Professional Focus Paper
Course: Administration and IT
1.
Level: National 5
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
Administration and IT National 5.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the Broad General Education, to meet the
needs of learners?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Administration and IT National 5 consists of three Units.
 IT Solutions for Administrators
 Communication in Administration
 Administrative Practices
To achieve Administration and IT National 5, learners must a pass all of the Units and a Course assessment.
ADMINISTRATION AND IT
What are the key aspects of Administration and IT National 5?
Skills development
Learning experiences will have an emphasis on skills development and the application of those skills. These
include:
 the ability to use IT applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations and desktop
publishing and use them to complete administrative tasks
 the ability to use technology including the internet for communication purposes and investigations in largely
familiar administrative contexts
 the skills, qualities and attributes required of administrators
 problem-solving skills in largely familiar administrative contexts
 organisational and planning skills through organising events /meetings
 organise, manage and communicate information in a variety of formats
 working co-operatively with others through organising events and/or meetings
 working independently completing more advanced administrative tasks.
Hierarchy of Units
A hierarchy exists between Administration and IT National 4 and National 5. Learners will be expected to
demonstrate a greater degree of autonomy with less support from the teacher as they progress through
programmes of learning.
Course assessment
The course assessment will consist of one component, an assignment. This will be conducted in two stages:
 Stage 1, preparing for the event
 Stage 2, the follow-up tasks relating to the event.
The assignment will assess learners’ ability to apply their administrative and IT skills, developed and acquired
during their study.
What are the key features of learning Administration and IT, National 5?
Active learning
Throughout the learning experience, it is essential that learners have the opportunity to engage and challenge their
own thinking and to develop the higher-order thinking skills required to do so. Learners should have the opportunity
to develop skills such as problem solving by testing out their ideas; and logical and creative thinking skills through
doing, exploring and taking initiative. They may do this, for example, by drawing up a plan for the organisation of an
event that may include the rooms to be booked, the technology required in the room and the catering
arrangements.
Learners should take an active role in the learning process. The learning and teaching approaches should
encourage active, participative and experiential opportunities to allow learners to apply and develop their
organisational, administrative and IT skills. For example, organising a meeting/event or carrying out administrative
tasks related to real life contexts, thus giving learners the opportunity to apply their knowledge.
How will you encourage self-motivation and resilience in your group of learners?
ADMINISTRATION AND IT
Learning independently
Learning and teaching will focus more on skills and applying learning to offer greater scope for personalisation and
choice. Learners therefore, have the opportunity to experience a wider range of learning and teaching approaches
in different contexts that can better meet their needs and build on their experience and achievements in the BGE.
Learners will, be able to apply their knowledge of administrative practices by carrying out administrative tasks that
are work related, for example, visiting administrative departments outwith school to gain a greater understanding of
the administrative function.
To enable independent thinking skills and learning, teachers will want to reduce the focus on teacher-led activities
and place a greater emphasis on learners’ experiences whereby choices are made by the learner, based on each
individual’s expertise and skill level. For example, through researching the costings for the catering at an event and
using appropriate software to create an event budget.
To further promote personalisation and choice, teachers will want to explore learning and teaching approaches that
encourage learners to participate in a range of practical tasks in administration related contexts, thus giving
learners the opportunity to apply their learning to familiar and unfamiliar situations. Learners could, for example
make use of a database to create a suppliers list and produce a report from selected fields within the database.
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be expected to take responsibility for their own learning and to develop an awareness of
themselves as learners. Learning activities could be planned in consultation with learners. Practical activities
should encourage learners to take personal control of their own learning and opportunities for learners to reflect on
and discuss their own progress are likely to be built in to all planned learning experiences. Learners should be
encouraged to monitor their own progress, set targets and make effective use of feedback to improve.
Learning intentions and success criteria will need to be explicit to ensure that learners are able to take full
responsibility for their own learning. Learning and teaching approaches will also be developed which will promote
the development of learners’ skills in self- and peer-evaluation. Learners may be asked to comment upon the work
of others in their class against set criteria, for example, the presentation, accuracy and clarity of a presentation.
How will you ensure that all learners are making informed decisions about where they are at in their learning and
what they need to do to progress?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage collaborative working. This can help to develop essential
social and interpersonal skills. Group tasks, such as supporting or organising a meeting/event or working together
to create a presentation, offer suitable opportunities for learners to work in partnership, to take on responsibility and
to learn from each other. In order to be successful, a group of learners would want to demonstrate how each
member’s particular area of skills and expertise could be best utilised to meet the needs of the group and the task.
A collaborative learning approach will enrich the learning experience for the learners and make the learning more
meaningful. Learners may work together to organise a school event, such as the school play or a parents’ evening.
How can you ensure that all learners take on roles and responsibilities, appropriate to their level of skills and
abilities, in group tasks?
ADMINISTRATION AND IT
Applying learning and skills development
Throughout the learning experience there are opportunities to develop higher-order thinking skills, for example,
through applying knowledge in unfamiliar situations. Aspects of numeracy and literacy are similarly developed. A
feature of Administration and IT is the development of enterprise and employability skills. Learners will gain an
understanding of the value of these to their future careers through relating the knowledge, understanding and skills
to real life contexts. Learners should have opportunities to tap into their natural inventiveness and their desire to
create and work in practical ways.
How are you developing skills for learning, life and work?
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
Administration and IT National 5: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47435.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nationalqualifications/subjects/administration.asp
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
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