Diploma in ICT
FAQs
- We have a poor internet connection at our Centre. Can we make the Hothouse website available to students on an intranet and get them to send/receive email internally?
- What do I do if I have any further queries?
- What is the difference between the ICT Starters, the Cambridge International Diploma (CID) in ICT and the Cambridge International Diploma in IT Skills?
- What is the Hothouse website?
- When does Assessment of ICT take place?
- A candidate wants a full certificate but fails one optional module. Can they obtain the full Diploma when they pass the failed paper after a re–sit?
- I don’t want the full Diploma. Can I get an individual certificate?
- Do tutors have to provide a worked copy every time they submit candidates’ work to CIE?
- Can I enter two sittings of candidates for the same set of papers?
- How can I register for ICT?
- How does ‘on–demand’ work in practice?
- How long does it take from receipt of assignments until we receive results?
- How long does the CID in ICT take to complete?
- How many modules do I have to take to get the full Diploma?
- How much time is allowed to re–sit the failed module?
- Is there any support for tutors?
- Once I am registered, how do I enter candidates for ICT?
- We have a poor internet connection at our Centre. Can we make the Hothouse website available to students on an intranet and get them to send/receive email internally?
- Whilst we would always encourage Centres to use the internet and email in real time, we recognise that there are concerns about connections etc. and so it is perfectly permissible to work offline in this way. We only ask that tutors aim to make the experience for students as close to real life as possible.
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- What do I do if I have any further queries?
- More information on administration procedures can be found in the ICT syllabus. If you need to ask any further questions please contact CIE Customer Services by email at international@ucles.org.uk , telephone +44 1223 553554 or fax +44 1223 553558, quoting the syllabus name (ICT Foundation; ICT Standard) and number (8941; 8942) and the name of your centre.
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- What is the difference between the ICT Starters, the Cambridge International Diploma (CID) in ICT and the Cambridge International Diploma in IT Skills?
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ICT Starters are aimed at primary and secondary schoolchildren. Assessments can be designed by the centre and marked internally, with moderation by CIE. ICT and IT Skills are aimed at older teenagers and adults. The main differences between the CIDs in ICT and IT Skills are outlined here:
ICT
Any software can be used
Available at Foundation, Standard and Advanced Level
Practical Assessment
Wider choice of modules
Focus on the application of ICT in the workplace
IT Skills
Uses Microsoft Office software
Available at Foundation and Standard Level
Computer–based assessment
Instant results
Focus on IT skills
For more information about all our IT courses, please contact CIE Customer Services. - Top of page
- What is the Hothouse website?
- We created the Hothouse Design website (a fictional company) in order to have an area on the Internet which candidates could be directed to as part of their assessments. We also use Hothouse and its affiliated ‘companies’ as part of the workplace scenarios on the papers.
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- When does Assessment of ICT take place?
- The assessments are offered on–demand. That means that you can send in candidates’ assignments for assessment at any point in the year. Entries will be made on receipt of assignments and centres will be invoiced on entry.
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- A candidate wants a full certificate but fails one optional module. Can they obtain the full Diploma when they pass the failed paper after a re–sit?
- Yes, they will achieve the full Diploma when they have passed the required number of modules.
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- I don’t want the full Diploma. Can I get an individual certificate?
- Yes, you can enter for any module individually and receive a certificate.
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- Do tutors have to provide a worked copy every time they submit candidates’ work to CIE?
- Yes, although if you have worked through the assessment previously, you can keep a photocopy for future submissions. However, it is useful for the tutor to work through the paper immediately prior to the assessment session, in order to ensure all files/software/hardware are working correctly.
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- Can I enter two sittings of candidates for the same set of papers?
- If there is a period of time between the two sittings, there is no problem in using, say, set A on both occasions. If the second sitting is the following day, you should use different sets. If your two sittings are on the same day, you can use the same set, providing you make arrangements to ensure candidates have no contact until both sittings have taken place.
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- How can I register for ICT?
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If you are already a CIE centre, you need only notify us in writing that you wish to add ICT to the list of courses you are eligible to run. You will automatically be sent an information pack, including Provisional Entry Forms, once you have been registered.
If you are not an existing Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) centre, you will need to contact CIE Customer Support in the first instance. We will send you a centre registration pack. Subject to a centre inspection and, satisfaction of our centre status criteria, you will be allocated a centre number and you will automatically be sent entry documentation.
Please note registration can take some time, so we advise you contact us at least 3 months prior to offering your first course. - Top of page
- How does ‘on–demand’ work in practice?
- Once you have become a registered centre, we will then ask you for provisional entries. At the end of each calendar year, CIE will provide a confidential letter detailing how the Centre Co–ordinator may obtain question papers by automated email. You can then decide when the practical assessment will take place. You can use the same set of papers more than once in a year, but must give re–take candidates a fresh set of assessments. This means that any candidate can only re–take up to twice in any given year.
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- How long does it take from receipt of assignments until we receive results?
- It takes on average 6 weeks from receipt of assignments in Cambridge to receipt of summary of results, result slips and Certificates in centres.
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- How long does the CID in ICT take to complete?
- Around 40 hours for the Core Diploma and 12 hours for an Optional Diploma. However, this is a guideline only, as different students will often progress at different rates and will start the course with different prior knowledge.
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- How many modules do I have to take to get the full Diploma?
- The Core plus 3 Optional modules.
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- How much time is allowed to re–sit the failed module?
- Candidates have a total of 3 years to complete all the modules for the diploma, including any re–sits.
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- Is there any support for tutors?
- Yes, there is teaching support in the form of an e–mail based discussion group for tutors. For more information, go to the Discussion Groups Page. There are also glossaries and past papers available on the Syllabus & Resources page.
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- Once I am registered, how do I enter candidates for ICT?
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You need to send a Provisional Entry Form to us at least 4 weeks before the first assessment. We will then send you a confidential letter detailing how to access the question papers via automated email, the required number of Summary Entry Forms, and Assessment Record Folders.
At the end of the assignment, you put each candidate’s work for the module (printouts etc.) in an Assessment Record Folder, and fill in the details of the candidate on the attached form. You send us the Assessment Record Folders for the candidates being entered, together with the completed Summary Entry Form.
On receipt of the entry, we will send you a Statement of Entry, which confirms that we have received your submission and indicates to the Centre the candidate details which have been entered. - Top of page
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