Using Digital Technologies

Understand the role of digital technologies in society.

AC 1.1:

Examples of digital services include:

• Real-time information (train timetables, news services, traffic reports, flight status updates, weather)
• Commerce (online banking, online auction websites, sales, travel, publishing)
• Public services (passport, online tax returns, e-voting, applications for services/grants, revenue collection)
• Education and training (online learning/training) virtual learning environments (VLEs)
• Entertainment (online gaming, movie/music streaming)

Some digital (transaction) services require users to provide information online in multiple steps, following provided instructions at each step, examples include online shopping, banking, public services etc.

AC 1.2:

Types of digital communication:

• Email (Gmail, Hotmail)
• Instant messaging, (Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp)
• Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
• Audio-visual (Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting)
• Online communities (Bebo, Edmodo, Flickr)

Suitability for purpose: personal (family and friends) or professional (work or business), collaborative working, building networks, formal/informal, speed of delivery/response, connectivity, device compatibility.

AC 1.3:

Online document systems: used to store, manage and track documents, images and other files, also paper based information captured through a document, also used for collaborative working, sharing documents and automatic backup through cloud storage services remote storage (Dropbox, Google Drive), content management systems, bespoke systems for downloading applications and forms, uploading CVs, images, version control, access permissions (read/write/read only).

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Explain how digital services can be used for different purposes.

• 1.2

  Explain how digital communications can be used for different purposes.

• 1.3

  Explain how online document systems can be used for storage and collaboration.

Be able to interact and engage with digital services and online document systems for specific purposes.

AC 2.1:

• Digital services: online shopping major players e.g. Amazon, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, etc, banking.

• Travel, reservations and appointments: book transport and accommodation online (trainline.com, booking.com, expedia.com), make reservations online for events (eventbrite.com, ticketmater.co.uk), make appointments online at GPs, dentist, hairdressers etc.
• Public services: central government services (e.g. applying for a passport, road tax, television license, Universal Credit, benefit calculators, accessing income tax information, etc.), local government services (e.g. paying council tax online, requesting collection of household rubbish, etc.
• Online account: register account/manage account, setting account preferences, privacy, security, contact details, personal information.
• Data validation and verification: data validation (process of comparing data with a set of rules to find out if data is reasonable), examples of types of data validation include: format check; checks data is in the right format, e.g. date in the format dd/mm/yyyy, presence check; checks that data has been entered into a field, range check: checks that a value falls within the specified range, e.g. GCSE grades can only range between 9-1, type check; ensures the correct data type has been entered, e.g. age should be a number.
• Data verification (process of checking that the data entered exactly matches the original source to find out if data is accurate), data verification methods include: double entry; entering data twice, proofreading data; someone checks the data entered against the original document, echo; system repeats the data being entered.
• Accuracy, reliability, personal information, upper/lower case, mandatory fields, CAPTCHA, auto-complete; e.g. postcode/address, data type check; e.g. DOB (00/00/00), range check; e.g. mobile phone number should have 11 digits and no letters, special characters or spaces, consistency check; e.g. delivery date cannot be before the order date.

AC 2.2:

• Manage online accounts: strong password, appropriate username, don’t save login credentials on public devices, awareness of when to use
• public/private profiles (where applicable), recognise secure websites, SSL encryption, https (s for secure), padlock symbol, valid certificate, secure certificates, app vs browser/website.

AC 2.3:

• Different online document systems: for example, use of cloud based systems (Dropbox, Google Drive), applying for a job and uploading CV/covering letter, collaborating with others using a content management system, file sharing, retrieving and editing documents.
• Learners must show awareness of the factors that affect upload/download of the importance of file size and type when uploading documents, and be able to apply compression techniques to reduce file size.
• Upload/download documents: save/browse location, file size, appropriate filenames, editable documents (e.g. doc, rtf), non-editable documents (e.g. pdf), common file formats, doc, pdf, jpg/jpeg, gif, png, file resolution, resizing, cropping, drag and drop, consideration of file format, file size, document version control, levels of access and file permissions, including read, only, read/write and full control when sharing documents online, when uploading files the need to compress (.zip) files for download/upload, how files are compressed and expanded.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Register with digital services and apply data validation and verification checks.

• 2.2

  Manage and update online account settings safely and securely.

• 2.3

  Demonstrate the use of different online document systems.

Be able to interact and engage with digital communications for specific purposes.

AC 3.1:

• Learners should be able to understand when it is appropriate to use email or instant messaging and vice-versa.
• Emails: format text (font style, size, colour), format paragraphs (alignment, bullets, numbered list), email format (rtf, plain text, html), spell check, priority, draft, create and use email signatures, hyperlinks, work online, work offline, check spelling and grammar, signatures.
• Read emails: decide on priorities, gather information needed to respond, decide when and who to copy in, open attachments (with care), save attachments (if appropriate).
• Individuals and multiple recipients: To, Cc, BCc, from, subject, reply, reply to all, forward, distribution list, reply with history, options, set message flags for priority, confidentiality, response request, read receipt, vote.
• Chats: photos and camera, editing tools, add participants for group contacts, privacy settings, status.

AC 3.2, 3.3:

• Variety of digital content could include (but not limited to): blogs, wikis and podcasts.
• Selecting and creating content, including: text with appropriate formatting, images (appropriate for purpose, file size/type), web links, using appropriate language and tone, adding attachments such as an email with an invitation to attend an event , sharing appropriate content, blogs, wikis, podcasts.

https://wordpress.com/create-blog/

https://pagely.com/blog/wordpress-wiki/

AC 3.4:

Virtual meetings:

• Carrying out checks: latest version of the software, check privacy settings, check for any limits on number of participants, check for any restrictions on length of meeting.
• Arranging meeting: plan resources (time, location, participants, and equipment), set as recurring meeting, add meeting to calendar, invite participants, distribute agenda to participants.
• Meeting settings: set to mute participants on entry, set/unset video for participants on entry, disable/enable file transfer during meetings, set screen sharing to host only, enable/disable join before host, set so only authenticated users can join, enable/disable password required, enable annotation.
• Join meeting with or without video enabled, raising of electronic hand to ask to speak, use of chat or messaging, use mute when not speaking, share links (if permitted), check background is appropriate when using screen sharing, video/sound, apply settings if away from meeting, leave meeting when appropriate.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Use email and instant messaging.

• 3.2

  Create a social media post and share content.

• 3.3

  Create and publish a variety of digital content to meet needs.

• 3.4

  Schedule and host a virtual meeting.