Assessment

Assessment

At this level, learners are not expected to find their own spreadsheet problems. Suitable scenarios should be provided that allow the learners to meet all the assessment criteria. These could involve monthly expenditure and sales figures or cash flow forecasts.

To achieve a pass grade, learners must achieve the eight pass criteria listed in the assessment and grading criteria grid.

For P1, learners must be able to describe the uses of spreadsheet software, ie presentation of information, repetitively and accurately performing calculations; list management. This could be assessed via a written document or using an observation record to record a question and answer session but learners must show an understanding of the calculations and functions used.

For P2, learners must show they can take an original spreadsheet file and convert it into a variety of formats. In addition, learners should be able to say why they would need to carry out a conversion, and what the converted file could be used for. Evidence could involve practical work, with annotated screenshots used to help support written explanations where needed.

For P3, learners must develop a spreadsheet model to meet particular needs. The tutor should produce a reasonable scenario, with detailed requirements for learners to work from. The documentation produced should be limited, the user need will already have been defined and the formulae and functions can be documented using annotated printouts or records of question and answers.

For P4, learners should be able to produce simple functions and formulae. Artificial activities should be avoided and the term ‘spreadsheet solution’ can involve multiple sheets in order to bring in additional opportunities to demonstrate skills. The spreadsheet may be an extension to the work done in P3.

For P5, evidence may be based on the spreadsheets used for P3 and/or P4, examples of inappropriate choice of data type would be use of text for dates, text for entries that might need to be sorted numerically or numeric for currencies. A check against the unit content should be made. The list of examples in the content will indicate the type and level of formatting required. Inappropriate formatting might include using colour if this created confusion when printed out in black and white or the choice of a bar chart to represent continually changing data. The documentation produced should be limited, the user need will already have been defined and the formulae and functions can be documented using annotated printouts or records of question and answers.

For P6, learners need to create either a chart or graph to represent information for a defined user need. The chart or graph can be created from a data set provided by the tutor, and does not need to be overly sophisticated. At this stage, what is required of the learner is that they understand the basic mechanism for making a graph or chart, not that they have mastered its intricacies. Checking must be evidenced for P6 and written reports or records of questions and answers are appropriate. Formal test plans are not required and if learners provides the evidence in written form informal notes are sufficient as long as they clearly show that learners has checked the functionality and that the spreadsheet meets the original user needs. If required, the checking and fixing can be based on pre-prepared spreadsheets that include a range of problems and functions rather than learner’s original work.

For P7, learners should produce and carry out a suitable test plan for a spreadsheet. This might be one that has been created in an earlier task or it could be one prepared by the tutor. Evidence here may be a short report with suitable screengrabs or an annotated test plan with reported results and witness statement.

For P8, learners need to produce spreadsheet documentation which should contain technical and user guides for a spreadsheet model.

To achieve a merit grade, learners must achieve all pass criteria and all the three merit criteria.

M1 requires learners to refine the spreadsheet created in P3 by changing rules and values. The refinements should improve the spreadsheet by making it a more accurate model and easier to use. A short report with annotated screen prints would be a suitable form of evidence.

M2 follows from P5. Learners must justify their choice of tools for presenting data The most likely the form of evidence here will be an extension of the evidence given in P5.

For M3, pre-prepared data sets and scenarios can be provided.

To achieve a distinction grade, learners must achieve all of the pass and merit criteria and the two distinction grade criteria.

D1 follows on from P3 and M1. Learners must evaluate their spreadsheet, together with any improvements that they have made, suggesting further refinements that would be appropriate. Evidence may be presented as a report or presentation. No actual refinements need to be implemented but the tutor must be sure that

the refinements are realistic.

For D2, learners are expected to add automated features as listed in the unit content. it would be appropriate to use macros, links and one other automation method supported by the software being used. Evidence could be submitted as a written report or through observation records based on formal discussions.