Digital Technology & Computing

Head of Department: Mrs M Debbadi
Staff List: Mr A Templeton, Mr D McShane, Ms J Reid, Miss L McMullan, Mr L Dunbar

"ICT is not the future of our children’s education, it is the present and we need to make investment in ICT now!"
- National Association of Advisors for Computer in Education

We aim to make the investment in our student’s technological capabilities early in their post primary careers to ensure they can harness the magic of technology spoken of my Arthur C. Clarke many years ago.

Students are presented with discrete IT / Computing classes from year 8, have the opportunity to attain Digital Skills badges awarded by CCEA and entry level qualifications in Computer Science at the end of Key Stage 3.

From Key Stage 4 onwards pupils have the opportunity to progress down a multimedia or programming career pathway through study of either Digital Technology: Multimedia or Digital Technology: Programming at GCSE level, followed by the option of study of either Computer Science or Digital Technology at AS and A2 level.

Experiences in the IT world do not just stop at classroom experiences. We offer many after school experiences through extra-curricular Cyber Security, Robotics and Programming clubs. Additional, pupils are afforded opportunities to meet adults from the industry through the hosting of careers seminars, workshops and competition entries via our extensive links in the wider community.

Key Stage 3

Year 8

Students spend time honing their digital employability skills in the use of industry standard generic applications such as MS Office in a scenario based project which is completed across the academic year.

Year 9 and 10

Students embark on formally assessed programme of study which leads to them being awarded and Entry Level Certificate in Computer Science in addition to completing a series of tutorial programmes which lead to the awarding of CCEA Digital Certificates of Achievement. Across the two years of the qualification pupils are introduced to programming using Scratch and Python, will complete a number of formal written examinations and programming projects; all of which are submitted to OCR for formal moderation and assessment.

Key Stage 4

Students study CCEA GCSE Digital Technology. This specification is unique in the UK. Students choose either Route A: Multimedia or Route B: Programming. Based on this, the qualification they achieve is either GCSE Digital Technology (Multimedia) or GCSE Digital Technology (Programming).

Students acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of digital technology in a variety of contexts. They also develop creative and practical digital technology skills, either using a range of generic software or in an object-oriented environment. They explore the legal, social, economic, ethical and environmental impact of digital technology. This qualification also helps them to develop transferable skills such as creative problem-solving and teamwork.

This qualification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills developed through the Cross-Curricular Skill of Using ICT.

This specification is unitised, so it’s possible to take part of the assessment at the end of the first year of study.

The specification has five units:

Unit 1: Digital Technology
Unit 2: Digital Authoring Concepts
Unit 3: Digital Authoring Practice
Unit 4: Digital Development Concepts
Unit 5: Digital Development Practice.

Unit 1 is compulsory. Students then choose either Units 2 and 3 (Route A) or Units 4 and 5 (Route B).

AS / A2 Digital Technology

Students study CCEA GCE Digital Technology. This specification is for students interested in current and emerging technologies, the impact they have and how to use them effectively.

The specification is available at two levels: AS and A2. Students can take the AS units plus the A2 units for a full GCE A level qualification. They can also choose to take the AS course as a stand-alone qualification.

In the AS units, students explore approaches to the development of complex digital technology systems, the key stages in the process and the outputs produced. They also develop knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of any digital technology system, such as data representation, computer architecture, software and the user interface.

Students who continue to A2 develop knowledge and understanding of concepts such as computer networks, databases, mobile technologies, cloud computing, legislation, and moral and ethical issues. They apply their skills, knowledge and understanding to develop an application that solves a problem for a specified client.

The specification has four units:

Unit AS 1: Approaches to Systems Development
Unit AS 2: Fundamentals of Digital Technology
Unit A2 1: Information Systems
Unit A2 2: Application Development (Case Study).

What makes studying Digital Technology at CCB different?

The networking system established between the department and past-pupils of school makes the subject relatable and allows us to link our studies to a real-world working environment. (Max McDermott)

The line of support and the open door policy employed by the teachers in the department make study of this subject accessible to all students. (Matthew Caves)

Why study Digital Technology?

Current statistics show an increasing gap in the IT / Computer Science industry in Northern Ireland. Skills in the Computer Science currently the highest area of demand in Northern Ireland and the sectors is forecast to grow considerably over the next 5-10 years. Salaries in the IT / Computing industry average 61% higher than other industries with thousands of jobs being out sourced to other areas each year because the employment market in NI cannot meet the demands of the industry.

How can you progress in the IT / Computing Industry?

Careers in the IT / Computing offer you the opportunity to work in many different global industries.

Students can progress into the IT / Computing industry by following a number of post-16 pathways, including: -

Full Time or Part Time degrees in a range of specialist areas
Foundation degrees in a range of specialist areas
Higher level apprenticeships which offer on-the-job training whilst earning your degree

Following the completion of their formal qualifications there are many niche areas for students to progress into as young adults. Some of these areas include: -

Computer Programming
Software Developer
Software Engineer
Hardware Engineer
Systems Manager
Database Administrator
IT architect
Network Administrator
Cyber Security

Digital Technology & Computing

Head of Department: Mrs M Debbadi Staff List: Mr A Templeton, Mr D McShane, Ms J Reid, Miss L McMullan, Mr L Dunbar

Head of Department: Mrs M Debbadi
Staff List: Mr A Templeton, Mr D McShane, Ms J Reid, Miss L McMullan, Mr L Dunbar