Diploma in Information Technology

Purpose

This Diploma: Information Technology (IT) aims to enable qualifying learners to perform better and more efficiently in the continuously changing industrial, organisational and commercial information and communication technology environments. It will provide the learners with opportunities to specialise in fields such as Systems Development, Network Engineering, and Information Technology Management.

The qualifying learner should have the ability to

• Analyse and design software solutions to industry related IT problems.
• Utilise the required technical skills to effectively implement the designed solutions in an IT environment.
• Utilise the required technical skill to design and implement solutions in data communications, networks and the internet environment.
• Effectively utilise business and management skills to bridge the gap between the IT discipline and the business functional areas in industry.
• Use hardware to its full potential by understanding the technical operation of hardware and to control it on a low level.
• Provide IT support services to end-users in their chosen business sector.

Rationale

While the growth in demand for IT services continues to rise, professional skills are in short supply in South Africa. The Diploma: Information Technology is designed to address the critical areas for building a developmental information society as identified by the South African Department of Communications:

• E-Governance.
• E-Skills Development.
• SMME Development.
• Information Ethics.
• Information Communication Technology (ICT).
• Rural Development.

This demand, coupled with the statistics of the National Scarce Skills list for South Africa (2008), published by the Department of Labour, also identifies scarce and critical skills required by the country. The national demand for IT skills has shown a shortage of over 50,000 vacancies in various occupations.

This qualification will prepare learners for careers in the IT industry and ease the dire need for qualified people in this field. A learner who has completed this qualification will be competent in providing professional, technical and developmental support in the computer industry across a range of sectors. The qualification also provides the learner with the flexibility to articulate in the IT environment with a wide variety of specialisation options and to articulate within the Telecommunications, Information Technology and Electronic Industries and other industries where IT is a key component.

Learners who register for this qualification at NQF Level 6 are assumed to

• Have a foundational knowledge and understanding of mathematics at NQF Level 4.
• Be competent in the language of instruction (English) and the theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding accomplished at NQF Level 4.

Recognition of Prior Learning

The Diploma: Information Technology can be achieved in part or fully through Recognition of Prior Learning. The PC Training and Business College policies will guide and inform this process.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may

• Grant access to the qualification for those learners who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission.
• Grant learners credits or exemptions for subjects already passed.
• Grant learners credits towards modules for skills, knowledge and experience acquired through informal and non-formal learning.

Access to the Qualification

The admission requirements for this qualification are

• National Senior Certificate with appropriate subject combinations and levels of achievement.

OR

• Senior Certificate (issued prior to 2008).

OR

• National Certificate (Vocational) at NQF Level 4.

OR

• A Higher Certificate or an Advanced Certificate, in a cognate discipline.

Learners who do not meet the minimum admission requirements can apply for admission through Recognition of Prior Learning.

Learners must obtain a minimum of 360 Credits to be awarded this qualification, which comprises both compulsory and elective modules.

There are compulsory modules at NQF Levels 5, 6 and 7, and these total 300 Credits.

There are four elective modules at NQF Level 6, which total 40 Credits and there are two elective modules at NQF Level 7, which total 20 Credits.

Compulsory modules at NQF Level 5 (12 modules totalling 120 Credits)

• Development Software, 10 Credits.
• Information Systems, 10 Credits.
• Commercial Programming, 10 Credits.
• Internet and Web Technology, 10 Credits.
• Networks 1A, 10 Credits.
• E-Commerce 1A, 10 Credits.
• Business Communication, 10 Credits.
• Information Systems, 10 Credits.
• Commercial Programming, 10 Credits.
• Internet and Web Technology (HTML), 10 Credits.
• Networks 10, Credits.
• E-Commerce, 10 Credits.

Compulsory modules at NQF Level 6 (13 modules totalling 135 Credits)

• Quantitative Techniques, 10 Credits.
• Information Systems (SDLC), 10 Credits.
• Technical Programming (Data Structures with C++), 10 Credits.
• Database Systems (DDLC), 10 Credits.
• Operating Systems, 10 Credits.
• Information Systems, 10 Credits.
• Technical Programming T, 10 Credits.
• Database Systems (SQL), 10 Credits.
• Information Systems, 10 Credits.
• Technical Programming, 10 Credits.
• Information Systems, 15 Credits.
• Technical Programming, 10 Credits.
• Work Integrated Learning, 10 Credits.

Elective modules at NQF Level 6 (Choose 4 modules totalling 40 Credits)

• Internet Programming (ASP.NET), 10 Credits.
• Business Management, 10 Credits.
• Networks, 10 Credits.
• Internet Programming, 10 Credits.
• Business Management, 10 Credits.
• Networks, 10 Credits.

Compulsory modules NQF Level 7 (3 modules totalling 45 Credits)

• Human Computer Interaction, 15 Credits.
• Data Warehousing and Data Mining, 15 Credits.
• Computer Security, 15 Credits.

Elective modules at NQF Level 7 Choose 2 Modules totalling 20 Credits

• Commercial Programming, 10 Credits.
• Networks, 10 Credits.
• IT Strategic Management, 10 Credits.
• Commercial Programming, 10 Credits.
• Networks, 10 Credits.
• IT Strategic Management, 10 Credits.

1. Design software solutions to address industry related IT problems.
2. Utilise the required technical skills to effectively implement the designed solutions in an IT environment.
3. Utilise the required technical skill to design and implement solutions in data communications, networks and the internet environment.
4. Demonstrate the effective utilisation of business and management skills to bridge the gap between the IT discipline and the business functional areas in industry.
5. Use computer hardware to its full potential by understanding the technical operation of hardware and how to control it on a low level.
6. Provide IT support services in a given business sector.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

The Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are address as follows

• Make decisions and accept responsibility for own behaviours and actions.
• Communicate effectively using models, visual and language skills.
• Work effectively in a team in an IT environment.
• Collect, organise and critically evaluate information, in order to assess the situation correctly.
• Demonstrate an understanding that the problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation and therefore look at the system as a whole.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria should be applied in an integrated way for all the Exit Level Outcomes

• Describe various basic programming concepts.
• Build useful programmes using the basics of structured and Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts.
• Describe the use of IT in the business environment.
• Use information systems and computers in a business environment.

> Range: Usage includes, but is not limited to: Communication, data management, data presentation, security and privacy, World Wide Web, internet, operating systems, databases and multimedia.

• Describe and apply the principles and procedures of effective business communication.
• Develop applications in Microsoft Visual Basic.NET for Microsoft.Net platform.
• Explore and create sites and publish site pages on the Web.
• Describe the fundamentals that form part of modern networks.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the most important concepts in contemporary networking. Range of concepts includes, but is not limited to: Networking standards, networking protocols and networking hardware.
• Demonstrate an understanding of e-commerce and its impact on a business.
• Explain the importance of design in successful e-commerce and in promoting an organisation's online activities.
• Carry out statistical calculations and analysis essential in the business environment.
• Describe operating systems for general purpose computers in organisations.
• Describe the role, functions and skills of a Systems Analyst.
• Use systems architecture and processes to design an Information System.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of database systems for an organisation.
• Demonstrate an informed understanding of C++ programming concepts.
• Sort algorithms and present additional material on abstract classes to demonstrate the use of Object Oriented Programming (OOP).
• Describe and evaluate the components of interactive systems.

> Range of components includes, but is not limited to: The human user, the computer system itself, the nature of the interactive process.

• Demonstrate an understanding of information and computer security applicable to an organisation.
• Use management skills to carry out an IT project in an IT environment.
• Use problem solving techniques and test programme behaviour to instil good programming practice.
• Use Java in a Graphical User Interface (GUI) environment.
• Carry out a Work Integrated Project.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ideas and techniques in the data warehousing and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) fields.

> Range of ideas and techniques may include, but is not limited to: Data models, query language and design methodologies storage techniques.

• Motivate, define and characterise data mining applications.
• Demonstrate an understanding of aspects pertaining to implementing and managing networks.
• Troubleshoot network problems using troubleshooting methodologies and tools.
• Describe and define integrity and availability of Networks.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated Assessment at this level provides an opportunity for learners to be able to integrate concepts, ideas, and actions across modules in order to achieve competence that is grounded and coherent in relation to the purpose of the qualification.

Integrated Assessment will judge the quality of the observable performance, and also the quality of the thinking that lies behind it. Assessment tools encourage learners to give an account of the thinking and decision making that underpins the demonstrated performance. Some assessment practices will be of a more practical nature while others will be of a more theoretical nature.

During Integrated Assessments the assessor will make use of formative and summative assessment methods and will assess combinations of practical, theoretical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies. Input to completing integrated assessment typically makes use of combinations of the following assessment methods: Time-constrained written examinations, Coursework Evaluation, Continuous Evaluation and Practical Evaluation.

The integrated assessment enables learners to display capabilities of integrating practical performance, concepts, and theory.