SQA EVENTCHINA 2012

UNITS RELATED TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, DEVELOPING PERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT

Units subject to general upgrading as part of review process:

CURRENT / REPLACEMENT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ICT Applications: Software 1 (D75X 34) / unchanged
IT in Business: Spreadsheets (DE1M 34)in HND Admin and IT / IT in Business: Spreadsheets (F84V 34)
IT in Business: Databases (DE1N 34) / IT in Business: Databases (F84X 34)
IT in Business: Advanced Spreadsheets (DE1V 35) / IT in Business: Advanced Spreadsheets (F849 35)
IT in Business - Advanced Databases (DE1W 35) / IT in Business - Advanced Databases (F848 35)
Presentation Skills (DE20 35) / Presentation Skills (F84E 35)
COMMUNICATION
Communication: Analysing and Presenting Complex Communication (DE3N 34) / unchanged
PERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Personal Development Planning (DE3R 34) in HND Business awards only / unchanged
Developing the individual within a Team (DF46 35) / Developing the individual within a Team (F86Y 35)
ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT
Office Technologies (DE1R 34) / Office Technologies (F7J9 34)
Office Management (DE1X 35) / Office Management (F84D 35)

Units subject to replacement and/or significant change as part of the review process:

CURRENT / REPLACEMENT / SUMMARY OF CHANGES
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
IT in Business: Word Processing and Presentation Applications (DE1L 34) / IT in Business: Word Processing and Presentation Applications (F84C 34) / Content:
  • Reduce duplication of knowledge and skills between this Unit and the advanced level
  • Outcomes covers either knowledge OR skill.
  • Increased emphasis on proof reading as part of creation of documents More guidance on ‘mailable’ copy and removal of the large timed element.
  • A timed element exists but it is more closely linked to the vocational demands and is not an artificial barrier for other skills evidence
Assessment:
  • Includes opportunities for candidates to present work in electronic format thus reducing costs and environmental damage linked to use of paper
Need to consider:
  • Agreement re standards for ‘mailable’ copy and your Centre house-style to ensure consistency across Assessors

IT in Business - Advanced Word Processing (DE2G 35) / IT in Business - Advanced Word Processing (F84A 35) / Content:
  • Clarified outcomes - knowledge or skill,
  • Identified better levelling of skills/knowledge for this Unit to ensure clear progression
  • New outcomes:
  • 01 Evaluate existing document processing procedures and explain the importance of an organisational house-style
  • 03 Perform an advanced mail merge
Assessment:
  • Error tolerances replaced by adherence to mailable copy,
  • Electronic submissions permitted

Using Software Application Packages (D85F 34) in HND Business awards / IT in Business: Spreadsheets (F84V 34) / Feedback from Centres noted that there was a high degree of duplication between the former Unit and ICT: Applications Software 1.
Content:
  • Three outcomes
1Create a spreadsheet design to provide solutions for a business scenario.
2Present spreadsheet data in graphical form and interpret the results.
3Provide solutions to a business scenario using spreadsheet statistical functions
Assessment:
  • All outcomes are open book and opportunities exist to integrate with other Units

IT in Business: Desktop Publishing / IT in Business: Desktop Publishing (FG67 34) / Content:
  • Old 02 now split into two separate outcomes – one focusing on planning the design and production of a document and one focusing on creating a document, evidence requirements clarified
Assessment:
Removal of artificial barriers eg controlled conditions
Business Information Management (DE1Y 35)
and
Project Management
(D76J 35) / ICT in Business (F84W 35) / This 2-credit Unit replaces
  • Business Information Management (01 and 02)
  • Project Management (03 and 04)
  • new outcome 5 introduces Presentation Skills
Assessment:
  • Allows integration of delivery and/or assessment with Office Management, Developing the Individual within a Team and Presentation Skills

PERSONAL AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Developing Skills for Personal Effectiveness (DF4D 33) / Personal Development Planning (DE3R 34) note for HND Admin and IT only / Content:
  • Focus is on the individual’s goals in relation to improving qualifications, core skill or a vocational area
  • Assessment requires candidates to produce a portfolio of evidence
Need to consider:
  • Delivery of this unit would be best if across the whole year

ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT
Office Administration (DE1P 34) / Office Administration (F7JA 34) / Content:
  • Knowledge/skills in 01 and 04 refined and refocused
  • 02 Evaluate the causes of, and coping strategies to deal with work related stress
  • 03new knowledge/skill focus systems within Customer Service
Assessment:
  • removed controlled conditions to allow greater flexibility and open up possibilities of integrated assessments across Units
Need to consider:
  • Links to:
  • Behavioural Skills for Business - examines stress in self and others (02)
  • Creating a Culture of Customer Care (03)

1 / SQA Event: Summary of Changes for Administration, IT and Personal and Interpersonal Skills