Assessment

Assessment

It is suggested that this unit is assessed using three assignments as summarised in the programme of suggested assignments table which follows this guidance.

Note that M1 and D1 are about a specific organisation. Visits or visiting speakers as mentioned in the delivery guidance are probably the best methods of obtaining the information needed for these criteria, but if these are not available there is quite a lot of relevant information on the internet these days. The nature of this unit makes deriving a scenario for assessment purposes quite difficult. The programme of suggested assignments table suggests a local newspaper-based scenario where, in common with many local and national newspapers, the news provision covers web pages, pull-out supplements and sometimes giveaway CDs, as well as pure news sheets. This basic scenario is used across all three assignments. The suggested types of evidence are all related to the scenario but they are not the only methods appropriate to the particular criteria.

The tasks require learners to prepare material to assist with the finished published articles the newspaper are going to produce on the use of IT in organisations.

For P1, prepared material will identify ways in which organisations use IT to manage information. Learners need to give examples from each of the sub categories in the unit content. Learners should select these examples themselves.

For P2, learners are describing how organisations use IT for communication. Again, reference should be made to the unit content.

For P3, learners must describe reasons why organisations use IT. Learners should include both external and internal factors. Ideally learners should select the factors themselves although some outline guidance by the tutor is acceptable.

For P4, learners should describe the impact on the complexity of an individual’s work and on their capacity to produce work. The learner is only required to produce draft material, but that should contain proper descriptions of the subject.

For P5, learners should consider the impact of IT on organisations involving positive and negative aspects. The positive impact will be related to the reasons for using IT.

For P6, the learner is asked for ways in which the use of IT impacts on the working environment. These should be selected from the unit content.

For P7, learners are asked to produce a layout design for an office environment incorporating IT. Learners should be given basic room dimensions with any fixed points such as doors and windows shown and told how many people will use the room and possibly any existing equipment that is to be retained. Learners should submit an annotated plan, which may be drawn using IT but need not be. They could give a presentation to introduce their plan.

In order to gain a merit grade, learners must achieve all of the pass, and merit criteria.

M1 requires knowledge of an actual existing and named organisation. It is not possible to undertake this unit without information about a real organisation, which can be commercial or non-commercial in nature. In some ways the crtiterion should perhaps be expressed as ‘why and how’ since it makes sense to determine why the organisation needs to use IT, and then to explain how the IT has been implemented to undertake this usage.

For M2, three different potential concerns should be considered, and for each of these concerns learners needs to describe the concern and then recommend a way to reduce the associated potential problems. At level 2 it is permissible for the tutor to give guidance on the selection of potential concerns, but at merit level they must not make the final selection for learners.

M3 is an extension of P7 and requires learners to point out where they have taken health and safety into account in their plan. This may be included in the presentation if that method is used to present evidence or added using any appropriate written format.

In order to gain a distinction grade, learners must achieve all of the pass, merit, and distinction criterion.

For D1, learners must state possible changes to the way in which IT is used by the organisation. For each of these changes at least one potential benefit and at least one possible disadvantage should be identified. The changes do not have to be obvious improvements in this instance since it is only ‘change’ that is required, for example, extending or introducing a network, developing a web page or introducing PDAs. The important thing is that learners are able to identify and explain the results, potentially positive and negative, of the change.

For D2, learners are looking at trends in IT and evaluating how these will impact on organisations. Learners should have researched trends and possibly asked an organisation how these may affect them.