'The term ''functional'' should be considered in the broad sense of providing learners with the skills and abilities they need to take an active and responsible role in their communities, everyday life, the workplace and educational settings. Functional information and communication technology (ICT) requires learners to use technology in ways that make them effective and involved as citizens, to operate confidently in life, and to work in a wide range of contexts.'
Functional skills standards,'Introduction to ICT', © Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 2007
The Functional skills standards provide a single ladder of achievement from Entry 1 to Level 2 that is available to all learners from Key Stage 3 upwards, whatever learning pathway they are taking. The standards support learners in building, developing and consolidating skills that can be applied and transferred to a range of contexts, both within and beyond the classroom. The focus is on securing skills that can be used in learning, work and everyday life.
'It is essential to think of learners becoming functional in their application of ICT rather than thinking there is a vital body of knowledge known as functional ICT.'
Teaching and learning functional ICT, QIA/SNS 2007
Functional ICT is not a discrete component of the new programmes of study, but is embedded within them. In particular, the key processes, concepts and range and content sections reflect the functional ICT standards at Level 1 at Key Stage 3 and at Level 2 at Key Stage 4. For further information, see functional skills in the ICT programme of study at Key Stage 3 and functional skills in the ICT programme of study at Key Stage 4.
The curriculum opportunities section of the programmes of study specifies that pupils apply their knowledge, skills and understanding in contexts beyond the classroom. This requirement ensures that pupils select, use and apply their functional skills in a range of purposeful situations. The programmes of study also stress the need to provide compelling learning experiences for pupils so that they engage more profoundly with what they are learning and internalise the skills they are developing.
Much of current teaching and learning in ICT already addresses functional skills. To enhance alignment, teachers will need to focus on applied learning, including opportunities for problem-solving scenarios or activities that require pupils to think for themselves and to select which functional ICT skills are required to succeed.
Fundamental to this process is an understanding of the factors that underpin progression, and of the level of demand a learner faces in a particular task. These factors are:
More information about the range of approaches for teaching and learning functional skills is available as part of the Excellence Gateway, in particular the downloadable PDF Teaching and learning functional ICT.
Schools will need to decide:
For the majority of pupils, the teaching and development of functional ICT will become an integral part of the ICT curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. Within ICT lessons, pupils will need opportunities to apply their skills to a range of topics relevant to life and work. Pupils will need to understand where there are opportunities for them to transfer the skills they have developed. Links need to be made to other aspects of the curriculum so that young people can apply their functional skills to, for example, the principal learning of the Diploma framework, or to aspects of enterprise or citizenship.
Assessment of functional ICT is still in pilot stage and functional ICT is currently being trialled as a stand-alone qualification. Teaching of the revised GCSE ICT specification from 2010 for first award in 2012 will need to ensure that candidates have mastered functional ICT at Level 2 if they are to achieve GCSE ICT grades A*–C.
For more information relating to functional skills and assessment, visit the 14–19 education and skills website.
Functional skills are part of a three-year pilot that will support national implementation of the qualifications from 2010.
The revised programmes of study, which embed functional skills, will be rolling out at Key Stage 3 from September 2008. Subject leaders need to be aware that those pupils taking Diplomas from September 2008 are required to gain functional skills at the appropriate level. It would therefore be useful to include functional ICT and skills development as a feature of curriculum planning for both Years 7 and 8 from September 2008 as shown in Time line for change (182.68 KB).
