Getting Qualified

The role of information technology in GNVQ

The growth of General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ) in sixth forms and education centres has been a government initiative which strives to provide 16-19 year-old students with vocational educational training. One of the main objectives of GNVQ is to provide students with skills that will be useful to them in a vocational context and to their prospective employer.

Three levels of qualification can be awarded to students; Foundation, Intermediate, and an Advanced level designed as an A level equivalent. The emphasis is on students learning a body of knowledge underpinning a vocational area. In addition, all students have to achieve a range of core skills: competence in information technology, numeracy and communication skills all play an integral role in each GNVQ course.

Case Study: Customers and Consumers

The case study below has been used for students studying Intermediate Level Business Studies Element 4.1 (Investigate Customers and Consumers). IT core skills were integrated into the vocational assignment.

Students were asked to analyse family expenditure and social trends statistics on the changing regional expenditure of various goods. Fireworkz was used & an integrated spreadsheet, database and word-processing package as it is easy to use and provides a good range of charts. All the work was completed using networked A3020 machines with 2MB of memory.

Students set up the spreadsheet, organising the data so that it could be clearly analysed. Formulas were used to calculate differences between regions and periods of time as well as to predict changing consumer trends. Charts were produced. Students were asked to word-process their findings using Fireworkz's excellent word- processing features, and to print them out so that they could be used in a presentation to other members of the group. Other document processors could have been used.

By fulfilling these tasks the students were able to gain evidence for their Business Studies element, and selective performance criteria and range for IT core skills (elements 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3), numeracy and communication skills.

Software and hardware requirements

The objectives of the IT component are about skills that can be applied in a range of different circumstances. This is an area where Acorn has clear advantages over other manufacturers.

The two major advantages which Acorn can provide to centres preparing to deliver IT are:

1. Those centres that are familiar with the software available for the Acorn platform will appreciate that it can hold its own against, or even outperform, software available on other platforms.
2. Centres that already have Acorn machines can satisfy the core IT skills using any of the range of computers listed overleaf. Those centres also wishing to use ordinary business packages can access these through the use of a PC card which can be fitted to A4000/5000 and Risc PC machines.

GNVQ: examples of hardware and software solutions

Hardware     Software              Software        Contact      
                                   Company
_______________________________________________________________

A3020        Fireworkz Pro         Colton          01223 331881
with 2MB                           Software
hard drive                        

A3020        Pinpoint /            Longman         01223 425558
with 2MB     Pinpoint 2            Logotron   

Econet       Impression            Computer        01442 231632 
(Ethernet                          Concepts
preferred)

Risc PC      Revelation 2          Longman         01223 425558           
                                   Logotron

A4000/5000   Artisan 2             Clares          01606 48511
2-4 MB 
machines

A4000/5000   Draw                  Acorn           01223 254254
2-4 MB 
machines

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