Higher National Group Award Graded Unit Specification

General information for centres

This Group Award Graded Unit has been validated as part of the HND Administration and
Information Technology. Centres are required to develop the assessment instrument in
accordance with this validated specification. Centres wishing to use another type of Group
Award Graded Unit or assessment instrument are required to submit proposals detailing the
justification for change for validation.

Group Award Graded Unit title: Administration and Information

Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2

Group Award Graded Unit code: DE22 35

Type of Group Award Graded Unit: Examination

Assessment instrument: Closed book examination

Credit value: HN Credit(s) at SCQF level 8: (8 SCQF credit points at SCQF

level 8)

*SCQF credit points are used to allocate credit to qualifications in the Scottish Credit and
Qualifications Framework (SCQF). Each qualification in the Framework is allocated a number of
SCQF points at an SCQF level. There are 12 SCQF levels, ranging from Access 1 to Doctorates.

Purpose: This Group Award Graded Unit is designed to provide evidence that the
candidate has achieved the following principal aims of the HND Administration and
Information Technology:

♦ develop a range of specialist IT skills

♦ develop project management, research and planning skills
♦ develop an awareness of professional issues such as legal, data management and ethical
considerations
♦ develop the ability to work flexibly and co-operatively with others
♦ develop critical and evaluative thinking
♦ prepare candidates for employment in an Administrative role eg Office
Manager/Administrator
♦ prepare candidates for progression to degree courses

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 1
General information for centres (cont)

Recommended prior knowledge and skills: It is recommended that the

candidate should have completed or be in the process of completing the following Units
relating to these specific aims prior to undertaking this Group Award Graded Unit:

IT in Business  Advanced Word Processing (DE2G 35)

IT in Business  Advanced Spreadsheets (DE1V 35)
IT in Business  Advanced Databases (DE1N 35)
Business Information Management (DE1Y 35)
Office Management (DE1X 35)
Project Management (D76J 35)
Presentation Skills (DE20 35)
Developing the Individual within a Team

Core Skills: There may be opportunities to gather evidence towards core skills in this
Unit, although there is no automatic certification of core skills or core skills components.

Assessment: This examination-based Group Award Graded Unit is a timed, closed book
examination. It will consist of a written examination of three hours – comprising of 2
question papers – a restricted response question paper and an extended response question
paper.

Evidence should be generated through examination undertaken in controlled conditions. The

restricted response question paper, which is worth 40% of the total marks, is a one hour
closed book examination undertaken in controlled conditions. The extended response
question paper, which is worth 60% of the total marks, is a two hour closed book examination
undertaken in controlled conditions. An exemplar assessment pack and marking guidelines
have been produced to indicate the national standard of achievement required at HN level.

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 2
Administrative information
Graded Unit code: DE22 35

Graded Unit title: Administration and Information Technology: Group Award

Graded Unit 2

Date of publication: August 2003

Source: SQA

Special needs: This Group Award Graded Unit specification is intended to ensure that there
are no artificial barriers to learning or assessment. Special needs of individual candidates
should be taken into account when planning learning experiences, selecting assessment
instruments or considering special alternative assessment arrangements. For information on
these, please refer to the SQA document Guidance on Special Assessment Arrangements
(December 2001, AA0645/3).

© Scottish Qualifications Authority 2003

This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes provided that
no profit is derived from reproduction and that, if reproduced in part, the source is
acknowledged

Additional copies of this Group Award Graded Unit specification (if sourced by the Scottish
Qualifications Authority), can be purchased from the Scottish Qualifications Authority. The
cost for each specification is £2.50 plus a handling charge of £1.95 per order.

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 3
Higher National Group Award Graded Unit specification:
Instructions for designing the assessment task and assessing
candidates
Group Award Graded Unit title: Administration and Information
Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2

Conditions of assessment
The assessment is based on a closed book written examination lasting three hours. The grade
given will reflect the candidate’s achievement on the first assessment event. A candidate may
wish to retake the Group Award Graded Unit but this should be based on a significantly
different examination.

The examination should be unseen and the assessment should be conducted in controlled and
invigilated conditions.

Instructions for designing the assessment task:

The examination should be designed to assess the candidate’s critical knowledge and
understanding of the topics relating to the specific aims which this Group Award Graded Unit
is designed to cover. The questions and corresponding marks should be designed in
accordance with the ranges indicated in the table that follows. However, the overall total mark
for the examination is 100.

One hour closed book examination  restricted response

Topic Level of knowledge/ Weighting/
understanding Mark allocation
IT in Business  Advanced 2 questions (4 marks each)
Word Processing Ability to apply knowledge
IT in Business  Advanced to the main theories of the 2 questions (4 marks each)
Spreadsheets 6 Units
IT in Business  Advanced 2 questions (4 marks each)
Databases
Presentation Skills 2 questions (4 marks each)
Business Information 1 question (4 marks)
Management
Project Management 1 question (4 marks)

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 4
Group Award Graded Unit title: Administration and Information
Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2

Two hour closed book examination  extended response

Topic Level of knowledge/ Weighting/
understanding Mark allocation
Evaluate the role of the Operational planning 15 marks
office manager in New actions
implementing strategic Budgets
objectives of an Quality Procedures
organization
Evaluate the role of the Change management: 15 marks
office manager in managing Implementing change
change. Relate this to the Resistance to change
implementation of an IT Communications
system to support the Interpersonal skills
administrative function Application of IT
The administrative
functions
Project Management
Evaluate the role of the Recruitment and selection 15 marks
office manager in selection Employment legislation
management and training of Managing and planning
administrative staff staff requirements
Develop training plans
Implementing methods of
training
Evaluating the effectiveness
of training
In planning the introduction Project management 15 marks
of a new project, evaluate Decision making
the role of information in Information management
supporting the office External influences (PEST)
manager in decision making IT

In leading and organizing Leading and organizing 15 marks

the core activities of office Business information
management, evaluate the IT
role of the office manager in Budgets
the modern business Change
environment Staffing
Legislation
Project management
Etc
Candidates will be given 5 questions from which they choose 4 with each question being
awarded 15 marks (total 60 marks). The stimulus material should be based on all core
Units of the HND Administration and Information Technology and should assess the
candidates’ ability to undertake critical analysis, evaluation and/or synthesis of ideas,
concepts, information and issues which are within the common understanding of the
subject discipline.

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 5
Group Award Graded Unit title: Administration and Information
Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2
All papers should be identified with candidate name, date and start and completion time of
assessment.

The examination will be marked out of 100. Assessors will aggregate the marks achieved by
the candidate to arrive at an overall mark for the examination. Assessors will then assign a
grade to the candidate for this Group Award Graded Unit based on the following grade
boundaries:

♦ A = 70%  100%
♦ B = 60%  69%
♦ C = 50%  59%

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 6
Higher National Unit specification: support notes

Unit title: Administration and Information Technology: Group Award

Graded Unit 2
This part of the Unit specification is offered as guidance. The support notes are not
mandatory.

While the exact time allocated to this Unit is at the discretion of the centre, the notional
design length is 40 hours.

Guidance on the content and context for this Unit

This Unit would be suitable for anyone wishing to learn and develop the skills and
competencies required of an office manager. The Unit is set in the context of the modern
business environment and candidates should be introduced to a variety of up to date office
software and modern office procedures and practices. The Unit is designed to assess the
candidate’s ability to integrate knowledge across the range of mandatory Units within the
award for HND Administration and Information Technology. Links with the business
community would be particularly useful to students undertaking this Unit and centres should
be encouraged to develop links to facilitate this. The notional 40 hours allocated could be
used to extend the candidate’s ability to present and evaluate arguments, information and
ideas which are routine to the subject discipline.

Restricted response questions: Students should be aware of the principles and theories for the
6 Units outlined in the assessment guidelines. Skills should be developed in the candidate’s
ability to answer short answer responses.

Extended response questions: The use of stimulus materials should underpin the candidate’s
ability to apply knowledge to current industrial practice at managerial level. Realistic
materials and documentation should be used throughout and a thematic approach adopted
where possible. At this stage, students should be encouraged to read extensively and
reference all reading in any work submitted.

Guidance on the delivery and assessment of this Unit

This Unit is designed to develop the skills and competencies required of an office manager.
The Unit should build skills and competencies which meet the criteria of SCQF level 8 – the
ability to present and critically analyse, evaluate and/or synthesise ideas, concepts,
information and issues which are within the common understanding of the subject discipline.

The restricted response paper requires the candidate to answer short answer questions using a
range of approaches to formulate evidence based solutions to defined and/or routine problems
and issues. One hour is allocated to this closed book examination under controlled
conditions.

Extended response paper requires the candidate to critically analyse stimulus materials and
formulate extended responses. Two hours is allocated to this closed book examination under
controlled conditions.

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 7
General information for candidates

Unit title: Administration and Information Technology: Group Award

Graded Unit 2
The Graded Unit is designed to integrate and apply knowledge across the range of mandatory
Units for the award of HND Administration and Information Technology. The award is
designed to develop skills and underpinning knowledge associated with the role of Office
Manager and reflects modern business practice and the role of IT as a tool to facilitate this
role.

The first question paper (1 hour) requires the candidate to answer short answer responses on
the following Units:

IT in Business  Advanced Word Processing (2 questions)

IT in Business  Advanced Spreadsheets (2 questions)
IT in Business  Advanced Databases (2 questions)
Presentation Skills (2 questions)
Business Information Management (1 question)
Project Management (1 question)

The second question paper (2 hours) requires the candidate to write extended responses based
on stimulus material across the full range of the mandatory Units. Candidates will be
encouraged to read extensively and reference all reading in any work submitted.

The Graded Unit is a compulsory element of the Group Award and will be awarded at the
following grades:

♦ Grade A: 70-100%
♦ Grade B: 60-69%
♦ Grade C: 50-59%

Administration and Information Technology: Group Award Graded Unit 2 (DE22 35) 8