AiDA - What is it?

AiDA stands for Award in Digital Applications, it is one qualifications that can be obtained from following the Diploma in Digital Applications course (Edexcel). Once students have completed the first mandatory unit in using ICT they may undertake additional units to gain up to 4 GCSE’s.

AiDA is a single unit award which has the equivalent weighting of a single GCSE. Unlike most GCSE's the qualification comprises of just one coursework piece and no examination.

The Examination Board set assignments or Summative Project Brief (SPB) are live for 2 years. Students have to complete the project within a maximum of 45 hours.

The qualification itself is relatively new and is a direct response to the current requirements of employers for computer literate users.

As such the course requires students to work in a more vocational and end user focussed way. Understanding and meeting the needs of a given audience and purpose is a key aspect of the course, as is students ability to plan and adapt approaches effectively to meet deadlines, review progress and critically review their products against success criteria.

To achieve a pass in the AiDA qualification students need to earn over 18 points out of 42. The course is offered at 2 levels. Level 1 provides opportunities to access grades G-C whilst level 2 provides opportunities to access grades A* to C only.

Tasks at level 1 and 2 a broadly identical and all students are encouraged to attempt level 2 in their first year of study. Students are prepared for the practical tasks required in this course during Key Stage 3. However, due to the vocational aspects of the course requiring good organisation, significant independent working, reflection and evaluation, many students find the course very demanding.