Wellington College Belfast Co-educational Grammar School
ICT

Momentum E-Skills Day

A group of Yr13 students from the I-Media class attended an e-skills day at Ashfeild girl's school on Friday the 12th of November 2010.

A number of exhibits were on display e.g. Microsoft and a Varity of businesses gave an update on the potential job opportunities for our young people with IT skills.

- Mr I. Simons, HoD

ICT is delivered through all the subjects studied at this level.

Board - CCEA

Theory:

5 main subject areas are studied over the two year course

• Knowledge of ICT components
• Information Systems
• Digital Communication Systems
• Applications
• Implications

Practical:

6 assignments are to be completed over the two year course

• A1       PowerPoint assignment
• A2       MS Word assignment
• A3       Web based assignment
• B1       Internet assignment
• B2       Database assignment
• B3       Spreadsheet assignment

At AS Level - two units are covered in the first year of the course

Unit 1
            Problem solving
            Programming
            Data representation
            Practical exercise

Unit 2
            Computer components
            The stored program concept
            The Internet

At A2 Level - two further units are covered in the second year of the course

Unit 3
            Problem solving
            Programming
            Operating systems
            Databases
            Networking

Unit 4
            The computing practical project

ICT

At AS Level - two units are covered in the first year of the course

Unit 1
            Data and information
            Hardware and software components
            Network communication
            Applications of ICT
            Developing ICT components

Unit 2         
            Developing ICT solutions
            A data processing task
            A multimedia task

At A2 Level - two further units are covered in the second year of the course

Unit 3
            Database systems
            Networked systems
            Software development
            The user interface
            User support and training
            Legal and professional issues
            Implications of information systems

Unit 4
            The ICT practical project

BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Creative

Media Production (Interactive Media)

Examining Board - EDEXCEL

This I-Media course is very suitable for students who have a strong work ethic coupled with a genuine interest in using ICT. The format is coursework based and over the 2 years the skill set of the students is developed towards professional practices in the Interactive Media industry.

This subject is equivalent to 2 A’ Level grades

This course is particularly useful for those seeking to follow a career in the Interactive Media industry or to pursue a career using ICT

The course is structured so that the students complete 6 Units is Year 13 and a further 6 Units in Year 14

Mandatory Units:

• Pre-Production techniques for the Creative Media Industries.
• Communication Skills for Creative Media Production.
• Research Techniques for the Creative Media industries.
• Creative Media Prodcution Management Project.
• Working to a Brief in the Creative Media Industries.
• Understanding the Interactive media Industry.
• Digital Graphics for Interactive Media.

Optional units:

• Digital Communication.
• 2D Animation Production
• Designing Idents for Television.
• Web Authoring.
• Interactive Media Authoring.

Student's Work:

Mr I Simons (HoD)
Mrs I Cregan
Mr S Lyttle
Mr A Cullen (Technician)

Careers in ICT

Computer Science (CS) - Spans the range from theory to practice to cutting edge inventions. CS makes students aware of new technologies and new ideas and is a foundation for amny different computing careers. Computer scientists do varied work. They design and buld software and create efficient solutions to real-world problems in fields such as robotics, computer-enhanced vision, and digital forensics. Individual computer science courses allow students to specialise in one of more of these fields.

Information Systems (IS) -  IS Specialists design computing solutions that provide companies, non-profit organisations and governments with the information they need to achieve their goals. IS uses computer systems to implement and improve the way organisations work. IS professionals combine their knowledge of computing and organisations to bridge the gap between technical and business specialists. IS courses may go by such names and management information systems, computer information systems, or business information systems. All IS degrees combine business and computing topics, but the emphasis between technical and organisational subjects varies.

Gaming - The microsoft Xbox 360. The Sony Playstation 3. The Nintendo Wii. They're all great gaming machines, but the technology behind them isn't a game at all - it's seriously powerful stuff. And games aren't just for kids anymore. Adults not only play today's video games, they create them too. At the heart of these virtual reality platforms is cutting edge computing.

• Computer engineers produce faster, more powerful chips capable of displaying ever more lifelike characters in 3-dimensional worlds.
• CS and SE experts create the artifical intelligence that makes each game challenging, keeping players coming back for more.
• IT professionals support networks and infrastucture that enable game development.
• IS professionals create systems for keeping track of customer feedback behaviour and demand.

Computer Engineering (CE) - CE students study the design of digital hardware and software including communications systems, computers and devices such as phones, MP3 players, DVR's, alarm systems, x-ray machines, and even laser surgical tools. Increasingly, CE specialists integrate customised hardware and embedded software, to improve existing technologies and invent new ones.

Other IT careers include -

• Medical Imaging
• Online music and movie distribution
• Mobile devices