APPENDIX GA36a

LEVEL 4 ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION

Programme: CERTHE Computing Skills for the Workplace

Module: Software Solutions for Business

Module code: ACCA4026 Contributio 100%
n to Overall
Module
Assessme
nt (%):

Lecturer(s)
Teressa Chikohora Internal Renuga Jayakumar
Kwame Assa Verifier:

Assignment Title: Assessment Component 1 - 4000 Words

Word
Coursework-Portfolio
count (or
equivalent)
:
Submission Wednesday, 21st August 2024 – 19/09/2024
Return date of
deadline: 2pm
provisional
marks &
written
feedback:
Submission All written assessments, where practical and possible, must be submitted via
method: Turnitin unless otherwise instructed by the Lecturer. (Please DO NOT put this
assessment specification into Turnitin or it will match many similarities with other
students’ submissions.)
Alternative submission method (if applicable):
Late submission of the assessment will result in a late penalty mark.
Penalties for late submission: Up to one week late, maximum mark of 40%. Over
one week late, 0%. Only the Extenuating Circumstances Panel may approve a
change to submission dates.
Academic honesty is required. In the main body of your submission, you must
give credit to authors on whose research and ideas your work is based. Append
Academic
to your submission a reference list that indicates the books, articles, etc. that
honesty
you have used, cited or quoted in order to complete this assessment.
/
referencing:
 Module Learning Outcomes (from module syllabus)

1. Knowledge and skills to use software packages and applications to support day-to-day
business operations.
2. Ability to create, present and communicate information in a structured and managed way at
their workplace.
Assessment Component 1

Component 1 – 100% of the final mark for the module

Mode of assessment Volume Weighting

Portfolio with some assigned tasks
4000 words or
100%
equivalent

TASK DESCRIPTION
The aim of this assignment is for you to demonstrate your ability to use a variety of software applications/tools that
are/can be used to enhance the technology-based solution for the workplace/business. You can make suggestions
with examples as to how those software solutions can improve the workplace e.g. in terms of enhancing productivity
/ workflow / communication / decision-making etc. It is not necessary or essential, but you can apply the tools to
your own sphere of employment/future-employment-area (live/private/sensitive information or data should not be
used or included).

As indicated in the task descriptions below, each software area mentioned should first be explored, before selecting
and testing some features of a relevant application to provide evidence of practical use for each area (this should
not include actual live information, or any information that may be private or of a sensitive nature) but should be a
simulation in order to demonstrate some practical application of the knowledge presented in the written element.

Task 1. e-Commerce Website builders/software solutions (Approx. 500 words)

Give a description of several contemporary e-Commerce website builders/software solutions

(approx. 2/3 sources).

Task 2. Mind-map of contemporary software applications (Approx. 500 words).

a. Describe mind mapping and explain the benefits of using mind mapping in business
operations (approx. 2/3 sources).
b. Create a mind map of contemporary software applications that are used to support day-today
business/Organisation operations.
 Task 3. Office Applications for creating, storing, presenting, and analysing information/data
(Approx. 2000 words).

a. Explain four office software solutions for business operations (MS Word, MS PowerPoint,
MS Excel, and MS Access), highlighting their major features, benefits, and limitations (if there
are any). You can use some images in addition to text (approx. 4/5 sources).

b. Test Mail merge, IF Function, VLOOKUP, Pivot Table, Goal Seek in MS Excel and document
several screenshots with accompanying description to provide evidence of practical use.
Note: This task is based on your own practical activities.

Task 4. Communication and Collaboration applications (Approx. 1000 words).

a. Analyse at least two contemporary Communication (Email and others) and Online
Collaboration (SharePoint, MS Teams etc.) applications/tools used frequently in modern
business world and document a summary of their key features using written text with
some images and relevant citations. (approx. 2/3 sources)
b. Test at least two features of a freely available Communication (1) and Collaboration (1)
application and document several screenshots with brief accompanying description to
provide evidence of practical use.

Additional supporting information:

• Please note the assignment should be submitted as one Microsoft Word document.

• Your work must include a title page with your full name, student ID number, the program
of study, module name, module code, Lecturer’s name, date of submission and the
university name with relevant campus name.

• The references should be properly cited and listed. You need to employ proper in-text
citations and references list according to IEEE Referencing Style.

• Your work should be typed in Arial font, size 11.

• Your work should be typed with 1.5 line spacing.

• Your work should have an appropriate structure including page number, table of
contents, tasks answers, and references list. Different sections should incorporate
headings and subheadings. Figures and tables need to be captioned.
GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF
TASKS
NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five generic assessment criteria overleaf.

1. Engagement with Literature Skills

Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s)
set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed an appropriate range of sources, which may be
academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks,
current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your
sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful
consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to- date,
mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be older.
You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using a suitable referencing
system, including in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list at the end of your work.

Guidance specific to this assessment: Engage with and document research and referencing. See
assignment tasks above. IEEE formatting for Referencing.

2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills

At level 4, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles associated
with your area(s) of study. Knowledge relates to the facts, information and skills you have acquired through
your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information
(knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models,
theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. to show
your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your
knowledge and understanding.

Guidance specific to this assessment: Engage with research and practical testing to enhance and
document your knowledge and understanding. See assignment tasks above.

3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

You should be able to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, in order to develop
lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of your
subject(s) of study. You should be able to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving
problems related to your area(s) of study and/or work. Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical
thinking. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare
and contrast information. This means not just describing what! But also justifying: Why? How? When? Who?
Where? At what cost? You should provide justification for your arguments and judgements using evidence
that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area and that you are able to make sound
judgements and arguments using data and concepts. Where relevant, alternative solutions and
recommendations may be proposed.

Guidance specific to this assessment: Document some analysis. See assignment tasks above. Use
references for justification of your analysis.

4. Practical Skills
At level 4, you should be able to apply the basic underlying concepts and principles to evaluate and interpret
these within the context of your area of study. You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related
concepts and ideas relate to real world situations and/or a particular context. How do they work in practice?
You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations,
perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts. This is likely to involve, for
instance, the use of real world artefacts, examples and cases, the application of a model within an
organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation against others based on stated criteria.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Perform practical testing. See assignment tasks above.

5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring
the exercise of some personal responsibility. This includes demonstrating: that you can communicate the
results of your study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments; that you can
initiate and complete tasks and procedures, whether individually and/or collaboratively; fluency of expression;
clarity and effectiveness in presentation and organisation. Work should be coherent and well-structured in
presentation and organisation.

Guidance specific to this assessment: Your submission should have an appropriate structure, page
numbers, table of content, and reference list. It should be well-organised and maintains a consistent format.
Different sections should incorporate headings and subheadings. Figures and tables need to be captioned.
 STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM
This section details the extent to which the assessment criteria are demonstrated by you, which in turn determines your
mark. The marks available for each category of skill are shown. Lecturers will use the space provided to comment on
the achievement of the task(s), including those areas in which you have performed well and areas that would benefit
from development/improvement.

Generic Assessment Criteria

1. Engagement with Literature Skills (IEEE format)

20

2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills

20

3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

20

4. Practical Application Skills

20

5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

20

Assessment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the Late Submission Penalties (tick if
Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work appropriate) 100%
and are for guidance only until they are confirmed. ) Up to 1 week late (40% Max)
Over 1 week late (0%)
GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Level 4
In accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 4 students will be expected to have demonstrated knowledge of
the basic underlying concepts and principles of a subject, and an ability to evaluate and interpret these within the context of that area of study. They should
be able to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance
with basic theories and concepts of their subject(s) of study. They will have learned how to evaluate different approaches to solving problems, and will be
able to communicate the results of their study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments. They will be able to undertake further
training and develop new skills within a structured and managed environment and will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment
requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility.

Level 4 SATISFACTORY GOOD VERY GOOD EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL

FAIL MARGINAL FAIL
(3rd / Pass) (2.2 / Pass) (2.1 / Merit) (1st / Distinction) (1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
Engagement Little or no Poor Engagement Engagement Engagement Engagement Exceptional
with literature evidence of engagement with with a with an with a wide range with an extensive engagement with
(including reading, reading and/or essential limited range of appropriate of range of relevant an extensive
referencing, reliance on reading. No mostly relevant range of literature and credible range of relevant
academic inappropriate evidence of and literature, , including literature. and credible
conventions and wider reading. including literature. High-
sources. credible sources sources Consistently
academic
honesty) Views and Reliance on but with some sources retrieved accurate level referencing
findings mostly inappropriate reliance retrieved independently. application of skills consistently
unsupported and sources, and/or on information independently. Selection of referencing. applied.
non- indiscriminate gained through Some over- relevant and
authoritative. use of sources. class contact. reliance on texts credible sources.
Referencing Heavily reliant on Some omissions rather than other Generally sound
conventions information and minor sources. referencing, with
used gained through errors. Referencing may no/very few
incoherently or class contact. Referencing show minor inaccuracies or
largely absent. Inconsistent and conventions inaccuracies or inconsistencies.
weak use evident though inconsistencies.
of referencing. not always
applied
accurately or
consistently.
 Knowledge and Major gaps in Gaps in Limited Knowledge of the Competent Excellent Exceptional,
understanding knowledge and knowledge of the knowledge and basic underlying knowledge of the knowledge and detailed
(Knowledge of the understanding of basic underlying understanding of concepts and basic underlying understanding of knowledge and
basic underlying the basic concepts and the basic principles is concepts the basic understanding of
concepts and underlying principles, with underlying accurate with a and underlying the basic
principles of a good underlying
concepts and flawed or concepts and principles. concepts and
subject.)
principles of the superficial principles within understanding of Exhibits very
subject matter. understanding. the subject area. the field of study

Level 4 SATISFACTORY GOOD VERY GOOD EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL

FAIL MARGINAL FAIL
(3rd / Pass) (2.2 / Pass) (2.1 / Merit) (1st / Distinction) (1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
Inclusion of Some significant Some elements but lacks depth good principles of the concepts and
irrelevant inaccuracies may be missing. and/or breadth. understanding. subject. principles
material. and/or irrelevant
Substantial material.
inaccuracies.
Cognitive and Wholly or almost Largely Limited attempt Good evaluation Sound Excellent Exceptional
intellectual wholly descriptive work, at evaluation of of the underlying evaluation of the evaluation of the evaluation of the
skills (Evaluate descriptive work. with superficial the underlying concepts and underlying underlying underlying
underlying Little or no evaluation of the concepts and principles. Can concepts and concepts concepts and
concepts and evaluation of the underlying principles, interpret principles. Can and principles. principles based
principles of a underlying concepts and tending towards qualitative interpret Can interpret evidence.
subject and concepts principles. Weak description. and quantitative qualitative qualitative and Outstanding
interpret
and interpretation of Can interpret data, with minor and quantitative quantitative data interpretation of
qualitative and
quantitative data principles. data, flawed qualitative and errors. data accurately. accurately and qualitative
in order to develop Failure development of
to quantitative data An emerging Ability to devise with some and
lines of argument develop arguments and but with some ability to arguments using insight. Excellent quantitative data.
and make sound arguments, judgements. errors. Some use evidence to evidence to ability to devise Exceptional
judgements.) leading Information
to evidence to support the make mostly arguments using ability to devise
accepted
illogical or invalid support argument. appropriate and evidence and arguments using
judgements. uncritically, uses emerging Mostly valid valid make evidence
Minimal or no generalised arguments and arguments and judgements. appropriate and and make
use of evidence statements judgements but logical valid wholly
to back up made with scant these may be judgements. judgements. appropriate and
views. evidence underdeveloped valid
and or with a little judgements.
unsubstantiated inconsistency /
opinions. mis-
Ideas interpretation.
sometimes
illogical
and contradictory.
Practical skills Limited or no use Rudimentary An adequate A good and A very good An advanced Exceptional
(Different of taught, basic application of awareness and appropriate application of a application of a levels of
approaches to methods, taught, basic mostly application of range of basic range of taught, application and
solving problems materials, tools methods, appropriate basic methods, methods, basic methods, deployment skills
in particular and/or materials, tools application of materials, tools materials, tools materials, tools in particular
contexts.)
techniques. and/or basic methods, and/or and/or and/or practical
Little or no techniques but materials, tools techniques. techniques. techniques. contexts.
appreciation of without and/or Clear Very good The context of Outstanding
the context of the consideration techniques. appreciation of consideration of the application is identification of
application. and Basic the context of the the context of the well considered, problems in
Very weak competence. appreciation of application. application. Very and insightful. particular
evidence of Flawed good evidence of contexts and
Level 4 SATISFACTORY GOOD VERY GOOD EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
FAIL MARGINAL FAIL
(3rd / Pass) (2.2 / Pass) (2.1 / Merit) (1st / Distinction) (1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
different appreciation of the context of the Good evidence different Excellent formulation of
approaches to the context of the application. of different approaches to evidence of wholly
problem-solving application. Can identify approaches to problem-solving different appropriate,
in particular Weak evidence problems in problem-solving in particular approaches to thoughtful
contexts. of different particular in particular contexts problem-solving solutions /
approaches to contexts and contexts and in particular different
problem-solving propose basic and proposes contexts approaches.
in particular alternative proposes mostly appropriate and
contexts. approaches or appropriate solutions. proposes
solutions though solutions. appropriate
there may be solutions.
errors.
Transferable Work is poorly Work is poorly Mostly ordered Mostly coherent, Work is Work is Work is accurate,
skills for life structured, presented in a presentation and organised and accurate, coherent, very exceptionally
and disorganised, disjointed structure in accurate work, in coherent, fluent, fluent and is coherent,
professional inaccurate manner. It is which relevant a suitable well-structured presented very fluent
practice and/or loosely, and at ideas / concepts structure and is and organised. professionally and presented
(Communicate confusingly times are expressed. for the most part Can work Can well.
the results of their expressed. Very incoherently, Work clearly effectively work Can work
study/work weak use of structured, with may lack expressed. Can independently effectively effectively
accurately and
reliably, and with
language and/or information and coherence work effectively and/or as part of independently independently
structured and very ideas often and/or accuracy independently a team, with very and/or as part of and/or as part of
coherent inappropriate poorly in places. Can and/or as part of good a team, with an a team, with an
arguments; the style. Failure to expressed. work as part of a a team, with clear contribution to excellent exceptional
qualities needed work effectively Weak use of group, contribution to group activities. contribution to contribution to
for employment individual or as language and/or meeting group Demonstrates group activities. group activities.
requiring the part of a group. inappropriate most obligations activities. very good skills Demonstrates Demonstrates
exercise of some style. Flawed excellent skills
Little or no to others Demonstrates for employment exceptional skills
personal
responsibility evidence of the approach to but perhaps the skills requiring for employment for employment
within a structured skills for individual or with for employment exercise of some requiring the requiring the
and managed employment group work, limited requiring the personal exercise of some exercise of some
environment.) requiring the meeting only involvement in exercise of some responsibility, personal personal
exercise of some partial group activities. personal with just responsibility responsibility
personal obligations to Demonstrates responsibility, occasional minor with an appetite with an appetite
responsibility. others. Limited the basic skills with some areas weakness. for further for further
evidence of the for employment of strength and development. development.
skills requiring the some of minor
for employment exercise of some weakness.
requiring the personal
exercise of some responsibility,
personal with some areas
responsibility. of
minor weakness.
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