HNC/D Computing - Launch Event

We are officially launching the following HNC/D Computing awards on Wednesday 19th June 2013 at 1000-1530 hours in the Jury's Inn, 80 Jamaica Street, Glasgow:

HNC Computing (GE3F 15)
HND Computer Science (GG7D 16)
HND Computing: Networking (GG7C 16)
HND Computing: Software Development (GG7E 16)
HND Computing: Technical Support (GG7F 16)

We are busy organising this event and hope to have a range of items for presentation and discussion.

To register, please click on the URL below:

http://hncdcomputinglaunch.eventbrite.com/

As places are limited, please ensure you book early to secure your registration.

A maximum of two places can be reserved by each registered delegate.

Look forward to seeing you then.

Group award codes

It's taken a while but we got there in the end! I got back from annual leave on Tuesday to some great news -- the remaining validation conditions had been addressed, and the validation panel now approved the new HNDs.

That permitted us to "operationalise" the awards, an important part of which is getting them group award codes, which centres need to register students. The codes are:

• GG7D 16 HND Computer Science
• GG7C 16 HND Computing: Networking
• GG7E 16 HND Computing: Software Development
• GG7F 16 HND Computing: Technical Support

I will be writing to centres in the (very) near future to formally inform them about these codes (and other related information).

It's been a long development but the new awards are, in my view, genuinely high quality and will, I am sure, prove to be hugely successful in the coming years. The Group Award Specification will be published on the SQA website in the next day or two.

Please contact Caroline if you want to know more about the new awards.

Support Materials for HNC/D Computing

The new HNC/D Computing awards are heavily support by a number of Assessment Support Packs (ASPs) as well as e-Learning materials for the mandatory units within the HNC Computing award.

Over the last year we have developed a large number of packs that cover a selection of mandatory and optional units in the revised HNC/D awards.  The following ASPs are our Phase 1 developments - published ASPs are available on the SQA secure website (access via your SQA centre co-ordinator):

Computer Hardware: Hardware Installation and Maintenance (Published)

Computer Networking: Fundamentals (Published)
Computer Networking: Practical (Under Development)

Computer Systems Fundamentals (Published)

Computing: Graded Unit 1 (Exam) - Version 1 (Published)
Computing: Graded Unit 1 (Exam) – Version 2 (Published)
Computing: Introduction to Project Management (Published)
Computing: PC Hardware and Operating Systems Essentials (Published)
Computing: PC Hardware and Operating Systems Support (Published)
Configuring a Desktop Operating System (Published)
Convergence Technologies (Under Development)
Databases: Introduction (Awaiting Publication)
Developing Mobile Web Based Applications: An Introduction (Published)

Developing Software: Introduction (Published)
Handling Information as a Resource (Under Development)
Human Computer Interaction (Published)
Intrusion Prevention Systems (Under Development)
Mail Server Management (Under Development)
Managing a Web Server SCQF 7 (Under Development)
Managing a Web Server SCQF 8 (Under Development)
Mobile Technology (Published)
Network Concepts (Published)
Open Source Operating Systems: Basic Server Administration (Awaiting Publication)
Open Source Operating Systems: Introduction to Command Line Administration (Published)

Professionalism and Ethics in Computing (Published)
Relational Database Management Systems (Under Development)
Software Development Programming Foundations (Under Development)
Software Development: Data Structures (Published)
Software Development: Developing Small Scale Standalone Applications (Published)
Software Development: Developing Websites for Multiplatform Use (Under Development)
Software Development: Object Oriented Programming (Published)
Software Development: Systems Foundation (Published)
Systems Development: Object Oriented Analysis & Design (Published)

Team Working in Computing (Published)
Technical Support: Supporting Users – Hardware (Published)
Technical Support: Supporting Users – Software (Published)
Troubleshooting a Desktop Operating System (Published)

Troubleshooting Computing Problems (Published)

In addition to the above, we have contracted writers/vetters for a 2nd batch of ASPs (Phase 2) which have started development now.  Most of these Units are part of our International frameworks but many cross-over into the revised HND Computing awards which will give us a larger pool of support materials to support the awards.   All of the packs below will be available by September 2013 with some arriving in June/July:

Client Operating Systems

Cloud Computing

Computer Forensics: Fundamentals

Computer Networks: Building Local Area Networks

Database Design Fundamentals

HND Computing: Networking Graded Unit 2 (Project)

HND Computing: Software Dev. Graded Unit 2 (Project)

HND Computing: Technical Support: Graded Unit 2 (Project)

HND Computer Science Graded Unit 2 (Project)

Internetworking Technology

Network Server Operating Systems

Network Technology & Data Communications

Networking Technology

Providing Technical Support to Users

Routing Technology

Scripting for Interactivity

Security Concepts

Self Describing Data (XML)

Server Administration

Software Development: Rapid Application Development & Prototyping

SQL: Introduction

Switching Technology

Web Development: Producing a Data Driven Website

Please contact your SQA centre co-ordinator for access to any of the published materials listed above.