KS4 ICT

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY & e-LEARNING

 The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) department aims to prepare learners for participation in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are being increasingly transformed by access to new and varied technology. Increasing the learners’ capabilities in the use of ICT promotes initiative and independent learning and enhances the ability to make informed judgements about when and where to use ICT to best effect, and to consider its implications for home and work both now and in the future.

The Teaching of ICT at Carleton Community High School

Equal emphasis is given to the use of computer systems for the analysis of information, the importance of the correct manner of communication and the skill to confidently use technology. We believe a thorough grounding in ICT at school is vital if we are to send confident young men and women out into the world who are better able to communicate and more confidently use technology with their peers, both at college and in the workplace.

 ICT facilities at Carleton are excellent. The brand new ICT teaching suites are fully equipped with new multimedia computers, with access to colour duplex photo printing facilities, broadband internet access and a host of new and exciting software applications. These facilities allow learners to be involved in a whole spectrum of activities ranging from researching and generating coursework through to producing e-portfolios or web sites.

 Learners in Key Stage 4

All learners in Key Stage 4 will study OCR National in ICT Level 2.

GCSE Core

OCR National Level 2 in ICT - Core

Syllabus Code: OCR National Level 2 Award in ICT

Examination Board: OCR

The First Award in ICT is designed to ensure that all learners continue to develop their skills as an extension of their KS3 work and in real preparation for ICT use at higher level or in the workplace.  It also helps prepare candidates for a world increasingly dominated by the use of ICT systems, particularly the workplace.  The OCR National Level 2 in ICT is equivalent to 1 or 2 GCSE’s at A* - C level.

What do learners study?

Studying this course will help provide the analytical, communication and technical skills that are needed by active participants in this exciting and dynamic world.  It develops the use of
e-mail, presentation, publication and spreadsheet software to complete the assignment.

The current units offered are :

Single GCSE Award

Unit 1        ICT Skills for Business (Compulsory Unit)                 - 66% Weighting

Unit 23      Creating Videos                                                  - 33% Weighting

Double GCSE Award

Unit 2         Webpage Creation                                      - 66% Weighting

Plus 1        Optional Unit in either

Unit 4         Design and Produce Multimedia Products                - 33% Weighting or
Unit 20       Creating Animation for the Web                           - 33% Weighting

Assessment Information

The unit will be solely assessed via the Summative Project Assignments. There are separate assignments for each course component. The summative assignments are the means by which learners bring the knowledge, skills and understanding they have acquired throughout the course into their project pieces of work.

Homework

Individual study and the ability to develop new skills are essential requirements of modern employers. The ICT course includes projects that will require work to be completed outside the classroom. Learners have ownership and management of their coursework and marks will be lost if they are not developing their coursework as homework tasks on a continuous basis.

What can parents do to help in this subject?

Encourage your child to practise their ICT skills so that they are able to apply them to familiar and unfamiliar situations.  Encourage the production of a high standard of work through the consideration of layout, formatting and audience.  Encourage your child to proofread their work, checking the content and layout before printing and submitting. Encourage your child to submit all work on time and catch up on all work missed as a result of absence.  Ensure that a backup of their ICT work is made by saving it to a home computer, the school computer and a memory device, such as a memory stick.

Encourage safe working practices by ensuring your child takes breaks from using the computer and avoids long periods of repetitive game-playing which can lead to health problems. Check regularly that your child is using computer time wisely and safely.