Professional Focus Paper
Course: Computing Science
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
Computing Science National 4.
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?
Computing Science National 4 consists of three Units.
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Software Design and Development
Information Systems Design and Development
Added Value Unit: an assignment
To achieve Computing Science National 4, learners must pass all of the Units.
COMPUTING SCIENCE
What are the key aspects of Computing Science National 4?
Computing Science National 4 replaces the previous Standard Grade Computing Studies and Intermediate 1
Computing Studies courses. A significant amount of content previously taught is no longer covered by Computing
Science National 4.
Nature of Units
The Software Design and Development Unit will focus on developing basic knowledge, understanding and practical
problem-solving skills through appropriate software development environments. It has an emphasis on
computational thinking and learners will develop programming skills. (This was not previously a requirement.)
The Information Systems Design and Development Unit will focus on developing basic knowledge, understanding
and practical problem-solving skills through a range of practical and investigative tasks. It is designed to provide
flexibility, personalisation and choice for both the learner and staff.
Both Units will be assessed within centres on a pass/fail basis and will be subject to verification.
Learning and teaching activities should be designed to stimulate learners’ interest and to develop skills and
knowledge. Staff and learners have the freedom to select interesting contexts and environments in which to do this.
An investigatory approach is encouraged as is a mixture of individual, paired or group work.
Hierarchy of Units
National 4 is designed in hierarchy with National 5 and Higher Computing Science. A Software Design and
Development Unit and an Information Systems Design and Development Unit are common to all three levels.
National 4 also has an Added Value Unit (an assignment). It is important that staff familiarise themselves with the
tables in the course support notes that show the relationship between the mandatory knowledge and understanding
at the different levels. It is important that any content delivered at Computing Science National 4 is not repeated at
National 5 level. The skills and knowledge should be applied to new content and contexts to enrich the learning
experience.
Wider range of evidence of learning
Unit assessment evidence should be generated throughout learning experiences as an integral part of classroom
activities building on approaches developed in the BGE. Staff can now make use of a wider range of evidence
including, for example: written evidence generated during supervised class work; tests; oral evidence; computergenerated class work (including demonstration of project or investigative work). Evidence of knowledge,
understanding and problem-solving skills can be gathered and communicated either separately or combined with
evidence of other outcomes and assessment standards. This will allow scope for planning well-designed
experiences that enable learners to interpret a situation where the application of computing science can be used
and communicate a solution relating it to the given context.
Added Value Unit
The Added Value Unit will focus on challenge and application. The learner will draw on, extend and apply the skills
and knowledge they have developed during the course. These will be assessed through an assignment, which
involves the application of skills and knowledge from the other Units to analyse and solve an appropriately
challenging computing science problem.
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What are the key features of learning in Computing Science National 4?
Learning and teaching approaches should reflect progression from the BGE with a clear focus on developing skills.
Staff should plan to develop the basic computational thinking and problem-solving skills in all learners. This could
be achieved by providing learners with the opportunity to: break problems down into smaller tasks; recognise
patterns in problems; design solutions to problems; develop strategies for solving problems; and use those
strategies to solve other similar problems and to apply their learning in other aspects of their lives.
Through active learning, learners should experience tasks and activities that require them to analyse and develop
solutions to problems, explain their thinking and synthesise aspects of their existing skills. When learners are
increasingly active in their learning, they think deeply about computing science concepts and construct their own
solutions to a variety of problems. They use existing skills and knowledge, applying them to different computing
tasks and projects, to develop and test solutions.
Staff will provide learners with opportunities to: experience of a variety of hardware, software and programming
environments; choose and be flexible in their approach to solving problems; experience contemporary and relevant
technology to help develop their knowledge and understanding; solve problems individually; solve problems by
performing a specific role in a team; describe and explain their learning during group and class discussions. At all
times, it will be important for learners to evaluate their own and their peers’ problem-solving performance. For
example, when developing a software solution to a problem as part of a development team, learners might
demonstrate solutions to each other, asking for peer feedback on user experience and functionality.
Active learning
Learners will be expected to take an active role in the learning process, working individually and collectively to
develop skills and to reflect on their learning. Learning activities linked to their own interests, will develop learners’
abilities to explore, to analyse, to evaluate, to solve problems, to communicate for different purposes, to create and
to apply learning.
Through active learning learners should experience tasks and activities that require them to analyse and solve
problems, explain their thinking and synthesise aspects of their existing skills. When learners are increasingly
active in their learning, they think deeply about computing science concepts and apply their understanding. They
use existing skills and knowledge in different contexts, test out their ideas and develop solutions to problems.
Learning independently
Learners will continue to develop their skills of independence. This will involve making independent decisions,
solving problems and initiating their own learning. The learner will be given opportunities to become a confident
individual with increased self-motivation through engaging activities that offer a choice of approaches and
resources.
How will you plan opportunities for learners to work independently?
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be expected to take responsibility for and plan their own learning, based on an understanding of
how best they themselves actually learn. Opportunities for personalisation and choice will enable learners to show
what they can do. This will promote motivation and ensure that individuals are challenged appropriately. For
example, learners will develop basic computational thinking and programming skills through practical tasks using
COMPUTING SCIENCE
appropriate software development environments across a range of contexts. Learners will also explore the impact
of contemporary applications on society or the environment.
Learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective use of
feedback to improve. By planning regular opportunities to discuss and review learning, including self- and peerassessment activities, staff will help learners engage with this process and to set meaningful targets for
improvement. For example, monitoring and reviewing progress would be a natural part of the software design
process, including setting targets by defining the outcomes of the practical solutions using appropriate development
tools to create them. Formative, peer and individual evaluations of the solutions would provide effective feedback
and identify areas for improvement.
How will you support learners to take responsibility for and plan their own learning?
Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning challenges learners to think independently and engage in discussion, debate and activity to
achieve specific outcomes and develop essential social and interpersonal skills. Learners need to be able to
explain their thinking and to explore, develop and reinforce knowledge. Literacy skills are fundamental to further
this approach. Effective collaboration makes the learning process visible and encourages deeper and more
reflective learning. For example, within the context of the software development process, computing tools would
provide a natural mechanism to collaborate and share ideas and solutions within teams. As responsible citizens,
learners will be encouraged to develop online social and interpersonal skills.
How might you develop collaborative approaches to learning which make effective use of technology?
Applying learning
There is an expectation that learners will develop broad, generic skills through this course and numeracy, literacy,
employability, enterprise, citizenship and thinking skills must be built into learning where there are appropriate
opportunities. The skills developed can then be applied in learning across curriculum areas and in future learning,
life and work. Links with other curriculum areas, such as technologies, mathematics, languages, sciences,
expressive arts and social subjects, are essential to help learners apply and make connections in their learning.
This will help to ensure that their skills are reinforced and transferrable.
How can you ensure that learners can access opportunities to apply their learning in computer science in other
curriculum areas?
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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 qualifications are available at the SQA website:
Computing Science National 4: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/48477.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
Technologies Principles and Practice
Computing Science: Hardware - Exemplar project and suggested learning approach: National 4
Computing Science - Learning and Teaching Approaches for the Added Value Unit: National 4
Computing Science: Mobile App Development
Computing Science - Starting from Scratch (National 4)
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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