Professional Focus Paper
Course: Graphic Communication
1.
Level: National 4
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
Graphic Communication National 4. The paper is intended to stimulate professional reflection and dialogue about
learning. It highlights important features of learning that are enhanced or different from previous arrangements at
this SCQF level.
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. The new curriculum gives real scope to build
learning 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way, and as a result, progression in learning can be much stronger. There
is 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, leading to qualifications at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE.
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 extend and promote this high-quality 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. 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 young people will encounter.
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?
Graphic Communication National 4 consists of three Units, providing learners with the opportunity to develop and
apply skills, alongside increasing their depth of knowledge and understanding.
 2D Graphic Communication
 3D and Pictorial Graphic Communication
 Added Value Unit
To achieve Graphic Communication National 4, learners must pass all three Units, including the Added Value Unit.
GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
What are the key aspects of Graphic Communication National 4?
Progression from the BGE
This qualification has been designed to articulate with the BGE. Staff will find it useful to refer alongside this paper
to the Technologies Progression Framework, as they plan learning that builds on the BGE into National 4.
Integrated approach to skills development
Learning experiences will have an emphasis on developing skills and techniques as well as an understanding and
appreciation of the influences and practices of graphic designers. The course enables learners to acquire skills in
graphic communication techniques, including the use of equipment, graphics materials and software. The course is
flexible, giving more time to meet learners’ needs. The course provides an increased focus on skills and applying
learning, and greater opportunities for personalisation and choice.
The Units can be offered free standing, or as part of the full National 4 course. In order to qualify for a course
award the ‘course assessment’, which forms the added value component, must be completed.
All graphic communication techniques should be closely linked to the techniques of practising industrial graphic
designers from the outset. Learners are encouraged to observe the methods and contexts in which graphic
professionals work. Consequently learners will be better equipped to describe, respond to and analyse the work of
others, and will also be able to self-evaluate and develop their own practice.
This course has been designed to articulate with Graphic Communication National 5. This allows staff to choose
areas of study to support progression and allow themes to be continued in greater depth or through other areas of
studies.
Wider range of evidence of learning
There is a focus on assessment as an integral part of teaching and learning. Assessment should be ongoing and
involve the learners in meaningful discussion about their progress and achievements. Staff can collate a range of
quality evidence, for example, printed material, CAD drawings, notes, group discussions, presentations, reviews
and sketches. To stimulate learning, young people might be organised into small groups, each researching a
particular graphic design style or technique. Learners can then present their findings to their peers, which would
offer an excellent forum for discussion and the sharing of information and research.
Added Value Unit
The Added Value Unit provides specific challenge and opportunities to apply learning. Learners will produce a
collection of substantial graphic items produced in response to a given brief. Learners will carry out graphic
research and development work, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of any final presentation work. These
approaches encourage further development and application of the literacy and numeracy skills developed within
the BGE.
What are the key features of learning in Graphic Communication National 4?
Active learning
Learners are expected to demonstrate the graphic communication techniques they have developed and
consolidated throughout the course in the production of a portfolio to meet the final course assessment.
Throughout the course, it is essential that learners have opportunities to engage and challenge their own thinking
and to develop the higher-order thinking skills required in order to do so. By including innovative learning and
teaching approaches, teachers will also provide learners with opportunities to enhance the essential skills of
numeracy, employability, enterprise and citizenship.
GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
How will you support pupils in taking responsibility for and accepting the consequences of their actions?
Learning independently
Outcomes are less prescriptive, focus more on skills and applying learning, and 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
achievement in the BGE. Throughout their education, learners should have opportunities to tap into their natural
inventiveness and their desire to create and work in practical ways.
To develop young people’s independent thinking skills, teaching should give less emphasis to teacher-led activities
and place a greater emphasis on learners making choices and decisions, based on their individual expertise and
skill level.
To promote further personalisation and choice, graphic communication promotes active learning in creative and
work-related contexts. It provides opportunities to develop, use and extend skills that are essential components for
learning, life and work, including planning and organisational skills. For example, within project-based or
investigative tasks, learners can develop their communication and presentation skills when using presentation
software.
Responsibility for learning
Practical tasks should encourage learners to take control of their own learning. Young people should have regular
and frequent opportunities, built into all planned learning experiences, to reflect on and discuss their own progress.
Learning intentions and success criteria need to be explicit, for example, through discussing them fully with young
people to ensure common understanding and to promote independent learning. Learning and teaching approaches
will also be developed that promote the development of learners’ skills in self- and peer-group evaluation. For
example, learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective
use of feedback to improve their performance.
How will you aim to develop learners’ understanding and appreciation of the world of work?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage and develop collaborative working. Group enterprise tasks
offer suitable opportunities for learners to work in partnership and to learn from each other. In order to be
successful, a group of learners would want to demonstrate how best to match each individual’s contribution with
the needs of the task. Building enterprising approaches into the course also helps ensure appropriate challenge, to
meet the full range of young people’s needs. For example, as learners become more confident, they could begin to
collaborate with learners from other establishments, from the wider community and more widely. This may help
them to develop a broader view of the role of graphic communication.
How will you establish working relationships and partnerships to support young people’s skills, in school and in the
local and wider community?
GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
Applying learning
The course enables learners to understand the importance of effective planning and evaluation within graphic
communication. Learners should have an increased awareness of graphic communication businesses and
enterprises in their wider community. For example, links with design studios and architects’ practices can bring
significant benefits, realism and additional sense of purpose to learning. The final course assessment, through the
Added Value Unit, will focus on challenge and application and therefore give learners a suitable opportunity to
demonstrate and apply the range of skills they have developed throughout the course.
How will you ensure that the added value aspect of the course assessment will reflect the full breadth and depth of
learners’ progress throughout the course?
GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
How do you currently develop literacy, numeracy, enterprise, life skills? What new opportunities might you provide?
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 Package
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
Graphic Communication National 4:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/CfE_AssessmentOverview_N4_GraphicCommunication.pdf
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details available
from the pages below.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/assessment/progressandachievement/what
weassess/curriculum/principlesandpractice/hwb/asp
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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