The updated specification now includes the Data Protection Act 2018 on page 14, is this referring to GDPR?
We took an opportunity to update the subject content sub topic 1.6.1 ‘legislation relevant to Computer Science’ on page 14 of our updated specification J277. We have included the Data Protection Act 2018 instead of the Data Protection Act 1998 (as in J276) to make sure that the GDPR remains up to date.
We appreciate that GDPR is a huge area and that is why our update to the specification is limited to the Data Protection Act (DPA) and what that covers. Learners must have the knowledge of the impact of DPA 2018 law in computing related issues as compared to the DPA 1998 (legacy law). DPA 2018 is the UK equivalent to the European GDPR.
We would not expect a candidate to know all of the rules and regulations, but more the concept and the impacts it has on digital technologies.
Why has some of the content been updated?
We have made small changes to the content for three reasons:
- Teacher feedback
- Future proofing
- Removal to cater for new content
Due to the requirement to test candidate's ability to design, write, test and refine programs in an examination, we had to add some specification content that was otherwise implicitly tested within the programming project.
This meant that the component 02 exam was unbalanced in content, compared to component 01. We therefore moved data representation into component 01.
As we had introduced more content into the specification, we decided to remove some as well, to help keep the overall content covered at a similar level.
What further sample examination material will OCR be producing?
We are commissioning a full set of practice papers which will be held securely behind Interchange. This will allow teachers to pose an 'unprepared' mock examination. Because content between the two specifications is so similar, ExamBuilder continues to be able to provide a wide range of exam questions for students.
How have the examination papers been updated?
Component 01 remains in a similar format/structure as the J276 examination for component 01.
Component 02 is now split into two sections. Section A has an identical feel to the J276 component 02. Whilst section B will still feel similar, it is designed to specifically test a candidate's ability in designing, writing, testing and refining programs. This section is designed to reflect as far as possible their classroom experiences.
Why is there a requirement to write in OCR Exam Reference Language or a high-level language?
Our assessment meets the requirements set out by Ofqual in the GCSE Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for Computer Science. This states that assessments must require candidates to demonstrate their practical programming skills using a high-level programming language
Candidates who have experienced programming in the classroom should be familiar in both reading and responding in a formal and precise style.
They laid out three formats for response. Pseudocode (flexible and informal), reference language (structured, formal and used to express questions/responses) and writing in a high-level programming language.
Some of our questions in component 02 section B therefore require a level of precision in candidate's answers. These are clearly marked.
See our assessment story: exploring our question papers brochure for further details.