WJEC Applied ICT A Level Unit 6 - eStudio
I no longer teach A Level Applied ICT but I'll leave these pages up as an archive which might still be helpful for someone, somewhere.
Unit 6 is a portfolio unit. The exam board provides the scenario in September with the work needing to be complete by the end of the following April.
The scenario will involve the production of a range of multimedia products. These are usually along the lines of:
- a vector graphic of some kind (a core skill which will always be there)
- bitmap graphics
- video
- sound files
- timeline animation (using Flash)
There's a lot of products to create for this unit and a wide range of skills to develop - and the markgrid to stick to as well. Feedback, testing and development notes will all be required along the way.
WJ Sound scenario - the 2013-14 scenario as an example of the sorts of products needed
Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are something you may not have come across before. Once you know what they are it's easy enough to get your head around how they work - but some of the explanations on the web can be rather tricky to get your head around!
Vector graphics intro - covering the basics
You need specialised tools to produce vector graphics. Adobe Illustrator is an industry standard software package with plenty of power (in fact, possibly rather too much at times!). I used it to produce my WJ Sound logo (complete with intentionally ironic use of the Papyrus typeface).
Getting started with Illustrator - a guide to produce a logo like mine!
Illustrator toolbar - a one side idea of what the Illustrator toolbars do
The Adobe website has some excellent help on how to use the tools in Illustrator. Click through the pages to get more in depth guidance each time.
There are also a series of tutorials which might be very useful indeed. These tend to be video driven but there are help sheets and so on as well.
Markgrid
Unit 6 markgrid - an extract from the syllabus for ease of use by students rather than for any other purpose...