BTEC HIGHER NATIONALS - Edexcel

1 Specifi cation First Teaching from September 2018 First Certifi cation from 2019 HIGHER NATIONALSHIGHER NATIONALSBTECH igher national Certifi cate Lvl 4 HIGHER national Diploma Lvl 5 Computing Edexcel , btec and LCCI qualifications Edexcel , btec and LCCI qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK s largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications that are globally recognised and benchmarked. For further information, please visit our qualifications website at Alternatively, you can get in touch with us using the details on our contact us page at About Pearson Pearson is the world's leading learning company, with 35,000 employees in more than 70 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning.

2 We put the learner at the centre of everything we do, because wherever learning flourishes, so do people. Find out more about how we can help you and your learners at References to third party material made in this specification are made in good faith. Pearson does not endorse, approve or accept responsibility for the content of materials, which may be subject to change, or any opinions expressed therein. (Material may include textbooks, journals, magazines and other publications and websites.) All information in this specification is correct at time of publication. Original image by Mateusz Kropiwnicki/Shutterstock ISBN 978 1 446 94677 0 All the material in this publication is copyright Pearson Education Limited 2020 Summary of changes in Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS in Computing Issue 5 Summary of changes made between previous issue and this current issue Page number Progression to university University recognition and articulations section updated and reflects new website.

3 12 English language requirements Reverted wording back to previous issue 16 Vendor Accreditation New vendor added to list Update on Cisco mapping CCNAv7 59-61 Compensation of HNC Clarified statement by inserting words attempted but as is the case with the wording on compensation of HND 86 Unit 2: Networking Essential Content: LO1 Introduction to networks topic added to clarify content for purposes of vendor mapping LO1 and LO2 Essential content enhanced to clarify content for the purposes of vendor mapping 101-107 Unit 5: Security Essential Content: LO2 Essential content enhanced to clarify content for the purposes of vendor mapping 122-127 Unit 8: Computer Systems Architecture Essential Content: LO3 Essential content reformatted to enhance content for the purposes of vendor mapping 144-150 Unit 15: Transport Network Design Essential Content: LO1, LO2, LO3 Essential content enhanced to clarify content for the purposes of vendor mapping 191-198 Summary of changes made between previous issue and this current issue Page number Unit 16: Cloud Computing Essential Content: LO1 Essential content reformatted to enhance content understanding for the purposes of vendor mapping 199-205 Unit 17.

4 Network Security Essential Content: LO1 Essential content reformatted to enhance content understanding for the purposes of vendor mapping 206-212 Unit 35: Network Management Essential Content: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 Essential content reformatted to enhance content understanding for the purposes of vendor mapping 326-332 Appendix 2: Vendor Accredited Certifications Vendor accreditation replaced with new table which included new vendors and updated mapping to CCNAv7 435-436 Appendix 9: Added QCF L4 to RQF L4 unit mapping 510-513 If you need further information on these changes or what they mean, contact us via our website at: Contents 1 Introduction 1 The Student Voice 1 Why choose Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS ?

5 1 HN Global 2 Qualification titles 3 Qualification codes 3 Awarding institution 3 Key features 3 Collaborative development 4 2 Programme purpose and objectives 6 Purpose of the Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS in Computing 6 Objectives of the Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS in Computing 6 Aims of the Pearson btec Level 4 HIGHER national Certificate in Computing 7 Aims of the Pearson btec Level 5 HIGHER national Diploma in Computing 8 Use of Maths and English within the curriculum 9 The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) 9 What could these qualifications lead to? 11 Progression to university 12 Employment 12 How Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS in Computing provide both transferable employability skills and academic study skills 13 3 Planning your programme 15 Delivering the Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS in Computing 15 Entry requirements and admissions 15 English language requirements 16 Centre approval 17 Level of sector knowledge required 17 Resources required 17 HN Global support 17 Modes of delivery 17 Recommendations for employer engagement 18 Support from Pearson 18 Student employability 19 Access to study 19 Student registration and entry 19 Access to assessments 20

6 Administrative arrangements for internal assessment 20 Records 20 Reasonable adjustments to assessment 21 Special consideration 21 Appeals against assessment 21 Dealing with malpractice in assessment 22 Internally assessed units 22 Student malpractice 23 Tutor/centre malpractice 23 Sanctions and appeals 24 4 Programme structure 25 Units, credits and Total Qualification Time (TQT) 25 Programme structures 27 Pearson btec Level 4 HIGHER national Certificate in Computing 27 Pearson btec Level 5 HIGHER national Diploma in Computing 29 Units of combination 30 Meeting local needs (MLN) 53 Pearson btec HIGHER national Commissioned Development 54 Pearson-Set Assignments 55 The Unit Descriptor 56 Professional Body exemptions 59 Vendor Accreditation 59 5 Teaching and learning 63 Delivering quality and depth 63 Engaging with employers 65 Engaging with students 65 Planning and structuring a programme 66 Sequencing units 67 Condensed.

7 Expanded or mixed delivery 67 Drawing on a wide range of delivery techniques 69 Assessment considerations 71 Formative assessment 72 Summative assessment 72 Assessment feedback 72 Designing valid and reliable assessments 73 6 Assessment 75 Example Assessment Briefs 76 Principles of internal assessment 76 Assessment through assignments 76 Assessment decisions through applying unit-based criteria 77 The assessment team 77 Effective organisation 78 Student preparation 78 Setting effective assessments 79 Setting the number and structure of assessments 79 Providing an assignment brief 80 Forms of evidence 80 Making valid assessment decisions 81 Authenticity of student work 81 Making assessment decisions using criteria 82 Dealing with late completion of assignments 82 Issuing assessment decisions and feedback 83 Resubmission opportunity 83 Repeat units 83 Assessment Boards 84 Planning and record keeping 84 Calculation of the final qualification grade 85 Conditions for the award 85 Compensation provisions 85 Calculation of the overall qualification grade 86 Modelled student outcomes 87 7 Quality assurance 88 The approval process 88 Monitoring of internal centre systems 89 Independent assessment review 89 Annual Programme Monitoring Report

8 (APMR) 89 Annual student survey 90 Centre and qualification approval 90 Continuing quality assurance and standards verification 90 8 Recognition of Prior Learning and attainment 92 9 Equality and diversity 93 10 Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS Computing Units 95 Unit 1: Programming 96 Unit 2: Networking 101 Unit 3: Professional Practice 108 Unit 4: Database Design & Development 116 Unit 5: Security 122 Unit 6: Managing a Successful Computing Project 128 Unit 7: Strategic Information Systems 137 Unit 8: Computer Systems Architecture 144 Unit 9: Software Development Lifecycles 151 Unit 10: Website Design & Development 156 Unit 11: Maths for Computing 163 Unit 12: Data Analytics 168 Unit 13: Computing Research Project 175 Unit 14: Business Intelligence 183 Unit 15: Transport Network Design 191 Unit 16: Cloud Computing 199 Unit 17: Network Security 206 Unit 18: Discrete Maths 213 Unit 19: Data Structures & Algorithms 220 Unit 20: Advanced Programming 227 Unit 21: Data Mining 231 Unit 22: Applied Analytical Models 238 Unit 23: Cryptography 244 Unit 24: Forensics 251 Unit 25: Information Security Management 258 Unit 26: Machine Learning 264 Unit 27: Artificial Intelligence 271 Unit 28: Prototyping 279 Unit 29: Application Program Interfaces 287 Unit 30.

9 Application Development 292 Unit 31: Games Engine & Scripting 300 Unit 32: Game Design Theory 307 Unit 33: Analytical Methods 314 Unit 34: Systems Analysis & Design 319 Unit 35: Network Management 326 Unit 36: Client/Server Computing Systems 333 Unit 37: Architecture 340 Unit 38: Database Management Systems 345 Unit 39: E-Commerce & Strategy 353 Unit 40: User Experience and Interface Design 361 Unit 41: Analytic Architecture Design 369 Unit 42: Risk Analysis & Systems Testing 376 Unit 43: Internet of Things 383 Unit 44: Robotics 391 Unit 45: Emerging Technologies 398 Unit 46: Virtual & Augmented Reality Development 405 Unit 47: Games Development 412 Unit 48: Systems Integration 419 Unit 49: Operating Systems 426 11 Appendices 432 Appendix 1: Professional Body Memberships 433 Appendix 2: Vendor Accredited Certifications 435 Appendix 3: SFIA Skill Levels 438 Appendix 4: Mapping of Pearson btec HND in Computing against FHEQ Level 5 490 Appendix 5: Glossary of terms used for internally assessed units 495 Appendix 6: Assessment methods and techniques for Pearson btec HIGHER NATIONALS 499 Appendix 7: Pearson btec HNC/HND Computing Programme Outcomes for Students 504 Appendix 8: Transferable skills mapping 507 Level 5 HIGHER national Diploma in Computing.

10 Mapping of transferable employability and academic study skills 507 Appendix 9: Recognition of Prior Learning 510 HN