Contact : Mrs A Boyd	Examination Board & Code : Edexcel AS: 8751,   A2: 9751
Length of Course : 2 Years to full A level

 

What is Applied Information and Communication Technology A level about?

This qualification is designed to give you broad skills, knowledge and understanding of the ICT sector within a range of organisations. You will develop an understanding of the main principles of solving problems using ICT and use skills (e.g. planning, research, evaluation, problem solving) in vocational contexts. You will also develop an understanding of the impact of information systems on organisations’ personnel, policies and practices.

 

 

Is this course for me?

You will need to have a keen interest in using ICT to carry out investigations and in developing software solutions that match requirements. Though not essential, it will be a benefit if you have an ICT Key Stage 4 qualification such as DiDA/CiDA, GCSE or OCR Nationals.

 

What else do I need to know?

A variety of teaching styles will be used to deliver the knowledge, understanding and skills needed. Due to the high coursework element, commitment is essential to seeing work through to the end and ensuring it is fit for purpose as well as for the intended audience.

What do other students say?

“ICT clearly has relevance to today's business world and I wanted to learn practical skills as well as just theory.  It was a good choice and it will serve me well for the future”.   “I’m really enjoying Applied ICT as it is a more hands on approach than some of my other subjects”.

 

Where could it lead?

You could move on to study for a degree or BTEC Higher National Diploma in related subjects such as ICT, Computer Science, Information Systems, Multimedia, Software Engineering, Computer Networking, e-Business and Information Management. You could also go on to work for an IT Vendor or any organisation that is a user of IT systems.

 

 

How is this course structured?

Unit Content	Unit Assessment
AS Unit 1: The Information Age.  Investigation into the causes and effects of the digital divide and an evaluation of measures being taken to bridge the gap	Coursework assessment. 33.3% of total AS marks; 16.7% of the total A Level marks.
AS Unit 2: The Digital Economy. Investigation into the design of a commercial transactional website. Threats to customer data collected via the web and the measures taken to protect it.	Coursework assessment 33.3% of total AS marks; 16.7% of the total A Level marks.
AS Unit 3: The Knowledge Worker. For a given scenario, make and justify a decision based on what is known and what can be deduced from information.	Examination – 2 hours. 33.3% of total AS marks; 16.7% of the total A Level marks.
A2 Unit 7: Using Database Software.  Design, implement and test a relational database system to meet functional requirements.	Coursework assessment – controlled 16.7% of the total A Level marks.
A2 Unit 8: Managing ICT Projects. Use of project management tools to plan and monitor running a small-scale software project.	Coursework assessment 16.7% of the total A Level marks.
A2 Unit 10: Using Multimedia Software.  Design, develop and test an interactive multimedia product for a specific target audience.	Coursework assessment 16.7% of the total A Level marks.