by a
range of well-chosen
examples of at least five
different types of online service

provides a considered
evaluation of each of the
online services described and
gives a clear and balanced
picture of the current scope
and limitations of the internet
as a whole

uses appropriate specialist

terms consistently and the
response shows good focus and
organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.

QWC (i-iii)

uses everyday language and the

response lacks clarity and
organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with limited
accuracy.

uses some specialist terms and

the response shows some focus
and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with some
accuracy.

(05)

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(68)

Mark
awarded

(911)

11

25

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(b)

The student:

The student:

The student:

(AO2, 4)

uses a limited range of sources

to gather some relevant
information about how ICT
affects different aspects of
peoples lives, but needs
extensive prompting
gives a brief description of how
ICT is affecting at least five
different aspects of peoples
lives
identifies some benefits and
drawbacks, but not sufficient
to give a clear picture of life
overall in the Information Age.
(05)

26

Mark
awarded

uses a range of sources to gather

relevant information, needing only
limited prompting

uses a wide range of sources

to gather relevant information,
independently

gives a detailed description

supported by examples of how
ICT is affecting at least five
different aspects of peoples lives

describes some benefits and

drawbacks, giving an indication
of life overall in the Information
Age.

gives a comprehensive
description supported by a
range of well-chosen
examples of how ICT is
affecting at least five different
aspects of peoples lives

analyses the benefits and

drawbacks, giving a clear and
balanced picture of life overall
in the Information Age.

(68)

(910)

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Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(c)

The student:

The student:

The student:

(AO2, 4)

gives a brief description of:

at least three factors

contributing to the digital
divide

some of the measures being

taken to bridge the gap

makes some evaluative

comments about the
impact/extent of the digital
divide, but not sufficient to
give a clear picture of the
current situation.

gives a detailed description

supported by examples of:

at least three factors

contributing to the digital
divide
some of the measures being
taken to bridge the gap

makes some relevant

evaluative comments about the
impact/extent of the digital divide
which give an indication of the
current situation.

(04)
(d)

The ebook:

(AO1, 2, 3)

demonstrates limited
application of multimedia design
principles for on-screen
publications

shows limited awareness of

audience and purpose.

gives a detailed description

supported by a range of wellchosen examples (both global
and local) of:

at least three factors

contributing to the digital
divide

some of the measures being

taken to bridge the gap

provides a considered
assessment of the
impact/extent of the digital
divide, giving a clear picture of
the current situation both
globally and locally.

(56)

demonstrates sound application

of multimedia design principles for
on-screen publications

shows some awareness of

audience and purpose.

While working on the ebook, the

student adheres to relevant standard
ways of working, with only
occasional prompting.

(09)
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(78)

The ebook:

The ebook:

While working on the ebook, the

student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working, but
needs frequent prompting.

Mark
awarded

(1013)

demonstrates sophisticated
application of multimedia
design principles for on-screen
publications

shows full awareness of

audience and purpose.

While working on the ebook, the

student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working,
independently.
(1417)

17
27

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(e)

In creating the ebook, the student:

In creating the ebook, the student:

In creating the ebook, the student:

(AO1, 3)

selects and uses some suitable

ready-made multimedia
components, although not
always appropriately

creates and uses some suitable

original multimedia
components, although not
always appropriately

selects and uses software tools,

although not always
appropriately

selects and uses suitable

ready-made multimedia
components appropriately

creates and uses suitable original

multimedia components
appropriately

selects and uses software tools

appropriately

carries out adequate testing and

quality control of the ebook to
ensure that it functions correctly.

carries out some limited

testing and quality control, but
not sufficient to guarantee that
it functions correctly.
(05)

(f)
(AO4)

The student makes some relevant

evaluative comments about key
features of:

28

selects and uses a range of

suitable ready-made
multimedia components
effectively

creates and uses a range of

suitable original multimedia
components effectively

selects and uses appropriate

software tools competently

carries out extensive testing

and quality control of the
ebook to ensure that it
functions correctly and is fully
fit for purpose.

(68)
The student makes some relevant
evaluative comments about key
features of:

the ebook

the ebook

their own performance.

their own performance,

incorporating feedback from
others.

(01)

Mark
awarded

(2)

(910)

10

The student evaluates key

features of:

the ebook

their own performance,

incorporating feedback from
others and suggesting at least
one sensible improvement.
(34)

Total marks

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Assessment guidance
The guidance should be used in the context of a best fit approach within the band. (See the
section Applying the mark bands for further guidance.)
Assessment evidence (a)
Mark band 1
(05 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have carried

out some internet-based research. However, they will have
used only a limited range of sources and will have needed
extensive prompting to decide what to research and how to
go about it. Not all the information collected will be relevant.
Student should have described five different types of online
service (see What students need to learn, Section 1.2).
Students who cover less than five cannot access the full
range of marks. However, some of the descriptions are likely
to be brief and have gaps and/or inaccuracies. Students must
also have made an evaluative comment about one of the
services described.
The student uses everyday language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules
of grammar are used with limited accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have made at least
one evaluative comment about each of the services
described, but will not have drawn from this any general
conclusions about the current scope and limitations of the
internet as a whole.

Mark band 2
(68 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have used the

internet to find a range of relevant information. (In this
context, a range should be taken to mean at least four
different sorts of information, e.g. extracts from websites,
screenshots, journal articles, sound clips, quotes from
discussion groups, etc.) They will have needed some
prompting to choose which types of service to investigate, i.e.
those that collectively will give a good overview of the current
scope and limitations of the internet as a whole.
Students should have described five different types of online
service. The descriptions will be detailed and contain few if
any omissions/inaccuracies. They will be illustrated with
some appropriate examples. They must also have made some
relevant evaluative comments about each of the services
described.
The student uses some specialist terms and the response
shows some focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and
the rules of grammar are used with some accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have gone beyond
evaluating individual online services to give some indication
of the current scope and limitations of the internet as a
whole.

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Mark band 3
(911 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have used the

internet to find a wide range of relevant information without
needing any prompting. (In this context, a wide range should
be taken to mean at least six different sorts of information,
e.g. extracts from websites, screenshots, journal articles,
sound clips, quotes from discussion groups, etc.) The services
researched will have been carefully chosen so as to give a
balanced picture of the current scope and limitations of the
internet as a whole.
Students must have described five different types of online
service. The descriptions will be comprehensive possibly
considering examples of the same service supplied by
different providers and will really give a feel for what that
service has to offer, as well as its limitations. They will be
illustrated with a range of well-chosen examples.
In addition to evaluating each of the five services individually,
students will have drawn from this some general conclusions
about the current scope and limitations of the internet as a
whole.
The student uses appropriate specialist terms consistently
and the response shows good focus and organisation.
Spelling, punctuation and the rules of grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have given a clear
and balanced picture of the current scope and limitations of
the internet as a whole.

Assessment evidence (b)

Mark band 1
(05 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have carried

out some research. However, they will have used only a
limited range of sources and will have needed extensive
prompting to decide what to research and how to go about it.
Not all the information collected will be relevant.
Students should have described how ICT affects five different
aspects of peoples lives (see What students need to learn,
Section 1.3). Students who cover less than five cannot access
the full range of marks. However, some of the descriptions
are likely to be superficial and/or sketchy.
Students must have identified a benefit and a drawback.
For full marks in this band, students must have identified
more than one benefit and drawback, but will not have gone
beyond this to draw any general conclusions about the
benefits and drawbacks of life in the Information Age.

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Mark band 2
(68 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have used a

range of different sources to find relevant information. (In
this context, a range should be taken to mean at least three
different types of sources, e.g. newspaper or magazine
articles, textbooks, interviews, personal experience,
broadcasts, etc.) Students will have needed some prompting
to choose appropriate aspects to investigate, i.e. those that
collectively will give a good overview of life in the Information
Age.
Students must have described how ICT affects five different
aspects of peoples lives. The descriptions will be detailed and
illustrated with some relevant examples.
Students must have described some benefits and drawbacks.
For full marks in this band, students must have gone beyond
descriptions of benefits and drawbacks of individual aspects
to give an indication of the benefits and drawbacks of life
overall in the Information Age.

Mark band 3
(910 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have used a

wide range of sources to find relevant information without
needing any prompting. (In this context, a wide range should
be taken to mean at least five different types of sources, e.g.
newspaper or magazine articles, textbooks, interviews,
personal experience, broadcasts, etc.) The aspects
researched will have been carefully chosen so as to give a
balanced picture of life overall in the Information Age.
Students must have described how ICT affects five different
aspects of peoples lives. Each description will be
comprehensive and give a real feel for how ICT is affecting
that aspect of life. Descriptions will be illustrated with a range
of well-chosen examples.
Students must have weighed up the benefits and drawbacks
and drawn some general conclusions.
For full marks in this band, students must have given a clear
and balanced picture of the benefits and drawbacks of life
overall in the Information Age.

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31

Assessment evidence (c)

Mark band 1
(04 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have described

three factors contributing to the digital divide and one
measure being taken to bridge the gap (see What students
need to learn, Section 1.4). Students who cover less than
three cannot access the full range of marks. However, some
of the descriptions are likely to be brief and/or sketchy.
Students must also have made an appropriate evaluative
comment about one aspect social, economic, educational or
cultural of the impact of the digital divide.
For full marks in this band, students must have made more
than one evaluative comment about the impact of the digital
divide.

Mark band 2
(56 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have described

in detail three factors contributing to the digital divide and
some of the measures being taken to bridge the gap. The
descriptions will be illustrated with some appropriate
examples.
Students must also have made some relevant evaluative
comments about the impact of the digital divide.
For full marks in this band, students must have made at least
one evaluative comment about the extent of the digital
divide, either globally or locally.

Mark band 3
(78 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have described

in detail three factors contributing to the digital divide and
some of the measures being taken to bridge the gap. The
descriptions will be illustrated with carefully chosen examples
both global and local.
Students must also have produced a considered assessment
of the impact and extent of the digital divide.
For full marks in this band, students must have given a clear
and accurate picture of the current situation both globally and
locally.

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Assessment evidence (d)

Mark band 1
(09 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have designed

and produced an ebook which includes all the work produced
for (a), (b) and (c) and can be viewed on screen. However, it
is likely that students will not have fully taken into account
the constraints and opportunities of the medium, e.g. the
ebook may have too much information on each screen
requiring the user to scroll down, an essentially linear rather
than hypertext structure, mostly textual content, etc.
The ebook must also offer the user some means of moving
from page to page. However, there is likely to be limited
choice, e.g. it may only be possible to go from page to page
sequentially rather than being able to jump to any page in
any order.
While working on the ebook, students will have needed
frequent reminders to adhere to relevant standard ways of
working, e.g. file management, copyright, acknowledgement
of sources, etc.
For full marks in this band, students must have demonstrated
some awareness of purpose by, for example adding a title
page and introduction to the ebook, as well as some
application of basic multimedia design principles relating to
structure, layout and presentation.

Mark band 2
(1013 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have designed

and produced an ebook which includes all the work produced
for (a), (b) and (c) and is designed to be read on screen, e.g.
has a hypertext structure, takes into account the dimensions
of the screen, the amount of text that can comfortably be
accommodated, font size, colour, etc.
The ebook must also offer the user a means of navigating
from page to page, sequential and non-sequential.
While working on the ebook, students will have needed only
occasional reminders to adhere to relevant standard ways of
working.
For full marks in this band, students must have demonstrated
some awareness of both purpose and audience. In addition,
the ebook must present a coherent/consistent whole rather
than a jumble of different styles and content.

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33

Mark band 3
(1417 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must design and

produce an ebook which includes all the work produced for
(a), (b) and (c), is easy to use and makes effective/creative
use of the medium, e.g. by using rich media content as well
as text to convey information. It must also demonstrate
awareness of accessibility issues.
While working on the ebook, students will have demonstrated
that they are fully conversant with standard ways of working
and understand their relevance. Students will have adhered
to them without being reminded.
For full marks in this band, students must have created an
ebook that effectively conveys a picture of life in the
Information Age and is fully fit for purpose and audience, e.g.
by setting the scene produced when, where and by whom
and giving some background information/context for an
audience not familiar with the here and now.

Assessment evidence (e)

Mark band 1
(05 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have selected

and used some ready-made multimedia components and at
least one component (other than text) that they have created
themselves in their ebook. However, the range of components
used is likely to be limited to just text and graphics and some
of the components may be inappropriate, e.g. a graphic that
has nothing to do with the topic it is meant to illustrate.
Furthermore, the positioning and/or size of some of the
components may be inappropriate.
Students must also have selected and used appropriate
software tools to produce the ebook, although they may not
always have chosen the best tool for the job or used it in the
most effective way.
Students must also have carried out some testing, although
this will not be enough to guarantee that the ebook functions
correctly in all anticipated circumstances.
For full marks in this band, the ebook must be largely
functional and include more than one suitable original
multimedia component.

Mark band 2
(68 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have used

more than one multimedia component (other than text) which
they created themselves. All the components used both
ready-made and original must be suitable and
positioned/sized appropriately.
Students must also have selected and used appropriate software
tools to produce the ebook and have carried out some testing.
For full marks in this band, students must have carried out
sufficient testing, to ensure that the ebook functions correctly
in all anticipated circumstances.

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Mark band 3
(910 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have used a

range of suitable ready-made and original components, e.g.
graphics, text, animation, video, sound, etc. The choice,
positioning, size and mix of components is both effective and
eye-catching.
Students must have used appropriate software competently
and carried out enough testing to ensure that the ebook
functions correctly in all circumstances.
For full marks in this band, students must have gone beyond
simply testing for functionality to assess factors such as ease
of use and fitness for purpose.

Assessment evidence (f)

Mark band 1
(01 mark)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made

some relevant evaluative comments about key features of
their ebook, such as content, structure, screen layout, use of
multimedia components, presentation techniques, ease of
navigation, consistency, accessibility, fitness for
purpose/audience, etc.
Students must also have commented on their own
performance.

Mark band 2
(2 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have taken

account of feedback from others when evaluating key
features of their ebook.
Students must also have commented on their own
performance.

Mark band 3
(3 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have taken

account of feedback from others when evaluating key
features of their ebook and suggested one sensible
improvement.
For full marks in this band, students must have given a
well-rounded evaluation of both the ebook and own
performance.
(See the section Applying the mark bands for further
guidance.)

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35

Delivering this unit

General information

Assessment requirements
The Assessment evidence section is addressed to the student and
gives precise details of what they must do.
The Assessment criteria grid, on the other hand, is addressed to
the assessor and defines the quality of output required for each
mark band. While the requirements remain the same across the
mark bands, performance is differentiated by the quality of the
students response, e.g. level of detail provided, quality of output,
mastery of software tools, depth of analysis/evaluation, etc.
The Assessment guidance section gives further information to help
assessors determine which mark band a piece of work falls into
and how to award marks within that band.
Balance of theory and practical work
Half the marks available for this unit are for practical, hands-on
activities, much of it to do with the development of multimedia
content and the creation of the ebook assessment evidence (d)
and (e).
Students will need to be aware of the key digital technologies and
services available today. Students should ideally be given the
opportunity to gain hands-on experience of some of these. They
must have access to the internet in order to be able to carry out
the necessary research.
The research tasks that are required assessment evidence (a),
(b) and (c) are all about aspects of life in the Information Age
which are relevant to students. These are real, current issues
which students should find interesting and have no difficulty
finding information about.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. It does not require students to
undertake work experience. However, students will benefit from
learning about industry practices in relation to the design and
production of digital publications such as ebooks, websites,
e-learning packages. A number of software producers run online
design workshops and seminars which students might find useful.
Standard ways of working
To be eligible for mark band 1, students must work safely and
adhere to relevant legislation and codes of practice. To be eligible
for higher mark bands, students must use standard ways of
working to manage files, enhance personal effectiveness and
quality assure their work.

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Eportfolio
Students will be expected to present their evidence for this unit in
an eportfolio. The eportfolio must be constructed so that its
contents can be accessed using a web browser and be in a format
appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.
Students must be clear about the distinction between file formats
appropriate for product creation and read-only file formats
appropriate for viewing. Acceptable file formats for eportfolio
content are likely to be PDF for paper-based publications, jpg or
png for images, html for on-screen publications and swf (Flash
movie) for presentations, but may be revised to take account of
future developments.
The following evidence should appear in the eportfolio for this unit:

Teaching and
learning strategies

the ebook

an evaluation of the ebook and own performance.

A range of strategies can be utilised to allow all students to

participate in the activities suggested below.
Personal audit
One way of introducing students to this unit would be to ask them
to keep a log over a given period of time, possibly a week, of all
the instances when they need information/carry out
transactions/communicate with others. This should include all
exchanges of information/transactions etc. irrespective of whether
or not ICT is involved.
As a group, students could pull together their experiences. They
should consider how many of the interactions that did not involve
ICT could have done so.
From their combined experiences, each student should identify five
areas for further consideration. They should then carry out
individual research into these topics; this will involve the use and
evaluation of online services.
Students should be encouraged to consider how much of daily
living can be conducted over the internet what it has to offer and
its limitations, how internet versions of services compare with
non-internet alternatives and the implications for health and
wellbeing of overdependence on the internet.
Students will need to carefully select which online services to
select in order to give a true flavour of the current scope and
limitations of the internet. They could, perhaps, choose one from
each of retail, finance, healthcare, education and entertainment.

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Aspects of living in the Information Age

In this unit, students investigate the impact of ICT on the way
people lead their lives. Students should draw on their personal
audit to reflect on the impact that ICT has on their personal, social
and school/college lives. Students should also consider how ICT
impacts on other people.
From these reflections students could prepare individual
multimedia presentations focusing on specific benefits and
disadvantages of ICT. Each student could present their findings to
the group. The presentations should be followed by group
discussion to allow students to develop their opinions.
The digital divide
Students should consider the negative aspects of the so-called
digital divide from a global and local perspective. Local, in this
case, can mean own community, region or country. Since students
are unlikely to have any personal experience to draw upon, it may
be necessary for the work on this section of the unit to be
introduced initially as a teacher-led activity. Once the issues have
been raised, students could break into groups to investigate:

the factors that create the digital divide

the impact of the digital divide

the extent of the divide

measures being taken to overcome it

the benefits and drawbacks of a reduction in the gap.

Each group could be asked to prepare a discussion document to

present to the other groups.
Students should be encouraged to look at the work of
organisations which gives refurbished computers to developing
countries. Is it right that people in developing countries should get
our cast-offs? Can they actually do anything with them? Is the
electricity supply reliable enough? What is the telecommunications
infrastructure like? Lots of potential discussion here!
The ebook
The research and the conclusions students reach while working on
assessment evidence requirements (a), (b) and (c) should be
presented in the form of an ebook. Ebooks themselves are a
product of the digital world we live in. This unit gives students an
opportunity to explore the benefits and limitations of ebooks.
The production of an ebook will enable students to demonstrate
their ICT competence and presentation skills. In addition, an
ebook is a practical, innovative and appropriate mechanism for
presenting assessment evidence for an ICT qualification.

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Students should carry out research into the range and scope of
ebooks currently available. Students should compile a list of the
different features used to create ebooks and should evaluate the
effectiveness of the facilities and techniques used.
Students should reflect on their findings during the design and
development of their own solutions and should evaluate their
product accordingly.
Some of the ebooks students may come across use specialist
software to emulate features of traditional books such as the
turning of pages. Students are not expected to do anything as
complicated as this. Their ebook needs to be no more than a
variation on a website. The most important thing is to get away
from the linear approach associated with writing a report and to
explore the potential of hypertext structures and multimedia
content.
Students should ensure their ebook content fulfils the
requirements of assessment evidence (a) to (d). Assessment
evidence (e) asks students to reflect on their ebook product and
produce evaluative comments.
Students should use software with appropriate multimedia and
publishing features to produce their ebooks (see the Resources
section). However, it is not necessary for them to use
sophisticated multimedia authoring software for this activity.
Standard applications software which allows hyperlinking is
adequate.
Please note that students are not expected to write about standard
ways of working, but to demonstrate their knowledge of them by
adhering to them, ideally without having to be reminded!
Evaluation
Students must review both the quality of their ebook and their
own performance in terms of what they set out to achieve
compared with what they actually produced and the effectiveness
of the process they went through to achieve it. Students should be
encouraged to view this review process as something more than a
mere 'bolt-on' that will help them to become more effective and
maximise their achievement on the rest of the qualification.

Links
Other units

This unit has close links to Unit 2: The Digital Economy and Unit 3:
The Knowledge Worker.

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Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

Textbooks

desktop/laptop computers, ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

some form of rewritable media

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

sound output (16-bit soundcard, output through

speakers/headphones)

sound input (microphone)

printing facilities

digital camera, scanner, tape recorder

sufficient individual storage space

internet access (broadband)

operating system

software:

word processing, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice

Writer

presentation, e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice

Impress

web authoring, e.g. Adobe Dreamweaver, Quanta+,

Nvu, Microsoft Publisher

graphics, e.g. CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Garrand T Writing for Multimedia and the Web, 3rd Edition

(Focal Press, 2006) ISBN 9780240808222
Geer S Essential Internet (Economist Books, 2003)
ISBN 9781861975409

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Websites

World Summit on the Information Society, Geneva 2003

Tunis 2005 [Link]/wsis
Bridging the Digital Divide, BBC News Special Report,
October 1999
[Link]/1/hi/sci/tech/[Link]

Multimedia

Salvation is Cheap (example of a multimedia ebook), Andie

Brockie
[Link]/projects/[Link]
Examples of e-zines
[Link]

Other resources

Students should be encouraged to keep up to date by reading

some of the many computer/web magazines available, such
as Web User published by Dennis Publishing and net
magazine, published by Future Publishing. In addition to
topical information, most of these magazines give handy hints
and tips, ideas for projects, free software and inspection
copies, etc.

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42

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Unit 2: The Digital Economy

IAL compulsory unit
Internally assessed
Unit description
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. Enhanced connectivity
underpins the growth of the digital economy. The proliferation of internet-enabled computers
in the home and the use of credit cards to pay for goods are major factors in its evolution.
E-consumers exercise greater autonomy and have more choice than is available to them
offline in their own locality. They expect to receive a personalised service and an instant
response.
In this unit, you will investigate how organisations are responding to the pressures of the
e-marketplace by using transactional websites to:

present their products and services

gather information

provide a personalised service.

As an informed ICT user, you need to be aware of the methods used by organisations to
persuade their customers to reveal personal information about themselves and what it is
used for.
Security and privacy are two key concerns for organisations and individuals operating in the
digital economy. You will assess potential threats to customer data and evaluate the
effectiveness of current legislation and measures taken by organisations to protect data.
Databases are key to managing the large amount of data that organisations collect. You will
learn how to use database software to analyse data and identify trends and patterns.
Your work for this unit will culminate in an in-depth investigation into the design of a
commercial transactional website and the back-office processes involved in handling an
online purchase.
You will apply your database skills to the task of storing and analysing given data in order to
identify significant trends and then make recommendations based on your interpretation of
them.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use ICT on a daily basis at work or at school/college for personal,
social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

No specific prior learning is recommended for this unit, although you will find it helpful to
have had some experience of using database software to store and manipulate data.

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What students need to learn

2.1

2.2

Information
needs of
organisation

From brick
to click

The digitisation of information, the growth of the internet and

developments in communication technology are transforming the
way in which organisations communicate and do business. You
need to know how different types of organisations are using ICT
to:

capture and process data

present and exchange information

conduct transactions

market goods and services

distribute goods

manage customer relations

optimise just-in-time purchasing of stock and components.

The internet has become an important channel for the delivery

and/or sale of products and services. For many organisations
operating in the digital economy a physical bricks and mortar
presence in the marketplace is not sufficient. They also need to be
able to conduct business online. A transactional website capable of
handling orders and processing transactions enables them to do
so. An increasing number of organisations conduct their business
entirely online.
You must understand the reasons why organisations both public
and commercial are responding to the trend from brick to click
by setting up transactional websites, including:

access to a worldwide customer base

low set-up and running costs

extension of product range to include internet-specific goods

and services

24/7 presence

faster response times

real-time sales information

customer expectation.

As the dotcom disaster of the late 90s demonstrated, there are

drawbacks associated with operating online. You need to be aware
of these.
More and more people are accessing products and services online.
You must be aware of the advantages and drawbacks to customers
of conducting transactions in this way.

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2.3

Transactional
websites

In the digital economy, conducting business via transactional

websites is commonplace for many organisations. You need to
investigate a number of transactional websites run by
organisations in the commercial and public sectors.
For each site you study, you should consider:

the purpose of the site and how successfully it meets this

objective

how it is structured

the goods and/or services it offers

the product information provided

types of transactions that can be made and how easy it is to do

so

methods used to capture customer information (both overt and

covert) and authenticate the identity of customers

techniques used to engage, retain and entice customers

its usability and accessibility

the customer experience it offers.

You should note any references to terms and conditions of

purchase and details of measures being taken to ensure the
security of customers personal and credit card information.

2.4

Back-office
processes

There is a lot happening behind the scenes of a transactional

website. You need to know about the information processing which
is going on in the background before, during and after a
transaction occurs, including:

maintenance of the virtual shopping basket

identification and authentication routines

real-time tracking of customers actions

payment processing

stock control

dispatch and delivery.

You must be able to draw diagrams to illustrate:

the chain of events leading up to an online purchase

the chain of events that an online purchase triggers

the information that flows into and out of the organisation and
between areas/departments as a result.

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2.5

E-customers

Some essential customer details are required in order to complete

an online transaction successfully. You need to find out what
information is needed and why.
Organisations also need to gather information about their
customers likes and dislikes in order to offer the goods and
services they want. You need to be aware of the techniques both
overt and covert which organisations use to gather this type of
information, including:

analysis of purchase histories and sales information

loyalty schemes

surveys

competitions

cookies

spyware.

E-customers are faceless. The visual cues associated with

conducting face-to-face transactions are absent. You need to know
how organisations use ICT to gain a competitive advantage by
building up a profile of their customers, so as to be able to:

2.6

E-consumer
awareness

offer a personalised service

persuade customers to spend more

predict market trends

reduce wastage.

We all want to be confident that the personal information we

supply to organisations is being protected against theft and
unauthorised access.
As a savvy e-consumer you need to be concerned about:

what information is held about you by organisations

how it is protected

how accurate it is

what it is being used for

who has access to it

potential threats such as identity theft and fraud.

You should be aware of the legislation which affects organisations

and individuals exchanging information and conducting
transactions online, including:

46

data protection

civil rights

distance selling.

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2.7

Security

Organisations which want to operate successfully online must gain

their customers confidence and trust. In order to do so, they need
to demonstrate that they take threats to data security seriously.
You should know about a range of methods by which an
organisation can protect itself from data security threats,
including:

2.8

The database

risk assessment

physical security

user ID and access rights

encryption

secure electronic transactions (SET)

firewalls

virus protection.

The single most important and at the same time least

conspicuous component of a transactional website is the database
which stores details, such as:

products and prices

stock levels

customers

orders.

You will learn how to design and create databases capable of

storing large amounts of data and producing useful information.
When designing a database structure you will need to consider the
nature of the data to be stored as well as the information you want
to find out.
You will learn how to:

select appropriate field types and formats

create simple validation rules

create a one-to-many relationship between tables

import a given data set

use sorts to group and order data

use searches to extract valid and meaningful information

produce reports to present information clearly.

You must be able to interpret output from a database in order to

identify significant features/trends and make recommendations
based on the information you have extracted.

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2.9

ICT skills

Your investigation of transactional websites will give you an

opportunity to develop and practise the internet research skills
introduced in Unit 1: The Information Age.
In addition, you must be able to use a range of ICT tools and
techniques to:

produce diagrammatic representations of systems, events and

information flows

use database software to handle data, including:

48

creating simple relational database structures

setting field characteristics

creating simple validation rules

importing data

sorting on single and multiple fields

searching on single and multiple fields in a table to extract

information

searching on related tables to extract information

using logical and relational operators

producing reports to present information

saving information retrieved from the database

appropriately

produce reports, including:

creating, editing and formatting word-processed documents

checking accuracy

combining and presenting information

adding information from one type of software to information

produced using different software.

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2.10 Standard
ways of
working

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly

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50

eportfolio

creating an appropriate structure for an eportfolio

collecting together all the required information, converting

files to an appropriate format if necessary

authenticating your work

providing a table of contents, using hyperlinks to locate

information easily

testing for size, compatibility and ease of use, making sure

that the eportfolio conforms to the technical specification.

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Assessment evidence
For this unit you will:

investigate the design of a commercial transactional website

(assessment evidence (a))

use diagrams to show what happens when someone purchases

a product online (assessment evidence (b))

investigate potential threats to customer data collected via the

web and the measures taken to protect it (assessment
evidence (c))

create a database to store a given set of data and extract

useful information from it (assessment evidence (d))

evaluate the database and your own performance (assessment

evidence (e)).

Your eportfolio for this unit should include:

(a)*

A description of the main features of the sites design and

an evaluation of its effectiveness, including some
suggestions for improvements.

(b)

Diagrams illustrating the chain of events leading up to, and

triggered by, the online purchase of a product and the
associated flow of information.

(c)

A description of potential threats to customer data collected

by organisations via their websites and an evaluation of
measures being taken including legislation to protect it.

(d)

A database which has been designed, built and tested to

store a given set of data.

Evidence that you have successfully imported the data.

Evidence that you have used and manipulated the database to
produce meaningful information, identify significant trends and
make recommendations based upon them.
(e)

An evaluation of the performance of the database and your

own performance on this unit.

*Opportunity for students to be assessed on Quality of Written

Communication (QWC) (i-iii).

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Assessment criteria
Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(a)

The student:

The student:

The student:

(AO1, 2, 4)

uses the internet to find and

investigate a suitable
transactional website, but needs
extensive prompting

uses the internet to find and

investigate a suitable
transactional website, needing
only limited prompting

uses the internet to find and

investigate a suitable
transactional website,
independently

gives a brief description of the

main features of the sites
design, but with some
inaccuracies or omissions

gives a detailed description

supported by examples of the
main features of the sites design

makes some evaluative

comments, but not sufficient to
give a clear picture of the
overall effectiveness of the sites
design

makes some evaluative

comments, which give a clear
picture of the overall
effectiveness of the sites design

gives a comprehensive
description supported by a
range of well-chosen
examples of the main
features of the sites design

provides a considered
evaluation, which gives a
clear and balanced picture of
the overall effectiveness of the
sites design, suggesting
areas for improvement

uses appropriate specialist

terms consistently and the
response shows good focus and
organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.

QWC (i-iii)

uses everyday language and the

response lacks clarity and
organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with limited
accuracy.

(09)

52

uses some specialist terms and

the response shows some focus
and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with some
accuracy.

(1014)

Mark
awarded

(1518)

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(b)
(AO1, 2, 3)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

The student produces diagrams

giving an outline of the chain of
events leading up to, and triggered
by, an online purchase and the
associated flow of information, but
with some inaccuracies or
omissions.

The student produces diagrams

giving a clear and accurate
picture of the chain of events
leading up to, and triggered by, an
online purchase and the associated
flow of information.

The student produces diagrams

that are effectively presented
and give a complete and
accurate picture of the chain of
events leading up to, and triggered
by, an online purchase and the
associated flow of information.

(05)
(c)
(AO2, 4)

The student identifies some

potential threats to customer data
collected by organisations via their
websites and describes some
measures being taken to protect it,
including legislation, but draws no
conclusions about their
effectiveness.

(68)
A description of potential threats to
customer data collected by
organisations via their websites and
of the measures taken to protect it,
including legislation, with some
assessment of their effectiveness.

(03)

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(45)

Mark
awarded

(910)

10

A description of potential threats to

customer data collected by
organisations via their websites
and of the measures taken to
protect it, including legislation, with
a clear and balanced
assessment of their effectiveness.
(6)

53

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(d)

The student:

The student:

The student:

(AO1, 2, 3)

creates a database structure

capable of storing the given set
of data, but with room for
further customisation

creates a database structure that

is customised to take account
of the characteristics of the given
set of data

carries out some limited testing,

but not enough to ensure that it
functions correctly

carries out adequate testing to

ensure that the database
functions correctly

imports the data into the

database

imports the data into the

database

uses the facilities of the software

to extract some valid and
meaningful information.

uses the facilities of the software

to extract valid and meaningful
information and identify some
significant trends.

(010)

54

(1115)

Mark
awarded

creates a database structure

that is customised to take
account of the characteristics of
the given set of data and
includes some data
validation

carries out extensive testing to

ensure that the database
functions correctly and
efficiently

imports the data into the

database

uses the facilities of the

software to extract valid and
meaningful information and
identify some significant
trends, interpreting output
and making
recommendations based on
it.
(1620)

20

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(e)
(AO4)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

The student makes some

evaluative comments about:

The student evaluates:

The student fully evaluates:

the performance of the

database

their own performance in

the unit.

the performance of the database

their own performance in the unit

incorporating feedback from others

and makes recommendations for
improvements.

(03)

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(45)

Mark
awarded

the performance of the

database

their own performance in the

unit

incorporating feedback from

others and makes realistic
recommendations for
improvements.
(6)

Total marks

60

55

Assessment guidance
The guidance should be used in the context of a best fit approach within the band. (See the
section Applying the mark bands for further guidance.)
Assessment evidence (a)
Mark band 1
(09 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have described

key features of the transactional website they have
investigated, including structure and navigation, type and
range of goods on offer, types of transactions that can be
carried out and at least one of the methods used to capture
customer information (see What students need to learn,
Section 2.3). Students will probably have needed some help
to find a suitable site to investigate and to identify features to
write about. Their descriptions are likely to contain some
inaccuracies. In the evaluation of the transactional website,
the student uses everyday language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules
of grammar are used with limited accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have spotted some
of the less obvious features of the website, such as the
techniques employed to engage, retain and/or entice
customers, covert methods of capturing customer
information, usability and accessibility, students must also
have said something about their effectiveness. (What
students need to learn, Sections 2.5-2.6).

Mark band 2
(1014 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have found

with very little in the way of prompting a website to
investigate and have produced detailed descriptions of the
main features of its design, using some examples probably
screenshots as illustrations. Students must also have
evaluated the effectiveness of some of the features they
describe. In the evaluation of the transactional website, the
student uses some specialist terms and the response shows
some focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the
rules of grammar are used with some accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have said
something about the effectiveness of the site as a whole, as
well as having evaluated each of the features described.

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Mark band 3
(1518 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have selected a

site to investigate without any prompting and produced a
comprehensive description of the sites design, using
well-chosen illustrations. Students must also have fully
evaluated each of the features described, as well as the
effectiveness of the site as whole, considering both strengths
and weaknesses. In the evaluation of the transactional
website, the student uses appropriate specialist terms
consistently and the response shows good focus and
organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules of grammar
are used with considerable accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students will have demonstrated
that they are discerning consumers who can look beyond the
obvious features of a transactional website and understand
what the designer is trying to achieve. They will have
commented on the customer experience and have made
some suggestions for improvements/enhancements.

Assessment evidence (b)

Mark band 1
(05 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

diagrams that give an outline of some of the main events that
take place in the run-up to an online purchase and those that
take place once the purchase has been completed (What
students need to learn, Section 2.4). The diagrams are likely
to be top level, lacking substantial detail and may not be
entirely accurate.
For full marks in this band, students must have indicated the
flow of information triggered by the purchase and produced
diagrams that are reasonably well presented.

Mark band 2
(68 marks)

Mark band 3
(910 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

clear and accurate diagrams.
For full marks in this band, students must have used
diagrams to describe all of the back-office processes
associated with a purchase, the chain of events and the flow
of information.
To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced
effective diagrams that are easy to understand.
For full marks in this band, students must have produced a
comprehensive set of diagrams that together give a complete
picture of all back-office processes, including flows in and out
of the organisation.

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Assessment evidence (c)

Mark band 1
(03 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have identified

a potential threat to customer data and have described a
protective measure being used by an organisation to protect
its customer data and a piece of relevant legislation.
For full marks in this band, students must have described
more than one protective measure.

Mark band 2
(45 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have described

several threats to customer data and some of the measures
and legislation that is designed to protect it.
For full marks in this band, students must have made some
attempt to assess the effectiveness of the measures and
legislation described.

Mark band 3
(6 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a clear and balanced assessment, weighing up the threats on
the one hand against the measures/legislation on the other
and reaching an informed conclusion about the risks.

Assessment evidence (d)

Mark band 1
(010 marks)

To gain marks in this band, students must have created an

appropriate structure to store the given set of data, although
they will not have specified the most appropriate field types
or formats or incorporated any validation checks, carried out
some testing before importing the data, although not enough
to be sure that everything works properly, imported the data,
manipulated the dataset and produced some valid information
from the database.
For full marks in this band, students must have created a
valid one-to-many relationship, checked the data once
imported and made some attempt to present the information
extracted in a meaningful way.

Mark band 2
(1115 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have created

an appropriate database structure using at least two tables
customised for the given data set, by selecting appropriate
field types and formats. Students must have imported and
checked the given data. They will have produced evidence of
having manipulated the data set to include sorting on multiple
fields in order to group and analyse data, and searched on
multiple fields in a table in order to extract useful information.
They will also have made some attempt to present output in a
meaningful way.
For full marks in this band, students must have included
some relevant validation checks and have properly tested the
database before importing the data. They must have
identified some trends from the information extracted from
the database.

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Mark band 3
(1620 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have studied

the data set carefully before creating a relational database,
properly customised and including appropriate validation, to
hold it. Students will have carried out extensive testing before
importing the data and will have checked the data carefully
once imported to make sure that it is correct. They will
have used the facilities of the software to good effect,
including searching on related tables to extract relevant
information.
For full marks in this band, students will have accurately
interpreted the information extracted from the database,
identified significant trends and made informed
recommendations based upon them.

Assessment evidence (e)

Mark band 1
(03 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made at

least one relevant evaluative comment about the
performance of the database they have created. They must
also have commented on their own performance in the unit.
For full marks in this band, students must have commented
on several aspects of the performance of their database, such
as the field types/sizes used, how easy it is to extract useful
information from it, how effectively the validation prevents
data entry errors, the quality of the reports, etc.

Mark band 2
(45 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have taken

account of feedback from others when evaluating the
performance of the database they have created and their own
performance in the unit.
For full marks in this band, students must have considered
the effectiveness of the performance of the database as a
whole, as well as commenting on individual aspects of it.

Mark band 3
(6 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have given a

well-rounded evaluation of both the performance of the
database they have created and their own performance in the
unit, and have recommended one realistic improvement to
the database.
(See the section Applying the mark bands for further
guidance.)

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Delivering this unit

General information

Recommended prior learning

This unit focuses on ecommerce. Students look beneath the
surface of a transactional website. If they study Unit 1: The
Information Age first, they will be familiar with some of the
techniques used to attract customers and entice them to use the
services on offer. However, since most students will already have
considerable experience of using the internet, this is a
recommendation rather than a requirement.
Assessment requirements
The Assessment evidence section is addressed to students and
gives precise details of what they must do.
The Assessment criteria grid, on the other hand, is addressed to
the assessor and defines the quality of output required for each
mark band. While the requirements remain the same across the
mark bands, performance is differentiated by the quality of the
students response, e.g. level of detail provided, quality of output,
mastery of software tools, depth of analysis/evaluation, etc.
The Assessment guidance section gives further information to help
assessors determine which mark band a piece of work falls into
and how to award marks within that band.
Balance of theory and practical work
Half the marks available for this unit are for practical, hands-on
activities. Students use the internet to explore the design of a
commercial transactional website; they produce diagrams showing
the chain of events leading up to, and triggered by, an online
purchase and the associated flow of information. They create a
simple relational database, import data into it and use the facilities
of the software to extract valid and meaningful information from it.
Students must have access to the internet in order to be able to
carry out the necessary research.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. It does not require students to
undertake work experience. However, students will benefit from
learning about industry practices in relation to the design and
day-to-day running of transactional websites. Ideally, students
should be given an opportunity to look behind the scenes or at
least talk to someone involved in designing and/or running a
transactional website.

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Standard ways of working

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must work safely and
adhere to relevant legislation and codes of practice. To be eligible
for higher mark bands, students must use standard ways of
working to manage files, enhance personal effectiveness and
quality assure their work.
Eportfolio
Students will be expected to present their evidence for this unit in
an eportfolio. The eportfolio must be constructed so that its
contents can be accessed using a web browser and be in a format
appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.
Students must be clear about the distinction between file formats
appropriate for product creation and read-only file formats
appropriate for viewing. Acceptable file formats for eportfolio
content are likely to be PDF for paper-based publications, jpg or
png for images, html for on-screen publications and swf (Flash
movie) for presentations, but may be revised to take account of
future developments.
The following evidence should appear in the eportfolio for this unit:

a description/evaluation of the design of the selected

transactional website. Note students should select a
transactional website that sells products from stock which are
delivered to a stated address

diagrams illustrating the back-office processes and information

flows

a description/evaluation of potential threats to customer data

and measures and/legislation taken to protect it

screen dumps showing the structure of the database created

and the testing and manipulation to include the design of
queries, search criteria and queries/sorts used as well as
output based on the manipulation

recommendations based on output from the database

an evaluation of the performance of the database and own

performance in the unit.

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Teaching and
learning strategies

What students need to learn, Section 2.1 asks students to look at

the information needs of organisations and how they use ICT to
communicate and do business. This provides the starting point for
the work for this unit. Students really need to appreciate that
different types of organisations have different needs and this will
affect how and where they employ ICT. At this point, students will
need to be clear of the difference between commercial and public
sector organisations and may want to start to consider if this too
may affect the type of ICT they use or the way they use it.
Although students will spend considerable time accessing the
internet for this unit, it actually requires them to go beyond using
the web as a source of information and move on to consider how
the internet is used by many business organisations as an
extension of their marketplace, i.e. the from brick to click
phenomenon. Transactional websites can provide organisations
with an interface to reach and gather information on a wider range
of consumers than ever before. Students should have the
opportunity to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the
e-marketplace to both public sector/commercial organisations and
consumers, hopefully developing their own e-consumer
awareness.
Investigation of a transactional website
Wherever possible, working with a real business organisation
operating a transactional website will be extremely beneficial in
helping students to fully understand how the site works and all the
back-office processes involved.
Students should begin by exploring a range of transactional
websites, both commercial and public service, before deciding
which one to investigate in depth. Students should ensure the
transactional website they choose enables customers to buy
products from stock which are delivered to a stated address.
In order to consider the requirements for data gathering and
storage, students would benefit from considering online
supermarket sites. These sites allow students to register and to
carry out many functions without the need to subscribe or pay for
using the facilities. In addition, many students will be familiar with
supermarket loyalty schemes, either from personal/family
experience or from their KS4 studies.
Students should examine how easy virtual shopping baskets are to
use, what information has to be input in order to register, order
and pay for goods selected.
The consideration of stored customer data and the way that this
data is gathered and used to analyse shopping patterns, and to
encourage customer spending via the issuing of targeted vouchers,
will give students the opportunity to consider how online
commercial organisations profile their customers.

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The number of transactional websites are constantly increasing as

businesses realise the value of selling 24/7 to a wide audience.
Students should be encouraged to select different transactional
websites from each other and to choose one which sells products
from stock and delivers to a stated address.
Students should examine how the design, structure and features
of transactional sites add to the customer experience.
Back-office processes
Students see the front office (shopping basket and methods of
payment) when accessing transactional websites. They will need to
study what happens behind the scenes in the back office. This
involves understanding the departments which have access to the
information input into the system when an item is being
purchased. This will also include the flow of information to third
parties involved in the processes. Students should use flow charts
and information flow diagrams to depict relevant back-office
processes. Diagrams need to be produced using computer
software and ideally they should use drawing software to produce
their diagrams. Students should look at a range of different types
of diagrams in textbooks but need to create their own and add
annotation to explain them.
Interrogation of a database
Databases are key to managing the large amounts of data
organisations collect in the digital world. Assessment evidence (d)
and (e) require students to design a database to hold a given data
set collected from a transactional website. Data sets should be
given to students in a single file in csv format and should be large
enough to contain trends. Students will use database tools to
design and create the database, test the created structure, import
the data set and then analyse/interrogate the given data to extract
meaningful information and present the output in a meaningful
way. Through this activity they will learn how databases assist
decision making by helping to identify patterns and trends.
Students should be encouraged to think about the data stored by
the system underlying the transactional website they investigated,
and consider how that data could be used to generate the
information.
Students will need to use relational database software. However,
they are required to produce only simple relational database
structures consisting of no more than two tables linked together
by a one-to-many relationship. Students are not required to
produce front ends and forms, they should examine What students
need to learn, Sections 2.8 and 2.9 to ascertain the skills needed.

Links
Other units

This unit has close links with Unit 1: The Information Age and
Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker.

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Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

Textbooks

desktop/laptop computers, ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

some form of rewritable media

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

sound output (16-bit soundcard, output through

speakers/headphones)

printing facilities

sufficient individual storage space

internet access (broadband)

operating system

software:

word processing, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice

Writer

database, e.g. Microsoft Access, SQL, mySQL

drawing, e.g. Microsoft Visio, OpenOffice Draw

html authoring software, pdf converter.

Geer S Essential Internet (Economist Books, 2003)

ISBN 9781861975409
Heathcote F R Further Access 20002002 (Payne-Gallway,
2004) ISBN 9781903112984

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Websites

Good examples of commercial websites include:

[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
Good examples of public service websites include:
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]

Other resources

Students should be encouraged to keep up to date by reading

some of the many computer/web magazines available, such
as Web User published by Dennis Publishing and net
magazine, published by Future Publishing.
In addition to topical information, most of these magazines
give handy hints and tips, ideas for projects, free software
and inspection copies, etc.

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Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker

IAL compulsory unit
Externally assessed
Unit description
We all encounter situations where we have to weigh up alternatives and make decisions. For
example, if you organise a school disco, you need to work out how much you should charge
for tickets enough to cover the cost of the event, but not so much that it puts people off
coming. When choosing a university or college, you need to take factors such as fees,
travelling costs and accommodation into account as well as the qualifications that are
available and the entrance requirements. You may have a personal preference for a
particular qualification, but other factors may lead you to choose another.
In this Information Age, computers and communications technology give many of us access
to vast quantities of information. As ICT users, we need to make judgements about sources
and accuracy of information and be able to select and manipulate information to support
sound decision making.
People who work at the tasks of developing or using knowledge are known as knowledge
workers in the world of ICT this includes programmers, systems analysts, technical writers
and most importantly users. In other words, you are a knowledge worker! Knowledge
workers are discerning consumers of information. They have the information-handling skills
to turn information into knowledge.
In this unit you will learn about making informed decisions using the knowledge available to
you. As you already know, not all information is current or accurate. You will learn how to
select your sources and decide on how much credence you can place in them. You will learn
that there are often many factors to consider when making a decision and that part of the
process is to identify gaps in your knowledge. Decisions often have to be made within time
constraints. You will learn how to manage your time effectively by prioritising tasks and
setting interim deadlines.
In Unit 2: The Digital Economy, you will have used database software to organise and
interrogate a large data set and to extract useful information. In this unit, you will develop
your skills as a knowledge worker by learning how to use spreadsheet models to investigate
alternatives and answer what if questions. The formulae in these models will allow you to
try out some of the possible alternatives that you have identified. Together with information
from other sources, you will use the outcome of the models to inform your decision making.

Recommended prior learning

No specific prior learning is recommended for this unit, although you will find it helpful to
have had some experience of using spreadsheet software to handle data. It is recommended
that you study Unit 1: The Information Age and Unit 2: The Digital Economy before starting
work on this unit.

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What students need to learn

3.1

Problem
solving

What shall I wear today? Which programme shall we watch? Many

of the problems we encounter and the decisions we make are
personal and have little effect on others. However, as an advanced
ICT user and knowledge worker, you will be faced with making
decisions that have a direct, often wide-ranging, impact on other
individuals, groups or the organisation as a whole.
Once a problem is defined, specific information is required to make
decisions on how best to solve it. You will learn to process the
information you have available to create new information, thereby
increasing your knowledge of the situation.
Often you will find yourself faced with an enormous amount of
potentially useful information and at times with information
overload far too much information available so that you cannot
easily find the knowledge that you need. You will need to discard
irrelevant information so that you are left only with information
that you can process. Most importantly, you must remember that
technology can only give you potentially useful information it
does not create knowledge for you.

3.2

The decisionmaking
process

Informed decision making is a systematic process which takes into

account all the valid information available.
As a knowledge worker faced with making a decision, you will need
to:

make sure that you fully understand the situation

search for information related to the problem

establish what sources of information there are and how

reliable they are

identify gaps in your knowledge that cannot be filled

find out if there are any other factors which need to be

considered, including constraints

select the information you will use

analyse the information

identify alternatives

make the decision

justify the decision

explain it to others.

You will need to consolidate your understanding of this process by

considering examples, such as the problem of selecting the
appropriate season ticket for a business commuter. There are a
number of factors to take into account including the types of ticket
available, the costs, the availability, the number of journeys, time
of day, holidays, etc.

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3.3

3.4

Understanding In order to stand a realistic chance of making the right decision, it

is essential to think things through.
the situation

Sources of
information

What exactly do you have to decide?

Are there different viewpoints?

How does this decision compare with similar decisions you may
have had to make already?

Are there variations from time to time or place to place?

How long have you got to decide?

What resources are at your disposal?

When trying to make a decision, you need to first establish what

you know and what you need to find out. You need to identify all
relevant sources of information and make judgements about their
accuracy and usefulness.
You will need to ask yourself the following questions.

3.5

Other factors
to consider

What do I need to know?

What relevant knowledge do I already have?

What are the gaps in my knowledge and can they be filled?

What information do I already have access to?

Where will any additional information come from?

What factors can affect the accuracy of information I have used

or collected?

How will I evaluate sources of information to ensure that

content is reliable?

This is where your qualities as a knowledge worker are really put

to the test, as the best decisions take all available knowledge into
account. Once you have assessed the usefulness of information,
you must consider other factors that might influence the decision,
such as:

currency of data

accuracy of data

external factors, e.g. traffic, weather.

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3.6

Making a
decision

You should, at this stage, have gained as much information as

possible about the situation. You now need to maximise your
knowledge by analysing the information and by testing out
alternative solutions.
There are many ways of manipulating information to help you
make decisions but one of the most useful is that of modelling.
Spreadsheet models are powerful aids to decision making.
A well-constructed model will capture the main features of a
situation without getting bogged down with unimportant details.
It will allow you to explore alternatives and predict behaviour
under different conditions.
The results of using the model, combined with all the other
knowledge you have relating to the situation, should allow you to
make a decision or make recommendations for the future.

3.7

Computer
modelling

You will need to practise using spreadsheet models to help you

make decisions. However, bear in mind that the decisions you
make are only ever as good as the model on which they are based!
Before putting your trust in a model whether created by you or
somebody else you need to check that it is correct.

Is the logic of the model correct?

Are the data formats appropriate?

Is the syntax of the formulae correct?

Are the cell references correct?

The quality of your model will affect the quality of the decisions
you make, so before using a model you should determine:

70

the process/scenario being modelled

what it does

how well it does it

whether it could be improved

which variables can be input

what the output tells you

the decisions you could make using it.

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3.8

3.9

Using a
model to
consider
alternatives

Justifying the
decision

3.10 Reporting it
to others

Once you are sure that a model is working correctly you can use it
to see the effects of various courses of action. For example, the
model may indicate the most cost-effective solution, but that is
unlikely to be the only consideration. You will often have to
compromise between two opposing factors, for example when you
are buying a car you may have to compromise on power because
of the cost. You will need to decide:

which decision produces the best results or compromise

the alternatives

factors that differentiate between them

anything that the model does not take into account

what the impact of these might be.

Having considered both the results of your model and other

factors, you will need to use your knowledge to make a decision.
As a knowledge worker, your task is not only to make
recommendations based on the information you have selected or
derived, but to justify your decisions to others. As you go through
the decision-making process you should record your progress so
that relevant documentation is available when you come to present
your report.
In a business environment you will probably not have sole control
of the decisions to be made and it is likely you will have to
recommend a course of action to your management. Your
recommendations should include:

a summary of the current situation

sources of information and alternatives you considered

other factors you took into consideration

the methods you used to reach your decision

your decision

justification of your decision, supported by evidence of the

decision-making process.

Recommending decisions to management is normally done in one

of two ways through face-to-face presentations or written
reports. For the examination you will need to know how to create
fit-for-purpose presentations and reports.

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3.11 Evaluating a
model

3.12 ICT skills

You will need to be able to evaluate models. You will need to

cross-reference your method of solution against the original
objectives and consider the following.

How well has the model performed?

To what extent has the model helped you to make the

decision?

What else would you like to do?

Does the model need extending and, if so, how?

Will more information have to be found?

You must be able to use a range of ICT tools and techniques to:

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carry out spreadsheet modelling tasks, including:

entering and editing data, e.g. absolute and relative cell

referencing, adding data and text to a chart

formatting data, e.g. colours, shading and borders, headers

and footers

using formulae and functions, e.g. mathematical, statistical,

financial and relational

validating and checking data, e.g. errors in formulae,

accuracy of results

analysing and interpreting data, e.g. filters, subtotals

presenting information, e.g. graphs and charts

modifying spreadsheet models to take account of

requirements

produce word-processed documents that communicate

effectively and impart information to an audience, including:

importing data from other applications, e.g. adding a

spreadsheet graph/chart to a word-processing document

formatting documents

creating document layouts, e.g. tables and columns

checking and proofreading documents

produce presentations that communicate effectively and impart

information to an audience, including:

creating and editing presentations

formatting slides

inserting text, pictures and charts into presentations

importing data from other applications, e.g. adding a

spreadsheet graph/chart to a presentation

checking and proofreading presentations.

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3.13 Standard
ways of
working

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly

assessment

correctly labelling all documents submitted for assessment

submitting documents in the order required

submitting evidence in the format required.

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Assessment guidance
This unit is externally assessed through a 2 hour and 30 minute examination and must be
taken in one sitting during a designated five-day window.
Working under exam conditions, you will be required to make and justify a decision based on
what you know about a given scenario and what you are able to extract from the information
provided.
To help you reach your decision you will be given a number of e-resources, including a
spreadsheet model that partially represents the given situation. You will use the information
provided to add to your knowledge of the scenario and inform your decision making.
Details of the scenario, the spreadsheet model and the practice files will be issued in
advance of the examination to give you an opportunity to familiarise yourself with them and
to carry out some preliminary research. However, details of the decision to be made will be
provided only at the start of the examination.
You will be expected to use standard office software to help you make, present and justify
your decision. Marks will be awarded for the quality of your written communication.
By the end of the designated examination period, you will have to print your work and
assemble it as specified on the front of the examination paper.

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Delivering this unit

General information

Assessment requirements
This is an externally-assessed unit. Instructions for the conduct of
the examination will be published on the Pearson website in
advance of each examination series.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. Students will need to explore a range of
different spreadsheet models.
Pre-release time
This unit gives students pre-release material. A practice
spreadsheet model and data files will be released at the same time
as the pre-release material to help students prepare for the
examination.

Teaching and
learning strategies

Standard ways of working

Students must work safely and adhere to relevant legislation and
codes of practice when carrying out the externally-set, practical
computer-based activities required for this unit. Marks will be
awarded for evidence of adherence to relevant standard ways of
working.
Students should be encouraged to practise using models to help
make decisions, to investigate the underlying logic/assumptions of
models and to check their accuracy.
Students should experience a range of situations in which they are
either required to make decisions based on information provided
by others, or to evaluate decisions made by others in the light of
available information. They should be encouraged to use critical
thinking techniques to analyse problems in terms of what they
know, what they need to know and how they will move from the
initial position to the point at which they can make a decision.
One possible context for this work might be planning a holiday.
Models could be created that take into account all factors involved
in the process and allow students to explore alternatives in order
to aid their decision. Students could also consider decisions related
to their future. This could include consideration of their career
aspirations (possibly in terms of cost of education versus future
earning power), or the consideration of qualifications/institutions
for higher education.
Working in groups may benefit students at this stage, as it will
give them the opportunity to present their decisions to others,
require them to justify their decisions when challenged and explain
the underlying logic/assumptions used to create their model.

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Knowledge workers are discerning consumers of information.

Students should learn to question the quality of the information
they have available to them and to realise that decisions are only
as good as the information on which they are based.
Consideration should also be given to issues relating to ethical
decision making to what extent should a spreadsheet model
alone be used as the basis for decision making?
While not required to create spreadsheet models for themselves,
students will need to be able to use spreadsheet software
effectively (see What students need to learn, Section 3.12).

Links
Other units

This unit has close links to Unit 1: The Information Age and
Unit 2: The Digital Economy. Students will be expected to draw on
the ICT skills developed in these units in order to handle
information and present their decisions.
Many of the decision-making/problem-solving skills introduced in
this unit will be utilised and developed further at IA2, especially in
Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects.
Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet Software builds on the introduction to
spreadsheet modelling provided by this unit.

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Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

desktop/laptop computers, ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

sound output (16-bit soundcard, output through

speakers/headphones)

printing facilities

sufficient individual storage space

operating system

software:

spreadsheet, e.g. Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc

word processing, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice

Writer

presentation, e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice

mind mapping, e.g. Inspiration.

Textbooks

Edwards J S and Finley P N Decision Making with

Computers: The Spreadsheet and Beyond (Financial
Times/Prentice Hall, 1997) ISBN 9780273621287

Websites

Examples of models:
[Link]/[Link] biz pep Business Support
Software

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Unit 4: Using Database Software

IAL compulsory unit
Externally assessed
Unit description
In Unit 2: The Digital Economy, you used database software to organise and to interrogate
structured information. You saw how large organisations rely on databases to manage their
information and give them fast and flexible access to it. You looked at examples of
transactional websites which use databases to store product, customer and sales information
and learned at first hand how database queries can be used to analyse information and
identify trends.
In this unit you will develop your knowledge of, and skills in using, databases further. You
will learn the principles of data modelling and sound database design, and will use relational
database software to build working database systems capable of storing large quantities of
data and of handling both routine and one-off requests for information.
In all likelihood, people other than yourself will want to use some if not all of the
databases you create. With this in mind, you will design and implement user interfaces that
make it easier for people to enter data and extract information, while ensuring the overall
security and integrity of the database.
You will make full use of the facilities of the software to generate reports that are well
presented, easy to read and fit for purpose. Your work for this unit will culminate in the
design, development, testing and evaluation of a database for a specific purpose in a given
scenario.
This is an externally-assessed unit.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use advanced ICT skills on a daily basis at work or at school/college
for personal, social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

This unit builds on the database knowledge and skills you acquired in Unit 2: The Digital
Economy.

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What students need to learn

4.1

Database
applications

In Unit 2: The Digital Economy, you looked at the role that

databases play in the day-to-day operation of transactional
websites. You will find it useful to begin your work for this unit by
exploring other database applications in areas such as commerce,
education and manufacturing.
You should pay particular attention to design issues, such as:

the database structure

the user interface

measures used to protect the quality of the data

types and forms of output

the methods used to extract information.

You will be able to put much of what you learn to good use when
you start to design and implement relational databases of your
own.

4.2

Functional
specification

As you will have realised by now, databases are too complex and
usually too important to the business for their creation to be left to
chance. They need to be systematically designed, built and tested.
As with all software development, the first step in the process is to
produce a functional specification identifying the requirements of
the database what exactly it needs to do, including:

the task(s) the database must perform

the information it must supply, in what format, to whom

the data to be input into the database, how and from where

the processing that is required

the levels of security and validation needed.

Having a clearly defined functional specification will help to keep

you on track once you start building the database. By checking
what you have achieved against the functional specification from
time to time you can measure progress and make sure you do not
lose sight of your goal.

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4.3

Database
development

Once you are clear about the functional requirements, you can
begin work on the design of the database.
The first thing to do is to analyse the data requirements of the
system and produce a data model.
The next step is to translate the data model into a physical
database structure using your chosen database software.
You must be able to convert data models into physical database
structures and test that they work correctly, before beginning work
on other aspects of the system, including:

4.4

Data
modelling

data entry and validation functions

queries

reports

menus.

You are already familiar with the concept of a model. In Unit 3 The
Knowledge Worker, you used spreadsheet models to represent
real-life processes and situations. In this unit you will learn a
technique known as entity-relationship modelling to represent the
data in a given scenario.
Entity-relationship models (ER models) have three components:

entities

attributes

relationships.

You will learn what each of these terms means and will practise
constructing ER models showing the entities, their attributes and
the relationships between them for a given scenario.
You will need to be able to construct entity-relationship diagrams
and data flow diagrams to show you understand the task of the
database.
You will learn how to determine the degree of a relationship and to
take steps to resolve many-to-many relationships.
Normalisation is a process for removing unnecessary duplicated
data and maximising the efficiency of a database. You will learn
how to normalise an initial data model to third normal form and
the reasons for doing this.

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4.5

Creating a
relational
database
structure

You will learn how to use database software to build physical

representations of data models, in which entities are represented
as tables and attributes as fields.
You must be able to choose suitable data types and formats for
fields, including:

text, e.g. limited length, unlimited length, memo

number, e.g. integer, auto record number, floating point

Boolean, e.g. true and false, Y and N

date, e.g. dd/mm/yy, dd month

time, e.g. 24-hour clock, hh/mm/ss

currency, e.g. pound (), dollar ($).

You should also know how to store pictures and other forms of
non-textual data.
You must understand how these data types are actually stored and
how the database software converts them to the format required.
It is important that you are aware of the limitations of particular
number formats and choose the most appropriate.
You will learn how to index a field or group of fields in order to
speed up data retrieval and know when it is appropriate to do so.
You will use the primary/foreign/composite key mechanisms to
create relationships between tables and learn how to make
relationships compulsory by enforcing referential integrity
wherever possible or needed.

4.6

Validation
techniques

The garbage in, garbage out rule is particularly relevant to

databases. You must make every effort to stop incorrect data from
getting into a database.
You will learn a number of techniques for validating data, including
building in checks, such as:

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presence check

range check

file lookup check

list check

format (picture) check

length of data check.

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4.7

The user
interface

You will learn how to design and implement user-friendly

interfaces to help people enter data into your databases and
extract information from them.
You must be able to produce screen input forms with facilities,
such as:

input masks

drop-down lists

option buttons

command buttons.

You must incorporate help for users by means of:

instructions

help screens

easy to understand error messages.

You will learn how to minimise the potential for invalid data input
by incorporating validation checks into all elements of the
database.
You also need to think about how information from your databases
will be selected and displayed. You should know how to create
menus and searches to make it easier for people to use a database
and to control how much or how little users are allowed to see and
do.
You will use the presentation and formatting features of the
software to produce reports on screen and on paper that turn
database output into meaningful information, using titles, layout,
etc. Where appropriate, you will incorporate calculations such as
totals and running sums into reports.

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4.8

Testing and
evaluation

You will learn to test any databases you create to make sure that
they work correctly and are fit for purpose. You should design and
carry out tests to ensure that:

the solution meets all the requirements of the functional

specification

all menus work properly

validation checks prevent unacceptable data from being

entered

the database can cope with normal, extreme and abnormal

data

output from the database is complete, accurate and in the

required format

other people could use it without help.

Testing will help you to verify that any database that you have
created works as it was designed to do.
Evaluation should include whether the database is fit for purpose
and demonstrate that you did not lose sight of the functional
specification you identified in What students need to learn, Section
4.2. It should also include how well this has been achieved and
how easy it is to use.
You will need to consider both quantitative and qualitative criteria
for judging success. You will also need to identify any
shortcomings in the database system and ways in which it could be
improved.
As an evaluation should be an informative document, the quality of
the written communication needs to be carefully addressed.

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4.9

ICT skills

In order to produce relational databases you must be able to use

database software to carry out tasks, including:

constructing tables to represent entities

defining the fields in each table to represent attributes

defining appropriate data types and formats

defining primary keys

creating relationships between tables

defining searches and sorts (single and multiple fields and

tables)

using relational logic in searches

importing data from and exporting data to other databases and

applications

using macros to automate common tasks

using wizards effectively

creating screen data entry forms that:

enable the entry of data into single and multiple tables

have appropriate entry form field lengths

provide clear labelling of entry form fields

provide instruction fields where necessary

include validation checks on field entries, as appropriate

enable the selection and entry of data from built-in lists

(constructed from other tables)

include calculation (formula) fields

make use of automated number fields (counter fields)

use date and time fields

creating database reports that:

have suitable headers and footers

have an appropriate format and layout

have sorted data grouping

include calculations and total fields

include specified queries.

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4.10 Standard
ways of
working

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

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file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly.

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Assessment guidance
This unit is externally assessed.
Working under exam conditions, you will be required to design, implement and test a
relational database system to meet a given set of functional requirements. Some of the data
to be stored in the database will be supplied to you as a comma separated values (csv) file.
You will have 10 hours in which to complete this work. This will be divided into a number of
sessions by your centre. You will be not be able to remove your work from the examination
room but you will be able to look things up between sessions. However, you must not
discuss the task with other students and the final database solution must be entirely your
own work.
As well as creating the database to solve the task set, you will need to evaluate what you
have done. You will review your solution, taking into account how else you could have
approached the task and changes you could have made to the database. This evaluation will
involve narrative text and you will need to be very precise when presenting it. Marks will be
awarded for the quality of your written communication in this part of the examination.
Only fully functional relational database software capable of supporting one-to-many
relationships should be used for this unit. An up-to-date list of acceptable software will be
maintained on the Pearson website.
At the end of the designated examination period, you will assemble the printed output
produced in response to instructions specified on the front of the examination paper for
submission to Pearson.

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Delivering this unit

General information

Assessment requirements
This is an externally-assessed unit. Instructions for the conduct of
the examination will be published on our website in advance of
each examination series.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. It is important that students acquire
some experience of live, large-scale database systems: the sheer
volume of data they handle, the different views of the data they
provide and the way in which data is imported from and exported
to other software applications.
Pre-release time
This unit provides students with pre-release material. It is
important that students use that time to investigate possible
database structures to fit the scenario and create practice data to
test these structures.

Teaching and
learning strategies

Standard ways of working

Students must work safely and adhere to relevant legislation and
codes of practice when carrying out the externally-set practical
computer-based activities required for this unit. Marks will be
awarded for evidence of adherence to relevant standard ways of
working.
Students should be reminded of the work they did in Unit 2: The
Digital Economy and may find it useful to revisit the database
concepts introduced there before beginning to create database
structures of their own.
Students should be encouraged to follow a structured systems
development process, involving investigation and analysis of the
problem, design and implementation of the solution. They should
be instructed in data modelling using entity-relationship diagrams
and normalisation and they should be given opportunities to
practise the techniques they have learned.
Students need to develop skills in the chosen database
management software and be familiar with the development tools
supplied with this software. They should be able to create related
tables, interactive forms, complex searches of their database
(including linked tables, parameter searches, calculated fields,
multi-field searches, range searches and totals), sophisticated
reports and macros. There is no expectation that students will
need to supply programmed solutions.

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Students need to understand the importance of testing a system

and choosing appropriate test data to ensure their system works.
They will also need to understand the need for evaluation and the
ways in which this may be done.
The quality of written communication will be assessed in a
response that requires continuous prose.
Students need to have practised developing parts of a system and
simple systems before the examination.

Links
Other units

This unit builds on the database work undertaken in Unit 2: The

Digital Economy. The concept of a model introduced in Unit 3: The
Knowledge Worker is a useful foundation for the work on data
modelling that students undertake in this unit.
Assessors may want to use this unit as a vehicle for introducing
some of the project management techniques covered in Unit 5:
Managing ICT Projects.

Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

desktop/laptop computers ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

some form of rewritable media

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

printing facilities

sufficient individual storage space

internet access (broadband)

operating system

software:

Books

relational database software, e.g. Microsoft Access,

SQL, MySQL

Heathcote P M Successful ICT Projects in Access, 3rd Edition

(Payne-Gallway, 2002) ISBN 9781903112731

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Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects

IAL compulsory unit
Internally assessed
Unit description
You already have considerable experience of planning and carrying out small-scale projects.
You know how difficult it can be to juggle resources and make effective use of time. Imagine
how much more difficult it is when the project you are managing involves large numbers of
people, lots of resources and substantial amounts of money! Determining what has to be
done when and by whom, keeping track of progress and reporting to senior management
requires considerable expertise. Perhaps not surprisingly, a large number of projects
particularly in ICT do not fully meet their objectives. Some fail spectacularly!
It is now widely recognised that specialist knowledge and skills are required to manage
projects successfully. This unit will introduce you to some formal project management tools
and methods and give you an opportunity to use specialist software to plan and monitor
projects.
You will be able to put into practice what you have learned by setting up and running a
small-scale software project. You will have to draw on the knowledge and skills you have
learned throughout the qualification in order to plan for and produce the required software
product. It is assumed that you already have skills in at least two different software
applications and some experience of the processes involved in software design and
implementation.
Although in real life budgeting is an important factor in any project, you will not be
expected to consider finance. However, you will need to identify other resource requirements
such as expertise, equipment and time. This is not a team activity, but will involve working
closely with others, since people skills and good communication are key to successful project
management.
The summative evaluation of your work for this unit will take the form of an end-of-project
review at which you and other project stakeholders will assess the success of the project and
your performance as the project manager.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use ICT on a daily basis at work or at school/college for personal,
social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

This unit builds on the work you have done throughout the qualification. It assumes that you
already have some experience of developing a software product, possibly though your work
on Unit 4: Using Database Software.

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What students need to learn

5.1

Examples of
projects

As you know from your own experience, a project is not a

never-ending process. It runs for a predetermined period of time,
involves a number of people and is intended to achieve a specific
goal. A number of factors contribute to the success of a project,
including detailed planning, efficient use of resources and effective
communication.
You will find it useful to begin your work for this unit by studying
some real-world examples of projects, both large and small. In
particular, you should try to identify:

5.2

Stakeholders

the characteristics they have in common

critical success factors

reasons why some projects fail.

In your research, you will discover that even small projects have a
surprisingly large number of people associated with them. These
are known collectively as stakeholders. A stakeholder is an
individual or organisation actively involved in the project or whose
interests may be affected by it.
You must understand the roles and responsibilities of the following
stakeholders:

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senior management

customer/client

user

project manager

team member

peer reviewer

supplier.

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5.3

Project
proposal

The starting point for any project is either a problem that needs
solving or a bright idea! Someone identifies a need or an
opportunity that may be worth pursuing.
You will learn how to carry out a thorough investigation of an initial
project idea and produce a project proposal detailing:

what the project is about

what it will deliver

what benefits it will bring and any potential risks

impact on personnel and practices

the functional requirements

who will use the product(s)/service(s) that are produced

how long it will take

when it must be finished

what resources will be needed

who else will be involved

ways of tackling the project, including recommendations.

Getting senior management approval is not a foregone conclusion.

Project managers need to be good communicators, able to impart
complex information in a jargon-free way, willing to compromise if
necessary but also confident and determined enough to hold out
for what they really believe is important.
A project proposal can be presented on paper, electronically or
verbally, or any combination of these. You will learn how to
conduct yourself appropriately in formal meetings and
communicate complex technical information to a non-specialist
audience.

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5.4

Definition of
scope

Once a project is given approval to proceed, it is important that

everyone involved knows exactly what it is meant to achieve, by
when and how. In other words, it must be formally defined and
signed off. Whereas the project proposal consists of initial ideas,
the project definition sets out the details (scope) of the project and
provides a yardstick against which to judge the performance of the
project.
You will learn how to produce a project definition that includes:

the reason for undertaking the project

the expected benefits to the organisation

the objectives of the project

key success criteria

the constraints

areas of risk

the project roadmap, i.e. a rough estimate of what will be

delivered when

resource requirements, i.e. people, materials, equipment and

time

the projects stakeholders

interim review points.

Clear objectives are crucial, since a project's success will be judged

by how closely it meets them.
You will learn how to define specific, measurable objectives,
covering:

5.5

Project
organisation

the project deliverables, i.e. the product(s)/service(s) to be

produced

the quality criteria that the deliverables must meet

the target completion date.

Since a project will involve other people, it is essential that the

ground rules for communication and reporting are established at
the outset.
You will learn how to set up and use procedures for:

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storing documents relating to a project (project folder)

protecting information from accidental damage

communicating with stakeholders

reporting on progress

holding reviews.

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5.6

Phases of a
project

Detailed planning is critical to the success of any project. A project

manager needs to be able to analyse the requirements and to
draw up a project plan.
You are already familiar with the sequence of activities involved in
designing and producing software products such as relational
databases and complex spreadsheet models. You will draw on this
knowledge to help you divide up projects into phases, such as:

analysis

initial design

prototyping and formative testing

summative testing

documentation

handover to customer.

You will learn how to breakdown each phase into a number of

activities, estimate how much time will be needed for each and
identify any dependencies between activities.

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5.7

Project
planning

A good plan should be easy to read and maintain. You will use
project management software to help you produce detailed project
plans, showing:

the phases of the project

the activities to be carried out in each phase

start date and end date of each activity

dependencies

resources required for each activity

dates of key milestones

potential risks, their effect on the plan and how their impact
can be minimised.

You will use charting facilities provided by the software to produce

graphical representations of plans, such as:

Gantt charts

PERT charts.

Far from being fixed in time, the project plan is a dynamic

document. It is likely to change many times during the course of a
project. You will learn the importance of checking progress against
your plan at regular intervals and of modifying and updating the
plan so that it is always current and gives an accurate picture of
what work has been completed, what still needs to be done and
what problems or potential problems if any need to be
addressed.
The plan provides a snapshot of the project at a particular point in
time. Anyone looking at it should see at a glance the current state
of the project. A complete project history can be built up over time
by capturing and storing copies of the plan at key points in the
project (known as baselining).
You will learn the importance of baselining project plans at regular
intervals to create a detailed project history.

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5.8

Project
execution

Once the initial plan has been drawn up and approved, the
execution of the project in accordance with the plan can get
underway.
You will learn how to use techniques for measuring progress
against plan and spotting potential problems. Even the best made
plans can go awry! You need to be aware of what can go wrong in
a project, such as a change to user requirements, a missing piece
of equipment, illness or simply that the project is too ambitious.
A delay in completing one part of the plan is likely to have
knock-on effects elsewhere. You will learn how to assess the
impact of a hold up and take appropriate corrective action if
possible, to get the project back on target and thereby meet the
stated handover date. You must decide how much deviation from
the plan is acceptable before you inform senior management that
there is a problem.

5.9

Deliverables

The output of a project is a set of deliverables, not all of which are

necessarily delivered at the end.
You will need to be able to identify project deliverables, such as:

software products

documentation

user training

and produce a schedule for what will be delivered when and to

whom.

5.10 Reviews

One way of checking that a project is on track and likely to

succeed is to get someone who has no day-to-day involvement
with it to carry out an independent review. Reviewers feed back to
the project manager and to senior management.
You will learn how to identify suitable people and persuade them to
act as reviewers for your projects and to make full use of their
knowledge and expertise.
Formal management reviews also take place from time to time
throughout the life cycle of a project. Dates for these are usually
agreed at the outset and listed in the project definition. You should
never forget that senior management has the power to order work
on a project to cease or change direction at any time. You will
learn to prepare and present information at a formal management
review.

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5.11 Close down

and end-ofproject
review

Sometimes projects simply refuse to come to an end. This is

usually down to poor planning. The plan should specify dates for
formal close down and end-of-project review, giving all those
involved the opportunity to air their views about the strengths and
weaknesses of the project and to formulate a list of lessons
learned. The project definition should be used as a yardstick to
measure achievement.
You will learn how to set up and run an end-of-project review
meeting, encourage attendees to voice their opinions, take
accurate notes of the discussion and produce a written summary of
the main points.
You should use this opportunity to gather information about your
own performance and identify further development needs.

5.12 ICT skills

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In order to manage projects efficiently you should be able to use

ICT to:

produce and maintain a project plan using project management

software

create and manage a shared work area

present information to stakeholders

produce agendas and minutes of meetings.

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5.13 Standard
ways of
working

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

eportfolio

creating an appropriate structure for an eportfolio

collecting together all the required information, converting

files to an appropriate format, if necessary

authenticating your work

providing a table of contents, using hyperlinks to locate

information easily

testing for size, compatibility and ease of use, making sure

that the eportfolio conforms to the technical specification.

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Assessment evidence
For this unit you will:

research and produce a proposal for a new software product,

present your proposal to senior management and draw up a
project definition that defines the scope of the project once this
has been agreed (assessment evidence (a))

produce a detailed project plan using project management

software and use it to monitor and communicate progress
throughout the project (assessment evidence (b))

keep detailed records showing how you managed the project

(assessment evidence (c))

design and produce the software product and other

deliverables specified in the project definition in accordance
with the project plan (assessment evidence (d))

evaluate the project and your own performance, incorporating

feedback from the end-of-project review (assessment evidence
(e)).

Your eportfolio for this unit should include:

(a)

A project proposal, with evidence of how you presented it

to senior management, and a project definition document
that has been approved by senior management.

(b)

A project plan covering all the key phases of the project.

Plus evidence of your use of the plan to monitor and
communicate progress throughout the project.

(c)

Evidence of your performance as a project manager,

showing how you communicated with stakeholders, acted
on feedback, provided accurate information and ran
meetings.

(d)

The software product plus any other specified deliverables

that you produce as outcomes of the project. Plus evidence
showing how the production of the product correlated with
the schedule specified in the plan.

(e)*

An evaluation using feedback from the end-of-project

review assessing the success of the project, the
effectiveness of the project management methods you used
and your own performance.

*Opportunity for students to be assessed on Quality of Written

Communication (QWC) (i-iii).

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Assessment criteria
Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(a)

An outline project proposal that:

(AO2)

A well-researched, detailed
project proposal that:

A well-researched, comprehensive
project proposal that:

provides some information, but

is not sufficient on its own for
senior management to make an
informed decision

Mark
awarded

provides sufficient information

for senior management to make
an informed decision

provides all the information

needed for senior management
to make an informed decision

shows limited awareness of

audience and purpose.

considers the impact of the

proposal on others

Plus, a project definition document

that defines the scope of the
project.

is clearly communicated,
demonstrating sound awareness
of audience and purpose.

carefully considers the

impact of the proposal on
others

is well argued and clearly

communicated, demonstrating
sound awareness of audience
and purpose.

Plus, a project definition document

that fully defines the scope of the
project.

(03)

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(45)

Plus a project definition document

that fully defines the scope of the
project and identifies clear and
measurable objectives.
(6)

101

(b)
(AO1, 2, 3)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

An outline project plan produced

at the start of the project that:

A detailed project plan produced

at the start of the project that:

A comprehensive project plan

produced at the start of the project
that:

divides the project into a

number of phases, though these
may not be entirely logical

identifies some of the main

activities to be carried out in
each phase

allocates time and resources to

each activity, although these
may not be entirely realistic

identities some potential risks.

Evidence that some limited use

was made of the plan to monitor
and communicate progress.

divides the project into a number

of logical phases

Mark
awarded

identifies most of the main

activities to be carried out during
each phase

divides the project into a

number of logical phases

allocates a realistic amount of

time and resources to most
activities

identifies all of the main

activities to be carried out
during each phase

allocates a realistic amount of

time and resources to every
activity, taking account of
dependencies between them

identities and accurately

assesses potential risks

uses graphical
representation effectively to
give an at a glance overview of
the project.

identities and assesses some

potential risks

uses graphical representation

appropriately.

Evidence that the plan was used

throughout the project to monitor
and communicate progress.

Evidence that the plan was used

effectively throughout the project
to monitor and communicate
progress and identify potential
problems and that contingency
measures were taken when
necessary to keep the project on
track.
(06)

102

(79)

(1012)

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Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

Mark
awarded

(c)

During the project, the student:

During the project, the student:

During the project, the student:

(AO3, 4)

communicates with stakeholders

both formally and informally
but needs frequent prompting

provides some accurate

information, but only on
request

communicates appropriately
with stakeholders both formally
and informally making some
use of feedback received

communicates effectively with

stakeholders both formally
and informally making good
use of feedback received

needs support to organise, run

and record the outcomes of
formal project meetings.

provides accurate, information,

with only occasional
prompting

independently organises, runs

and records the outcomes of
formal project meetings.

provides accurate, detailed and

up-to-date information,
without needing to be
prompted

independently organises, runs

and records the outcomes of
formal project meetings
confidently and
professionally

actively drives the project

forward, adopting a proactive
approach to project
management, anticipating
problems and taking
appropriate corrective action
when necessary.

(010)

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(1115)

(1620)

20

103

(d)
(AO1, 3)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A software product produced in

accordance with the project plan
that meets some of the objectives
specified in the project definition,
with some deliverables meeting
the agreed quality criteria.

A software product produced in

accordance with the project plan that
meets most of the objectives
specified in the project definition and
is delivered on time, with most
deliverables meeting the agreed
quality criteria.

A software product produced in

accordance with the project plan
that meets all of the objectives
specified in the project definition
and is delivered on time, with
all deliverables meeting the
agreed quality criteria.

Throughout the development of the

product there is some correlation
between what the plan indicates
should be happening and what is
actually happening.

Throughout the development of

the product there is a close
correlation between what the plan
indicates should be happening
and what is actually happening.

(05)

104

(68)

Mark
awarded

(910)

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(e)
(AO4)
QWC (i-iii)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

An evaluation taking account

of feedback from the end-of-project
review meeting commenting on:

An evaluation using feedback

from the end-of-project review
meeting assessing:

A critical evaluation making

extensive use of feedback from
the end-of-project review meeting
analysing:

the success of the project

the success of the project

the effectiveness of the project

management methods used

their own performance as a

project manager.

the effectiveness of the project

management methods used,
identifying key lessons learned

strengths and weaknesses of

their own performance as a
project manager.

The student uses everyday

language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with limited
accuracy.

The student uses some specialist

terms and the response shows some
focus and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of grammar
are used with some accuracy.

Mark
awarded

the success of the project,

measured against the
objectives specified in the
project definition document

the effectiveness of the

project management methods
used, exploring key lessons
learnt and justifying actions
taken/decisions made

strengths and weaknesses of

their own performance as a
project manager, identifying
areas for improvement.

The student uses appropriate

specialist terms consistently and
the response shows good focus
and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.
(06)

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(79)

(1012)

12

Total marks

60

105

Assessment guidance
The guidance should be used in the context of a best fit approach within the band. (See the
section Applying the mark bands for further guidance.)
Assessment evidence (a)
Mark band 1
(03 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

an outline project proposal providing some of the required
information (What students need to learn, Section 5.3) and
an approved project definition document (Section 5.4).
However, the proposal will not provide sufficient information
to enable senior management to make a decision.
For full marks in this band, students must have shown some
awareness of the audience for, and purpose of, the project
proposal.

Mark band 2
(45 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a detailed project proposal which has been well researched
and that provides enough information for senior management
to make an informed decision. Subsequently, students must
have drawn up a project definition document that accurately
reflects this decision.
For full marks in this band, students must have considered
the likely impact of their proposal on others and have
demonstrated a sound awareness of audience and purpose for
both the proposal and the project definition documents.

Mark band 3
(6 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a well-researched, comprehensive project proposal that gives
careful consideration to the impact of their proposal on
others.
The proposal provides all the information needed by senior
management to make an informed decision. Students will
have communicated their proposal clearly, arguing their case
if necessary. Their project definition document will contain a
set of clear and measurable objectives.

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Assessment evidence (b)

Mark band 1
(06 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

a plan before starting work on the project. They must have
made some attempt to divide the project into phases and
identify some of the main activities that will take place in
each phase.
For full marks in this band, the student must have allocated
time and resources to each activity, although these may not
always be realistic, and have identified some (at least two)
potential risks. Project management software has been used
to produce graphical representation of the plan.
Students must also have updated the plan from time to time
during the project, though not often enough to ensure that it
accurately reflects the current state of the project at all
times.

Mark band 2
(79 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a detailed plan up front using project management software,
dividing the project into logical phases, identifying most of
the main activities associated with each phase and allocating
realistic amounts of time and resources to each activity and
identifying some potential risks.
They must also have updated the plan regularly throughout
the project and made some use of it to monitor and
communicate progress, through progress reports and
meetings.
For full marks in this band, students must have identified and
assessed some potential risks, categorising them according to
their likelihood/impact. They must have updated the plan
regularly throughout the project and used graphical
representation to show progress to plan and explained the
changes made.

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Mark band 3
(1012 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a comprehensive plan using project management software,
dividing the project into logical phases, identifying all of the
main activities associated with each phase and allocating
realistic amounts of time and resources to each activity
taking account of dependencies between tasks and have
identified and assessed risks, categorising them realistically
according to their likelihood/impact.
Students must also have updated the plan frequently
throughout the project, so that it always conveyed an
accurate picture of progress to plan, using graphical
representation effectively to communicate this and explaining
changes made.
For full marks in this band, students must have used the plan
effectively throughout the project to communicate progress
and identify potential problems (through progress reports and
meetings), taking contingency measures when necessary to
keep the project on track.

Assessment evidence (c)

Mark band 1
(010 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made

some attempt to manage the project, though they will have
needed considerable support. They must have set up a
project folder, organised and run one formal meeting
keeping a record of the outcomes and produced one
progress report.
For full marks in this band, students must have
communicated with stakeholders formally and informally
at intervals throughout the project and organised and run
different types of review meetings, e.g. peer, formal
management, end of project.

Mark band 2
(1115 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have managed

the project with very little prompting. They will have set up
and maintained a project folder, organised and run various
review meetings keeping accurate records of the outcomes
and produced regular progress reports.
For full marks in this band, students must have demonstrated
that they made constructive use of the feedback they
received from others, taking corrective action where
appropriate. The documents produced must be appropriately
presented.

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Mark band 3
(1620 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have taken

ownership of the project, communicating effectively with
stakeholders, maintaining detailed records, holding meetings,
providing accurate and up-to-date information and making
good use of feedback.
For full marks in this band, students must have adopted a
proactive approach to project management, using project
processes and methodology to good effect to drive the project
forward and produce the required results. They will have
managed the project confidently and professionally.

Assessment evidence (d)

Mark band 1
(05 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

a software product in accordance with the project plan
which meets some of the objectives specified in the project
definition. The emphasis here is on working to the plan.
A product that meets the objectives but was not developed in
line with the sequence/timings of phases and activities
specified in the project plan should not be awarded any
marks.
For full marks in this band, the product must meet most of
the objectives, with some of the deliverables produced
meeting agreed quality criteria.

Mark band 2
(68 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a software product in accordance with the project plan that
meets most of the objectives and is delivered on time, with
most of the deliverables meeting agreed quality criteria.
For full marks in this band, there must be some correlation
throughout the development of the product between what the
plan says should be happening and what is actually
happening.

Mark band 3
(910 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a software product in accordance with the project plan that
meets all the objectives specified in the project definition and
is delivered on time, with all deliverables meeting agreed
quality criteria.
For full marks in this band, there must be a close correlation
throughout the development of the product between what the
plan says should be happening and what is actually
happening.

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Assessment evidence (e)

Mark band 1
(06 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made

some use of feedback from the end-of-project review meeting
to comment on the success of the project and their own
performance as a project manager. The student uses
everyday language and the response lacks clarity and
organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules of grammar
are used with limited accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have commented
on the effectiveness of the project management methods
they employed.

Mark band 2
(79 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have made

good use of feedback from the end-of-project review to
inform their evaluation. They must have produced an
accurate assessment of the success of the project, the
effectiveness of the project management methods used and
their own performance as a project manager. The student
uses some specialist terms and the response shows some
focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with some accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have identified key
lessons learned and assessed the strengths and weaknesses
of their own performance.

Mark band 3
(1012 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have made

extensive use of feedback from the end-of-project review to
inform their evaluation. They must have analysed the success
of the project (measuring it against the objectives specified in
the project definition), the effectiveness of the project
management methods employed and their own performance
as a project manager (assessing strengths and weaknesses)
and have explored key lessons learned. The student uses
appropriate specialist terms consistently and the response
shows good focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and
the rules of grammar are used with considerable accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have included
some justification for their actions and decisions and have
identified areas for self-improvement.
(See the section Applying the mark bands for further
guidance.)

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Delivering this unit

General information

Assessment requirements
The Assessment evidence section is addressed to students and
gives precise details of what they must do.
The Assessment criteria grid, on the other hand, is addressed to
the assessor and defines the quality of output required for each
mark band. While the requirements remain the same across the
mark bands, performance is differentiated by the quality of the
students response, e.g. level of detail provided, quality of output,
mastery of software tools, depth of analysis/evaluation.
The Assessment guidance section gives further information to help
assessors determine which mark band a piece of work falls into
and how to award marks within that band.
Balance of theory and practical work
All the marks available for this unit are for practical activities
related to planning and managing a project using formal project
management methods.
Students will need to use project management software for this
unit.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. Ideally, students should experience a
large-scale ICT project, possibly by sitting in on reviews, studying
project documentation etc.
Standard ways of working
To be eligible for mark band 1, students must work safely and
adhere to relevant legislation and codes of practice. To be eligible
for higher mark bands, students must use standard ways of
working to manage files, enhance personal effectiveness and
quality assure their work.
Eportfolio
Students will be expected to present their evidence for this unit in
an eportfolio. The eportfolio must be constructed so that its
contents can be accessed using a web browser and be in a format
appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.
Students must be clear about the distinction between file formats
appropriate for product creation and read-only file formats
appropriate for viewing. Acceptable file formats for eportfolio
content are likely to be PDF for paper-based publications, jpg or
png for images, html for on-screen publications and swf (Flash
movie) for presentations, but may be revised to take account of
future developments.

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The following evidence should appear in the eportfolio for this unit:

Teaching and
learning strategies

the project proposal, plus evidence of how it was presented to

senior management

the project definition document

the project plan using project management software, plus

evidence of its use to monitor and communicate progress

a collection of evidence of performance as a project manager,

e.g. project reports, agendas, minutes, diaries, project logs

the software product, plus any other deliverables and evidence

of how the production of the product correlated with the
schedule (project plans, progress reports, minutes of
meetings)

an evaluation of the project and their own performance

resulting from feedback obtained at the end-of-project review
meeting.

Teachers may wish to combine this unit with one of the Using
software units, e.g. Unit 6: Using Multimedia Software, Unit 7:
Using Spreadsheet Software or Unit 8: Customising Applications.
Students will need to have had some experience of developing
software before attempting to produce a detailed project plan.
If combining the unit with another, students must ensure that
each unit is individually evidenced with clear links to the relevant
unit strands.
Although this is not a team project, students must involve other
people to act as stakeholders: senior manager, reviewer,
customer. Ideally they should work with real stakeholders, but
failing that they will need to have someone acting the part, e.g.
the teacher could act as the senior manager, a fellow student as a
reviewer and other people role play the customer and end user(s).
When researching their project proposal, students should consider
carefully the impact that the proposed software will have on
others. The new product could impact on working practices.
The projects students undertake must address a genuine need or
opportunity. Ideally, a real client has a project to be undertaken,
but, failing this, teachers will need to devise a list of appropriate
projects for students to choose from. They should be complex
enough to require at least 10 weeks to complete. Possible software
projects could be:

a bespoke software application such as a customer database, a

stock control system or an invoicing and sales system, a sports
league table

a multimedia product such as an e-learning resource, an ebook

or an eportfolio

a website for an organisation.

Students must set up and hold regular reviews throughout the

project as well as a formal end-of-project review.

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Teachers may wish to consider splitting the class into smaller

management groups of five to six students for the purposes of
formative review. Each student has one management group to
which they belong and to which they regularly report on project
progress using the review dates built into the project plan at the
outset. This will give students opportunities to formally present
ideas to a management board, to record minutes and to learn
how to conduct themselves in a formal setting. This approach will
also enable students to receive peer support while maintaining a
personal project.
The emphasis in this unit is very much on project management
rather than software development, this is reflected in the way in
which marks are allocated for assessment evidence (d) not for
the software product itself, but for its production in accordance to
the plan and project definition.
Project proposal and definition of scope
Students should understand the difference between the two
documents. The project proposal is drawn up as the result of a
limited project brief from the client. This enables the project
manager to discuss the project requirements with the client and
draw up a detailed definition of scope which forms the basis of the
implementation of the project.
Project plan
Students should use project management software to draw up an
initial plan using the phases in Section 5.6. Gantt charts are a
good way of depicting the plan in a graphical format and
incorporating much of Section 5.7. The plan should be updated
throughout the project period, incorporating changes to the
different phases thus enabling the target handover date of the
product and deliverables to the client to be met. Students need to
take into account possible risks to the implementation of the
project by making provision in the plan. A variety of risks should
be considered and students should be able to categorise whether
they are likely to happen or not. Students need to understand how
the plan is used at review meetings with stakeholders to ensure
the project is kept on track.
Communicating with stakeholders
Students need to appreciate the roles of a range of stakeholders to
be used in the project. The client and senior manager are two
essential stakeholders who undertake very different roles and these
should be clearly defined and used appropriately. The client requires
a software product and deliverables by a target handover date. The
senior manager has allocated this project to a project manager and
oversees a series of projects. Reviewers can help see the project is
kept on track and target end users and peers can be used as testers
in the prototyping and implementation of the product.
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Different types of communication need to be evidenced. The

student needs to develop skills related to the running and
recording of meetings. Undertaking the role of chair at these
meetings involves a range of communication skills for the student
in their role as project manager. Students will need to set up a
project folder and ensure all aspects related to the project are
clearly stored. The less formal communication could be recorded in
the form of diaries/logs. Formal documents should be presented in
an appropriate format and the student will need to know the
layouts of formal reports, agendas and minutes.
There will be meetings with the client, interim reviews with the
senior manager and other stakeholders at key points. Such
meetings should be incorporated into the project plan. Meetings
set into the plan are formal communication. There should be some
form of formal handover of the product and deliverables to the
client. There needs to be a formal end-of-project review meeting
where the stakeholders, including the project manager and senior
manager discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the project and
formulate a list of lessons learned. Feedback from this meeting is
essential in order for assessment evidence (e) to be addressed and
should be fully documented in the minutes resulting from this
meeting.
The project manager should present progress reports detailing
where the project is in relation to the project plan at the formal
review meetings.
There is likely to be informal communication between the different
stakeholders during the implementation of the project. This may
be informal discussion while various prototyping and testing is
carried out. There could be telephone and/or email contact. A
record needs to be kept of such communication and project
diaries/logs could be used as well as screenshots of email inbox
and sent items.
Delivering the project
The student must provide evidence that a software product has
been produced in accordance with the project plan and that the
objectives specified in the project definition have been met.
Evidence that the product has been produced using project
management methods should be found in the plans and in
communications with stakeholders. The product needs to be
delivered to the client on the target handover date, as set in the
definition of scope forming the basis of the plan and updates. The
student will formally hand over the project, including all
deliverables. Apart from the product, there may be user and
technical guides as well as training for users. Some products may
require an ongoing programme of updates over a specified period
of time. This is often the case with a website that is
maintained/hosted by a third party and not the client. The client
accepts the product which should meet the objectives defined in
the definition of scope.

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Evaluation
The evaluation is based on feedback obtained from the
stakeholders at the end-of-project review meeting. The student
should have ensured that such feedback was obtained and clearly
documented. The emphasis is on the project and covers three
areas listed in the assessment criteria. Students should produce a
thoughtful evaluation which assesses the strengths and
weaknesses of the project, the project management methods and
the students own performance as a project manager.

Links
Other units

The project management skills and techniques that students learn

in this unit are generic. They can be transferred to work in other
units.

Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

desktop/laptop computers ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

some form of rewritable media

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

sound output (16-bit soundcard, output through

speakers/headphones)

printing facilities

sufficient individual storage space

internet access (broadband)

operating system

software:

project management, e.g. Microsoft Project (note

there are many open source applications available to
download from the internet)

word processing, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice

Writer

presentation, e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice

Impress.

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Textbooks

Heathcote T Edexcel GCE in Applied ICT: A2 Single Award

(Edexcel, 2006) ISBN 9781903133781
Johnston A K A Hackers Guide to Project Management, 2nd
Edition (Butterworth Heinemann, 2003)
ISBN 9780750657464
Watson M Managing Smaller Projects, 2nd Edition (MultiMedia Publications Inc, 2006) ISBN 9781895186857

Websites

116

[Link] open source project management

software

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Unit 6: Using Multimedia Software

IAL optional unit
Internally assessed
Unit description
Everything is created to be communicated! Advances in digital technology have transformed
the way we live and learn and, in particular, how we communicate.
One of the major areas of development is digital multimedia which combines two or more
media types such as text, graphics and video, and allows us to present information in ways
that have a major impact on the audience. Multimedia is widely used throughout the world in
business, education, industry and leisure.
You will already have gained experience of some of the ICT tools and techniques needed to
develop a multimedia product. In this unit you will increase your understanding of the
features and possibilities of these and other tools so that you can combine them to produce
well-designed multimedia products that communicate your ideas effectively.
Your work for this unit will culminate in the design, development and testing of an
interactive multimedia product for a specified target audience.
You will establish the functional requirements of the product at the outset and carry out
formative evaluation and testing throughout its development. You will learn the importance
of seeking and making use of feedback from others to help you in your work.
The summative evaluation of your work for this unit will include a self-assessment of your
current skill level and an indication of what else you need to know or be able to do in order
to further enhance your ability to produce interactive multimedia products.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use advanced ICT skills on a daily basis at work or at school/college
for personal, social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

This unit builds on the knowledge and skills related to producing on-screen publications that
you acquired in Unit 1: The Information Age.

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What students need to learn

6.1

Applications
of
multimedia

You have already gained some experience of producing a

multimedia product your ebook for Unit 1: The Information Age.
This was designed to communicate information about the digital
society in which you live. Every multimedia product is designed to
carry some communication to an audience. In this unit you will
identify and learn to use more advanced multimedia tools and
techniques and apply these skills in the creation of useful
multimedia products.
You will need to explore the use of multimedia in a variety of
contexts, including:

education and training

entertainment

marketing and advertising

teleconferencing

publishing

interactive television

product demonstration.

In each case, you should evaluate the multimedia features used,

the effectiveness of the underlying design and the extent to which
the product is fit for purpose.

6.2

Functional
specification

You are very unlikely to produce a multimedia product that

completely fulfils all its objectives unless you are absolutely clear
what these are.
You will learn the value of a functional specification, both in terms
of explaining to others what it is you are aiming to achieve and
helping to ensure that you never lose sight of your goals. You must
be able to produce a functional specification at the outset,
specifying:

the purpose of the multimedia product

the information it must supply

how that information must be presented

how the product will be used

how you will judge the effectiveness of your solution.

The functional specification is not a static document. It is quite

possible that once you begin work your understanding of what is
required alters or becomes clearer.
You will learn the value of a functional specification, both in terms
of explaining to others what it is you are aiming to achieve and
helping to ensure that you never lose sight of your goals.

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6.3

Product
design

The effectiveness of any multimedia product lies in the quality of

the design.
Designing a solution involves making decisions about:

structure and navigation

graphical design

interactivity and user interface

use of multimedia components

timelines and storyboards

layout and presentation

consistency

testing.

There is almost certainly more than one way of meeting the

requirements. You will need to experiment with alternative designs
before finally deciding which one to choose.
The more expert you become at applying multimedia tools and
techniques, the better you will be at producing detailed designs up
front. However, at this stage you will probably find it easier to use
an iterative approach to software development.
It involves producing a series of prototypes. Each prototype brings
you that much closer to a final fully-functional solution and helps
clarify in your mind what it is you really want the product to do.
In the context of this unit, a prototype is a working, but
incomplete, multimedia product which can be used to:

refine your initial design and try out alternatives

test that the product is functional and works as expected

check for ease of use

test for robustness

test users response/reaction to the product.

Prototyping enables you to interweave design, implementation and

testing, rather than each of these being a distinct one-off stage of
development.

6.4

Navigation

Another crucial element of any multimedia product is the

navigation structure the way in which the user can move
around/through the product.
You will learn about the need for different navigation structures in
relation to the product being developed including:

hierarchical

linear.

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6.5

Graphical
design

It is essential that you learn to make your multimedia products as

user-friendly as possible by structuring the content appropriately
and making effective use of available presentation and formatting
features.
By looking critically at a range of products and by experimentation
you will learn about:

user interface

effective use of colour, including

120

contrast

pattern

background and borders

web-safe colours

the impact of layout on the overall effect

composition

shape

balance

how fonts can enhance or detract from the readability

styles

typefaces

emphasis

consideration of presentation method

screen size

nature of audience

consistency

the importance of a corporate image/brand, including logos.

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6.6

Interactivity
design

Much of the success of digital multimedia is due to its interactive

capabilities, which allow users to interact with the product by
responding to prompts.
You will learn about suitable uses of interactive user elements,
including:

buttons

image maps

hot spots

text links

rollovers

menus.

You will also learn about user response methods, including:

6.7

Image
capture and
manipulation

text boxes

list boxes

radio buttons

check boxes.

You need to be able to store and manipulate images in order to

incorporate them effectively.
You will learn how to:

capture ready-made images

paper-based sources, e.g. photos and drawings

digital sources

create original images

using a digital camera

using graphics software

manipulate images using techniques, including

filters

resize and crop

colour.

You will need to understand:

characteristics and uses of bitmap and vector graphics

image resolution

types of compression (lossy and non-lossy) and the effects on

image quality and file size.

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6.8

Video

You will learn how to incorporate video into your own multimedia
products.
You need to be able to:

6.9

Sound

capture ready-made video clips

record original video clips

edit video clips

select and use appropriate file formats.

Sounds such as music and narration are used to enhance the

multimedia experience.
You will learn how to incorporate sound into your own multimedia
products.
You need to be able to:

record live sound

select and import pre-recorded sound

manipulate sound using techniques, including

cut and edit

speed up, slow down, and reverse

assign sound to an action or event

select and use appropriate file formats, including

6.10 Animation

WAV

MIDI

MP3/MPEG

understand and use compression and codes.

You will learn about different types of animation, including:

stop frame

tweened

animated gif.

You will learn how to create animations and use them in

appropriate ways in your own multimedia products.

6.11 User
interface

122

Ease of use is a key requirement for any multimedia product. You

will learn how to design an effective user interface, including:

using a consistent layout

using graphics to illustrate a message

adding prompts or messages to help users find their way

around

using interactivity features to allow users to initiate certain

procedures.

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6.12 Testing

No amount of flashy graphics and interactive features are any use

if the product does not work properly. One of the advantages of
prototyping is that you can carry out formative testing as you
develop your products. You should also undertake summative
testing when you think you have finished.
Summative testing involves asking questions, such as the
following.

Does the product meet all the requirements listed in the

functional specification?

Do all the interactive features work correctly?

Does every link go where it should with no dead ends?

Is the product robust or can it be made to fail?

Can other people use the product without help?

What do people think about it in terms of design, layout etc.?

It is essential to involve others in this process.

6.13 Distribution

If you create a multimedia product using specialised software, it is

quite possible that some of your target users will not have this
software available to run the product.
You will learn how to create a run-time version of a multimedia
product this will allow a user to run the program independently
of the software used to create it and will mean that you can
distribute the product freely on a portable storage medium such as
a CD or memory stick.

6.14 Evaluation

The starting point for an evaluation of any software development

project is the functional specification which lists what the software
has to do. The key question to answer is how well the solution
meets the requirements.
Being able to critically assess your own performance on a project
is also important. You must learn how to judge your performance
in terms of what you did well and what you could have done better
in order to determine your current level of competence, identify
areas for improvement and future training needs.

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6.15 Standard
ways of
working

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

124

file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spell check, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice:

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly

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eportfolio

creating an appropriate structure for an eportfolio

collecting together all the required information, converting

files to an appropriate format if necessary

authenticating your work

providing a table of contents, using hyperlinks to locate

information easily

testing for size, compatability and ease of use, making sure

that the eportfolio conforms to the technical specification.

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Assessment evidence
For this unit you will design, produce, test and evaluate a
multimedia product to meet a given set of functional
requirements.
Your eportfolio for this unit should include:
(a)

A functional specification that describes the purpose,

audience and context for the multimedia product and
explains what it is required to do.

(b)

An initial design that:

satisfies the functional requirements

considers all aspects of multimedia design

plans the timing of events using a timeline

combines multimedia components both ready-made and

original to convey information.
Plus evidence of your use of prototyping to improve and
refine the design.

(c)

A run-time version of a fully working multimedia product,

with supporting getting started instructions for users.

(d)

Evidence of formative and summative testing.

(e)*

An evaluation assessing:

the multimedia product

your own performance and current skill level.

*Opportunity for students to be assessed on Quality of Written

Communication (QWC) (i-iii).

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Assessment criteria
Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(a)

A functional specification that:

A functional specification that:

A functional specification that:

(AO2, 3)

briefly describes the purpose of

the product, the context and
intended audience

describes the purpose of the

product, the context and
intended audience

fully describes the purpose of

the product, the context and
intended audience

outlines what it must do, but not

in sufficient detail to give a
clear picture of what is
required.

explains what it must do.

explains clearly what it must

do, specifying measurable
success criteria.

(02)

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(3)

Mark
awarded

(4)

127

(b)
(AO1, 2,
3, 4)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A design for a multimedia product

that:

A detailed design for a multimedia

product that:

A comprehensive design for a

multimedia product that:

satisfies most of the functional

requirements, but demonstrates
limited awareness of audience
and purpose

satisfies all the functional

requirements, demonstrating
sound awareness of audience
and purpose

satisfies all the functional

requirements, demonstrating
astute awareness of audience
and purpose

gives some consideration to key

aspects of multimedia design

gives full consideration to most

aspects of multimedia design

gives full consideration to all

aspects of multimedia design

uses some ready-made and

original multimedia components

has been developed and

improved, making limited use of
prototyping, with some
explanatory comments at each
stage.

makes good use of different

types of ready-made and
original multimedia components,
combining them together to
convey information

has been developed and refined,

making good use of prototyping,
with some evaluative
comments at each stage.

makes effective use of

different types of
ready-made and original
multimedia components,
combining them together to
convey information effectively

making effective use of

prototyping, with evaluative
comments at each stage
showing how feedback was
acted on.

(08)

128

Mark
awarded

(912)

(1316)

16

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(c)
(AO1, 3)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A working multimedia product

produced with some assistance
that:

A fully working, easy-to-use

multimedia product produced with
occasional prompting that:

An attractive, fully working,

easy-to-use multimedia product
produced independently that:

meets most of the functional

requirements

meets the majority of the

functional requirements

makes appropriate use of

some of the facilities of the
software.

makes good use of the facilities

of the software.

Plus some getting started

instructions, giving an indication of
how to install and use the product.
While working on this project, the
student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working, but
needs frequent prompting.

(d)
(AO4)

Plus detailed getting started

instructions, enabling a competent
user to install and use the product.
While working on this project, the
student adheres to relevant standard
ways of working, with only
occasional prompting.

(09)

(1014)

Evidence of some limited formative

and summative testing, but not
sufficient to ensure that the
multimedia product works as
intended.

Evidence of systematic formative

and summative testing making
some effective use of feedback from
test users sufficient to ensure
that the multimedia product works
as intended.

(04)

(56)

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Mark
awarded

meets all the functional

requirements, communicates
effectively and is easy to use

makes full and efficient use of

the facilities of the software.

Plus comprehensive getting

started instructions enabling a
novice user to install and use the
product.
While working on this project, the
student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working,
independently.
(1518)

18

Evidence of thorough and

systematic formative and
summative testing making
effective use of feedback from
test users sufficient to ensure
that the multimedia product works
as intended and is easy to use.
(78)

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(e)
(AO4)
QWC (i-iii)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

Some evaluative comments

assessing:

A thoughtful evaluation assessing:

A well-rounded evaluation
incorporating feedback from
others critically assessing:

the extent to which the final

multimedia product meets the
specified requirements,
identifying any shortcomings

the extent to which the final

multimedia product meets the
specified requirements,
explaining any shortcomings

the effectiveness of the

solution

the effectiveness of the solution,

with some sensible suggestions
for improvements

their own performance

throughout the project.

their own performance throughout

the project and current skill level.

The student uses everyday

language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with limited
accuracy.

(07)

130

The student uses some specialist

terms and the response shows some
focus and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of grammar
are used with some accuracy.

(811)

Mark
awarded

the extent to which the final

multimedia product meets the
specified requirements, fully
explaining any shortcomings

the effectiveness of the

solution, with some wellthought-out suggestions for
enhancements

their own performance

throughout the project, current
skill level and identifying
areas for improvement.

The student uses appropriate

specialist terms consistently and
the response shows good focus and
organisation. Spelling, punctuation
and the rules of grammar are used
with considerable accuracy.
(1214)

14

Total marks

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Assessment guidance
The guidance should be used in the context of a best fit approach within the band. (See the
section Applying the mark bands for further guidance.)
Assessment evidence (a)
Mark band 1
(02 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made an

attempt at describing the context, purpose of the product and
the intended audience. However, at this level, the information
is likely to be somewhat vague and incomplete.
For full marks in this band, students must have given enough
information for the product requirements to be surmised
even if they are not explicitly stated.

Mark band 2
(3 marks)

Mark band 3
(4 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have outlined

what the product will do, indicated how it will be distributed
and provided sufficient information for the requirements to be
clear.
To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced
a complete functional specification and specified measurable
success criteria by which to judge it.

Assessment evidence (b)

Mark band 1
(08 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

outline design documents for a multimedia product that
address most of the functional requirements, although they
will have given little thought to audience and purpose. They
must have:

designed the products structure and navigation

produced a timeline showing the order of events, effects

and transitions used

given some thought to screen layout and presentation

chosen some appropriate ready-made and original

multimedia components.

Students must also have produced a prototype solution, but

will not have made much use of it to identify and try out
possible improvements.
For full marks in this band, the design must demonstrate
some awareness of audience and purpose and take account of
how the product will be distributed and used.
Students must also have shown that they have made some
improvements to the initial design as a result of prototyping,
providing some explanatory comments.

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Mark band 2
(912 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

detailed design documentation for a multimedia product that
addresses all of the functional requirements and
demonstrates sound awareness of audience and purpose.
They must have:

considered most of the key elements of multimedia

product design

chosen different types of multimedia components

(ready-made and original) and combined them together to
convey information.

Students must also have shown that they made refinements

to the initial design as a result of prototyping, providing some
evaluative comments.
For full marks in this band, students must have paid attention
to how users will interact with the product (What students
need to learn, Section 6.6). They must also have provided
detailed comments evaluating each prototype in terms of how
well it meets the specified requirements.
Mark band 3
(1316 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

comprehensive design documentation for a multimedia
product that addresses all of the functional requirements and
is tailor-made for audience and purpose. They must have:

given full consideration to all aspects of multimedia

design, including interactivity and the user interface

selected appropriate types of multimedia components

(ready-made and original) and combined them effectively
to convey information

evaluated each prototype produced, in terms of fitness for

purpose/audience.

For full marks in this band, students must have produced a

creative, quality product something that stands out from
the crowd! They must have involved others in evaluating
prototypes and have shown clearly how feedback from test
users was used to shape and refine the design.

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Assessment evidence (c)

Mark band 1
(09 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

a working, multimedia product. They can have had some
help/guidance to do so. The product may not meet all of the
requirements, but it must demonstrate some appropriate use
of facilities of the software.
While working on the multimedia product, students will have
needed frequent reminders to adhere to relevant standard
ways of working, e.g. file management, copyright,
acknowledgement of sources.
For full marks in this band, the product must meet most of
the requirements. Students must also have produced some
basic getting started instructions covering system
requirements and installation procedures.

Mark band 2
(1014 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a fully working multimedia product that meets the majority of
the requirements of the functional specification. They will
have needed only occasional prompting to do so. The solution
must make good use of the facilities of the software. Students
must also have provided some getting started instructions.
While working on the multimedia product, students will have
needed only occasional reminders to adhere to relevant
standard ways of working.
For full marks in this band, students must have produced a
product that is easy to use and is accompanied by detailed
getting started instructions, enabling a competent user to
install and use it.

Mark band 3
(1518 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have

independently produced a fully working, easy-to-use
multimedia product that meets all of the requirements of the
functional specification and makes full use of the facilities of
the software. They must also have provided comprehensive
getting started instructions that would enable even a
novice user to install and use the product.
While working on the multimedia product, students will have
demonstrated that they are fully conversant with standard
ways of working and understand their relevance. They will
have adhered to them without being reminded.
For full marks in this band, students must have made efficient
use of the facilities of the software to produce an attractive
solution that communicates effectively.

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Assessment evidence (d)

Mark band 1
(04 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have carried

out some testing of individual aspects of the solution, such as
interactivity features, links, robustness, etc.
For full marks in this band, students must show evidence of a
simple test for most of the main elements of the solution.

Mark band 2
(56 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must show evidence

of a simple test for each of the main elements of the solution,
demonstrating that it works in the manner intended. They
must also have made some attempt to test the solution with
other people.
For full marks in this band, students must demonstrate that
they adopted a systematic approach to testing, making good
use of feedback from test users.

Mark band 3
(78 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must show that they

adopted a thorough and systematic approach to testing and
involved other people.
For full marks in this band, students must have carried out
sufficient testing and refinement to be confident that the
solution as a whole works as intended in all anticipated
circumstances and that other people can use it without
assistance.

Assessment evidence (e)

Mark band 1
(07 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made

some meaningful evaluative comments about their solution,
relating them to the requirements specified in the functional
specification. They must also have made a sensible comment
about their own performance.
The student uses everyday language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules
of grammar are used with limited accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have commented
on the effectiveness of the solution.

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Mark band 2
(811 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a thoughtful evaluation of the final spreadsheet, identifying
and offering some explanation for any shortcomings. They
must have considered the effectiveness of the solution and
made at least one suggestion for how it could be improved.
They must also have assessed their own performance
realistically.
The student uses some specialist terms and the response
shows some focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and
the rules of grammar are used with some accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have produced a
considered evaluation, including a realistic assessment of
their current skill level.

Mark band 3
(1214 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a well-rounded and critical evaluation of both the multimedia
product and their own performance/skill level, drawing on
feedback from others.
The student uses appropriate specialist terms consistently
and the response shows good focus and organisation.
Spelling, punctuation and the rules of grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have identified
some sensible ways of improving both the product and their
own performance.
(See the section Applying the mark bands for further
guidance.)

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Delivering this unit

General information

Assessment requirements
The Assessment evidence section is addressed to the students and
gives precise details of what they must do.
The Assessment criteria grid, on the other hand, is addressed to
the assessor and defines the quality of output required for each
mark band. While the requirements remain the same across the
mark bands, performance is differentiated by the quality of the
students response, e.g. level of detail provided, quality of output,
mastery of software tools, depth of analysis/evaluation, etc.
The Assessment guidance section gives further information to help
assessors determine which mark band a piece of work falls into
and how to award marks within that band.
Balance of theory and practical work
Most of the marks available for this unit are for practical, hands-on
activities, involving the development of a multimedia product.
Students will need to have access to fully featured multimedia
authoring software.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. It is not essential that students
undertake work experience. However, students will benefit from
learning about industry practices in relation to the design and
production of multimedia products, such as information points,
web promotions, e-learning packages, games, etc. A number of
software producers run online design workshops and seminars
which students might find useful.
Standard ways of working
To be eligible for mark band 1, students must work safely and
adhere to relevant legislation and codes of practice. To be eligible
for higher mark bands, students must use standard ways of
working to manage files, enhance personal effectiveness and
quality assure their work.

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Eportfolio
Students will be expected to present their evidence for this unit in
an eportfolio. The eportfolio must be constructed so that its
contents can be accessed using a web browser and be in a format
appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.
Students must be clear about the distinction between file formats
appropriate for product creation and read-only file formats
appropriate for viewing. Acceptable file formats for eportfolio
content are likely to be PDF for paper-based publications, jpg or
png for images, html for on-screen publications and swf (Flash
movie) for presentations, but may be revised to take account of
future developments.
The following evidence should appear in the eportfolio for this unit:

Teaching and
learning strategies

a functional specification

an initial design, plus selected prototypes showing how the

multimedia product was developed and refined

the final version of the multimedia product

evidence of formative and summative testing

getting started instructions for users

an evaluation of the product and own performance.

Students are required to design and produce a fully working

interactive multimedia product. The product must have a clear
purpose and be sufficiently complex in nature to challenge
students expertise and encourage them to develop new skills and
techniques in order to produce a fully functional solution. Suitable
products could include an e-learning package, a computer game,
an interactive information point, a jukebox, a web promotion, etc.
Examining examples of multimedia products online such as subject
tutorials, a revision site with a quiz style assessment, an ebook or
an e-learning site will be beneficial in developing students
understanding of how an interactive multimedia product may be
used to enhance communication.
Functional specification
From a given set of requirements students must produce a
detailed functional specification which establishes exactly what the
final multimedia product must do, and can be used as a yardstick
to measure the success of the project.
The project brief that students are given must provide sufficient
scope for them to be able to demonstrate their ability to design
and produce interactive multimedia products. A collection of small,
unrelated tasks would not be appropriate. Students should put
themselves in the role of the end user who has to produce a
multimedia product as part of their job.

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It is important that students realise that it may be necessary to

revise the specification as the solution progresses. However, the
original purpose must always be kept in mind. It is easy to get
carried away on an exciting project and change the specification
drastically!
Product development and testing
Evidence of how the product develops must be submitted. This will
include the initial design, prototypes at various stages and the
finished product.
Managing prototypes and keeping evidence of feedback from
users, and what changes will be made as a result, is a skill that
students will need to learn.
Students will need to learn elements of multimedia design, for
example the rule of three in choosing colour and font, the need to
develop a coordinated image throughout and how to add
interactive elements to encourage user participation and
enjoyment.
Video, sound, animation and graphics should only be included if
they have a purpose, not just because they are pretty!
The design of the user interface will require careful consideration.
Testing is a vital part of the process in order to ensure the product
works as intended. Students must carry out formative testing
throughout the development of the product, as well as thorough
summative testing at the end. Records of testing need to be kept
together with evidence of the results of the tests.
The summative, or end testing, should be thorough and include
testing links, navigation, interactive features, sound, video,
animation, etc.
Evaluation
This should assess the extent to which the final product meets the
requirements identified in the functional specification. Students
should explain and justify any changes made to the original
specification.
Students also need to evaluate their own performance and assess
their current level of competence. As part of this self-appraisal,
students should consider what else they need to know or be able
to do and identify further training needs.

Links
Other units

This unit builds on the work students did in Unit 1: The

Information Age.
Production of a multimedia product could be used as the focus for
Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects.

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Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

desktop/laptop computers ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

some form of rewritable media

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

sound output (16-bit soundcard, output through

speakers/headphones)

sound input (microphone)

digital video camera

printing facilities

digital camera, scanner, tape recorder

video camera (digital or webcam)

sufficient individual storage space

internet access (broadband)

operating system

software:

office software, e.g. Microsoft Office

web authoring, e.g. Adobe Dreamweaver

graphics, e.g. Adobe Photoshop, CorelDraw, Adobe

Fireworks

animation, e.g. Adobe Animate CC

video editing software

sound editing software

image manipulation software.

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Textbooks

Aho K Multimedia Projects for Macromedia Flash MX and

Dreamweaver MX (Course Technology, 2002)
ISBN 9780619055141
Chapman N and Chapman J Digital Multimedia, 3rd Edition
(John Wiley & Sons, 2009) ISBN 9780470512166
Elsom-Cook M Principles of Interactive Multimedia (McGrawHill, 2001) ISBN 9780077096106
Hart J The Art of the Storyboard, 2nd Edition
(Focal Press, 2007) ISBN 9780240809601
Mitra S and Bhatnagar G Introduction to Multimedia
Systems (Academic Press, 2001) ISBN 9780125004527
Tapley S, Pickle S, Heins J and Dharkar A Macromedia
Studio 8 Step-by-step (Course Technology, 2005)
ISBN 9780619267094
Vaughan T Multimedia: Making It Work, 8th Edition
(McGraw-Hill Osborne, 2011) ISBN 9780071748469

Websites

Examples of multimedia products:

[Link]

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Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet Software

IAL optional unit
Internally assessed
Unit description
In Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker, you used spreadsheet models to investigate alternatives
and make decisions. You saw what a versatile and powerful decision-making tool a
spreadsheet can be. In this unit you will learn the skills and techniques needed to design and
create technically complex spreadsheets yourself.
A decision based on flawed logic could have disastrous consequences! You will learn the
importance of checking that any spreadsheets you create or use can be relied on to produce
accurate information in all circumstances.
The garbage in, garbage out maxim applies just as much to a spreadsheet as it does to any
other data processing system. You will learn how to use data validation and other techniques
to reduce the potential for data entry errors.
In order to get maximum return from any spreadsheets you create, you will learn how to
incorporate future-proofing features which make it easier for you to implement
modifications and extensions at a later date should you need to do so.
You will establish the functional requirements of the spreadsheet at the outset and carry out
formative evaluation and testing throughout its development. You will learn the importance
of seeking and making use of feedback from others to help you in your work.
Your work for this unit will culminate in the design, development and testing of a
spreadsheet capable of analysing, interpreting and communicating complex data. You will
need to work with a user to develop a set of user requirements that will enable you to
demonstrate your competence.
The summative evaluation of your work for this unit will include a self-assessment of your
current skill level and an indication of what else you need to know or be able to do in order
to further enhance your ability to produce and use complex spreadsheets.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use advanced ICT skills on a daily basis at work or at school/college
for personal, social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

This unit builds on the spreadsheet knowledge and skills you acquired in Unit 3: The
Knowledge Worker.

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What students need to learn

7.1

Spreadsheet
applications

As you discovered in Unit 3: the Knowledge Worker, spreadsheets

are used in all sorts of contexts for tasks involving the analysis and
interpretation of complex numerical data, such as:

modelling

statistical analysis

cost-benefit analysis

simulation

forecasting

budgeting

planning.

You will find it useful to begin your work for this unit by looking at
and if at all possible getting hands-on experience of some
real-world applications of spreadsheets. While doing so, you should
make a note of any good or not-so-good design features you
encounter and try to identify:

7.2

Functional
specification

the inputs into the system and the methods used to validate
them

the processing that takes place

how information is presented.

You are very unlikely to produce a spreadsheet that completely

fulfils all its objectives unless you are absolutely clear what these
are.
You will learn the value of a functional specification, both in terms
of explaining to others what it is you are aiming to achieve and
helping to ensure that you never lose sight of your goals. You must
be able to produce a functional specification at the outset,
specifying:

the context

the nature of the problem

the task(s) you want the spreadsheet to perform

how you will judge the effectiveness of your solution.

The functional specification is not a static document. It is quite

possible that once you begin work on a spreadsheet your
understanding of what is required alters or becomes clearer.
You will learn the value of a functional specification, both in terms
of explaining to others what it is you are aiming to achieve and
helping to ensure that you never lose sight of your goals.

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7.3

Spreadsheet
design

Once you have a clear understanding of what it is you want to do,

it is very tempting to rush to the computer immediately and start
setting up the spreadsheet, without first spending time working on
an initial design specification. This would be a mistake! Technically
complex spreadsheets need to be planned carefully if they are to
function correctly. Designing a solution involves making decisions
about:

processing

the structure of the spreadsheet

data entry and validation

layout and presentation

output

future-proofing

testing.

There is almost certainly more than one way of meeting the

requirements. You will need to experiment with alternative designs
before finally deciding which one to choose.
The more expert you get at building spreadsheets the better you
will be at producing detailed designs up front. However, at this
stage you will probably find it easier to use an iterative approach
to software development.
It involves producing a series of prototypes. Each prototype brings
you that much closer to a final fully-functional solution and helps
clarify in your mind what it is you really want the product to do.
In this context, a prototype is a working, but incomplete,
spreadsheet which can be used to:

refine your initial design and try out alternatives

test that the formulae are working properly and that the
underpinning logic is correct

check for ease of use

test for robustness.

Prototyping enables you to interweave design, implementation and

testing, rather than each of these being a distinct one-off stage of
development.

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7.4

7.5

7.6

Processing

Layout and
presentation

Data entry
and
validation

When working on the design of your spreadsheet, you will need to

consider what processing needs to happen and how this is to be
achieved. There is a tendency to assume that the only processing
a spreadsheet does involves calculations on data. This is not the
case. You must learn that in the context of spreadsheets
processing includes activities, such as:

calculating

merging data from different sources

making comparisons

sorting, grouping, filtering and pivoting data

importing and exporting data.

A spreadsheet designed to handle complex data runs the risk of

being very difficult to understand even for the person who set it
up. You must learn to make your spreadsheets as user friendly as
possible by structuring the content appropriately and making
effective use of available presentation and formatting features,
such as:

font size and style

colours, borders and shading

conditional formatting

headers and footers

graphics.

The output from a spreadsheet is only as good as the data that is

entered. You must learn how to incorporate techniques for
validating data input and trapping errors, such as:

restricting data input to acceptable data values

protecting cells by hiding and locking them

using forms controls such as list boxes and drop-down menus

to select data for entry

automated data transfer from another sheet or application.

Ease of use is a key requirement for a spreadsheet, especially if

other people besides you will be using it. You will learn how to
design and create effective ways of entering data, including:

144

using forms

limiting the parts of a spreadsheet the user can change

adding prompts or messages to remind users what needs

entering where

using buttons to initiate certain procedures.

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7.7

Futureproofing

It takes a long time to produce a fully functioning, complex

spreadsheet. In order to get a reasonable return on the time and
effort you have invested, you should aim to make your
spreadsheets as future-proof as possible, so that they can easily
be modified, extended or adapted to meet changing needs.
You must learn future-proofing techniques, such as:

7.8

Presentation
of results

allocating a specific area of the spreadsheet to store values

which change frequently, e.g. the currency exchange rate, so
that they can easily be updated without having to alter any of
the formulae

creating templates for frequently used standard spreadsheet

layouts

documenting your spreadsheets by adding comments to

explain their logic and any assumptions you have made

locking and password protecting cells to prevent formulae

being tampered with.

The information output from a spreadsheet can be presented in a

number of different ways on screen, on paper, or exported to
another application. You will learn how to present results in an
appropriate, easy-to-read form by making use of presentation and
formatting features, such as:

page layout

charts and graphs

graphics

animation

colours, borders and shading.

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7.9

Testing

Imagine the possible consequences if the spreadsheet used by a

doctor to calculate the correct dosage of a drug has an
undiscovered flaw in its logic! Even in situations less life
threatening than this, if the output of a spreadsheet is going to be
used as the basis for decision making it must be accurate and
reliable.
One of the advantages of prototyping is that you can carry out
formative testing as you develop your spreadsheets. However, you
should also undertake summative testing when you think you have
finished.
Summative testing involves asking questions, such as the
following.

Does the solution meet all the requirements listed in the

functional specification?

Is the underlying logic of the spreadsheet correct?

Do all the functions and formulae work correctly?

Does the built-in validation prevent unacceptable data values

from being entered?

Can the spreadsheet cope with normal, extreme and abnormal

data?

Is the spreadsheet robust or can it be made to fail?

If appropriate, can other people use the spreadsheet without

help?

It is essential to involve others in this process. You should also

make use of any auditing tools available in the software you are
using. Typically, such tools can identify errors in formulae and
suggest corrections.

7.10
Documentation

You may not be the only person who uses a spreadsheet you have
produced. You will learn to create documentation for other end
users providing information, such as:

instructions on how to use the application

examples of menus and data entry forms

the meaning of error messages that might appear

troubleshooting strategies to try when things go wrong.

Your aim will be to provide enough information to enable other

people to use the spreadsheet without assistance.
You will also learn how to produce technical documentation such
as formulae and functions used and test results that is
sufficiently detailed to enable another competent professional to
fully understand how the spreadsheet works and be able to
maintain and enhance it should you no longer be willing or able to
do so.

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7.11 Evaluation

The starting point for an evaluation of any software development

project is the functional specification which lists what the software
has to do. The key question to answer is how well the spreadsheet
solution meets the requirements.
Being able to assess your own performance on a project critically
is also important. You must learn how to judge your performance
in terms of what you did well and what you could have done better
in order to determine your current level of competence, identify
areas for improvement and further training needs.

7.12 ICT skills

7.13 Standard
ways of
working

You must be able to use a range of spreadsheet tools and

techniques for tasks, including:

combining complex information and linking to other

applications, e.g. exporting and importing data, linked objects

organising data, e.g. linked sheets, lookup tables

entering and editing data, e.g. absolute and relative cell

referencing, inserting data into multiple cells simultaneously,
using multiple worksheets

formatting, e.g. conditional formatting, cell formats that match

the data format

using functions and formulae to solve complex problems, e.g.

lookups, arguments, arrays, selection

validating and checking data, e.g. using formulae to determine

valid entries for cells

analysing and interpreting data, e.g. pivot tables, data maps,

adding messages to data

presenting information, e.g. views, pivot table reports, different

types of graphs and charts

limiting access, e.g. hide and protect cells

customising and automating, e.g. templates, macros, forms,

menus.

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

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148

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines

quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly

eportfolio

creating an appropriate structure for an eportfolio

collecting together all the required information, converting

files to an appropriate format if necessary

authenticating your work

providing a table of contents, using hyperlinks to locate

information easily

testing for size, compatibility and ease of use, making sure

that the eportfolio conforms to the technical specification.

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Assessment evidence
For this unit you will design, produce, test and evaluate a solution
to a complex problem involving the use of spreadsheet software.
Your eportfolio for this unit should include:
(a)

A functional specification that describes the problem and

explains what the spreadsheet is required to do.

(b)

An initial design that:

satisfies the functional requirements

describes the data to be entered and the processing that is

required

includes some measures to structure and validate data

uses functions and formulae to analyse complex data

considers screen layout and presentation, the user interface

and presentation of results.

Plus evidence of your use of prototyping to improve and refine the

design.
(c)

A fully working spreadsheet solution that meets all the

functional requirements, with supporting user and technical
documentation.

(d)

Evidence of formative and summative testing.

(e)*

An evaluation assessing:

the spreadsheet solution

your own performance and current skill level.

*Opportunity for students to be assessed on Quality of Written

Communication (QWC) (i-iii).

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Assessment criteria
Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(a)

A functional specification that:

A functional specification that:

A functional specification that:

(AO2, 3)

briefly describes the problem

fully describes the problem

fully describes the problem

outlines what the spreadsheet

must do, but not in sufficient
detail to give a clear picture of
what is required.

explains what the spreadsheet

must do.

explains what the

spreadsheet must do and
specifies measurable success
criteria.

(02)

150

(3)

Mark
awarded

(4)

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

(b)
(AO1, 2,
3, 4)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A design for a technically complex

spreadsheet that:

A detailed design for a technically

complex spreadsheet that:

A comprehensive design for a

technically complex spreadsheet
that:

satisfies all of the functional

requirements, with some attempt
at customisation and
future-proofing

satisfies most of the functional

requirements, but with little
attempt at customisation or
future-proofing

briefly describes the data to be

entered and the processing that
is required

describes the data to be entered

and the processing that is required

makes a good attempt to

structure and validate data

makes good use of functions and

formulae to analyse complex data

gives full consideration to layout,

presentation and the user
interface

has been developed and refined,

making good use of prototyping,
with some evaluative comments
at each stage.

makes some attempt to

structure and validate data

makes some appropriate use

of functions and formulae to
analyse complex data

gives some consideration to

layout and presentation

has been developed and

improved, making limited use of
prototyping, with some
explanatory comments at each
stage.

(08)

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

(912)

Mark
awarded

satisfies all of the functional

requirements and is fully
customised, including
consideration of
future-proofing

fully describes the data to

be entered and the processing
that is required

makes a concerted attempt

to structure and validate data

makes effective use of

functions and formulae to
analyse complex data

gives full consideration to

layout, presentation and the
user interface,
demonstrating astute
awareness of audience and
purpose

has been developed and

refined making effective use
of prototyping, with
evaluative comments at each
stage showing how feedback
was acted upon.
(1316)

16

151

(c)
(AO1, 3)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A technically complex working

spreadsheet produced with some
assistance that:

A technically complex fully working

spreadsheet produced with
occasional prompting that:

A technically complex,
fully working, efficient
spreadsheet produced
independently that:

meets most of the functional

requirements

makes appropriate use of

some of the facilities of the
software.

meets all the functional

requirements

meets all the functional

requirements, communicates
effectively and is easy to
use

makes full and effective use

of the facilities of the
software, including
automation of some common
tasks.

makes good use of the facilities of

the software.

Plus outline documentation,

providing some relevant
information for other users and
some technical information, giving
some indication of how the
solution works.

Plus detailed documentation,

providing relevant information for
other users, and sufficient technical
information to enable another
competent professional to get an
overview of how the spreadsheet
works.

While working on the spreadsheet

the student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working, but
needs frequent prompting.

While working on the spreadsheet,

the student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working, with only
occasional prompting.

Mark
awarded

Plus comprehensive
documentation, providing
relevant information for other
users, enabling them to use
the spreadsheet without
assistance, and sufficient
technical information to enable
another competent professional to
understand how the spreadsheet
works and be able to maintain it
without assistance.
While working on the spreadsheet
the student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working,
independently.

(09)

152

(1014)

(1518)

18

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Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

(d)
(AO3, 4)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

Evidence of some limited

formative and summative testing,
but not sufficient to ensure that
the underpinning logic is correct and
that the spreadsheet works as
intended under most normal
conditions.

Evidence of systematic formative

and summative testing, sufficient to
ensure that the underpinning logic is
correct and that the spreadsheet
works as intended under most normal
conditions.

Evidence of thorough and

systematic formative and
summative testing, involving
others, sufficient to ensure that
the underpinning logic is correct
and that the spreadsheet works
as intended under all normal
conditions and can be used by
others without assistance.

(04)

(56)

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

Mark
awarded

(78)

153

(e)
(AO4)
QWC (i-iii)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

Some evaluative comments

assessing:

A thoughtful evaluation assessing:

An well-rounded evaluation
incorporating feedback from
others critically assessing:

the extent to which the final

spreadsheet meets the specified
requirements, identifying any
shortcomings

the effectiveness of the solution

their own performance

throughout the project.

The student uses everyday

language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with limited
accuracy.

the extent to which the final

spreadsheet meets the specified
requirements, explaining any
shortcomings
the effectiveness of the solution,
with some sensible suggestions
for improvements

the extent to which the final

spreadsheet meets the
specified requirements, fully
explaining any shortcomings

the effectiveness of the

solution, with some
well-thought-out
suggestions for
enhancements

their own performance

throughout the project,
current skill level and
identifying areas for
improvement.

their own performance throughout

the project and current skill
level.

The student uses some specialist

terms and the response shows some
focus and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of grammar
are used with some accuracy.

Mark
awarded

The student uses appropriate

specialist terms consistently and
the response shows good focus
and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.
(07)

154

(811)

(1214)

14

Total marks

60

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Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

Assessment guidance
The guidance should be used in the context of a best fit approach within the band. (See the
section Applying the mark bands for further guidance.)
Assessment evidence (a)
Mark band 1
(02 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made an

attempt at describing the problem and outlining what is
required of the spreadsheet solution. However, at this level,
the information is likely to be somewhat vague and
incomplete.
For full marks in this band, students must have given enough
information for the problem and requirements to be surmised
even if they are not explicitly stated.

Mark band 2
(3 marks)

Mark band 3
(4 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have given

some background information and provided sufficient detail
for the problem and requirements to be clear.
To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced
a complete functional specification and specified measurable
success criteria by which to judge the requirements.

Assessment evidence (b)

Mark band 1
(08 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

outline design documentation for a technically complex
spreadsheet that addresses most of the functional
requirements. They must also have:

identified most of the data to be entered and most of the

processing requirements (although they are not expected
to have given any details of how these will be achieved)

made some attempt to structure data, e.g. two

worksheets with links between them, and given some
thought to data validation (although this is likely to be
limited)

correctly used some formulae/functions to analyse

complex data (although some aspects of the underpinning
logic may be flawed)

given some thought to screen layout and presentation of

results (although they are not expected to produce
detailed storyboards up front).

Students must also have produced a prototype solution, but

will not have made much use of it to identify and try out
possible improvements.
For full marks in this band, students must have identified all
the data to be entered, briefly described all the main
processing requirements and given some thought to output.
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155

The underpinning logic of their spreadsheet must be sound.

They must also have shown that that have made some
improvements to the initial design as a result of prototyping,
with some explanatory comments.
Mark band 2
(912 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

detailed design documentation for a technically complex
spreadsheet that addresses all of the functional requirements
and demonstrates some attempt at both customising the
solution and future-proofing. Students must also have:

described all of the data to be entered and the processing

required, and given some thought to presenting the
results

structured the data with efficiency as a goal and included

at least two sensible measures to validate data

used formulae/functions to analyse complex data, based

on correct logic

designed appropriate layouts for screens, data entry forms

and output etc.

Students must also have shown that they have made

refinements to the initial design as a result of prototyping,
with some evaluative comments.
For full marks in this band, students must have thought about
the user interface and included some features designed to
make their spreadsheet solution easy to use. Students must
also have provided detailed comments evaluating each
prototype in terms of how well it meets the specified
requirements.
Mark band 3
(1316 marks)

156

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

comprehensive design documentation for a technically
complex spreadsheet that fully addresses all the functional
requirements and is fully customised. It must include some
future-proofing features. Students must also have:

fully described the data to be entered and the processing

that is required

structured the data so as to avoid unnecessary duplication

and maximise efficiency

included a range of (at least four) appropriate measures

to validate data and trap errors

used formulae/functions to analyse complex data

efficiently, based on correct logic

designed appropriate layouts for screens, data entry

facilities, output, etc., with ease of use and fitness for
purpose in mind

evaluated each prototype produced in terms of how well it

meets the specified requirements.

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT Specification

Issue 1 March 2016 Pearson Education Limited 2016

For full marks in this band, students must have produced a

user interface with other users besides themselves in
mind. It should provide some information for users and
control what they can view and alter. Students must also
have involved others in evaluating prototypes and have
shown clearly how feedback from test users was used to
shape and refine the design.
Assessment evidence (c)
Mark band 1
(09 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

a working spreadsheet solution that is technically complex.
They can have had some help/guidance to do so. The
spreadsheet may not meet all of the requirements, but it
must demonstrate some appropriate use of facilities of the
software for common tasks such as entering data, organising
and validating data, performing calculations and presenting
information.
While working on the spreadsheet, students will have needed
frequent reminders to adhere to relevant standard ways of
working, e.g. file management, quality assurance, safe
working.
For full marks in this band, the working solution must meet
most of the requirements.
Students must have produced supporting documentation that
gives some useful information for other users of the system
together with an indication of some of the main technical
aspects.

Mark band 2
(1014 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a fully working spreadsheet that is technically complex and
meets all of the requirements of the functional specification.
They may have needed occasional prompting to do so. The
solution must make good use of the facilities of the software.
While working on the spreadsheet, students will have needed
only occasional reminders to adhere to relevant standard
ways of working.
For full marks in this band, students must have produced
supporting documentation for other users, as well as
sufficient technical information to give another competent
professional a reasonable overview of the solution.

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157

Mark band 3
(1518 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have

independently produced a fully working solution that is
technically complex and meets all of the requirements of the
functional specification. The solution must make full and
effective use of the facilities of the software and be easy to
use.
While working on the spreadsheet, students will have
demonstrated that they are fully conversant with standard
ways of working and understand their relevance. They will
have adhered to them without being reminded.
For full marks in this band, students must have produced an
efficient solution that includes some automation of common
tasks. They must also have produced comprehensive
documentation which would allow someone else to use the
spreadsheet solution and another competent professional to
fully understand how it works and be able to maintain it
without assistance.

Assessment evidence (d)

Mark band 1
(04 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have carried

out some testing of individual aspects of the solution, such as
calculations, validation, data entry facilities, etc. but they will
have done little if anything to check that the underpinning
logic is correct and that the solution as a whole works as
intended.
For full marks in this band, students must show evidence of a
simple test for most of the main elements of the solution,
demonstrating that it works in the manner intended.

Mark band 2
(56 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must show evidence

of a simple test for each of the main elements of the solution,
demonstrating that it works in the manner intended. They
must also have made some attempt to test the solution as a
whole, including its underpinning logic.
For full marks in this band, students test plans/logs must
demonstrate that they adopted a systematic approach to
testing using a good range of data to test boundaries, normal
and out-of-range data and illegal data.

Mark band 3
(78 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students test plans/logs must

show that they adopted a thorough and systematic approach
to testing and involved other people.
For full marks in this band, students must have carried out
sufficient testing and refinement to be confident that the
solution as a whole works as intended in all anticipated
circumstances, that the underpinning logic is correct and that
other people can use it without assistance.

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Assessment evidence (e)

Mark band 1
(07 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made

some meaningful evaluative comments about their solution,
relating them to the requirements specified in the functional
specification. They must also have made a sensible comment
about their own performance.
The student uses everyday language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules
of grammar are used with limited accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have commented
on the effectiveness of the solution.

Mark band 2
(811 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a thoughtful evaluation of the final spreadsheet, identifying
and offering some explanation for any shortcomings. They
must have considered the effectiveness of the solution and
made at least one suggestion for how it could be improved.
They must also have assessed their own performance
realistically.
The student uses some specialist terms and the response
shows some focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and
the rules of grammar are used with some accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have produced a
considered evaluation, including a realistic assessment of
their current skill level.

Mark band 3
(1214 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a well-rounded and critical evaluation of the spreadsheet
solution and made at least one suggestion for how it could be
improved. They must also have assessed their own
performance/skill level, drawing on feedback from others.
The student uses appropriate specialist terms consistently
and the response shows good focus and organisation.
Spelling, punctuation and the rules of grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have identified
some sensible ways of improving both the spreadsheet and
their own performance current skill level.
(See the section Applying the mark bands for further
guidance.)

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Delivering this unit

General information

Assessment requirements
The Assessment evidence section is addressed to the students and
gives precise details of what they must do and what they must
submit for assessment.
The Assessment criteria grid, on the other hand, is addressed to
the assessor and defines the quality of output required for each
mark band. While the requirements remain the same across the
mark bands, performance is differentiated by the quality of the
students response, e.g. level of detail provided, mastery of
software tools, depth of analysis/evaluation, etc.
The Assessment guidance section gives further information to help
assessors determine which mark band a piece of work falls into
and how to award marks within that band.
Balance of theory and practical work
Most of the marks available for this unit are for practical,
hands-on activities, involving the development of a spreadsheet
product.
Students will need to have access to fully featured spreadsheet
software.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. It is not essential that students
undertake work experience. However, they will benefit from seeing
and ideally gaining hands-on experience of a wide range of
spreadsheet applications.
Standard ways of working
To be eligible for mark band 1, students must work safely and
adhere to relevant legislation and codes of practice. To be eligible
for higher mark bands, students must use standard ways of
working to manage files, enhance personal effectiveness and
quality assure their work.
Eportfolio
Students will be expected to present their evidence for this unit in
an eportfolio. The eportfolio must be constructed so that its
contents can be accessed using a web browser and be in a format
appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.

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Students must be clear about the distinction between file formats

appropriate for product creation and read-only file formats
appropriate for viewing. Acceptable file formats for eportfolio
content are likely to be PDF for paper-based publications, jpg or
png for images, html for on-screen publications and swf (Flash
movie) for presentations, but may be revised to take account of
future developments.
The following evidence should appear in the eportfolio for this unit:

Teaching and
learning strategies

a functional specification

an initial design

selected prototypes showing how the spreadsheet was

developed and refined

the final version of the spreadsheet

user and technical documentation

evidence of formative and summative testing

an evaluation of the spreadsheet solution and own

performance/current skill level.

Students are required to design and produce a complex

spreadsheet. It must have a clear purpose and be sufficiently
complex in nature to challenge students expertise and encourage
them to develop new skills and techniques in order to produce a
fully functional solution.
What constitutes a complex spreadsheet?
A complex spreadsheet is likely to include features, such as a
start-up screen, multiple related sheets with macro navigation,
validated forms controls for input, date functions, combination
functions and formulae, statistical analysis functions and facilities,
e.g. pivot tables and charts, scenarios and scenario summary
reports.
Students will need to develop and practise their spreadsheet skills
before tackling the final spreadsheet project.
Functional specification
From either an end user client (preferably) or a provided outline of
a situation, students must produce a detailed functional
specification which defines the problem to be solved and
establishes exactly what the final spreadsheet must do. The
functional specification should also be used as a yardstick to
measure the success of the project.

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If students are to be given a project brief, it must provide

sufficient scope for each of them to be able to demonstrate their
ability to design and produce individual, and different, complex
spreadsheets. A collection of small, unrelated tasks would not be
appropriate. Students should put themselves in the role of end
user and create the spreadsheet for their own use to help them
carry out their job.
It is important that students realise that it may be necessary to
revise the specification as the solution progresses. However, the
original purpose must always be kept in mind.
Product development and testing
Evidence of how the spreadsheet develops must be submitted.
This will include the initial design, prototypes at various stages and
the finished product.
Managing prototypes and keeping evidence of feedback from
users, and what changes will be made as a result, is a skill that
students will need to learn.
Testing is a vital part of the development process and should
include testing of formulae, input facilities, data validation,
formulae, protection, etc. Students should carry out formative
testing throughout the development of the spreadsheet as well as
thorough summative testing at the end. Records of testing need to
be kept together with evidence of the results of the tests.
Evaluation
This should assess the extent to which the final spreadsheet meets
the requirements identified in the functional specification. Students
should explain and justify any changes made to the original
specification.
Students also need to evaluate their own performance and assess
their current level of competence. As part of this self-appraisal,
students should consider what else they need to know or be able
to do and identify further training needs.

Links
Other units

This unit builds on the spreadsheet modelling skills developed in

Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker.
Production of a complex spreadsheet model could be used as the
focus for Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects.

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Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

desktop/laptop computer ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

CD/DVD

some form of rewritable media

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

printing facilities

sufficient individual storage space

internet access (broadband)

operating system

software (macro enabled):

Textbooks

spreadsheet, e.g. Microsoft Excel.

Edwards J S and Finley P N Decision Making with

Computers: The Spreadsheet and Beyond (Financial
Times/Prentice Hall, 1997) ISBN 9780273621287

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Unit 8: Customising Applications

IAL optional unit
Internally assessed
Unit description
You already have considerable experience of using generic applications such as word
processing, presentation, database and spreadsheet software. As you know, applications
such as these provide a wealth of functionality more than enough to meet most users
requirements. Nevertheless, there are occasions when the software just will not do exactly
what you want.
In this unit you will learn how to use an event-driven programming language such as Visual
Basic for Applications (VBA) to enhance the existing functionality of applications software,
enabling you to create applications with more scope and flexibility than is possible using
ready-made macros, forms etc.
Your work for this unit will culminate in the design, development and testing of a custom
solution to a problem requiring the use of either database or spreadsheet software, with
added functionality provided by an event-driven programming language.
The summative evaluation of your work for this unit will include a self-assessment of your
current skill level and an indication of what else you need to know or be able to do in order
to further enhance your competence.
This is a user-focused unit. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are particularly
relevant to those who use advanced ICT skills on a daily basis at work or at school/college
for personal, social and work-related purposes.

Recommended prior learning

This unit builds on the knowledge and skills of software applications that you have acquired
throughout the qualification. It is recommended that you study Unit 4: Using Database
Software before starting this unit.

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What students need to learn

8.1

Functional
specification

Going beyond the built-in features of an application is not a step to

be taken lightly! It can be a time-consuming activity and should be
undertaken only if you are certain that the problem you have
identified cannot be solved using the options already available in
the software.
The first step is to investigate the problem thoroughly and produce
a functional specification, outlining:

the context

the nature of the problem

what the custom solution is required to do

how the success of the custom solution can be measured.

You will learn the value of a functional specification, both in terms

of explaining to others what it is you are aiming to achieve and
helping to ensure that you never lose sight of your goals.

8.2

The need to
code

A decision to write your own code should not be taken lightly.

You should first investigate ways of meeting the requirements
using the built-in facilities offered by the applications software,
such as macros, wizards and functions. Using a ready-made facility
is almost always quicker than resorting to coding.
Nevertheless, having weighed up the alternatives, there are a
number of reasons why you may decide that the best or in some
cases the only way to solve the problem is to resort to coding.
This might be to:

166

extend the functionality of the software

save time and effort by improving the performance and

efficiency of an application

provide enhanced security for sensitive information over and

above the built-in security features provided by the
applications software

automate complex tasks

add finesse to a solution

facilitate data sharing between applications.

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8.3

Objects,
control
properties
and events

Adding functionality to an application such as a database or a

spreadsheet involves designing and writing routines in an
event-driven language. Event-driven languages like these are
object oriented.
You will learn about objects, properties of objects and different
types of objects, including:

forms

combo boxes

buttons.

You will also learn about the events associated with objects.

8.4

Designing
routines

You cannot simply launch into producing a custom solution to a

problem without doing some planning first. You need to spend a
considerable amount of time working on a detailed design
specification.
You will use data modelling techniques to organise and structure
the data that will be used by the application, so as to avoid
unnecessary data duplication and maximise efficiency. You will be
expected to normalise data to third normal form where
appropriate.
You will need to decide how many routines are required and what
each will do. You will learn how to use structure diagrams and/or
flow charts to produce detailed process specifications.
The more expert you become at writing programs the better you
will be at producing detailed designs up front. However, at this
stage you will probably find it easier to use an iterative approach
to software development. This involves producing a series of
prototypes. In this context, a prototype is a working but
incomplete solution which can be used to:

improve and refine your initial design and try out alternatives

test that your routines are working properly and that the
underpinning logic is correct

check for ease of use

test for robustness

get feedback from others.

Prototyping enables you to interweave design, implementation and

formative testing, rather than each of these being a distinct
one-off stage of development. Each prototype you produce will
bring you that much closer to a final fully-functional solution and
will help clarify in your mind what it is you really want the software
to do. You may find it necessary to make amendments to the
functional specification as a result.

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8.5

Programming
structures

You should learn the characteristics and purposes of the following

programming structures and know when and how to use them in:

iteration

while and until loops

for next loops

selection

if then else

case

sub-programs

sub-routines

functions

parameter passing.

You will also learn when and how to use nested structures, such as
loops within loops, selections within selections, loops within
selections, etc.

8.6

Humancomputer
interface

Ease of use is a key requirement for any software solution,

especially if other people besides you will be using it. You will learn
how to create effective, user-friendly, data entry forms.
In order to do so, you will need to know about aspects of form
design, such as:

properties of forms

positioning of objects

fields and labels.

You must learn how to incorporate into forms techniques for

validating data input and trapping errors.

8.7

168

Programming
and the
database

You will learn how to write programming routines in conjunction

with database software to carry out activities, such as:

handling database objects and controls

accessing tables

modifying forms

modifying reports

validating/verifying data

searching tables and external files sequentially in order to

locate and amend specific information.

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8.8

8.9

Programming
and the
spreadsheet

Testing

You will learn how to write programming routines in conjunction

with spreadsheet software to carry out activities, such as:

handling spreadsheet objects

manipulating a worksheet or a cell

modifying charts and graphs

searching worksheets and external files sequentially in order to

locate and amend specific information.

One of the advantages of prototyping is that you can carry out

formative testing as you develop your solution. Nevertheless, it is
equally important to undertake summative testing when you think
you have finished.
You will learn how to devise a test plan and produce test data to
check that each routine works as intended and that the custom
solution as a whole functions correctly under all conditions.
It is important to involve other people in the testing process, both
to identify errors you may have overlooked and to ensure that the
end product is easy to use.

8.10 Program
documents

You may not be the only person who uses a custom solution that
you have produced. You will learn to create documentation for
other end users, providing information, such as:

instructions on how to use the application

examples of menus and data entry forms

the meaning of error messages that might appear

troubleshooting strategies to try when things go wrong.

Your aim will be to provide enough information to enable other

people to use the software without assistance.
You will also provide technical documentation including
commented listings, clear process specifications and test results
that is sufficiently detailed to enable another competent
professional to fully understand how the solution works and to be
able to maintain and enhance it.

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8.11 Evaluation

The starting point for an evaluation of any software development

project is the functional specification which describes what the
solution has to do. The key question to ask yourself is to what
extent the custom solution you have produced meets the stated
requirements. You should also consider whether the use of coding
was justified and whether the same functionality could have been
achieved by using built-in features of the applications software.
Being able to assess your own performance on a project critically
is also important. You must learn how to judge your performance
in terms of what you did well and what you could have done better
in order to determine your current level of competence and
identify areas for improvement.

8.12 Programming
skills

8.13 Standard
ways of
working

In order to produce efficient program code using an event-driven

language you must be able to use a range of programming tools
and techniques, including:

constants, variables and arrays

selection of appropriate types of loops (pre-condition,

post-condition, fixed number of iterations)

selection processes

routines and functions

parameter passing

input/output.

While working on this unit, you will be expected to use ICT

efficiently, legally and safely. You must adhere to standard ways of
working, including:

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file management

saving work regularly

using sensible filenames

setting up directory/folder structures to organise files

making backups

choosing appropriate file formats

limiting access to confidential or sensitive files

using effective virus protection

using readme files where appropriate to provide technical

information, e.g. system requirements

personal effectiveness

selecting appropriate ICT tools and techniques

customising settings

creating and using shortcuts

using available sources of help

using a plan to help you organise your work and meet

deadlines
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quality assurance

using spellcheck, grammar check and print preview

proofreading

seeking views of others

authenticating work

legislation and codes of practice

acknowledging sources

respecting copyright

avoiding plagiarism

protecting confidentiality

safe working

ensuring that hardware, cables, seating, etc. are positioned

correctly

ensuring that lighting is appropriate

taking regular breaks

handling and storing media correctly

eportfolio

creating an appropriate structure for an eportfolio

collecting together all the required information, converting

files to an appropriate format, if necessary

authenticating your work

providing a table of contents, using hyperlinks to locate

information easily

testing for size, compatibility and ease of use, making sure

that the eportfolio conforms to the technical specification.

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Assessment evidence
For this unit you will design, produce, test and evaluate a solution
to a problem involving the use of applications software enhanced
by programmed events.
Your eportfolio for this unit should include:
(a)

A functional specification that describes the problem to be

solved and explains what the custom solution is required
to do.

(b)

An initial design that:

satisfies the functional requirements

uses appropriate data structures

responds appropriately to events

identifies the functions to be programmed, using diagrams

to show the structure of each

considers form design.

Plus evidence of your use of prototyping to improve and refine the

design.
(c)

A fully working custom solution that meets all the functional

requirements, with supporting user and technical
documentation including full macro/code listings.

(d)

Evidence of formative and summative testing

(e)*

An evaluation assessing:

the custom solution

your own performance and current skill level and

identifying areas for improvement.

*Opportunity for students to be assessed on Quality of Written

Communication (QWC) (i-iii).

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Assessment criteria
Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

(a)

A functional specification that:

A functional specification that:

A functional specification that:

(AO2, 3)

briefly describes the problem

fully describes the problem

fully describes the problem

outlines what the custom

solution must do, but not in
sufficient detail to give a
clear picture of what is
required.

explains what the custom

solution must do.

explains what the custom

solution must do and specifies
measurable success criteria.

(02)

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(3)

Mark
awarded

(4)

173

(b)
(AO1, 2,
3, 4)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A design for a custom solution

that:

A detailed design for a custom

solution that:

A comprehensive design for a

custom solution that:

satisfies most of the functional

requirements

satisfies the majority of the

functional requirements

gives limited consideration to

the need to structure data

responds appropriately to
some events

gives some consideration to the

need to structure data
appropriately in order to control
data duplication

identifies the functions to be

programmed

responds appropriately to events

describes the functions to be

programmed, using diagrams to
give a breakdown of the
structure of each

gives limited consideration to

some aspects of form design

has been developed and

improved, making limited use
of prototyping, with some
explanatory comments at
each stage.

(08)

174

gives full consideration to most

aspects of form design

has been developed and refined,

making good use of prototyping,
with some evaluative comments
at each stage.

(912)

Mark
awarded

satisfies all the functional

requirements, with some
finesse

gives full consideration to the

need to structure data
appropriately in order to
control data duplication and
maximise efficiency

responds effectively to events

describes in detail the

functions to be programmed,
using diagrams to provide a
detailed breakdown of the
structure of each

gives full consideration to all

aspects of form design

has been developed and refined

making effective use of
prototyping, with evaluative
comments at each stage
showing how feedback was
acted upon.
(1316)

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(c)
(AO1, 3)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

A working custom solution

produced with some assistance
that:

A fully working custom solution

produced with occasional
prompting that:

An efficient, fully working

custom solution produced
independently that:

meets most of the functional

requirements

meets the majority of the

functional requirements

demonstrates some
appropriate use of
programming structures.

demonstrates appropriate use of

programming structures

Plus outline documentation,

providing some relevant
information for other users and
some technical information, giving
an indication of how the solution
works.
While working on the custom
solution, the student adheres to
relevant standard ways of working
but needs frequent prompting.

meets all the functional

requirements and is easy to
use

demonstrates effective use of

programming structures,
including some complex
structures

amends information located

using a sequential search.

uses a sequential search to locate

information.

Plus detailed documentation,

providing relevant information for
other users, and sufficient technical
information to enable another
competent professional to get an
overview of how the solution works.
While working on the custom solution,
the student adheres to relevant
standard ways of working, with only
occasional prompting.

Mark
awarded

Plus comprehensive
documentation, providing relevant
information for other users,
enabling them to use the
application without assistance,
and sufficient technical
information to enable another
competent professional to
understand how the solution
works and be able to maintain it
without assistance.
While working on the custom
solution, the student adheres to
relevant standard ways of working,
independently.

(09)

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(1014)

(1518)

18

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(d)
(AO3, 4)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

Evidence of some limited

formative and summative testing,
for each function identified in (b),
but not sufficient to guarantee
that the custom solution as a
whole works as intended under
most normal conditions.

Evidence of systematic formative

and summative testing sufficient to
ensure that the custom solution as a
whole works as intended under most
normal conditions.

Evidence of thorough and

systematic formative and
summative testing, involving
others, sufficient to ensure that
the custom solution works as
intended under all normal
conditions and can be used by
others without assistance.

(04)

176

(56)

Mark
awarded

(78)

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(e)
(AO4)
QWC (i-iii)

Mark band 1

Mark band 2

Mark band 3

Some evaluative comments

assessing:

An evaluation assessing:

An evaluation incorporating
feedback from others
critically assessing:

how well the final custom

solution meets the specified
requirements

the effectiveness of the solution

their own performance.

The student uses everyday

language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with limited
accuracy.

how well the final custom

solution meets the specified
requirements, identifying any
weaknesses

the effectiveness of the solution,

with some justification for the
use of coding

their own performance and

current skill level.

The student uses some specialist

terms and the response shows some
focus and organisation. Spelling,
punctuation and the rules of
grammar are used with some
accuracy.

(07)

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(811)

Mark
awarded

how well the final custom

solution meets the specified
requirements, identifying any
weaknesses and suggesting
improvements

the effectiveness of the

solution, fully justifying the
use of coding

their own performance,

current skill level and
identifying areas for
improvement.

The student uses appropriate

specialist terms consistently and
the response shows good focus and
organisation. Spelling, punctuation
and the rules of grammar are used
with considerable accuracy.
(1214)

14

Total marks

60

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Assessment guidance
The guidance should be used in the context of a best fit approach within the band. (See the
section Applying the mark bands for further guidance.)
Assessment evidence (a)
Mark band 1
(02 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made an

attempt at describing the problem and outlining what is
required of the custom solution. However, at this level, the
information is likely to be somewhat vague and incomplete.
For full marks in this band, students must have given enough
information for the problem and requirements to be surmised
even if they are not explicitly stated.

Mark band 2
(3 marks)

Mark band 3
(4 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have given

some background information and provided sufficient detail
for the problem and requirements to be clear.
To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced
a complete functional specification and specified measurable
success criteria for each requirement.

Assessment evidence (b)

Mark band 1
(08 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

outline design documentation for a custom solution that
addresses most of the functional requirements and makes
some appropriate use of coding to respond to events. They
must also have:

made some attempt to structure data, e.g. appropriate

use of a one-to-many relationship between two entities in
a database or two worksheets in a spreadsheet with links
between them

listed all the functions to be programmed (although they

are not expected to have given any details of how they
will work)

made some attempt to design input forms, e.g. using

storyboards.

Students must also have produced a prototype solution, but

will not have made much use of it to identify and try out
possible improvements.
For full marks in this band, students must have briefly
described each of the functions to be programmed and have
shown that they have made some improvements to the initial
design as a result of prototyping, with some explanatory
comments.

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Mark band 2
(912 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

detailed design documentation for a custom solution that
addresses the majority of the functional requirements and
makes appropriate use of coding to respond to events. They
must also have:

structured the data so as to avoid unnecessary duplication

identified and described each of the functions to be

programmed

produced detailed designs for each form that is needed.

Students must also have shown that they have made

refinements to the initial design as a result of prototyping,
with some evaluative comments.
For full marks in this band, students must have used some
diagrams to give an overview of how functions will work. They
must also have provided detailed comments evaluating each
prototype in terms of how well it meets the specified
requirements.
Mark band 3
(1316 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

comprehensive design documentation for a custom solution
that fully addresses all of the functional requirements, and
makes effective use of coding to respond to events. The
design must show some finesse/elegance. Students must also
have:

structured the data so as to avoid unnecessary duplication

and maximise efficiency

produced detailed designs for each of the functions to be

programmed, using diagrams to give a complete
breakdown

produced detailed designs for each form that is needed

that show sound awareness of key aspects of form design,
e.g. ease of use, fitness for purpose, data validation and
error trapping

evaluated each prototype produced in terms of how well it

meets the specified requirements.

For full marks in this band, students must have produced

detailed designs for each form needed that show sound
awareness of all aspects of form design and have considered
the needs of end users other than themselves. They must
also have involved others in evaluating prototypes and have
clearly shown how feedback from test users was used to
shape and refine the final design.

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Assessment evidence (c)

Mark band 1
(09 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have produced

a working solution. They can have had some help/guidance to
do so. The solution may not meet all of the functional
requirements, but must use both iteration and selection.
While working on the custom solution, students will have
needed frequent reminders to adhere to relevant standard
ways of working, e.g. file management, quality assurance,
safe working.
For full marks in this band, the working solution must meet
most of the requirements. In addition, students must have
produced supporting documentation that gives some useful
information for other users.

Mark band 2
(1014 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a fully working solution that meets the majority of the
requirements of the functional specification. The solution
must use different types of selection and iteration
appropriately, as well as a sequential search.
While working on the custom solution, students will have
needed only occasional reminders to adhere to relevant
standard ways of working.
For full marks in this band, students must have used some
complex programming structures and produced supporting
documentation for other users, as well as sufficient technical
information to give another competent professional a
reasonable overview of the solution.

Mark band 3
(1518 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have

independently produced a fully working solution that meets all
of the requirements of the functional specification and is easy
to use. The solution must use some complex program
structures and amend information located using a sequential
search.
While working on the custom solution, students will have
demonstrated that they are fully conversant with standard
ways of working and understand their relevance. They will
have adhered to them without being reminded.
For full marks in this band, students must produce
comprehensive documentation which would allow someone
else to use the custom solution and another competent
professional to fully understand how it works and be able to
maintain it without assistance.

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Assessment evidence (d)

Mark band 1
(04 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have carried

out some testing of most of the functions identified in
assessment evidence (b). However, they will have done little
if anything to check that the solution as a whole works as
intended.
For full marks in this band, students must show evidence of a
simple test for each function, demonstrating that it works in
the manner intended.

Mark band 2
(56 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must show evidence

of a simple test for each function, demonstrating that it works
in the manner intended. They must also have made some
attempt to test the solution as a whole.
For full marks in this band, students test plans/logs must
demonstrate that they adopted a systematic approach to
testing the major functions of the application, using a good
range of data to test boundaries, normal and out of range
data and illegal data.

Mark band 3
(78 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students test plans/logs must

show that they adopted a thorough and systematic approach
to testing and involved other people.
For full marks in this band, students must have carried out
sufficient testing and refinement to be confident that the
solution as a whole works as intended in all anticipated
circumstances and that other people can use it without
assistance.

Assessment evidence (e)

Mark band 1
(07 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must have made

some relevant evaluative comments about their custom
solution, relating them to the requirements specified in the
functional specification. They must also have made a sensible
comment about their own performance.
The student uses everyday language and the response lacks
clarity and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and the rules
of grammar are used with limited accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have commented
on the effectiveness of their coding and reach some
conclusion about whether or not the use of coding was the
best way to meet the requirements.

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Mark band 2
(811 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 2, students must have produced

a well-rounded evaluation, identifying both strengths and
weaknesses of the custom solution and their own
performance/skill level.
The student uses some specialist terms and the response
shows some focus and organisation. Spelling, punctuation and
the rules of grammar are used with some accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have considered
alternative solutions and justified the use of coding.

Mark band 3
(1214 marks)

To be eligible for mark band 3, students must have produced

a well-informed and critical evaluation, drawing on feedback
from others.
The student uses appropriate specialist terms consistently
and the response shows good focus and organisation.
Spelling, punctuation and the rules of grammar are used with
considerable accuracy.
For full marks in this band, students must have fully justified
the use of coding and identified some sensible ways of
improving both the custom solution and their own
performance.
(See the section Applying the mark bands for further
guidance.)

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Delivering this unit

General information

Recommended prior learning

This unit focuses on extending the functionality of database or
spreadsheet software. Students will only be in a position to know
when this is necessary and appropriate if they have a thorough
understanding of the scope and limitations of these applications.
Unit 2: The Digital Economy and Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker
will have given them an overview of the software. However, they
will need to know more than this if they are to tackle this unit
effectively. Students will find it advantageous to study Unit 4:
Using Database Software beforehand, since it will give them the
necessary in-depth knowledge of database software. Students who
want to focus on producing custom solutions using spreadsheets
would be well advised to study Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet
Software first.
Assessment requirements
The Assessment evidence section is addressed to students and
gives precise details of what they must do.
The Assessment criteria grid, on the other hand, is addressed to
the assessor and defines the quality of output required for each
mark band. While the requirements remain the same across the
mark bands, performance is differentiated by the quality of the
students response, e.g. level of detail provided, quality of output,
mastery of software tools, depth of analysis/evaluation, etc.
The Assessment guidance section gives further information to help
assessors determine which mark band a piece of work falls into
and how to award marks within that band.
Balance of theory and practical work
Most of the marks available for this unit are for practical,
hands-on activities, involving the development of a custom
solution.
Students will need to be taught basic programming techniques and
the fundamentals of event-driven programming. They will also
need to be shown the interface between programmed events and
the host application, for example using VBA in Access or Excel.
Vocational context
This unit has a user focus. It is not essential that students
undertake work experience. However, they will benefit from seeing
and ideally gaining hands-on experience of a wide range of
custom solutions.

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Standard ways of working

To be eligible for mark band 1, students must work safely and
adhere to relevant legislation and codes of practice. To be eligible
for higher mark bands, students must use standard ways of
working to manage files, enhance personal effectiveness and
quality assure their work.
Eportfolio
Students will be expected to present their evidence for this unit in
an eportfolio. The eportfolio must be constructed so that its
contents can be accessed using a web browser and be in a format
appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.
Students must be clear about the distinction between file formats
appropriate for product creation and read-only file formats
appropriate for viewing. Acceptable file formats for eportfolio
content are likely to be PDF for paper-based publications, jpg or
png for images, html for on-screen publications and swf (Flash
movie) for presentations, but may be revised to take account of
future developments.
The following evidence should appear in the eportfolio for this unit:

Teaching and
learning strategies

a functional specification

an initial design, plus selected prototypes, with evaluative

comments

the final version of the customised solution

user and technical documentation including full code/macro

listings

evidence of formative and summative testing

an evaluation of the solution and own performance/current skill

level.

Students need to develop their programming skills along with their

application skills and should be provided with a number of
problems for which a custom solution might be appropriate, e.g.
situations where the host application does not provide a solution,
or if it does the solution is messy.
Examples of suitable problems

184

A database will not let you delete a record which has related
records in other tables. Coding will allow you to link related
records to other masters. For instance, if a sales executive
leaves you may wish to assign their customers to other sales
staff before you delete their record.

Clicking a command button to subtract one from a stock held

value in a stock control system is a lot easier than typing the
new value in!

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A job requires that applicants must have some attributes or

qualifications and should ideally have others. Using routines in
conjunction with database software, you could list the
applicants in order of their suitability.

If you were in charge of a company car database you may

wish, on the first Monday of each month, to send letters to
those who need to replace their cars, those whose cars are due
for a service and those who havent returned their expenses
yet. Using coding, you could check the day and date when the
system starts up and automatically produce the letters if it is
Monday and the day of the month is less than seven.

You may wish to access a database from a spreadsheet. If, for

example, an accountant wants to use data from a stock control
database the chances are it will not be in exactly the format
they need. Coding will help.

Students must realise that resorting to coding is a last resort.

Wherever possible, built-in features such as macros of functions
should be used to provide the required functionality.
Students should be encouraged to follow a structured systems
development process, involving investigation and analysis of the
problem, design and implementation of the solution. They should
be shown structure diagram techniques to plan their routines.
Functional specification
From an outline of a situation which will be provided, students
must produce a functional specification which defines the problem
to be solved and establishes exactly what the final custom solution
must do. The functional specification should be able to be used as
a yardstick to measure the success of the project.
If students are given a project brief it must provide sufficient
scope for each of them to be able to demonstrate their individual
programming ability to the full. It must allow them to show their
mastery of iteration and selection routines, as well as their ability
to search and amend data. It must be a requirement that students
normalise/classify data, e.g. requiring related tables or linked
sheets. A collection of small, unrelated tasks would not be
appropriate.
Students are not expected to tackle projects requiring both
spreadsheet and database programming as part of their solution.
Students should put themselves in the role of end user and should
customise the application first and foremost for their own use to
help them carry out their job. However, the outline should make
clear that other users may need to use the software and that
someone else may eventually take over its maintenance.

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Product development and testing

Evidence of how the custom solution develops must be submitted.
This will include the initial design, prototypes at various stages and
he finished product.
Managing prototypes and keeping evidence of feedback from
users, and what changes will be made as a result, is a skill that
students will need to learn.
Students need to understand the importance of testing both
individual components of the system and the system as a whole.
They should test the system using legal and illegal data and
extremes of data.
User and technical documentation must be provided. It should be
detailed enough to enable another user to use the software and
another competent professional to understand the solution and be
able to maintain it.
Evaluation
Students need to determine how well the custom solution meets
the requirements identified in the functional specification. They
should identify, explain and justify any changes made to the
original specification. They should be encouraged to assess the
effectiveness of the coding and to justify the use of coding rather
than some alternative method of solving the problem.

Students also need to evaluate their own performance and

assess their current level of competence. As part of this selfappraisal, students should consider what else they need to
know or be able to do and identify further training needs.

Links
Other units

Students who take this unit must have a good grasp of

applications software, particularly databases and spreadsheets.
Unit 2: The Digital Economy and Unit 4: Using Database Software
provides the necessary grounding in DBMS application software.
Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker provides an introduction to
spreadsheet software. Students taking the Advanced Level Double
Award might also wish to study Unit 7: Using Spreadsheet
Software.
Production of a custom solution could be used as the focus for
Unit 5: Managing ICT Projects.

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Resources
Please note that while resources are checked at the time of publication, materials may be
withdrawn from circulation and website locations may change.
Equipment

Students should have access to:

Textbooks

desktop/laptop computers ideally with the following

minimum specification:

256MB memory

1.7Ghz Intel processor or equivalent

40GB hard drive

video card with 32MB memory

keyboard and pointing device

colour, high resolution monitor, capable of supporting

1024768 resolution

sound output (16-bit soundcard, output through

speakers/headphones)

printing facilities

sufficient individual storage space

operating system

software:

spreadsheet, e.g. Microsoft Excel

database, e.g. Microsoft Access.

Bullen S et al Excel 2002 VBA Programmer's Reference

(Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2001) ISBN 9780764543715
Cardoza P et al Access 2003 VBA Programmer's Reference
(Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004) ISBN 9780764559037
Day A and Heathcote P M Tackling Computer Projects in
Access with VBA, 4th Edition (Payne-Gallway, 2004) ISBN
9781904467533
Edwards J S and Finley P N Decision Making with
Computers: The Spreadsheet and Beyond (Financial
Times/Prentice Hall, 1997) ISBN 9780273621287
Gosnell D Beginning Access 2003 VBA (Wiley Publishing,
Inc., 2004) ISBN 9780764556593
Jackson M and Staunton M Advanced Modelling in Finance
using Excel and VBA (John Wiley & Sons, 2001)
ISBN 9780471499220
Shepherd R Excel VBA Macro Programming (McGraw-Hill
Osborne, 2004) ISBN 9780072231441

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Assessment information

Assessment objectives and weightings

AO1

ICT capability
Students demonstrate practical capability in applying ICT

AO2

% in
IAL

30

27

28

26

13

20

28

30

29

16

30

23

ICT problem solving

Students apply knowledge, skills and understanding to
produce solutions and solve ICT problems

AO4

% in
IA2

Knowledge and understanding

Students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
ICT systems and their roles in organisations and society

AO3

% in
IAS

Evaluation
Students evaluate:

ICT solutions

their own performance

Relationship of assessment objectives to units

Unit number

Assessment objective
AO1

AO2

AO3

AO4

Unit 1

6%

5%

3%

3%

Unit 2

4%

7%

3%

3%

Unit 3

5%

1%

8%

3%

Unit 4

5%

3%

6%

3%

Unit 5

3%

2%

5%

7%

Unit 6/7/8

5%

2%

4%

6%

28%

20%

29%

23%

Total for
International
Advanced Level

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Assessment availability and first award

Unit

June 2017

June 2018

June 2019

IAS award
IAL award

From June 2017 IAS and IAL will be awarded in June.

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Administration and general information

External assessment
The following units will be externally assessed:
Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker

Assessment will be by examination.

Students will be required to use computer systems throughout the assessment.

The duration of the examination will be 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Unit 4: Using Database Software

Assessment will be by examination.

Students will be required to use computer systems throughout the assessment.

Students will work under exam conditions on a database assessment set by Pearson.

They are expected to spend no more than 10 hours working on the assessment.

The Instructions for the Conduct of the Examination (ICE) document gives further information
on how these examinations must be administered by centres. Please refer to this document on
the Pearson website: [Link]

Internal assessment
Students must submit a portfolio of work for each internally-assessed unit. Teachers are
expected to guide and advise students on the production of their portfolios. Teachers should
monitor progress to ensure that the work is appropriate for the requirements of the
specification. Assessors are required to record full details of the nature of any assistance
given to individual students beyond that of the teaching group as a whole, but within the
parameters laid down in this specification. The level of assistance should be taken into
account when assessing students work; this is indicated in the Delivering this unit section
that accompanies each internally-assessed unit in this specification. In addition, sufficient
work must take place under direct supervision to allow the teacher marking the work to
authenticate each students work with confidence.
If students practical skills are being assessed, it is important that witness statements/
checklists are completed by assessors to authenticate student work and provide evidence
that students have achieved the level of performance required in the assessment criteria
grid.
Digital copies of observation records and witness statements can be downloaded from our
website at [Link]

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Applying the mark bands

Portfolios will be marked by the centre, and externally moderated by Pearson. Each of the
internally-assessed units has an assessment criteria grid, divided into three broad mark
bands, showing how to award marks in relation to the task and the assessment objectives.
The assessment criteria grids indicate the required assessment outcomes as well as the
quality of the outcomes needed for achievement in each of the mark bands. In general
terms, progression across the bands is characterised as follows.

The assessment criteria grid shows the allocation of marks by assessment criterion and
by mark band. This grid should be used to determine marks for student achievement in
each unit. Students can achieve marks in different bands for each assessment objective.
The total mark achieved will depend on the extent to which the student has met the
assessment criteria overall.

Within each assessment criterion, it is a general principle that shortcomings in some

aspects of the assessment requirements may be balanced by better performance in
others. However, it is also important to note that for full marks in any particular
assessment criterion, all the requirements should have been met.

Marks should be awarded according to the criteria for each strand set out in the
assessment criteria grid, and assessors should apply their professional judgement where
relevant. The Assessment evidence section in each unit gives specific details of how
marks should be allocated.

There should be no reluctance to use the full mark range and, if warranted, assessors
should award maximum marks. Students responses should be considered positively. A
mark of 0 should be awarded only where the students work does not meet any of the
required criteria.

All students are entitled to initial guidance in planning their work, but the level of
assistance required should be taken into account when their work is assessed. In the
assessment criteria grids, reference is made to students working with some support and
guidance, with limited guidance and independently. When marking the work,
assessors should follow the guidelines below.

192

Some support and guidance: the student has to be guided and advised throughout
to ensure that progress is made. The student relies on the support of the teacher,
who has to assist in most aspects of the work. This level of support restricts the
students mark to band 1, irrespective of the quality of the outcomes.

Limited guidance: the teacher supports the student in the choice of topic for
investigation. From then on, the teacher reacts to questions from the student and
suggests a range of ideas that the student acts on. The student frequently checks
matters of detail. The teacher needs to assist in some aspects of the work. This level
of support restricts the students mark to bands 1 or 2, irrespective of the quality of
the outcomes.

Independently: the teacher supports the student in the choice of topic for the
investigation or task. From then on, the teacher occasionally helps the student, and
only when asked, but monitors progress throughout. This level of support gives
access to all three mark bands.

For internal record-keeping purposes, centres may wish to make a copy of the
assessment criteria grid for each student and use it to record the mark for that unit.
Assessors are required to show clearly how credit has been assigned.

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Quality of Written Communication

Candidates will be assessed on their ability to:

select and use a form of writing appropriate to the purpose and complex subject matter

organise relevant information clearly and coherently, using specialist vocabulary when
appropriate

ensure that text is legible and that spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate so
that meaning is clear.

Eportfolio
Students must submit their work for each internally-assessed unit in an eportfolio. This will
allow assessors and moderators to view their evidence on screen. This has obvious
advantages for some types of evidence, namely products that were designed to be
viewed/used on screen, such as the ebook produced in Unit 1: The Information Age.
However, it also gives students an opportunity to present information in multimedia form,
using, for example, audio and/or video to comment on their work and capture ephemeral
evidence such as working with others. Being able to present evidence effectively in an
eportfolio is an important skill.
Students will need to understand the difference between document creation and document
publication, and to distinguish between file formats appropriate for document creation and
read-only file formats appropriate for viewing. They will be expected to present eportfolio
content in a format appropriate for viewing at a resolution of 1024768 pixels.
The eportfolio must be constructed so that its contents can be accessed using a web
browser.
Students may need access to suitable conversion software and compression software.
Students will need to be taught techniques for optimising available storage space and will be
expected to limit the size of their eportfolios.

Security and backups

It is the responsibility of the centre to keep students work secure. Centres are strongly
advised to utilise firewall protection and virus checking software and to employ an effective
backup strategy, so that an up-to-date archive of students data is maintained.
No special consideration will be given to any student whose work is lost or destroyed as a
consequence of inadequate centre security/backup procedures.
Centres are advised to archive completed, assessed work so as to free up work space for
work in progress.

Entries
Details of how to enter students for the examinations for this qualification can be found in
our International Information Manual. A copy is made available to all examinations officers
and is available on our website at [Link]

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Resitting of units
Students can resit any unit irrespective of whether the qualification is to be cashed in. Only
the better of the two most recent non-absent attempts at an IAL unit will be available for
aggregation to a qualification grade. Please refer to the International Advanced level
examinations: Entry, Aggregation and Certification document on the Pearson website:
[Link]/IAL-entry-certification-procedures

Forbidden combinations
Students should be advised that, if they take two qualifications in the same subject,
colleges, universities and employers are very likely to take the view that they have achieved
only one of the two A Levels. Students or their advisers who have any doubts about subject
combinations should check with the institution to which they wish to progress before
embarking on their programmes.

Access arrangements, reasonable adjustments, special consideration

and malpractice
Equality and fairness are central to our work. Our Equality Policy requires all students to
have equal opportunity to access our qualifications and assessments, and our qualifications
to be awarded in a way that is fair to every student.
We are committed to making sure that:

students with a protected characteristic (as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010) are not,
when they are undertaking one of our qualifications, disadvantaged in comparison to
students who do not share that characteristic

all students achieve the recognition they deserve for undertaking a qualification and that
this achievement can be compared fairly to the achievement of their peers.

Language of assessment
Assessment of this qualification will only be available in English. All student work must be in
English.

Access arrangements
Access arrangements are agreed before an assessment. They allow students with special
educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to:

access the assessment

show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the assessment.

The intention behind an access arrangement is to meet the particular needs of an individual
student with a disability without affecting the integrity of the assessment. Access
arrangements are the principal way in which awarding bodies comply with the duty under
the UK Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.
Access arrangements should always be processed at the start of the qualification. Students
will then know what is available and have the access arrangement(s) in place for
assessment.

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Reasonable adjustments
The UK Equality Act 2010 requires an awarding organisation to make reasonable
adjustments where a person with a disability would be at a substantial disadvantage in
undertaking an assessment. The awarding organisation is required to take reasonable steps
to overcome that disadvantage.
A reasonable adjustment for a particular person may be unique to that individual and
therefore might not be in the list of available access arrangements.
Whether an adjustment will be considered reasonable will depend on a number of factors,
which will include:

the needs of the student with the disability

the effectiveness of the adjustment

the cost of the adjustment

the likely impact of the adjustment on the student with the disability and other students.

An adjustment will not be approved if it involves unreasonable costs to the awarding

organisation, timeframes or affects the security or integrity of the assessment. This is
because the adjustment is not reasonable.

Special consideration
Special consideration is a post-examination adjustment to a student's mark or grade to
reflect temporary injury, illness or other indisposition at the time of the
examination/assessment, which has had, or is reasonably likely to have had, a material
effect on a candidates ability to take an assessment or demonstrate his or her level of
attainment in an assessment.

Further information
Please see our website for further information about how to apply for access arrangements
and special consideration.
For further information about access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special
consideration please refer to the JCQ website: [Link]

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Malpractice
Candidate malpractice
Candidate malpractice refers to any act by a candidate that compromises or seeks to
compromise the process of assessment or which undermines the integrity of the
qualifications or the validity of results/certificates.
Candidate malpractice in controlled assessments discovered before the candidate has signed
the declaration of authentication form does not need to be reported to Pearson.
Candidate malpractice found in controlled assessments after the declaration of authenticity
has been signed, and in examinations must be reported to Pearson on a JCQ Form M1
(available at [Link]/exams-office/malpractice). The completed form can be
emailed to pqsmalpractice@[Link] or posted to Investigations Team, Pearson,
190 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BH. Please provide as much information and supporting
documentation as possible. Note that the final decision regarding appropriate sanctions lies
with Pearson.
Failure to report candidate malpractice constitutes staff or centre malpractice.

Staff/centre malpractice
Staff and centre malpractice includes both deliberate malpractice and maladministration of
our qualifications. As with candidate malpractice, staff and centre malpractice is any act that
compromises or seeks to compromise the process of assessment or undermines the integrity
of the qualifications or the validity of results/certificates.
All cases of suspected staff malpractice and maladministration must be reported
immediately, before any investigation is undertaken by the centre, to Pearson on a JCQ
Form M2a (available at [Link]/exams-office/malpractice).
The form, supporting documentation and as much information as possible can be emailed to
pqsmalpractice@[Link] or posted to Investigations Team, Pearson, 190 High Holborn,
London, WC1V 7BH. Note that the final decision regarding appropriate sanctions lies with
Pearson.
Failure to report malpractice itself constitutes malpractice.
More detailed guidance on malpractice can be found in the latest version of the document
JCQ General and Vocational qualifications: Suspected Malpractice in Examinations and
Assessments, available at [Link]/exams-office/malpractice

Awarding and reporting

The IAS qualification will be graded on a five-grade scale from A to E. The full International
Advanced Level will be graded on a six-point scale A* to E. Individual unit results will be
reported. Only Units 1, 2 and 3 will contribute to the IAS grade. All six units will contribute
to the IAL grade.
A pass in an International Advanced Subsidiary subject is indicated by one of the five grades
A, B, C, D, E of which grade A is the highest and grade E the lowest. A pass in an International
Advanced Level subject is indicated by one of the six grades A*, A, B, C, D, E of which grade
A* is the highest and grade E the lowest. To be awarded an A*, students will need to achieve
an A on the full International Advanced Level qualification and an A* aggregate of the IA2
units. Students whose level of achievement is below the minimum judged by Pearson to be of
sufficient standard to be recorded on a certificate will receive an unclassified U result.
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Performance descriptions
Performance descriptions give the minimum acceptable level for a grade. See Appendix B:
Performance descriptions for the performance descriptions for this subject.

Unit results
Unit grades are calculated using a uniform mark scale of 100 marks. The raw marks for a
unit are aligned to the uniform mark scale. An A is 80% of the maximum uniform mark, a B
is 70% of that maximum, a C is 60% of that maximum, a D is 50% and E is 40%.
The minimum uniform marks required for each grade for each unit:
Unit grade
Maximum uniform mark =
100

80

70

60

50

40

Students who do not achieve the standard required for a grade E will receive a uniform mark
in the range 039.

Qualification results
The minimum uniform marks required for each grade:
International Advanced Subsidiary cash-in code XIT01
Qualification grade
Maximum uniform mark =
300

240

210

180

150

120

Students who do not achieve the standard required for a grade E will receive a uniform mark
in the range 0119.
International Advanced Level cash-in code YIT01
Qualification grade
Maximum uniform mark =
600

480

420

360

300

240

Students who do not achieve the standard required for a grade E will receive a uniform mark
in the range 0239.
To be awarded an A*, students will need to achieve an A on the full International Advanced
Level qualification and an A* aggregate (at least 270 UMS) of the IA2 units.

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Support, training and resources

Support
Pearson aims to provide the most comprehensive support for our qualifications. Here are
just a few of the support services we offer.

Subject Advisor subject experts are on hand to offer their expertise to answer any
questions you may have on delivering the qualification and assessment.

Subject page written by our Subject Advisors, the subject pages keep you up to date
with the latest information on your subject.

Subject communities exchange views and share information about your subject with
other teachers.

Training see Training below for full details.

For full details of all the teacher and student support provided by Pearson to help you deliver
our qualifications, please visit [Link]

Training
Our programme of professional development and training qualifications, covering various
aspects of the specification and examinations, are arranged each year on a regional basis.
Pearson training is designed to fit you, with an option of face-to-face, online or customised
training so you can choose where, when and how you want to be trained.
Face-to-face training
Our programmes of face-to-face training have been designed to help anyone who is
interested in, or currently teaching, a Pearson Edexcel qualification. We run a schedule of
events throughout the academic year to support you and help you to deliver our
qualifications.
Online training
Online training is available for international centres who are interested in, or currently
delivering our qualifications. This delivery method helps us run training qualifications more
frequently to a wider audience.
To find out more information or to book a place please visit: [Link]/training
Alternatively, email internationaltfp@[Link] or telephone +44 (0) 44 844 576 0025

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Resources
Pearson is committed to ensuring that teachers and students have a choice of resources to
support their teaching and study.
To search for Pearson IAL resources, and to search for endorsed resources from other
publishers, please visit [Link]/resources

Specifications, Sample Assessment Materials and

Teacher Support Materials
Specifications, Sample Assessment Materials (SAMs) and Teacher Support Materials (TSMs)
can be downloaded from the International Advanced Level subject pages.
To find a complete list of supporting documents, including the specification, SAMs and TSMs,
please visit [Link]

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Appendices
Appendix A: Unit mapping

203

Appendix B: Performance descriptions

205

Appendix C: The context for the development of this qualification

211

Appendix D: Transferable skills

213

Appendix E: Level 3 Extended Project qualification

215

Appendix F: Codes

217

Appendix G: Glossary

219

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Appendix A: Unit mapping

This table shows how units have been mapped from the legacy Pearson Edexcel Advanced GCE in Applied ICT qualification to the Pearson
Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT qualification.
Pearson Edexcel Advanced GCE in Applied ICT

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied ICT

Unit

Title

Unit code

Level

Unit

Title

Unit code

Level

The Information Age

6951

AS

The Information Age

WIT01

IAS

The Digital Economy

6952

AS

The Digital Economy

WIT02

IAS

The Knowledge Worker

6953

AS

The Knowledge Worker

WIT03

IAS

Using Database Software

6957

A2

Using Database Software

WIT04

IA2

Managing ICT Projects

6958

A2

Managing ICT Projects

WIT05

IA2

10

Using Multimedia Software

6960

A2

Using Multimedia Software

WIT06

IA2

11

Using Spreadsheet Software

6961

A2

Using Spreadsheet Software

WIT07

IA2

12

Customising Applications

6962

A2

Customising Applications

WIT08

IA2

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Appendix B: Performance descriptions

The performance descriptions for Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level in Applied
ICT aim to describe learning outcomes and levels of attainment likely to be shown by a
representative candidate performing at the A/B and E/U boundaries for the IAS and IA2. The
performance descriptions illustrate the expectations at these boundaries for the IAS and IA2
as a whole; they have not been written at specification or unit level.
Each performance description is aligned to one assessment objective. An alphabetical
system has been used to denote each element of a performance description. There is no
hierarchy of elements.
Performance descriptions are designed to assist examiners in exercising their professional
judgement at awarding meetings where the grade A/B and E/U boundaries will be set by
examiners using professional judgement. This judgement will reflect the quality of the
candidates work, informed by the available technical and statistical evidence. Performance
descriptions will be reviewed continually and updated where necessary.
Teachers may find performance descriptions useful in understanding candidates
performance across qualifications as a whole but should use the marking criteria identified in
the specification when assessing candidates work.

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Applied ICT performance descriptions IAS

The performance descriptions for IAS indicate the level of attainment characteristic of A/B and E/U boundary students. They give a general
indicator of the required learning outcomes. The descriptions should be interpreted in relation to the content outlined in the specification; they
are not designed to define the content. The grade awarded will depend in practice on the extent to which the student has met the Assessment
Objectives overall. Shortcomings in some aspects of assessment may be balanced by better performance in others. The requirement for all IAS
and IA2 level specifications to assess students quality of written communication will be met through all four Assessment Objectives.

AS

A01

A02

A03

A04

Assessment
objective

Students demonstrate
practical capability in
applying ICT.

Students demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of ICT
systems and their roles in
organisations and society.

Students apply
knowledge, skills and
understanding to produce
solutions to ICT
problems.

Students evaluate:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate an
understanding of:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

a) use a wide range of

ICT tools and
techniques in a
variety of practical
activities.

a) components and
functions of a range of
ICT systems

a) apply their
knowledge and skills
of ICT tools and
techniques to
produce efficient
solutions to a variety
of problems arising
from familiar
contexts.

a) identify strengths and

weaknesses in their
initial solution and
refine it in relation to
the users needs

A/B boundary
performance
description

b) how the role of ICT

helps a range of
organisations in
different sectors meet
their objectives
c)

the positive and

negative effects of ICT
on society and
individuals.

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Quality of Written
Communication

ICT solutions
their own performance.

b) reflect on their
experiences in order
to improve their own
performance.

The student has

expressed complex
ideas clearly and
fluently. Sentences and
paragraphs follow on
from one another
smoothly and logically.
Arguments will be
consistently well
structured. There will
be few, if any, errors of
grammar, punctuation
and spelling.

207

AS

A01

A02

A03

A04

Quality of Written
Communication

E/U boundary
performance
description

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate an
understanding of:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

a) use a limited range of

ICT tools and
techniques in a
variety of practical
activities.

a) components and
functions of given ICT
systems

a) apply their
knowledge and skills
of ICT tools and
techniques to
produce working
solutions to problems
arising from familiar
contexts.

a) comment on the
effectiveness of their
solutions to problems
and suggest
improvements

The student has

expressed simple ideas
clearly, but may
express complex and
subtle ideas
ineffectively.

b) how the role of ICT

helps selected
organisations meet
their objectives
c)

208

some of the effects of

ICT on society and
individuals.

b) comment on their
actions and role in
solving problems.

Arguments may be
obscurely presented.
Errors in grammar,
punctuation and
spelling may be
present.

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Applied ICT performance descriptions IA2

The performance descriptions for IA2 indicate the level of attainment characteristic of A/B and E/U boundary candidates. They give a general
indicator of the required learning outcomes. The descriptions should be interpreted in relation to the content outlined in the specification; they
are not designed to define the content. The grade awarded will depend in practice upon the extent to which the student has met the
assessment objectives overall. Shortcomings in some aspects of assessment may be balanced by better performance in others. The
requirement for all IAS and IA2 level specifications to assess students quality of written communication will be met through all four assessment
objectives.
AS

A01

A02

A03

A04

Assessment
objective

Students demonstrate
practical capability in
applying ICT.

Students demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of ICT
systems and their roles in
organisations and society.

Students apply
knowledge, skills and
understanding to produce
solutions to ICT
problems.

Students evaluate:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

a) apply their
knowledge and skills
of ICT tools and
techniques to
produce effective
solutions to complex
problems arising
from unfamiliar
contexts

a) provide a critical
analysis of their
solutions to ICT
problems, identifying
strengths and
weaknesses in order
to refine the solution
taking account of user
feedback

b) use methodical,
analytical and critical
approaches to
problem solving.

b) reflect on their own

performance by
identifying strengths
and weaknesses and
use this review to
improve their SKU.

A/B boundary
performance
description

a) use their initiative to

develop, enhance and
extend their range of
ICT skills and
techniques as
required.

a) detailed knowledge of
formal and informal
tools and techniques
for developing and
managing ICT systems
b) thorough
understanding of the
effects of proposed
solutions on end users
c)

an understanding of
the implications of
current relevant
legislation.

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Quality of Written
Communication

ICT solutions
their own
performance.
The student has
expressed complex
ideas clearly and
fluently. Sentences and
paragraphs follow on
from one another
smoothly and logically.
Arguments will be
consistently well
structured. There will
be few, if any, errors of
grammar, punctuation
and spelling.

209

AS

A01

A02

A03

A04

Quality of Written
Communication

E/U boundary
performance
descriptions

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

Students demonstrate an
ability to:

a) apply their
knowledge and skills
of ICT tools and
techniques to solve
straightforward
problems arising
from unfamiliar
contexts.

a) comment on the
effectiveness of their
solution in relation to
user needs,
suggesting
improvements

The student has

expressed simple ideas
clearly, but may
express complex and
subtle ideas
ineffectively.

a) develop and extend

their range of ICT
skills and techniques
as required.

a) a knowledge of tools
and techniques for
developing ICT
systems
b) a recognition that their
solutions will have
effects on end users
c)

210

a knowledge of current
relevant legislation.

b) comment on their
actions and role in
solving problems and
identify areas for
improvement.

Arguments may be
obscurely presented.
Errors in grammar,
punctuation and
spelling may be
present.

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Appendix C: The context for the development of this

qualification
All our qualifications are designed to meet our World Class Qualification principles and our
ambition to put the student at the heart of everything we do.
We have developed and designed this qualification by:

reviewing other curricula and qualifications to ensure that it is comparable with those
taken in high-performing jurisdictions internationally

consulting with key stakeholders on content and assessment, including learned bodies,
subject associations, higher education academics, teachers and employers to ensure this
qualification is suitable for an international context

reviewing the legacy qualification and building on its positive attributes.

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Appendix D: Transferable skills

The need for transferable skills
In recent years, higher education institutions and employers have consistently flagged the
need for students to develop a range of transferable skills to enable them to respond with
confidence to the demands of undergraduate study and the world of work.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines skills, or
competencies, as the bundle of knowledge, attributes and capacities that can be learned
and that enable individuals to successfully and consistently perform an activity or task and
can be built upon and extended through learning.[1].
To support the design of our qualifications, the Pearson Research Team selected and
evaluated seven global 21st-century skills frameworks. Following on from this process, we
identified the National Research Councils (NRC) framework as the most evidence-based and
robust skills framework.

Cognitive skills
Non-routine problem solving expert thinking, metacognition, creativity.
Systems thinking decision making and reasoning.
Critical thinking definitions of critical thinking are broad and usually involve general
cognitive skills such as analysing, synthesising and reasoning skills.

Interpersonal skills
Communication active listening, oral communication, written communication, assertive
communication and non-verbal communication.
Relationship-building skills teamwork, trust, intercultural sensitivity, service orientation,
self-presentation, social influence, conflict resolution and negotiation.
Collaborative problem solving establishing and maintaining shared understanding, taking
appropriate action, establishing and maintaining team organisation.

Intrapersonal skills
Adaptability ability and willingness to cope with the uncertain, handling work stress,
adapting to different personalities, communication styles and cultures, and physical
adaptability to various indoor and outdoor work environments.
Self-management and self-development ability to work remotely in virtual teams, work
autonomously, be self-motivating and self-monitoring, willing and able to acquire new
information and skills related to work.
Transferable skills enable young people to face the demands of further and higher education,
as well as the demands of the workplace, and are important in the teaching and learning of
this qualification. We will provide teaching and learning materials, developed with
stakeholders, to support our qualifications.

[1]

OECD Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives (2012):

[Link]/documents/[Link]

[2]

Koenig, J A Assessing 21st Century Skills: Summary of a Workshop (National Research Council, 2011)

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Appendix E: Level 3 Extended Project qualification

What is the Extended Project?
The Extended Project is a standalone qualification that can be taken alongside IALs. It
supports the development of independent learning skills and helps to prepare students for
their next step whether that be university study or employment. The qualification:

is recognised by universities for the skills it develops

is worth half of an IAL qualification at grades A*E.

The Extended Project encourages students to develop skills in the following areas: research,
critical thinking, extended writing and project management. Students identify and agree a
topic area of their choice for in-depth study (which may or may not be related to an IAL
subject they are already studying), guided by their teacher.
Students can choose from one of four approaches to produce:

a dissertation (for example an investigation based on predominately secondary research)

an investigation/field study (for example a practical experiment)

a performance (for example in music, drama or sport)

an artefact (for example creating a sculpture in response to a client brief or solving an

engineering problem).

The qualification is coursework based and students are assessed on the skills of managing,
planning and evaluating their project. Students will research their topic, develop skills to
review and evaluate the information, and then present the final outcome of their project.
The Extended Project has 120 guided learning hours (GLH) consisting of a 40-GLH taught
element that includes teaching the technical skills (for example research skills) and an
80GLH guided element that includes mentoring students through the project work. The
qualification is 100% internally assessed and externally moderated.

How to link the Extended Project with applied ICT

The Extended Project creates the opportunity to develop transferable skills for progression to
higher education and to the workplace, through the exploration of either an area of personal
interest or a topic of interest from within the applied ICT qualification content.
Through the Extended Project students will develop skills that support their study of applied
ICT, including:

conducting, organising and using research

independent reading in the subject area

planning, project management and time management

defining a hypothesis to be tested in investigations or in developing a design brief

collecting, handling and interpreting data and evidence

evaluating arguments and processes, including arguments in favour of alternative

interpretations of data and evaluation of experimental methodology

critical thinking.

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In the context of the Extended Project, critical thinking refers to the ability to identify and
develop arguments for a point of view or hypothesis and to consider and respond to
alternative arguments. This supports the development of evaluative skills, through
evaluating ICT arguments, and using qualitative and quantitative evidence to support
informed judgements and propose evidence-based solutions to ICT issues.

Types of Extended Project related to applied ICT

Students may produce a dissertation on any topic that can be researched and argued, for
example a controversial ICT issue such as digital security and privacy.
A dissertation might involve an investigation such as:

the impact of conducting transactions online

an investigation into the ease of doing business in a chosen country.

The dissertation uses secondary research sources to provide a reasoned defence or a point
of view, with consideration of counterarguments.
An alternative might be an investigative project or field study involving the collection of data
from primary research.

Using the Extended Project to support breadth and depth

In the Extended Project, students are assessed on the quality of the work they produce and
the skills they develop and demonstrate through completing this work. Students should
demonstrate that they have extended themselves in some significant way beyond what they
have been studying in ICT. Students can demonstrate extension in one or more dimensions:
deepening understanding where a student explores a topic in greater depth than in the
specification content
broadening skills where a student learns a new skill. This might be learning how to
design a website or learning a new statistical technique that can be used in the analysis of
either primary or secondary data collected by the student
widening perspectives where the students project spans different subjects. A student
studying applied ICT with business may wish to research the impact of using mobile
applications to deliver a service or sell a product.
A wide range of information to support the delivery and assessment of the Extended Project,
including the specification, teacher guidance for all aspects, an editable scheme of work and
exemplars for all four approaches, can be found on our website.

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Appendix F: Codes
Type of code

Use of code

Code

Subject codes

The subject code is used by centres to

enter students for a qualification.
Centres will need to use the entry
codes only when claiming students
qualifications.

International A Level
YIT01

These codes are provided for unit

entry. Students must be entered for
individual components.

Unit 1: WIT01

Unit codes

International AS
XIT01

Unit 2: WIT02
Unit 3: WIT03
Unit 4: WIT04
Unit 5: WIT05
Unit 6: WIT06
Unit 7: WIT07
Unit 8: WIT08

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Appendix G: Glossary
Term

Definition

Assessment
objectives

The requirements that students need to meet to succeed in the

qualification. Each assessment objective has a unique focus which
is then targeted in examinations or coursework. Assessment
objectives may be assessed individually or in combination.

External
assessment

An examination that is held at the same time and place in a global

region.

JCQ

Joint Council for Qualifications. This is a group of UK examination

boards that develops policy related to the administration of
examinations.

Linear

Qualifications that are linear have all assessments at the end of a

qualification of study. It is not possible to take one assessment
earlier in the qualification of study.

Modular

Qualifications that are modular contain units of assessment. These

units can be taken during the qualification of study. The final
qualification grade is worked out from the combined unit results.

NEA

Non-examination assessment. This is any assessment not sat in

examination conditions at a fixed time and place. Non-examination
assessment includes coursework, oral examinations and practical
examinations.

Performance
description

This is a statement of the expected performance of a student for

selected grades. Usually for IAL, performance descriptions are
provided for grades A and E.

Raw marks

Raw marks are the actual marks that students achieve when taking
an assessment. When calculating an overall grade, raw marks often
need to be converted so that it is possible to see the proportionate
achievement of a student across all units of study.

UMS

Uniform Mark Scale. Students actual marks (or raw marks) will be
converted into a UMS mark so that it is possible to see the
proportionate result of a student. Two units may each be worth
25% of a total qualification. The raw marks for each unit may
differ, but the Uniform Mark will be the same.

Unit

A modular qualification will be divided into a number of units. Each

unit will have its own assessment.

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For information about Edexcel, BTEC or LCCI qualifications

visit [Link]
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