BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Principles of Applied Science. BTEC Level 1/ Level 2 First Award in Application of Science

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1 Science Department Student Handbook BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Principles of Applied Science BTEC Level 1/ Level 2 First Award in Application of Science Science BTEC Coordinator: Mrs Purtell Quality Nominee: Mr Miller Student Name Class Teacher Name 1

2 CONTENTS Introduction... 3 Induction check list:... 3 Qualification details... 3 Programme Overview & Unit Details... 3 BTEC Qualifications - What is BTEC equivalent to?... 4 How will my learning be assessed?... 4 What can I do after this course?... 4 Year Plan... 4 Homework and Independent Learning... 4 Unit Summary... 5 Assignment briefs... 7 Assessment... 7 Deadlines... 8 Recording Student Marks... 8 Storage of Student Evidence... 8 What if I move part way through the course?... 8 What you can expect from us... 8 What we expect from you... 8 Information, advice and guidance... 8 How we can support your learning... 9 Your health and safety... 9 What if things go wrong?... 9 Appeals... 9 Transferable Skills Registration and Certification information Setting up References and Quotations Referencing sources online General quotations Plagiarism BTEC Booklet induction session form

3 INTRODUCTION The vision for the Edmonton County Science department includes a section that says every student has the opportunity to succeed in Science. We are here to help you achieve your goals and qualify in BTEC Applied Science. The purpose of this handbook is to inform you, the learner, of how the BTEC in Applied Science course operates and how you can make the most of your valuable learning time. We have responsibilities to you, and you also have responsibilities to us. This pack will outline what both sides can expect from each other. If you have any questions or concerns about the BTEC course please do not hesitate to talk to any of the Science Staff. INDUCTION CHECK LIST: Mrs Purtell BTEC Coordinator Read this booklet thoroughly with your teacher. Sign the Plagiarism information page. Complete the induction form on the last page, sign and return it to your teacher. QUALIFICATION DETAILS BTEC qualifications have been developed to provide specialist work-related qualifications in a range of areas. The course offered is practical and will give you the opportunity to complete assignments and activities based on realistic situations linked to working in a variety of science related environments. It will give you a good feel for what it will be like to be at work as well as developing your communication, numeracy, IT, time management and teamwork skills. BTEC Firsts motivate learners, and open doors to progression into further study and responsibility within the workplace. PROGRAMME OVERVIEW & UNIT DETAILS Our aim is to support you to receive two qualifications by the end of year 11. These are: BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Principles of Applied Science BTEC Level 1/ Level 2 First Award in Application of Science This BTEC First Award has units that your centre assesses (internal) and a unit that Edexcel sets and marks (external). The first qualification that we aim that students will achieve is the Edexcel BTEC Level 2 First Award in Principles of Applied Science. The units that are required for that qualification are in the table below: Unit Name of unit How the unit is assessed? Weighting of each unit (%) 1 Principles of Science Externally assessed through an exam 25 2 Chemistry and Our Earth Internally assessed through assignments 25 3 Energy and Our Universe Internally assessed through assignments 25 4 Biology and Our Environment Internally assessed through assignments 25 The second qualification that students would aspire to achieve is called the Edexcel BTEC Level 2 First Award in Application of Science, and follows a similar structure. Again, the units that are required for that qualification are in the table below: Unit Name of unit How the unit is assessed? Weighting of each unit (%) 5 Applications of Chemical Substances Internally assessed through assignments 25 6 Applications of Physical Science Internally assessed through assignments 25 7 Health Applications of Life Science Internally assessed through assignments 25 8 Scientific skills Externally assessed through an exam 25 3

4 BTEC QUALIFICATIONS - WHAT IS BTEC EQUIVALENT TO? Each Level 2 course is equivalent to one GCSE. You will be given overall grades at the end of the year as follows: BTEC grade achieved Equivalent GCSE Grade Equivalent GCSE Number Level 2 Distinction* A* 8.5 Level 2 Distinction A 7 Level 2 Merit B 5.5 Level 2 Pass C 4 Level 1 Pass D 1.75 HOW WILL MY LEARNING BE ASSESSED? For each qualification, there is one external examination that counts for 25% of your overall grade. 75% of the course is assessed internally through assignments. It is essential that you keep a portfolio of evidence of all of your achievements. This includes the coursework you produce, such as items, photographs, video footage, assignments, computer print-outs, questionnaires, check lists, or projects, etc. It shows you and your tutor what you have learnt and will be looked at during marking and moderation. WHAT CAN I DO AFTER THIS COURSE? The BTEC Diploma in Applied Science will enable you to progress to an Advanced Level course in Science, which will equip you to move on to degree courses in associated areas. You could, alternatively, go into employment in roles such as quality control technician/analyst; working in a hospital as a medical physics technician; working in a research laboratory in the development of new drugs; working for a science magazine or journal, etc. YEAR PLAN In order to support you to do this, you will cover the following in your lessons this academic year. Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Unit 3: Energy and Our Universe Unit 2: Chemistry and Our Earth Unit 4: Biology and Our Environment Unit 5: Application of Chemical Substances Unit 6: Application of physical Science Unit 6: Application of physical Science Unit 7: Health Application of Life Science Unit 8: Scientific skills Unit 1: Principles of Science HOMEWORK AND INDEPENDENT LEARNING Independent learning includes completing your assignments in your own time. 4

5 Unit 3: Energy and Our Universe Unit 2: Chemistry and Our Earth UNIT SUMMARY A knowledge and understanding of the properties of chemical substances is vital for making certain scientific decisions. For example, this knowledge and understanding would be applied when deciding which starting materials to use when carrying out chemical reactions to manufacture products such as pharmaceuticals, computer-chip technology materials and food products. You will cover the properties of elements from groups 1 and 7 in the periodic table, where some elements, like sodium, are very reactive metals, while others, like chlorine, are very reactive non-metals. Other elements, like helium, are very unreactive helium s properties make it suitable for use in balloons and in the gas mixture for diving tanks. This is extended further as you study the structure of elements, and how they bond together to form molecules, which are covalently or ionically bonded. You will also look at how the physical and chemical properties of chemical substances are influenced by their structure and bonding. Industrial processes need to take into account the rate at which a chemical reaction takes place. Reactions have to be slow enough to be safe but fast enough to allow the chemicals to be made profitably. You will study the factors that affect the rates of chemical reactions and the reaction conditions that optimise their effectiveness in industry. You will also study how the Earth s natural activities, and the use of naturally occurring materials as starting materials in industrial processes, have an impact on the Earth and the environment. This is extended to studying sustainable development issues, with regard to human activities and possible solutions to reduce the amount of fossil fuels used in domestic and industrial situations. The aim of this unit is to use and develop the knowledge that you have learnt in Unit 1 using locally relevant industrial and related contexts. These contexts might include the role of environmental science in best industrial practice and maximising the yield of industrial reactions. Nuclear scientists are currently investigating the use of nuclear fusion to gain a source of energy that is safe and does not have the radioactivity issues associated with nuclear fission. Meanwhile, medical physicists are researching ways of improving the use of medical imaging and methods to fight cancer. In this unit, you will explore ionising radiations, their uses and sources, including alpha, beta, gamma and X-rays. You will also investigate radioactive decay, half-life, nuclear fission and fusion, and issues associated with nuclear energy. Most electrical devices (televisions, computers, washing machines, etc.) need electrical energy that is transmitted from power stations to homes and businesses to operate. You will be introduced to the basics of electrical circuits, power supplies and the transmission of electrical energy. You will also investigate how this important form of energy is brought to homes. Our Universe is a fascinating place, which is evolving over time. You will look at the composition of the Solar System, methods of exploring it and the evidence for a constantly changing and expanding Universe. The aim of this unit is to enable you to develop knowledge and skills related to important fundamental physical concepts. Where possible, this should be done in locally relevant industrial and related contexts such as energy supply and safe working with nuclear materials. With an emphasis on experimental investigations, and to some extent computer simulations, you will also explore some aspects of the physics of our world and beyond. 5

6 Unit 5: Applications of Chemical Substances Unit 4: Biology and Our Environment Environmental science technicians and scientists work for local authorities, the government and charities to monitor the effects of human activities on local, national and global environments. You will study the different activities that humans carry out that cause damage to the environment. You will gain an understanding of how the pollutants released from human activities affect air, water and land, using primary and/or secondary data to determine how different pollutants affect living things. The use of indicators in measuring pollution levels is explored and you will study the methods and schemes used to try to reduce or counteract the effects of human activity on the environment. Scientists in health programmes monitor the various factors that impact on human health and seek to improve the health of the population. To complete your study of this unit, you will investigate the causes of disease, including genetic disease, and how various diseases can be prevented and treated. You will have the opportunity to investigate the problems associated with the misuse of treatment regimes and implications that resistant forms of bacteria have on the future treatment of disease. You will study and compare the adaptations of different organisms and how these adaptations determine the success of organisms in their environment. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate how adaptations bring about evolution or, on the contrary, bring about species extinction. The aim of this unit is to further develop your understanding of the core concepts you have learnt in Unit 1 by studying relationships between different organisms and the environment. Where possible this should be done using industrial and related contexts such as local government monitoring of the environmental impact of industries and proper use of medicines. It is important for chemists working in the manufacturing industry to be able to measure the amount of energy given out or absorbed during chemical reactions. This will enable them to manufacture products safely and efficiently, and also to find uses for chemical reactions that increase or decrease in temperature, in applications such as heat or cold packs. For exothermic and endothermic reactions, you will measure the amount of heat that some reactions give out and other reactions take in. You may also be able to relate this to the chemical bonds that are broken and made. Organic compounds are used extensively in society. Many of these are derived from crude oil. You will look at how crude oil is distilled to produce different fractions. Many of these have uses as fuels. You will study the structure, reactions and uses of some important organic chemicals. Chemists are constantly finding and developing new types of materials and new ways to use existing materials. More and more composite materials are being used for example, to make cars, aeroplanes and mobile phones, and in building materials. Some of these composites use waste plastics. Most recently, smart materials (those that change their properties in response to changes in their environment) are finding applications. Polymers with exceptional insulating properties are used in niche applications, such as firefighting. The aim of this unit is to build on some of the basic fundamental concepts that you have learnt in Units 1 and 2 in relation to bonding and chemical reactions. 6

7 Unit 7: Health Applications of Life Science Unit 6: Applications of Physical Science Scientists have been vital in improving safety in everyday life and in developing many modern technologies by applying their knowledge of forces, waves and electricity. You will develop an understanding of motion and how it relates to road safety. You will also have the opportunity to find out how to represent motion graphically and to carry out investigations, for example, on the way speed cameras operate. Following on from this, you will develop your understanding of forces and how they are used in applications such as weight measurement or car safety. This theme could be continued through to the investigation of the motion of vehicles. You will also investigate light and find out, for example, how the reflection of light is used to make our roads safer. You could also explore how the human eye functions and how eye glasses are used to correct defects in vision. Finally, you will investigate how electricity is used in our world, looking at practical uses of electricity by building circuits. The aim of this unit is to build on the fundamental concepts you have learnt in Units 1 and 3. In this unit you will apply your knowledge and understanding to explore and investigate a range of applications of physics in the real world. The knowledge and skills developed in this unit are essential for biological science technicians and scientists working in biology, health care, laboratory services and other biology-related industries. You will consider both the positive and negative aspects of diet and exercise, and the learning programme should encourage you to develop a balanced view of issues such as obesity and eating disorders. There will also be an opportunity to study the human immune system and how vaccinations can be used to boost the natural system. Consideration of the public s response to issues surrounding the use of vaccinations could also be included. There is also a good opportunity for you to investigate some of the screening programmes that are used to help early identification of conditions or early diagnosis of disease. A fascinating study can be made of how scientific research has improved in recent years. Other interesting medical applications, such as blood transfusions and stem cell research, are covered in this unit. By the end of this unit you will have gained knowledge of medical advances and research that use biological processes in the prevention and treatment of certain conditions and diseases. In this unit you will be able to build on your understanding of the fundamental concepts of biology that you have learnt in previous biology units. This unit enables you to develop and use your knowledge to investigate health-related factors in more detail. ASSIGNMENT BRIEFS Students will receive an assignment brief at the start of a piece of work. It is an important document and will be constantly referred to during the work. The assignment brief will outline: Unit details and title of the work Submission dates The scenario Tasks that will enable learners to meet the criteria Evidence that is required to meet the criteria Space for feedback A student declaration that must be signed by the student. ASSESSMENT All assessment decisions are carefully made against the specified Unit Grading Criteria and by teachers who are subject specialists. All assessments made by teachers go through a vigorous Internal Verification process. Assessment decisions are often checked further by an External Verifier from Edexcel. 7

8 DEADLINES All of the deadlines will be shared with you as/when you need to know them. You may wish to record them in your planner for future information. RECORDING STUDENT MARKS Student marks are recorded on the teacher feedback section. These teacher feedback sections will explain why the criteria have not been met. All data will be stored electronically by science staff in a protected area. STORAGE OF STUDENT EVIDENCE All paper and electronic evidence will be securely stored until certification centrally by the Lead Internal Verifier (BTEC course leader) WHAT IF I MOVE PART WAY THROUGH THE COURSE? By registering with BTEC you will be able to transfer your credits and collect more wherever you move to. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US Our aim is to provide a supportive learning environment. We will do our best to provide: Equal opportunities Good quality teaching An Individual Learning Plan which summarises what you want to gain from your course Feedback on your progress Advice on your options after your course including opportunities to move onto other courses Opportunities to feedback your experience of our provision which include course evaluations, student surveys, learner focus groups etc WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU To create an environment which helps you to have the best chance of success we expect all learners to: Have good attendance to school following the school recommendation of 95% Attend lessons on time and give 100% effort Be well behaved and courteous towards your teachers and other students. Behave responsibly and safely at all times Contribute to creating a pleasant learning environment by respecting the diverse backgrounds of other learners and staff Ask for assistance if you are having difficulties with any aspect of your course or feel you need help Organise your work, ensuring you do not lose anything and you can keep your work safe before it is filed and locked away Meet deadlines set, failure to do so will result in detentions and intervention catch up sessions after school. INFORMATION, ADVICE AND GUIDANCE Our course guide gives an overview of the learning activities we offer. Further information can be provided by speaking to your tutor or contacting the Careers office in school. 8

9 HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR LEARNING ICT plenty of opportunities to access ICT in the school. Feedback Written feedback will be given throughout the course. Science staff are always available before and after school, and sometimes at break and lunch (depending on their timetables) if you require more in depth feedback or support. YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY Our aim is provide you with a safe and healthy learning environment. By following the laboratory and classroom rules you will remain safe and secure in every lesson. The classroom rules at Edmonton County are: Be on time for lessons Listen to staff members and follow instructions Be in correct uniform and have correct equipment Try your best with work and homework No eating or drinking The lab rules at Edmonton County Science department are: Bags, coats and chairs to be stored appropriately Long hair tied back, ties tucked in Always stand when doing experiments Goggles on No messing about and no running We also have other health and safety procedures, documentations and risk assessments which are implemented lesson-bylesson. If you want more information about this please speak to your teacher. WHAT IF THINGS GO WRONG? If you are not happy with the content or quality of your course or your assessment, please discuss this with your teacher. If you are not happy with the grade you are awarded you can go through the appeals procedure (see section below). APPEALS All assessment decisions are carefully made and have rigor. The initial assessment is made by a tutor. The tutor s assessments are checked through a second assessment procedure by the centre internal verification system. If a student questions an assessment decision and feels they have been unjustly assessed they can appeal. The centres appeal procedure is as follows: Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Student discusses their concerns with the tutor Student addresses their concerns in writing to the programme manager Student attends an interview with the tutor and programme manager Student addresses their concerns in writing to the Quality Nominee Student attends an interview with the tutor, programme manager and Quality Nominee If the centre appeals procedure has been exhausted the appeal will be submitted to Edexcel in writing by the Head of Centre and the examination board appeals procedure will be instigated. The deadline for the completion of each BTEC Assignment will be set by your tutor 9

10 TRANSFERABLE SKILLS Throughout the course you will be using a range of skills that are classified as transferable. This means you can use these skills in other situations, lessons and environments. Teamwork You will be asked to work as part of a small group to solve problems. You will be asked to work as part of a group during practicals and presentations. Communication You will be asked questions about your work. You will also need to be able to communicate your findings during research and practical work. Written Communication Your assignments require written evidence that needs to be legible, well presented and follow an agreed format i.e. by hand, word processed or PowerPoint. Numeracy In science you will often be asked to show your findings in a numerical form. You will also need to be able to be able to carry out calculations and draw graphs. REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATION INFORMATION You will be registered and certified for your BTEC qualification through the school (as your centre). The centre number for Edmonton County is Your candidate number will be provided to you by your teacher. If you have any questions or concerns about being registered on the BTEC course, or how you will be certified please speak to Mrs Purtell. 10

11 SETTING UP REFERENCES AND QUOTATIONS REFERENCING SOURCES ONLINE Referencing systems for electronic sources are becoming standardised. The in-text reference should follow the same format as for printed sources; however, the bibliographic information on your references page will be different and generally requires you to include the type of resource plus when it was accessed, as well as the URL for on-line sources. For example: British Sports Disability Sports online reference: (downloaded 7 July 2007) GENERAL QUOTATIONS When using a quotation you will reproduce the actual words a writer uses in your work. You should, therefore, take care to copy accurately. If you copy the actual words a writer uses you should put the words in quotation marks ( ) and give a reference. In this example: Jack Frost wrote "summer is not coming in" (Frost, A p.9) would appear in the text. Note: "summer is not coming in" is the quotation. (Frost, A p.9) is the reference PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is copying and passing off work as the learner s own. This can be a whole piece of work or a part, including artwork, images, words, computer generated work (including the internet), thoughts, inventions etc. This is taken very seriously and work handed in that is a form of plagiarism will not be accepted. To ensure you do not plagiarise write using your own words. If you do use the work of others e.g. books, internet etc you must reference using the procedures above. Please sign below to indicate that you understand the Plagiarism information given: Signed: Date: Name (please print) 11

12 BTEC BOOKLET INDUCTION SESSION FORM Do you feel you understand the BTEC course, its content and how it will be assessed? Is there anything you are unclear of, or any further information you will require? Do you feel you have fully understood the information on plagiarism? If no, please explain: Any other comments? Signed: Date: 12