Introduction

Learning objectives

The learning objectives for this session are that by the end of it you should:

1. understand the task for the database part of assignment 1.1 in enough detail to be able to work on it independently;
2. be able to relate this part of Assignment 1.1 to an 'A' level specification;
3. understand the main misconceptions pupils have about the nature of coursework reports on system construction and evaluation
.

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About this session

An important aspect of IT is designing systems for specific needs and then evaluating the extent to which those needs have been met. This is commonly done through the medium of a project. You will find examples of these in the KS3 schemes of work and it is an essential part of GCSE and 'A' level courses. In the session today, you will start to produce a database for lesson plan and resource production - at the level of exemplar material for an 'A' level unit - which will form part of your curriculum assignment.

In the other two parts of Assignment 1.1, you will be given a specification which you have to meet. However, for many 'A' level projects, development of a specification from an analysis of the needs of the users plays an important role. Since you are the intended audience for the product of this part of Assignment 1.1, this session is the opportunity to perform an analysis of user needs - and to use this as the basis for the project.

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Products of the session

Following this session a revised specification for this part of Assignment 1.1 will be uploaded to the web site.

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The task

This session has two main parts:

In the first, the elements of the 'A' level project will be examined and related to the requirements of Assignment 1.1.

The second part of the session will focus on the development of a 'minimum specification' for the database you will construct for your assignment, developed from an analysis of the needs of the users - you. This will initially be in small groups, followed by a plenary session leading to an agreed specification.

To help you in this task, you should download the initial specification for the 'database' part of Assignment 1.1.

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The timetable

9:30-10:00 Introduction to the requirements of the 'A' level project and how these relate to Assignment 1.1.

10:00-13:00 User analysis and development of minimum specification.

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Links to other sessions

Your project will use some of the ideas discussed in the session on data validation, and build on the skills and ideas discussed in the session on 'Planning 'finding out' lessons at KS 3 and 4'.

It also links to the sessions in which the other parts of Assignment 1.1 are introduced - particularly that concerned with 'reviewing and modifying' which will be concerned with the evaluation aspects of this project.

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In the classroom

Syllabi

The AQA, Edexcel and OCR examination boards all include coursework as part of their GCE specifications - AQA and Edexcel in units 3 and 6 and OCR in units 2513 and 2516.

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Teaching point

Pupils often misunderstand the nature of GCSE and 'A' level projects, believing that it is the implementation (and only the implementation) that matters. For this reason they tend to spend a disproportionate amount of time constructing their database and far less time planning and assessing needs, and assessing the success of the project with respect to these. Further, evaluation can easily become an exercise in justification so that the pupils seek to justify what they have done (say how good it is) rather than evaluate it against set criteria. Again this suggests that they feel that it is only the implementation that matters and they have to show how good this is.

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Other Resources

Books/Papers

You can download Mc Weeney's book 'Relational Database Design and Implementation' and the associated files.

See also Heathcote's book 'Successful ICT Projects in Access' and Mott and Rendell's book 'Database projects in Access for Advanced level' (both in my room).

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