The Student Room Group

Why is ICT A-level seen as 'soft'?

Why is it? I always thought it would be good, as we are advancing in technology?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 2
All myths are based in truth.
Reply 3
Because you're learning about technology that will be out of date in 5 years! Still, ICT was my worst result so I wouldn't say it was easy...
Reply 4
I haven't done IT at A-level, only GCSE, but speaking to some mates who did keep going to A-level, many will tell you that it's not hard. It just requires a lot of time.

I remember when I did it at GCSE, I hated it. I had to do so much coursework, it took ages, I had to stay behind after school sometimes just to stay on top of it. It wasn't very hard, it was just long. So much so that I didn't bother staying behind long enough to get the coursework (60% of the GCSE) to the A*, I pushed for the steady A. The exam though was just so easy. They're all so similar, I got 100 ums and so got an A* overall, but it was literally basic exam technique and the same recycled questions from past papers.

When you speak to people who do it at A-level, they might tell you it makes you hate IT, it feels kind of useless at a-level, it's a lot better at degree level (computer science and other it courses). If you're thinking about taking it at a-level, remember it's not that's it's difficult to get a A/B, it's the time. So that's why they've black listed it, they don't respect is as much as the traditional subjects.
Reply 5
Because it's piss easy.
Original post by llessur123
Because it's piss easy.




You have not done A Level ICT before then i presume. Drama, that would be an easy A Level. Does it even exist at A Level?
Reply 7
All you do is fill in spreadsheets. Ok so you learn a bit of inside info on how various Microsoft programs work but any trained monkey with a how-to booklet could do that after a few weeks of study. In addition as others have said what you learn goes out of date so fast.
Reply 8
Original post by JustAGoodLAD
You have not done A Level ICT before then i presume. Drama, that would be an easy A Level. Does it even exist at A Level?


I did ICT at AS Level, and it was piss easy.
Reply 9
Original post by JustAGoodLAD
You have not done A Level ICT before then i presume. Drama, that would be an easy A Level. Does it even exist at A Level?


I am currently doing ICT at A Level for the precise reason I mentioned before. I find the theory is common sense and mostly waffle. The coursework is time consuming but consists of using quite easy applications and then doing 549054058 print-screens of you using the program.

Not to insult anyones intelligence, but I really don't understand how someone could say it was difficult. You come across a few glitches when using software but that is about the height of it.
Original post by goape
I did ICT at AS Level, and it was piss easy.


Lets hear it then, what about A2?

Well when i did my A Levels years ago ICT was a credible subject and had a challenging curriculum to follow.
They do say A Levels are getting easier, so maybe my opinion is outdated, but back in my day, it was a struggle.
Because it's mostly coursework...
Reply 12
I'm guessing it has little to no maths/coding involved?
Original post by llessur123
I am currently doing ICT at A Level for the precise reason I mentioned before. I find the theory is common sense and mostly waffle. The coursework is time consuming but consists of using quite easy applications and then doing 549054058 print-screens of you using the program.

Not to insult anyones intelligence, but I really don't understand how someone could say it was difficult. You come across a few glitches when using software but that is about the height of it.




I Sincerely hope that you are not with Edexcel, because they screwed us over in my A2 exam, even the teacher admitted that the exam made only a handful of references regarding the information in the book. All were questions with given scenarios where in some cases ICT seemed to be irrelevent. It seemed to be a paper about being an environmentalist.
So my advice would be make sure you drill into your heads the information about ICT going green.
Original post by JustAGoodLAD
I Sincerely hope that you are not with Edexcel, because they screwed us over in my A2 exam, even the teacher admitted that the exam made only a handful of references regarding the information in the book. All were questions with given scenarios where in some cases ICT seemed to be irrelevent. It seemed to be a paper about being an environmentalist.
So my advice would be make sure you drill into your heads the information about ICT going green.


I'm with CCEA. Whaaaaat? Thankfully I've never came across anything like that.
Original post by JustAGoodLAD
You have not done A Level ICT before then i presume. Drama, that would be an easy A Level. Does it even exist at A Level?


I believe Drama does exist at A-level, but I have a talented friend who does the BTEC. It's not easy, and I doubt anyone who thinks it's easy could pass with a Merit / Distinction. You have to give a very solid performance from what I hear.

Academic people look at subjects like Art, Drama, Dance, maybe Music and what have you, and claim they're "easy" just because they don't require the same style of thinking or talent as science or written art subjects. They forget that they all require a lot of hard work and practise, and are aimed at different people. This does not make them easy.

For ICT though, it just doesn't seem like a very good course. It tests proficiency in MS Office and not a lot else (from what I hear - I'd like to be corrected on this). Most people who took it at my school strongly regret it.
Reply 16
60 % cousework: you basically sit there and get told what to do every lecture and at the end of the year you'll have a full coursework.

40 exam: on definition, advantages & disadvantages of this and that (macro etc)


It was the least challenging of all my A-level but also the easiest to fail cos I stopped caring about it and just wanted AS to be over so I could drop it. This is just my opinion others found it easier/more difficult
Original post by llessur123
I'm with CCEA. Whaaaaat? Thankfully I've never came across anything like that.



Also see on your that you're doing History, what topics you doing for your modules? I am studying for my masters in history of the modern world, you've made a good choice choosing history.
Reply 18
ICT is micky mouse, just like 80% of England's education.

Ever wonder why America is the ones creating everything internet based? Google, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Microsoft etc? It's because they learn real computing when they are way younger, they learn to program while in high school.

Anyways, GCSE ICT is being scrapped for computer science and so with A level, Google it for more information.

EDIT: Heres some info on it, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-16493929
Michael Gove called the current ICT curriculum "demotivating and dull".
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 19
Exams common sense and the Cw is easy, the only thing that's stopping people getting 100% in it is the course content being absolutely bull **** and the mark scheme for the exam being very very picky.

Quick Reply

Latest