Information Communication Technology

Curriculum Intent

Preparing students for their life after Mossley Hollins. We aim to help students become creative, safe and whose actions online are in line with their offline character.   

In Year 11, students are following the Edexcel Certificate in Digital Applications. There are two units in the course, the first unit is an externally assessed practical exam worth 25% of the overall marks. The 2 ½ hour exam requires students to design and build a website to a given specification and for a specific audience. The other unit is a multimedia unit which requires students to follow a given brief to produce a range of multimedia digital products, such as videos, animations and web pages, students then present their work in a multimedia e-portfolio. Students are able to develop their design and creativity skills as well as skills across a range of different software packages. Throughout the course they are expected to obtain feedback from their peers and use this feedback to further enhance their work.  

In year 10 students are following the Edexcel BTEC Digital Information Technology course.  This course consists of 3 units. The first unit is about user interfaces, students research and explore a variety of different interface types for different devices and audiences.  They then plan their own project using project planning tools to design and create their own interface. They must seek feedback throughout and use this further develop their work, then test and review their interface.

The second unit is about developing an understanding of the characteristics of data and information and how they help organisations in decision making. They will use data manipulation methods to create a dashboard to present and draw conclusions from information.

The third and final unit is allows students to explore how organisations use digital systems. Modern organisations are increasingly reliant on the use of digital systems to complete every day, business-critical tasks. The development of these systems has presented organisations with many opportunities to work in new, inventive and flexible ways to achieve their aims. The systems have also brought new challenges and a range of responsibilities. This component gives students an opportunity to explore how the developments in technology over recent years have enabled modern organisations to communicate and collaborate more effectively than ever before. This unit is assessed via external assessment and includes questions totalling 60 marks. The test duration is 1 hour 30 minutes.

BTEC DIT 

In this course you will develop a wide range of digital skills using a variety of software packages and exploring existing digital systems. This course will provide you with an opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment.  User interfaces are vital in ensuring that users can interact with digital devices.  Students will explore different user interfaces such as smart devices and websites, they will then project manage, design, create and test their own user interface for a specific audience and purpose. The 2nd unit provides students with an opportunity to learn about the different presentation features that can be used to ensure that information is understood clearly.  Students will create a dashboard to allow easy access to collect, present and interpret information.  The final unit allows students to get an understanding of how businesses use digital devices in everyday working practices. This unit is assessed via and external assessment which is set and marked by Edexcel, completed under supervised conditions.  The qualification is graded from Level 1 Pass to Level 2 Distinction* To assist students with the knowledge for the external assessment we use resources from KnowItAllNinja and Pearsons Activelearn, students can access via usernames and passwords issued in class.

Creative IMedia

This course allows students to develop a wide range of digital and multimedia skills.  Students will create digital graphics, websites and animations. The course consists of one exam and 3 practical assignments which are set by the exam board.

The exam assesses students’ knowledge and understanding of pre-production techniques used in creative and digital media.  This includes user requirements, timescales/deadlines and preparation techniques.

The three practical assignments cover, creating digital graphics, creating digital animation and creating a multipage website.

Digital Graphics

Building on the skills and understanding that students have developed in the examined unit, they explore where and why digital graphics are used and the techniques that are involved in their creation. Students then create their own graphics  for a specific audience and purpose.

Digital Animation

Students will be introduced to the basics of digital animation for the creative and digital media sector. They will then plan and create a digital animation using appropriate animation tools, and then review the final product.

Multipage Website

Students will explore the different properties, purposes and features of multipage websites. They will then demonstrate their creativity by combining components to create a functional, intuitive and visually pleasing website.

We use a range of software throughout the course, including Photoshop, Fireworks, Dreamweaver, Flash, and Powerpoint