Administration & IT Course Assessment

National 4 – Value Added Unit Pass/Fail. Internally set/marked, as per SQA guidelines. Subject to moderation. Some supervision/control. Independently – your own work! Open book. 8 hours. Prep time in addition.

National 4 Added Value Assignment Outcome 1 The assignment will be carried out in class under supervision. This will be set and marked internally.   Organise and support a small-scale event to a given brief, making use of current or emerging equivalent technologies, by: Preparing for a small-scale event, making use of appropriate technologies where appropriate. Preparing simple documents to support the event, using standard templates and utilising functions of IT applications. Communicating using electronic methods, showing a basic awareness of the communication’s context, audience and purpose. Carrying out straightforward follow-up tasks, making use of appropriate technologies where necessary.

Practical Assessed Spreadsheets creating and editing a workbook by selecting and applying appropriate formatting, formulae and functions formulae and functions: — basic arithmetic — average — maximum — minimum — count creating a chart and labelling it independently, using data from adjacent columns printing worksheets and extracts from worksheets Databases populating and editing a flat database, using forms manipulating information in a flat database — this will involve searching and sorting presenting information from a flat database in a simple report format Word Processing Creating and editing a range of single-page business documents, complying with the house style; documents could include: letter form itinerary agenda Integrating data from other IT applications into a business document: data and/or chart from a spreadsheet data from a database information from the internet Internet searching for and extracting/downloading relevant information from the internet and/or intranet DTP using basic functions of desktop publishing to produce and edit a simple document, for example: — using templates — inserting graphics — shading text — bordering text Documents which could be produced by making use of desktop publishing functions include posters, newsletters, invitations or tickets. e-comms and Presentation use of e-mail, e-diary and basic functions of multimedia applications to create and edit a simple presentation, for example: — insert and edit text — insert and animate graphics — use bullets — create chart(s) and/or table(s) — apply and change background and colour scheme — print presentation in slide and handout format

Theory Assessed duties, skills and qualities of administrators key features of good customer service benefits of good customer service personal responsibilities in terms of: health and safety the security of people, property and information

N4 VAU - Evidence Recording The event to be organised and supported will be agreed between the learner and the teacher/lecturer. Examples of events suitable at this level include book club meetings, parents’ information evenings, interviews, coffee mornings or other small-scale charity events. It is not necessary for the event to actually take place or for all of the evidence to be generated from one event only. The teacher/lecturer will provide overall guidance for the series of tasks and a list of questions/tasks/prompts which will lead learners through them in a logical sequence. The teacher/lecturer will determine the nature and amount of any support required and may offer learners guidance to help them to progress through all stages of the tasks. Evidence/Judgement. Assessment evidence to include: (i) a record of progress through the assessment tasks, such as a checklist, logbook or another form of written record (ii) documentation generated to organise and support the event, which should be relevant to its context, purpose and audience (iii) print-outs of e-mails (or e-mail equivalents) and internet searches relevant to the event The above assessment evidence may be supported by audio or video recordings of those aspects which will require collaboration and oral interaction with others.

Higher and N5 Administration and IT Administrative Practices (and theory) Admin in the workplace, key legislation, customer care, skills and duties of administrators, organising and supporting events. IT Solutions for Administrators Developing ICT skills, problem solving, organising, editing and managing information and business documents. Communication in Administration Use IT for gathering and sharing information, reliability of sources and appropriate gathering methods, communication information appropriately.

National 5 – The Assignment Graded A-D. 100 mark assignment. Event administration (before and after). In class, exam conditions. Six hours. 10-20% theory, 80-90% practical. SQA set and marked.

National 5 The assignment will be conducted in two stages: Stage 1, preparing for the event and Stage 2, follow-up tasks relating to the event.   The assignment will have 100 marks and will be carried out in class under exam conditions. This will be marked externally. Stage 1: preparing for the event including contingency planning: Preparing a to-do list/priorities list. Entering details into an e-diary. Searching for information about the venue and resources and how to book them. Using spreadsheets to access relevant statistical or financial information, including the budget for the event. Using appropriate software to prepare the agenda. Using appropriate software to prepare materials, which could include name badges, advertising, invitations, place cards. Using databases for details of delegates/performers and to carry out the following functions: update, search, mail merge and prepare letters, labels, attendees’ report. Using presentation software to prepare the key speaker’s presentation, background/welcoming presentation. Resolve a double-booking of the venue. Prepare additional documents at short notice. Changing travel or other arrangements due to unforeseen circumstances . Stage 2: follow-up tasks: Prepare an evaluation of the event. Collate responses and present findings in a variety of formats, including charts. Prepare ‘thank you’ letters (to the venue host, participants and guests), using mail merge. Prepare minutes, notes or action points. Prepare event costings and expenses. Administrative theory will be integrated within the tasks and will be awarded 10–20% of the mark.

Technology Assessed Word Processing ♦ creating a range of documents, complying consistently with the house style; documents to include: ♦ letter, form, itinerary, business report, minutes, agenda, to-do list, priorities list, thank you letters, evaluations ♦ using functions of desktop publishing to create documents, for example: leaflets, four-page booklets, newsletters, magazines ♦ editing a given document; this will involve amending and manipulating its text to enhance its presentation, using own judgement ♦ creating and enhancing a table, sorting the data and making use of formulae to summarise the information where appropriate ♦ importing data from other IT applications dynamically into a document ♦ merging appropriate data from spreadsheet and/or database applications into a business document, for example: address labels, letters, report, name badges, certificates Spreadsheets ♦ creating a workbook by selecting and applying appropriate formatting, formulae and functions: — basic arithmetical formula, average, relative/absolute cell references, maximum, minimum, if, named cells, count formulae, conditional formatting ♦ editing data in the workbook and sorting the data ♦ making amendments to the workbook to improve its presentation ♦ creating a chart, labelling it independently using data from adjacent and non-adjacent columns ♦ use of comments ♦ printing worksheets and extracts of worksheets Databases ♦ editing simple relational database using tables and forms ♦ manipulating information in a simple relational database; this will involve searching and sorting ♦ presenting information from a simple relational database in a report, to a professional standard Presentations using advanced functions of multimedia applications to create and edit presentations, for example: action buttons, master slides, animation, transition e-comm ♦ searching for and extracting/downloading relevant information from the internet, showing an understanding of what constitutes a reliable source of information ♦ using electronic methods to communicate an item of information in ways appropriate to its context, audience and purpose, for example use of: e-mail, blogs, social media ♦ use an e-diary

Theory Assessed Admin tasks/skills Customer care Health & Safety Events/meetings Sourcing reliable information Security of people, equipment and information Good file management Corporate image (consistency - house style - colour, font, style, layout, graphics, etc)

So what might I have to do? Stage 1 (including): ♦ preparing a to-do/priorities list ♦ entering details into e-diary ♦ searching for information about the venue and resources and how to book them ♦ using spreadsheets to access relevant statistical or financial information, including the budget for the event ♦ using appropriate software to prepare the agenda ♦ using appropriate software to prepare materials which could include name badges, advertising, invitations, place-cards ♦ using databases for details of delegates/performers and to carry out the following functions: update, search, mail-merge and prepare letters, labels, attendees’ report ♦ using presentation software to prepare the key speaker’s presentation, background/welcoming presentation ♦ resolve a double-booking of the venue ♦ prepare additional documents at short notice ♦ changing travel or other arrangements due to unforeseen circumstances Stage 2 - follow-up tasks (including) ♦ prepare an evaluation of the event ♦ collate responses and present findings in a variety of formats, including charts ♦ prepare ‘thank you’ letters (to the venue host, participants and guests), using mail-merge ♦ prepare minutes, notes or action points ♦ prepare event costings and expenses

Higher Assignment (Practical) 2 hours 70% Question Paper (Theory Exam) 30%