Edexcel BTEC And LCCI Qualifications

Pearson Higher Nationals in
Computing
SAMPLE ASSESSMENT MATERIALS (SAMs)
Unit 1:		Programming
For use with the Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma in Computing
Assignment Brief Number:			1
First teaching from September 2017
Issue	1

Please note that Sample Assessment Materials are for guidance and support only.

They can be customised and amended according to localised needs and requirements.

All assignments must still be moderated as per the internal verification process.

Edexcel, BTEC and LCCI qualifications

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Please note that Sample Assessment Materials are for guidance and support only.

They can be customised and amended according to localised needs and requirements.

All assignments must still be moderated as per the internal verification process.

Higher National Certificate/Diploma in

Computing

Assignment Brief

Student Name/ID Number
Unit Number and Title	1: Programming
Academic Year
Unit Tutor
Assignment Title
Issue Date
Submission Date
IV Name & Date

Submission Format

The submission is in the form of a ten-minute Microsoft® PowerPoint® style presentation to be presented to your colleagues. The presentation can include links to performance data with additional speaker notes and a bibliography using the Harvard referencing system. The presentation slides for the findings should be submitted with speaker notes. You are required to make effective use of headings, bullet points and subsections as appropriate. Your research should be referenced using the Harvard referencing system. The recommended word limit is 500 words, including speaker notes, although you will not be penalised for exceeding the total word limit.

Please note that Sample Assessment Materials are for guidance and support only.

They can be customised and amended according to localised needs and requirements.

All assignments must still be moderated as per the internal verification process.

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1 Define basic algorithms to carry out an operation and outline the process of programming an application.

Assignment Brief and Guidance

*Please note that assignment guidance is for reference only and should be more specific in detail to meet customised needs.

You currently work for a software development company that produces software for mobile devices. As you are part of the research and development arm, your role includes investigation into new processes that can benefit the company. One particular area of research that you have been tasked with is the use of algorithms and how they can be used to build more efficient software. This will have an impact on the software developed as efficient software can result in longer battery life and the ability to do more with the limited resources mobile devices have to offer.

As the results will need to be delivered to your peers, consider this as a mini research project that will be presented. You will need to explain what an algorithm is, with examples of their use, comparing their efficiency against brute forcing, and how it will relate to the application development process, down to the implementation in a suitable language.

Research could be conducted on your choice of algorithms, including sorting and searching data or encryption/decryption, compression/decompression.

To present your findings you can build a presentation with links to data showing the performance of an algorithm using Big O notation.

*Please access HN Global for additional resources support and reading for this unit. For further guidance and support on report writing please refer to the Study Skills Unit on HN Global. Link to www.highernationals.com

Please note that Sample Assessment Materials are for guidance and support only.

They can be customised and amended according to localised needs and requirements.

All assignments must still be moderated as per the internal verification process.

Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
Pass	Merit	Distinction
LO1 Define basic algorithms to carry out an operation and outline the process of programming an application
P1 Provide a definition of what an algorithm is and outline the process in building an application.	M1 Determine the steps taken from writing code to execution.	D1 Examine the implementation of an algorithm in a suitable language. Evaluate the relationship between the written algorithm and the code variant.