Course Handbook ICT Users Level 1 Students Name……………………………………….
2018- 2019
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Contents WELCOME.....................................................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................4 WHO’S WHO.................................................................................................................................4 ABSENCES....................................................................................................................................4 ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY..................................................................................................5 THE ROLE OF THE PERSONAL SUCCESS COACH (AC)......................................................................5 PARENTS' CONSULTATIONS..........................................................................................................6 COURSE TIMETABLES....................................................................................................................6 WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR JOINING THE COURSE?.............................................................6 WHO IS THE AWARDING BODY?....................................................................................................6 ASSESSMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT..................................................................................................6 ENGLISH AND MATH’S...................................................................................................................7 ACHIEVEMENT SUCCESS & DEADLINES..........................................................................................7 HELP YOURSELF TO ACHIEVE........................................................................................................7 STUDY SKILLS..............................................................................................................................7 Reading.....................................................................................................................................8 Listening...................................................................................................................................8 Note Taking...............................................................................................................................8 Plagiarism.....................................................................................................................................9 Information Seeking......................................................................................................................9 Organising Yourself.......................................................................................................................9 Look for this logo on your college computer desktop.......................................................................9 Moodle curriculum site/ Interact.....................................................................................................9 STUDENT APPEAL PROCEDURE....................................................................................................10 COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE...........................................................................................................10 CONDUCT...................................................................................................................................11 HEALTH AND SAFETY..................................................................................................................12 STAFF CONTACTS.......................................................................................................................13 APPENDIX B................................................................................................................................14 BTEC DIPLOMA for IT Users - Level 1...........................................................................................14 Overall Course tutor:...................................................................................................................14
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WELCOME WELCOME to Nottingham College. All your lecturers and myself hope that you will find your time here with us an enjoyable experience. We hope you will take full advantage of the high quality of your learning programme. A lot of thought and experience has gone into shaping it so that you will graduate with the high quality skills you need to progress. You need to play a key part in your studies and ensure that you make the best use of the opportunities we offer to develop your talent and potential. We are committed to helping you and will always give our best. As the Curriculum Manager, I am responsible for the management of ICT courses collegewide and am keen to hear from students on what they are enjoying or any issues that arise throughout the year. If you wish to contact me please e-mail me at the following: jane.fletcher@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR STUDIES Jane Fletcher Faculty Area Manager for Computing and Administration
School of Technology and Computing Nottingham College
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INTRODUCTION We would like to welcome you as a student within the School of Technology and Computing at Nottingham College. Nottingham College is the largest College of Further Education in Nottingham and is even one of the largest in Europe. This booklet is to help you understand how we operate and what is expected from you. All businesses and organisations need IT Technicians, from the largest multi-national corporations to small solicitors’ offices. No service industry organisation can function without Technical support. This programme will help provide you with the skills required for the employee of tomorrow.
WHO’S WHO As a full time student you will be allocated a Personal Success Coach (AC) (much like a form teacher at school) who will be your first point of contact. Your AC will be issued for your particular course. However should you be unable to contact this tutor, please contact any other member of staff listed below All tutors can be contacted on the phone numbers or by the e-mail addresses below.
See Appendix A at the rear of this booklet.
ABSENCES If you are ill, or absent for any unforeseeable reason, please telephone to let your tutor know before 10:00pm or leave a message with a member of the administration staff on (See Appendix A). You should call on each day of your absence. ________________________________________________________________ If you leave a message, please state clearly when you expect to return to College. If you do not inform your tutor of your absence, you will be contacted at home by a member of the college. If, when contacting the Attendance officers you get the answer machine please leave the following information. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Your ID Number Name & Date of Birth Tutor’s name Why you cannot attend college Your phone Number Anything else of importance
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ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY The courses run for one year and it is very intensive, it is important that everyone attends for all lessons. Please do not book holidays during term times, and arrange doctor or dental appointments out of class time.
We expect all our students to be punctual, so that classes can start on time. New topics are usually introduced at the beginning of the lesson. If you arrive late you will not be sure what you have missed and your late arrival also tends to disrupt the teaching within the classroom. The register is a legal document and the information is used when writing references to potential employers and for providing information for benefits/bus passes etc. It is important that your attendance is reported correctly. You MUST inform your tutor if you leave the college when you are timetabled to be in a lesson. Registration procedures are as follows
The register is taken at the beginning of each lesson Late arrivals are entered on the register with a special mark If you are more than 10 minutes late you may be marked as absent
THE ROLE OF THE ACHIEVEMENT COACH (AC) The Achievment Coach is there to help you with all types of problems and guidance. This will mean that your AC will see you on a regular basis to check up on your progress and ensure that everything is going smoothly. Your AC will remind you of deadlines, important dates (this could be for assessment, exams, visits, etc) but it is your responsibility to make a note of them in your diary and to meet the deadlines etc. Your AC will also monitor arrangements for work placements and other matters. They are your first point of contact especially if you have any worries - this could be to do with the course, but could also be about other issues such as bullying, discrimination, etc. The College has an Equal Opportunities policy that does not allow discrimination under any circumstances. All complaints/concerns will be investigated.
Where applicable, detail for your particular group can be found in Appendix A 5|Page
PARENTS' CONSULTATIONS For students aged 16-18, your parents/guardians will have the opportunity to visit the campus and meet the AC to discuss your progress. Reports of your progress can be requested at the end of the autumn and spring terms.
COURSE TIMETABLES You will be given a timetable for your course/group showing names of the tutors delivering the lessons, subjects, room numbers and the duration of the lesson. This may change slightly due to rooming problems. Your tutor will inform you of any changes if there are any.
WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR JOINING THE COURSE? To gain the qualification you must be prepared to attend college to gain the underpinning knowledge to complete the unit assignments to the standard required. A minimum of 95% attendance is required.
WHO IS THE AWARDING BODY? The awarding body is Edexcel, they are the UKs largest awarding body providing for all levels and for a wide range of industries.
ASSESSMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT Dependent upon course, see Appendix B for details
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ENGLISH AND MATH’S In addition to the units required for the specific qualification you may also be working towards a Functional Skills qualification in English and Math or GCSE. None attendance at these sessions will be considered none attendance on your main course, this classes are part of your guided learning hours for the course and if you are below 540 hours per year you may be at risk of not getting your funding and you may have to pay for your course yourself. You will be also required to purchase Functional skills or GCSE study and practice books to help your studies. You can ask your tutor about getting these books from the college library.
ACHIEVEMENT SUCCESS & DEADLINES One of the most important aspects of your course is meeting the deadlines. You will receive feedback/guidance during the completion of assignment work as you will only get ONE chance to achieve and all work MUST be completed on time. Therefore, working towards these deadlines and managing your time accordingly will enable you to succeed and achieve the course aim.
HELP YOURSELF TO ACHIEVE
Attend all lessons punctually. Focus on the lesson topic. 9 hours of homework per week is advisable Complete the tasks immediately either at college or at home. Hand in work before deadline to ensure constructive feedback from tutors. If you have a problem submitting the work on time, discuss the problem with your tutor in plenty of time, DO NOT WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE EVENT. Stay well; stay healthy; stay alert.
STUDY SKILLS The definition of a skill is ‘a technique which is well practised so that you are proficient at it’. The following are a list of study skills that you need to be aware of reading note taking organising your time and prioritising
listening information seeking writing assignments
By looking at each of the above, we hope to offer some hints to make your studies as troublefree and successful as possible. 7|Page
Reading You will have to read a lot of material during the course of your studies and it will be impossible to read everything in depth. This can be overcome by skimming and scanning. Skimming
Look at headings, sub-headings, diagrams and key points. You can then decide whether the book is of use to you.
Scanning
Do not read every word, just scan down and across the pages, until you recognised the piece of information you require.
Listening Listening enables you to follow instructions, acquire knowledge and understanding, detect key facts, and make notes and separate facts from opinion. However, the ability to listen effectively is not as easy as you might think. It is not always easy to listen effectively - people may talk too fast or too quietly, they may use vague phrases or complex vocabulary, but the following will help you Look at the speaker Show interest
Note Taking Often taking notes can help to keep you actively involved in processing and interpreting information. It is always a good idea to make notes when a lecturer is explaining what needs to go into a particular assignment. You might think you will remember but you probably won’t. Note taking is made easier by Don’t write down every word - just key words and phrases Use a highlighter, asterisks or underline for important points Use abbreviations when possible
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Plagiarism The deliberate, substantial and unacknowledged incorporation in a student’s work of material derived from the work (published or unpublished) of another. Examples of plagiarism are: The inclusion in a candidate’s work of more than a single phrase from another person’s work without the use of quotation marks and acknowledgement of the sources The summarising of another person’s work by simply changing words or altering the order of presentation, without acknowledgements. Copying the work of another student, with or without that students’ knowledge or agreement. In the former case both parties are guilty of academic irregularity. Material cut and pasted from the internet or other electronic sources without acknowledgement of the source.
Information Seeking Find information at the library. Use different sources - text books, magazines, newspapers, the Internet, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, banks, the Council, telephone directories are just a few!
Organising Yourself Keep all work in files/folders (not a series of loose papers in carrier bags!) Use OneDrive to Back-Up your work. A USB is highly recommended too. Use a pencil case and carry it around with you (not just one pen) Organise your things for college the night before so you are sure you have everything you need Get up in plenty of time, so you are not late!
Moodle curriculum site/ Interact From the college web site you are able to access resources, course work and pick up messages from the tutors. Moodle can be accessed from any computer outside the college and instructions to do this can be found on the Nottingham College website.
Look for this logo on your college computer desktop
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STUDENT APPEAL PROCEDURE There are procedures to follow if any discrepancies arise with an assessment decision. Consult your tutor initially but if the problem cannot be resolved, there is the Learner’s Appeals Procedure indicated in the College Charter.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE Should you need to raise a complaint? 1. Speak to the subject tutor or your Personal .Success Coach 2. If this is not appropriate then speak to any of the other tutors. 3. If this is not resolved then speak to the course tutor 4. Failing this, contact Jane Fletcher, the Manager for Computing on 0115 914 6285
USING GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS & SHOWING RESPECT AT ALL TIMES WILL HELP TO AVOID PROBLEMS WITH YOUR PEERS, TUTORS AND HELP YOU GAIN GOOD GRADES IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT WORK
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CONDUCT All students are required to carry their ID card with them at all times. The College has a student code of conduct which all students are expected to adhere to. Where students' behaviour is persistently or seriously disruptive or they behave in an offensive, socially unacceptable, careless or irresponsible manner, the College's disciplinary procedures will be implemented. This procedure is modelled on good practice in industry.
We ask students to:
Turn off mobile phones before entering the classroom. If and only IF you are expecting an important call (e.g. Job interview) you can have yours on, but keep it on silent and inform your tutor at the start of class.
Mobile phones should NOT be placed on the desks and should be kept in your bag or pocket.
Computers should be used for college work only, surfing the net, sending messages etc. should NOT be done during lessons.
All bags and personal possessions to be stored under desks. No use of headphones unless directed by tutor. Attend punctually. Do not use bad language. Respect the learning environment. Not misuse the Internet. No use of Chat lines (this is strictly monitored by technical support team). Use email for College purposes only. Treat other staff and students with respect.
For students under the age of 18, tutors will discuss any issues of concern with your parents/guardians.
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HEALTH AND SAFETY We intend to provide a safe and healthy working environment. The College takes matters of health and safety extremely seriously. All students will receive guidance on using the facilities safely. It is important that all students take notice on any health and safety training that is given and note that it is a disciplinary offence should this not be the case. We have qualified first aiders on call at the College, but it is also vital that we have an emergency telephone number of one parent/guardian should an accident or illness occur.
REMEMBER
Always leave the building at the nearest exit if the alarm sounds Do not use the lift In an emergency do not return for any items in the classroom During an emergency wait in the designated area for a register check Do not leave obstacles on the floor that may cause tripping hazards Avoid drinking near electrical appliances Take care to adjust your chair and sit correctly Take regular breaks from using the computer
Eat and drink sensibly to ensure you stay alert Take regular exercise If possible use the stairs and walk wherever possible Manage your time well to avoid undue stress
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STAFF CONTACTS Achievement Coach (AC) Natasha Puszczynska natasha.puszczynska@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk
Manager Jane Fletcher
jane.fletcher@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk
0115 9142557
Tutors Wayne Mannion wayne.mannion@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk Natasha Puszczynska natasha.puszczynska@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk Jonathan Shore jonathan.shore@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk English and math’s tutors Functional skills maths Functional skills English
Wayne Mannion Natasha Puszczynska
GCSE English
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GCSE maths
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APPENDIX B BTEC DIPLOMA for IT Users - Level 1 Your main qualification consists of the following 5 units: Unit 101 - Improving productivity using IT (compulsory) Unit E27 - Spreadsheet Software Unit 126 - Project Management Software Unit 129 - Word Processing Unit 123 - Desktop Publishing You may also have the opportunity to complete some extra units that will be credited towards your full qualification. Unit E08 - Using mobile IT Devices Unit 102 - IT User Fundamentals Unit 106 - IT Communication Fundamentals Unit 111 - Using Collaborative Technology Unit 112 - IT Software Fundamentals Unit 125 - Presentation Software Unit 128 - Website Software If you don’t have a 4-9 (grade C) in your English and maths you will need to study either you GCSE re-sit or you will need to complete a Functional skills qualification in English and math’s.
Overall Course tutor: Wayne Mannion/ Natasha Puszczynska – BTEC Level 1 Certificate For IT Users Coordinators Room 213A MMW
To progress onto level 2 next year you must complete of all elements of this course, have over 90% attendance and receive a good reference from your subject tutors. 14 | P a g e
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