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Bronze 2 - Entry Level 2 - Using IT to Select and Exchange Information

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Activities supporting the assessment of this award

Assessor's guide to interpreting the criteria

General Information

  • The Bronze 2 Award is designed to provide progression from the Entry Level 1 Bronze award to Entry level 3 Award and as a foundation for Level 1 ICT user qualifications particularly the ITQ.

  • The definition of an entry level qualification is to recognise basic knowledge and skills and the ability to apply learning in everyday situations under direct guidance or supervision. Learning at this level involves building basic knowledge and skills and is not geared towards specific occupations. 

  • The criteria are designed to provide opportunities to promote numeracy, literacy and social skills as well as ICT capability and are fully compatible with the UK National Curriculum programmes of study.

  • The Bronze 2 Award is designed to promote a wider range of participation by providing coherent progression from the Bronze 1 to Bronze 3 and/or Silver Level 1 qualifications. We want especially to include people with special needs or specific learning difficulties and younger children. Contexts for learning should be chosen appropriately for the learner.

  • The specification for the Bronze 2,  Entry Level 2 Award provides an outcome framework for assessment and is not intended to dictate any particular context for learning and so can be used with young children or adults. The INGOTs family of qualifications are designed for personalising learning rather than targeting arbitrary groups. Assessors have discretion about the contexts used as long as the assessment criteria can be matched and the guidance below should be read with this in mind.

Requirements

  • Standards must be confirmed by a trained Bronze Assessor or higher

  • Assessors must at a minimum record assessment judgements as entries in the on-line mark book on the INGOTs.org certification site.

  • It is expected that there will be routine evidence of work used for judging assessment outcomes in the candidates' records of their day to day work. Samples should be available at the annual visit and/or by video conference.

  • Different approaches to learning will be required in order to match differing needs, for example, the needs of children will be different from the needs of adults with learning disabilities.

  • Completing the criteria entitles the candidate to the Bronze 2 Award. In general, the candidate should demonstrate that matching criteria can be sustained over time with continued practice.

  • We expect at least 15 hours of guided study to be under-taken before the award is made assuming learners are new to computers but discretion can be used to take account of prior learning where this is sensible in individual cases. In terms of making the award, what matters is outcomes and competence.

Assessment Method

Assessors can use the criteria to determine levels of prior learning through dialog with the candidate, direct observation and any other appropriate and relevant evidence. They can score each of the criteria for each candidate N (No evidence), L (some progress but still lower than the level) S, secure at that level and this criterion, H, the candidate is performing beyond the required level. Candidates are required to achieve S or H on all the criteria to achieve the full award. This means they provide evidence of "Secure" competence across all the criteria. 

Expansion of the assessment criteria

The Entry 2 learner will be becoming more self-sufficient in carrying out simple familiar tasks following instructions and using practiced and routine sequences and steps. They will be able to use computers to select and exchange information for simple tasks.  They will be comfortable with different types of information and data.  They will be able to save and exchange the information they find.
 
An activity will typically be ‘straightforward or routine’ because:
  • the task or context will be familiar and involve few factors (desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, opening a document, selecting an object, naming keyboard, mouse, screen); and
  • the techniques used will be familiar or commonly undertaken with support from other more experienced people.

Learners should show willingness to be co-operative and respect the advice and support given by more experienced users.

1. The learner will be able to locate information using ICT-based sources

1.1 I can give examples of ICT-based sources of information

Candidates should be able to give a number of different ICT based sources they might use.
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
The primary source of ICT based information is likely to be the Internet and candidates should at least be competent using this system and its various services such as browsers and search engine.  Other sources of ICT-based information could be digital cameras, or cameras on hand helped devices, scanners, microphones, video cameras or any other device that creates digital material that can be stored and use.

1.2 I can state ICT-based information sources that could be used for a given task

Candidates should be able to identify the different ways to gain the required information.
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
Candidates should be introduced to a range of tasks which will require them to think about the different ways that information can be gathered for their own use.  They can use digital input devices such as scanners to get information from paper based sources.  They can use digital devices like cameras, microphones or tablets to input data to use as well.  They will need to discuss and explore what the outputs from these devices can then be used for, so text, graphics, audio, or video etc.

1.3 I can use ICT information sources to locate information for a specified task

Candidates should be able to demonstrate using ICT to locate information
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
Candidates can be given a set task for them to use their acquired knowledge to find information and collate it into some sort of meaning.

1. The learner will be able to save information

2.1 I can state why work should be saved

Candidates should be able to demonstrate basic skills in file management.
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
There is nothing more frustrating than spending a great deal of time on an object, whether it is a document, image or other digital object, to then lose it and have to start again.  As a very basic element, candidates should be shown how to start a process by naming and saving the file they are working on so they always have a copy.  Activities like using auto save on word processors should also be shown and the importance stressed throughout.

2.2 I can demonstrate how to save work using file names

Candidates should be able to demonstrate good file management skills
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
Using good file descriptions in names is important when organizing and retrieving information.  Putting dates and descriptions with files helps you understand at a latter date when they were made and what their general purpose is.  Candidates should demonstrate best practice and be able to explain confidently why this is necessary.

3. The learner will be able to exchange ICT-based information

3.1 I can use ICT to send information

Candidates should be able to send information
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
In most cases this will be using an email client which they will have used in other units.  In some cases it might be using a web form to submit information, as long as they understand the basic process involved, though they don't need to go into too much detail.  More recently, they could use something like Skype to send audio and video information or text messages.

3.2 I can use ICT to receive information

Candidates should be able to receive information.
 
Evidence: Direct observation, planning and recording documents from day to day activities.
 
Additional information and guidance
 
In the most simple cases, this will be receiving an email and centre assessors can set this up bt emailing candidates.  They can also receive information from more interactive systems such as Google hangouts or Skype etc.

Moderation/verification

The assessor should keep a record of assessment judgements made for each candidate and make notes of any significant issues for any candidate. They must be prepared to enter into dialog with their Account Manager and provide their assessment records to the Account Manager through the on-line mark book. They should be prepared to provide evidence as a basis for their judgements should it be required by the Principal Assessor or their Account Manager/external moderator. Before authorizing certification, the Account Manager must be satisfied that the assessors judgements are sound.

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