The ICT Department

Key Stage 4 - Years 10 and 11

ICT GCSE

Content

• Current and emerging technologies - Students will explore the impact of current and emerging technologies. This topic explores technology in a variety of contexts that will interest students from computer and mobile technologies to communication and entertainment systems.
  
  
• A range of ICT tools and techniques - Students will explore the ways in which tools and techniques are used to develop ideas and to solve problems.
  
  
• Collaborative working - Collaborative working is a life skill that students will explore in the context of ICT. Areas covered range from developing an understanding of project management and the advantages and disadvantages of home working, to technologies that aid collaboration such as video conferencing.
  
  
• Society’s use of ICT - Students will explore legal, social, economic, ethical and environmental implications of the use of ICT. You can apply issues being discussed in the classroom to real world situations that affect individuals, organisations and society. Students will discuss topics such as the growth of personal websites and social networks.

Assessment

• External Examination 40% of the total GCSE marks - 120 marks
  
  
• Unit 2 Assignment: Applying ICT 30% of the total GCSE marks - Controlled Assessment, 100 marks
  Internally assessed, externally moderated.
  The description of a situation will be provided by AQA each year. Within the given situation, and working independently, candidates will be asked to solve one or more tasks requiring independent use of ICT.
  
  
• Unit 3 Practical Problem Solving in ICT 30% of the total GCSE marks - Controlled Assessment, 100 marks
  Internally assessed, externally moderated.
  The purpose of this unit is to ask candidates to solve practical problems which they may meet in education, the community or in the work-place. ICT must be used to solve the problem.

Progression

Students may use this course of study as a suitable basis for higher studies at AS / A2 in Information and Communications Technology or in a related discipline. The course is best suited for anyone who feels they may wish to enter the IT or related industries, or go on to study IT or a related discipline in Higher Education.