Professional Focus Paper
Course: Administration and IT
1.
Level: National 3
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 3.
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?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Administration and IT National 3 consists of three mandatory Units.
 IT Solutions for Administrators
 Communication in Administration
 Administrative in Action
To achieve Administration and IT National 3, learners must pass all of the Units. National 3 Courses are not
graded.
ADMINISTRATION AND IT
What are the key aspects of Administration and IT National 3?
Skills development
Learning experiences will have an emphasis on skills development and the application of those skills. These
include:
 basic knowledge and understanding of simple administration and IT related tasks performed in the workplace.
 using basic functions of word processing, spreadsheets and databases, in familiar administration-related
contexts
 using basic functions of desktop publishing and presentation software in familiar administration-related contexts
 using technology to find information in familiar administration-related contexts
 using e-mail for communicating short simple messages
Hierarchy of Units
In Administration and IT the Courses and Units are offered from SCQF level 3 to SCQF level 6. Learners will be
expected to demonstrate a greater degree of autonomy with less support from staff as they progress through
programmes of learning.
What are the key features of learning in Administration and IT National 3?
Active learning
Learners are expected to continue to experience active learning in the senior phase. Throughout their learning
experiences, it is essential that learners have opportunities 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, for example, using the internet to research and find information and then using this information
to complete a multimedia presentation.
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage active, participative and experiential opportunities to allow
learners to apply and develop organisational, administrative and IT skills. For example, organising a simple
meeting/event or carrying out straightforward administrative tasks related to a given scenario, thus giving learners
the opportunity to apply their knowledge.
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage collaborative working. This can help to develop essential
social and interpersonal skills. Group activities such as supporting or organising a meeting/event or working
together to create a presentation may offer suitable opportunities for learners to work in partnership, take
responsibility for tasks and 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 a charity
fundraiser.
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
Combined approach
Learners should be immersed in learning experiences that allow the acquisition, development and application of
skills and knowledge from all units of the course.
While each unit stands alone, all will often be delivered as part of the Course. A combined approach to Course
delivery is recommended, since it will enable learners to acquire skills, knowledge and understanding in a
meaningful way and help with their retention. Adopting a combined approach also helps learners to apply newly
acquired skills and knowledge to unfamiliar contexts and allows for more innovative learning and teaching
approaches, for example, using administrative and practical ICT skills acquired to assist the work of other
departments or initiatives within the school.
How will you ensure that a planned learning activity combines experiences and outcomes from all units?
Permeating themes
Addressing the importance of health and safety and security of information should permeate the entire Course and,
in order to be meaningful, must be built into all activities.
Learners’ experiences should offer opportunities to explore, discuss and evaluate potential health and safety issues
before and during task completion. Potential problems should be identified, with learners given the opportunity to
discuss and develop solutions to these problems, for example, conducting a site visit to an event location to review
health and safety before the day of the event.
Good practice when working with technology should also be modelled within the learning environment.
Provision for learners to investigate the security of information – in manual and electronic form – should also be
made within learning experiences. Learners should be aware of potential issues and approaches to ensure the
effective security of information, for example, when finding information from the internet or when storing personal
data in an electronic database.
How are you addressing the permeating themes of security of information and health and safety?
ADMINISTRATION AND IT
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 3: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47431.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
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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