COMPUTING SCIENCE - take2theweb.com

1 national 4/5 COMPUTING SCIENCE Mrs Ferrier CONTACT RECOMMENDED ENTRY Level 4 for entry into national 4 Level 4 Secure/ national 4 for entry into national 5 COURSE OUTLINE COMPUTING SCIENCE is vital to everyday life - socially, technologically and economically; it shapes the world in which we live and its future. COMPUTING is embedded in the world around us, from systems and devices in our homes and places of work, to how we access education, entertainment, transportation and communication. Understanding computational processes and thinking is also vital to many other fields including SCIENCE , economics, business and industry. While many pupils will want to become COMPUTING professionals, all will benefit from the development of these fundamental skills and knowledge necessary to meet the needs of society today and for the future.

2 Pupils will develop a range of transferable skills for learning for life and skills for work, opening up a wide range of career and study opportunities. COMPUTING SCIENCE does this by developing: computer programs using software development environments Visual Basic, Games Design an understanding of the role and impact of COMPUTING and information technologies on the environment and society investigation into an emerging and innovative software development technology simple information systems web authoring the application of COMPUTING and information SCIENCE knowledge and skills to create solutions Both courses consist of the following mandatory units: Software Design and Development Information System Design and Development And Added Value Unit ( national 4) Course Assessment ( national 5) Homework Pupils will be expected to undertake homework at least once per week.

3 Homework allows for the consolidation, development and revision of the skills, knowledge and understanding being taught in the Units. Homework activities will take a variety of formats in order to develop the organisational and problem solving skills of the courses as well as breadth and application of subject specific knowledge. CORE SKILLS Numeracy Employability, Enterprise and Citizenship Thinking Skills national 5 gives automatic completion of Information and Communication Technology at SCQF level 5 ASSESSMENT At both national 4 and national 5, each Unit will be assessed and marked throughout its delivery by class teachers and will be graded as pass or fail. These assessments will be designed in line with SQA guidelines and will be appropriate for the subject and the level of study. Assessments will include a combination of practical work, case studies, examinations and projects.

4 To be awarded the overall course award at national 4, pupils will have to pass BOTH Unit Assessments for the course and the Added Value Unit. Pupils will be assessed through an assignment which will draw on and apply skills and knowledge of software and information systems design and development. The assignment will assess pupils skills in analysing a problem, designing and implementing a solution using an appropriate programming or software application, and testing and reporting on the functionality of that solution. Pupils must complete the entire assignment under supervision in class. This assignment is marked by class teachers in line with SQA guidelines. national 4 courses are not graded. To be awarded the overall course award at national 5, pupils will have to pass BOTH Unit Assessments for the course and the Course Assessment.

5 The course assessment will consist of two Components: a question paper and an assignment. The purpose of the question paper is to assess breadth of knowledge from across the Units, depth of understanding, and application of this knowledge and understanding to answer appropriately challenging questions. The assignment will assess practical application of knowledge and skills from the Units to develop a solution to an appropriately challenging COMPUTING SCIENCE problem. It will assess pupils skills in analysing a problem, designing a solution to the problem, implementing a solution to the problem, and testing and reporting on that solution. The question paper will be set and marked by SQA, and conducted under conditions specified for external examinations by SQA (one hour 30 minutes). A bank of assignments will be provided by SQA, and there will be choice for pupils from this bank.

6 The assignment is internally marked by staff in line with SQA marking instructions. The results of the question paper and assignment are added together and pupils are awarded grades from A-D. PROGRESSION Pupils achieving a national 4 award may choose to progress to national 5 COMPUTING SCIENCE Pupils achieving a national 5 award may choose to progress to Higher COMPUTING SCIENCE Entering employment employability is a core skill that the Courses develop Further education COMPUTING SCIENCE courses are available to study up to Degree Level