Developing ICT skills
This unit introduces learners at Entry 1 to fundamental ICT skills, focusing on practical applications such as controlling electronic devices, accessing simple information from digital sources, and using technology to communicate effectively. Through hands-on activities, learners develop confidence in using ICT to interact with their environment and express themselves.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The Ascentis Entry Level Award in Personal Progress (Entry 1) is a foundational qualification designed to help students develop essential life skills and personal independence. This award focuses on building confidence, communication, and basic decision-making abilities, enabling learners to engage more effectively with their environment and daily routines. It is part of the Foundations for Learning suite, which supports students who are beginning their educational journey or require additional support to achieve meaningful progress.
The qualification covers key areas such as personal care, safety awareness, and social interaction. Students learn to identify their own needs, make simple choices, and communicate preferences. For example, they might practice selecting appropriate clothing for the weather, expressing feelings, or following basic safety instructions. These skills are crucial for fostering independence and preparing for further learning or daily life activities.
This award is particularly valuable for students with special educational needs or those who benefit from a structured, supportive approach to learning. It provides a stepping stone to higher-level qualifications and helps learners gain confidence in their abilities. By focusing on personal progress, the qualification ensures that every student can achieve success at their own pace, celebrating small but meaningful steps towards greater autonomy.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Personal care routines: Understanding and participating in daily activities like washing, dressing, and eating independently.
- →Safety awareness: Recognizing common dangers (e.g., hot surfaces, traffic) and following simple safety rules.
- →Communication: Expressing needs, wants, and feelings using words, signs, or symbols.
- →Choice-making: Making simple decisions between two options, such as choosing a snack or activity.
- →Social interaction: Engaging with others in basic ways, like greeting, turn-taking, or sharing.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Use ICT to control the environment, Use ICT as a source of information, Use ICT to communicate or to augment or enable communication
- Use a switch or touch screen to operate a simple digital device
- Identify and select common symbols or icons to locate personal information
- Use a single-message communication aid to express a need or choice
- Demonstrate ability to activate a cause-and-effect program consistently
- Follow simple on-screen prompts to complete a familiar task
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating the ability to activate a switch or interface to operate a device (e.g., turn on a light, play a sound, move a toy).
- Award credit for correctly navigating to a chosen website or app with appropriate support to locate specific information (e.g., identifying a picture or weather symbol).
- Award credit for using a communication aid, image, text, or symbol to convey a need or choice, showing understanding of cause and effect.
- Award credit for sustained engagement with a digital control task over several trials
- Evidence of intentional selection of at least two distinct pieces of information from a symbol-based menu
- Successful activation of a communication device or app to initiate an interaction with a familiar person
- Observation of the learner's reaction to environmental feedback from a control device (e.g., smiling, vocalising)
- Witness statement confirming the learner differentiated between symbols when given a choice
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Ensure assessment evidence clearly shows the learner initiating the ICT action, even if physical prompting or guidance is needed to complete it.
- 💡Use video evidence where possible to capture the learner's intentionality and engagement with the technology over time.
- 💡Record the level and type of support given during each session, demonstrating how the learner is progressing towards greater independence.
- 💡Practise in short, regular sessions to build confidence and muscle memory
- 💡Record video evidence to capture the process of interaction, not just the final outcome
- 💡Maintain consistent positioning and setup of devices to minimise physical barriers
- 💡Use highly motivating, personalised content to sustain engagement
- 💡Ensure witness statements describe exactly what the learner did, avoiding vague language
- 💡Focus on real-life contexts: Use everyday situations (e.g., getting dressed, crossing the road) to demonstrate skills. Examiners value practical application over theoretical knowledge.
- 💡Encourage verbal or non-verbal communication: Allow students to use their preferred method (e.g., pointing, signing, speaking) to show understanding. This is fully accepted at Entry 1.
- 💡Break tasks into small steps: For example, when assessing choice-making, offer two clear options and give the student time to respond. Document each step to show progress.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Pressing multiple buttons simultaneously on a switch or touchscreen, leading to unintended actions or navigation errors.
- Accidentally tapping links or icons when browsing, resulting in frustration or disengagement from the task.
- Using a communication aid impulsively without waiting for a response, not recognising the interactive nature of communication.
- Pressing all buttons randomly without purposeful selection
- Losing focus before completing even a simple multi-step sequence
- Confusing similar-looking symbols or icons
- Relying on physical prompting rather than attempting independent action
- Not attending to the screen or device after activation
- Misconception: Personal progress only means physical tasks like dressing. Correction: It also includes emotional and social growth, such as managing feelings and interacting with others.
- Misconception: Making choices is easy and doesn't need practice. Correction: For many students, choosing between options requires support and repetition to build confidence.
- Misconception: Safety rules are too complex for Entry 1 students. Correction: Simple, concrete rules (e.g., 'stop at the kerb') can be learned through repetition and visual cues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for ASCENTIS Developing ICT skills
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •No formal prerequisites, but students should be able to engage with simple instructions and have basic awareness of their surroundings.
- •Familiarity with routine activities (e.g., mealtime, playtime) helps contextualize learning.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Use ICT to control the environment, Use ICT as a source of information, Use ICT to communicate or to augment or enable communication
- Environmental control using ICT
- Accessing information digitally
- Augmentative and alternative communication
- Basic ICT operations
- Functional technology use
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