Computer Appreciation (Introduction)

Course summary

Designed by OCR in collaboration with experts spanning the breadth of the sector, the Cambridge Technicals Level 3 Extended Certificate in IT focuses on the skills, knowledge and understanding that today’s universities and employers demand. It is A Level equivalent with the same UCAS points and acceptance by universities, employers, apprenticeships and higher education institutions. You’ll take two mandatory examined units in year 12 (unit 1 & unit 2): Fundamentals of IT and Global Information. These provide insight into the IT sector as you investigate the pace of technological change, IT infrastructure, and the flow of information on a global scale with important legal and security considerations. These will also help you to develop transferrable skills valued by employers and higher education institutions such as communication skills and problem solving. In year 13 you will undertake two coursework units combined into a single project, marked at WBS and then moderated by a visiting examiner and one examined unit: Cyber Security. The assignments are strongly vocational and practically based with a focus on solving ‘real world’ problems using both hardware and software. The units are ‘Project Management’ and ‘The Internet of Everything’. This focus on coursework makes IT particularly suitable for students who enjoy building up evidence throughout the year, rather than accruing all their marks in terminal examinations at the end of the two years. Students will learn through a mixture of teacher-led input, student-centered research, note-taking, debates, presentations, internet research tasks, practical assignments and projects, teacher support and guidance.