1. HN Administration and Information Technology
Limited Review
December 2015 – November 2016

2. Aims of the Review
Update in line with technology to ensure aims of the qualifications being met (aims not changed)
Reduce volume of assessment where possible

3. Outcome of Consultation
Consultation carried out Dec 2015 – Jan Also informed by 2015 and 2016 Annual Surveys
Findings:
Office technologies outdated
Should include social media/mobile devices/wiki/web apps etc
ITIB Spreadsheets – assessment volume too high/disjointed
RFT – assessment volume too high – consider software
Presentation Skills – Outcome 1 assessment volume too high
Advanced WP – Relevance of subdocuments?
General theme of overassessment

4. Actions taken to meet review aims
Aim: Update in line with technology to ensure aims of the qualifications being met (HNC/D aims not changed)
Office Technologies completely revamped – now
Digital Technologies for Administrators
Minor changes throughout the qualifications to improve flexibility to incorporate emerging technologies

5. Actions taken to meet review aims
Aim: Reduce volume of assessment where appropriate
Issues to consider:
Driven by perception of teaching to assessment
Unit spec is an assessment standard not a tool for policing centre delivery
Bolder actions needed to significantly reduce assessment
Unit often asks for tasks to be repeated (e.g. use three methods of averaging, describe three presentation scenarios)
Qualitative components of Evidence Reqs are critical
Task repetition drives over-assessment, complexity, atomistic and contrived inauthentic assessment (degrades validity)

6. Actions taken to meet review aims
Aim: Reduce volume of assessment where appropriate
Generic changes made:
Requirement to repeat tasks removed or minimised in Unit specifications – focus on qualitative aspects
Some duplication of assessment removed (e.g. evidence of planning the task in ITIB WPPA – K&S covered elsewhere)
Evaluation of information consolidated across Units rather than per Outcome (e.g. O2&3 ITIB Spreadsheets now O3)
Specifics to come…..

7. Unit changes Unit title and code Action
Office Technologies F7J9 34 (HNC/HND)
Replaced by new Unit
IT in Business: Spreadsheets F84V 34 (HNC/HND)
Major revision
Recording Financial Transactions F (HNC/HND)
IT in Business: WPPA F84C 34 (HNC/HND)
Presentation Skills F84E 35 (HND)
IT in Business: Advanced Word Processing F84A 35 (HND)
Minor revision
ICT in Business F84W 35 (HND)
IT in Business: Advanced Spreadsheets F (HND)
Minor revision (no code change)
IT in Business: Advanced Databases F (HND)
Minor amend to O2
(no code change)
Administration and IT Graded Unit 1 (F8KW 34)
Updated in line with unit changes
Updated guidance
Administration and IT Graded Unit 2 (F8KX 35)
Administration and IT Graded Unit 3 (F8KY 35)

8. Unit changes No change IT in Business: Databases F84X 34
Communication: Business Communication HT7K 34
Office Administration F7JA 34
Personal Development Planning* DE3R 34
Office Management F84D 35
Developing the Individual Within a Team F870 34
Developing the Individual Within a Team F86Y 35
* New contextualised ASP in production

9. New Framework (HNC)
HNC (GM10 15) Mandatory Units – 10 credits + 2 optional
New unit code
IT in Business: Word Processing and Presentation Applications
HH84 34
IT in Business: Spreadsheets
HH83 34
IT in Business: Databases
F84X 34
Digital Technologies for Administrators
Office Technologies (end date )
HH82 34
(F7J9 34)
Office Administration
F7JA 34
Recording Financial Transactions
HH81 33
Personal Development Planning
DE3R 34
Communication: Business Communication
H7TK 34
Administration and Information Technology: Graded Unit 1
HH9M 34

10. New Framework (HND)
HND (GM0Y 16) Mandatory Units – 21 credits + 9 optional
New unit code
HNC Mandatory Units, plus:
IT in Business: Advanced Word Processing
HH86 35
IT in Business: Advanced Spreadsheets
F849 35
IT in Business: Advanced Databases
F848 35
Office Management
F84D 35
Information and Communication Technology in Business
HH9M 35
Presentation Skills
HH85 35
Developing the Individual Within a Team (SCQF 7 or 8)
F / F86Y 35
Administration and Information Technology: Graded Unit 2
HH9N 35
Administration and Information Technology: Graded Unit 3
HH9R 35

11. Credit Transfer Group Award Specification currently being written
Full credit transfer for all old units to new units, except:
Digital Technologies for Administrators
Office Technologies included to assist transition from old HNC to new HND
No new entries for Office Technologies after
Historic achievement of Office Technologies (or any unit) continues to contribute to any framework it is included in
Guidance is issued as part of the Review but credit transfer continues to be a centre decision

12. Units: what’s changed? Digital Technologies for Administrators
IT in Business: Spreadsheets
IT in Business: Advanced Spreadsheets
IT in Business: Advanced Databases
Presentation Skills
IT in Business: Advanced Word Processing
IT in Business: Word Processing & Presentation Applications
Recording Financial Transactions
ICT in Business
Personal Development Planning (ASP)
Graded Units

13. Digital Technologies for Administrators
Unit purpose – to develop the knowledge and skills required to use digital technology effectively to support administrative functions
Relevant HNC/D aims:
Develop technical and administrative knowledge relevant to current administrative practice
Develop the knowledge underpinning the technical expertise developed throughout the Group Award
Prepare for appropriate employment

14. Digital Technologies for Administrators
Big challenge to develop
Previous unit so out of date therefore start from a blank sheet
Potential content huge:
Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Whatsapp, Viber, Survey Monkey, Meet-o-matic, Doodle, Reddit, Digg, YouTube, Instagram, Soundcloud, Wikis, Wordpress, Yammer, Ebay, Paypal, GumTree, Instant Messaging,
1million and 1 mobile apps and bespoke web apps etc….
How to avoid excluding relevant material?

15. Digital Technologies for Administrators
Divided into three broad Outcomes:
Outcome 1 – Mobile technologies & Networks
Outcome 2 – Social software
Outcome 3 – The task driven Outcome using collaborative software and web service(s) to arrange an event or activity
Social Software = Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc.
Collaborative software = Blogs, wiki, online forum etc.
Web services = Meeting apps, survey apps, content sharing etc

16. Digital Technologies for Administrators
SQA Assessment Support Material:
SOLAR Online assessment
Blends question bank with E-Portfolio
June McCamlie (assessment writer) and SQA SOLAR colleagues will give more detail this afternoon

17. Digital Technologies for Administrators
Outcome 1 – Mobile technologies & Networks
Outcome 2 – Social software
Outcome 3 – Use collaborative software and web service(s) to arrange an event, or activity
Recommended that Knowledge is generated and recorded via collaborative software but more traditional methods may be used.
Open book – Lends itself to a portfolio/E-Portfolio approach of holistic assessment across all Outcomes
Has flexibility in Evidence Requirements to fit centre and student resource needs (e.g. Explain and/or Demonstrate )

18. IT in Business: Spreadsheets
Background:
Unit designed to develop knowledge and skills to customise solutions to business problems/processes (i.e. not a purely technical unit)
ASP issues:
ASPs break down tasks into step by step instructions directing students rather than engage holistic problem solving
Assessment can be a pursuit of the “correct figures” in example solution rather than using knowledge and skills to customise a solution

19. ITIB: Advanced Spreadsheets ITIB: Advanced Databases
ITIB: Spreadsheets
ITIB: Advanced Spreadsheets
ITIB: Advanced Databases
Wendy McEwan

20. IT in Business: Spreadsheets
Consultation Comments:
Unit too onerous both in content and assessment
Problem solving element highlighted as key skill
Too much content: More depth, less breadth?
General review leading to revised outcomes

21. What's Changed? 3 Outcomes are now:
Design and create a spreadsheet to meet the needs of a business.
Apply Statistical functions and present information in an appropriate format.
Present spreadsheet data in graphical format and evaluate information.
New assessment exemplar being produced.

22. What's Changed? Reduction in charting More depth in terms of functions
Reduction in evidence requirements

23. IT in Business: Adv Spreadsheets
Consultation Comments:
Positive comments
Is there overlap with level 7?
What’s Changed?
Reduction of charting element with removal of time series analysis.
Clarification of evidence requirements

24. IT in Business: Advanced Databases
Consultation Comments:
No specific comments
Impact of changes to database?
What’s Changed?
Very little required
New features considered/incorporated

25. ITIB: Advanced Word Processing
Presentation Skills
ITIB: Advanced Word Processing
Ellie Sneddon

26. Presentation Skills Employer feedback – high rating for Presentations
Centre – Outcome 1 needs review
Centre – using different software applications
Decision to revise unit
Integration with other units in course programme

27. Presentation Skills Outcome 1 – re-written
Prepare for the presentation
Manage the event
Coping strategies
Outcome 2 – integrate with Outcome 5 of ICT in Business
Outcome 3 – self evaluation; identify strengths and weaknesses; make recommendations
Holistic assessment

28. IT in Business: Advanced Word Processing
Candidate feedback – IT in Business: Advanced Word Processing scored highly
Centre – issues with master/sub documents
Minor amendments
Remove master/sub documents
Repetition of evidence reduced

29. ITIB: Word Processing and Presentation Applications
Janet Strain

30. IT in Business: WPPA Only slight amendments
Removal of assessment content – planning removed from Outcome 1
Word processing functions – increases range of functions which can be used
Reduction in range of evidence – eg 3 merged documents, 3 labels
Gives centres flexibility in designing assessment instruments

31. IT in Business:WPPA
Outcome 3 – removal of range of evidence requirements
Can include all current legislation, not just 3 pieces of legislation
Outcome 4 assesses knowledge and skills – no specific software package
New ASP will be produced

32. Recording Financial Transactions
Marian Forgan

33. Rationale for Changes Feedback that unit was too ‘heavy’ in content.
Units in the Accounting verification group needed to be updated to incorporate FRS102.
Unlikely that many people do manual accounts but they still need some underpinning knowledge.

34. Outcome One
Post business transactions to ledger accounts using the principles of double entry book-keeping and prepare a trial balance.
Day Books.
Analysed Petty Cash Book.
Cash Book.
VAT.
Double entry book-keeping principles.
Accounting Ledgers.
Trial Balance.

35. Outcome Two
Complete a VAT Return.
Inputs.
Outputs.
VAT Return.

36. Outcome Three Prepare a Bank Reconciliation Statement. Bank Statement.

37. What’s changed? Outcome One has fewer transactions.
Includes HMRC changes in relation to Prompt Payment Discount (Cash Discount).
No entries in Day Books.
Bank Reconciliation Statement.

38. HNC/D AIT REVIEW ICT IN BUSINESS (HH87 35) PDP (DE3R 34) Presented by:
Kathryn Lyneborg

39. LEARNING OUTCOME 1
Remains the same:
Identify and evaluate the role of business information in decision-making

40. LEARNING OUTCOME 2 Changes from:
Describe and evaluate data communication systems, and new ICT innovations
To:
Describe and evaluate data communication security and new ICT innovations
The LANs and WANs etc are removed and are replaced by security threats

41. Outcomes 3, 4 and 5 Remain the same
The ASP will fully integrate Outcomes 3 and 4 removing the paper based planning and the project will be created from the start on MS Project.
Evidence Requirements for Outcome 5 makes it clear that the presentation can be created using software packages other than PowerPoint, and that terms such as ‘slides’ are used only to illustrate the standard.

42. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Remains the same.
However the ASP has been contextualised to assist learners in building their portfolio – either manually or electronically.

43. Graded Units Graded Unit 1: Changes to unit spec very limited
Marks allocation unchanged
6 marks allocated to topics related to Digital Technologies in Paper 1
Allocation of marks in Paper 2 will vary according to sample selected for each assessment
Most unit changes were reduction of assessment evidence rather than changes to content
Knock-on effect to assessment likely to be minimal
Guidance for learners enhanced
Statement on retention of material added

44. Graded Units Graded Unit 2: Changes to unit spec very limited
Marks allocation unchanged
Most unit changes were reduction of assessment evidence rather than changes to content
Knock-on effect to assessment likely to be minimal
Guidance for learners enhanced
Statement on retention of material added

45. Graded Units Graded Unit 3: Changes to unit spec very limited
Marks allocation unchanged
Breakdown of marks within stages included
Most unit changes were reduction of assessment evidence rather than changes to content
Knock-on effect to assessment likely to be minimal
Guidance for learners enhanced

46. Next steps Questions? Start date for delivery 01.08.2017
Qualification frameworks available on APS – now
Unit specifications available – now
Group Award Specification available – April
ASPs available (HNC year) – April….June
ASPs available (HND year) – April ….December
Questions?