Why study ICT?
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) gives students a well-grounded knowledge of the role that IT plays in business and society. Students will learn what ideas and resources are needed to create the latest technologies by exploring companies such as Apple and Google. They will examine how people and organisations solve problems using ICT tools and techniques, and explore a variety of technologies that will interest them, from Facebook and the Internet to tools that predict natural disasters and stock market crashes.
Which syllabus do we follow?
We follow AQA specification for ICT.
How many units are there?
There are four units in total: two at AS and two at A2
What is each unit about?
Unit 1
AS unit 1 is called ‘Practical Problem solving in the Digital World’ Unit 1 is learning through practice. Four mini-projects will be studied, each looking at a different piece of software, from designing a database to handling movie rentals to writing a website promoting a record label. An important aim of the practical lessons is to highlight the different stages of the project lifecycle, and the students will write up a report on the problems they have identified and the testing they have carried out. A 10-20 page report of sample work is then taken into their exam as evidence and so thy can use it to demonstrate their knowledge by referencing it in their answers.
Unit 2
AS unit 2 is called ‘Living in the Digital World’ Unit 2 is focused on how computers are used in the world today. It looks at the big factors of ICT systems: how data is held, the people working on the systems, and technical aspects such as networking, data backup and security. Unit 2 provides a framework for how to maximize the effectiveness of software written in unit 1.
Unit 3
A2 unit 3 is called ‘The Use of ICT in the Digital World’ Unit 3 focuses on real ICT applications in businesses. A varied list of businesses includes charities, local independent stores, nationally run services and multinational mega-corporations. The study of these companies will include: how they manage their ICT systems, their ICT strategies and how they develop and release new ICT systems.
Unit 4
A2 unit 4 is called ‘Practical Issues involved in the use of ICT in the Digital World.’ This is a year-long piece of coursework which makes the students find a real company or organization to act as their customer. They go through a full system lifecycle from analyzing problems the company has to designing, implementing and testing a final solution. All of the stages are written up into a large report, which is marked internally before being submitted fro standardisation.
How is each unit examined?
Unit 1
The one and a half hour exam comprises short answer and longer structured questions. The questions are both theory based and based on the sample of material the students have brought into the exam.
Unit 2
Students sit a one and a half hour examination
Unit 3
Students sit a two hour examination
Unit 4
This is a coursework unit. A report is written up over the course of the year. Internal deadlines are set for each section of the report so that students get feedback and are able to manage what is a sizeable task.
How is the course structured?
Unit 2 will be taught fro September to January, so that the students will be ready to take the exam in January. Teaching and revision will continue through to March to make sure that the students have another option to take the exam in June if required. However, every week there will be one two-hour practical lesson and theory lesson focusing on unit 1. In these lessons students will learn new pieces of software. The students have tuition in the software they are using and the small classes mean problems are worked through quickly and learning is very fast.
Unit 3 is covered from September to March of the A2 year and involves theory lessons and answering exam style questions. Practical lessons in Databases are covered early so that students can use this knowledge in their unit 4 project as soon as possible. Unit 4 is covered concurrently with unit 3 and is allocated a weekly practical lesson. Internal deadlines are set throughout the year so that students can manage their workload.
When do the exams take place?
Students can sit their unit 2 exams in January and June of the AS year. Students sit their unit 1 practical exam in June. Unit 3 will be sat in June of the A2 year. It is available in January but Ashbourne recommends that students sit the exam in the June session due to the large amount of theory that is required and the focus that the students have on their unit 4 project at the beginning of the A2 year. Unit 4 is a piece of coursework, submitted near the end of the academic year.
Which Ashbourne teachers teach this course?
David Johnstone
(BSc Artificial Intelligence (Durham) Computing, IT and Mathematics)
David did his first degree in Artificial Intelligence at Durham University. He worked in the city, developing huge corporate IT systems, then went on to do doctoral research in real-time systems scheduling, the technology behind automotive manufacturing. He is a specialist in Java programming, holding a Sun certificate and Java black-belt membership.
Beyond A level for ICT
After studying ICT many of our students have chosen to read degrees in Business Studies, Economics and Software Engineering.
Any other information
ICT is both a practical and theoretical course
Textbooks
AS
Title – AQA Information and Communication Technology AS: Student’s Book
Author – Diane Spencer, Stuart McNee
Web link – http://www.amazon.co.uk/AQA-Information-Communication-Technology-AS/dp/0748799079
A2
Title – AQA Information and Communication Technology A2: Student’s Book
Author – Paul Morgan et.al.
Web link – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Information-Communication-Technology-Students-Book/dp/0748799087
Which syllabus do we follow?
We follow AQA specification for ICT.
How many units are there?
There are four units in total: two at AS and two at A2
What is each unit about?
Unit 1
AS unit 1 is called ‘Practical Problem solving in the Digital World’
Unit 1 is learning through practice. Four mini-projects will be studied, each looking at a different piece of software, from designing a database to handling movie rentals to writing a website promoting a record label. An important aim of the practical lessons is to highlight the different stages of the project lifecycle, and the students will write up a report on the problems they have identified and the testing they have carried out. A 10-20 page report of sample work is then taken into their exam as evidence and so thy can use it to demonstrate their knowledge by referencing it in their answers.
Unit 2
As unit 2 is called ‘Living in the Digital World’
Unit 2 is focused on how computers are used in the world today. It looks at the big factors of ICT systems: how data is held, the people working on the systems, and technical aspects such as networking, data backup and security. Unit 2 provides a framework for how to maximize the effectiveness of software written in unit 1.
Unit 3
A2 unit 3 is called ‘The Use of ICT in the Digital World’
Unit 3 focuses on real ICT applications in businesses. A varied list of businesses includes charities, local independent stores, nationally run services and multinational mega-corporations. The study of these companies will include: how they manage their ICT systems, their ICT strategies and how they develop and release new ICT systems.
Unit 4
A2 unit 4 is called ‘Practical Issues involved in the use of ICT in the Digital World.’ This is a year-long piece of coursework which makes the students find a real company or organization to act as their customer. They go through a full system lifecycle from analyzing problems the company has to designing, implementing and testing a final solution. All of the stages are written up into a large report, which is marked internally before being submitted fro standardisation.
How is each unit examined?
Unit 1
The one and a half hour exam comprises short answer and longer structured questions. The questions are both theory based and based on the sample of material the students have brought into the exam.
Unit 2
Students sit a one and a half hour examination
Unit 3
Students sit a two hour examination
Unit 4
This is a coursework unit. A report is written up over the course of the year. Internal deadlines are set for each section of the report so that students get feedback and are able to manage what is a sizeable task.
How is the course structured?
Unit 2 will be taught fro September to January, so that the students will be ready to take the exam in January. Teaching and revision will continue through to March to make sure that the students have another option to take the exam in June if required.
However, every week there will be one two-hour practical lesson and theory lesson focusing on unit 1. In these lessons students will learn new pieces of software. The students have tuition in the software they are using and the small classes mean problems are worked through quickly and learning is very fast.
Unit 3 is covered from September to March of the A2 year and involves theory lessons and answering exam style questions. Practical lessons in Databases are covered early so that students can use this knowledge in their unit 4 project as soon as possible. Unit 4 is covered concurrently with unit 3 and is allocated a weekly practical lesson. Internal deadlines are set throughout the year so that students can manage their workload.
When do the exams take place?
Students can sit their unit 2 exams in January and June of the AS year. Students sit their unit 1 practical exam in June. Unit 3 will be sat in June of the A2 year. It is available in January but Ashbourne recommends that students sit the exam in the June session due to the large amount of theory that is required and the focus that the students have on their unit 4 project at the beginning of the A2 year. Unit 4 is a piece of coursework, submitted near the end of the academic year.
Which Ashbourne teachers teach this course?
David Johnstone
Any other information
ICT is both a practical and theoretical course. |
