APPENDIX GA36a
| Programme: | CERTHE Computing Skills for the Workplace | ||
| Module: | Software Solutions for Business | ||
| Module code: | ACCA4026 | Contribution to Overall Module Assessment (%): | 100% |
| Lecturer(s) | Internal Verifier: | Dr Teressa Chikohora | |
| Assignment Title: | Assessment Component 1 – Coursework: Portfolio | Word count (or equivalent) | 4000 Words |
| Submission deadline: | 21st March 2025 14:00 (2PM) | Return date of provisional marks & written feedback: | 17th April 2025 |
| Submission method: | All written assessments, where practical and possible, must be submitted via Turnitin unless otherwise instructed by the Lecturer. (Please DO NOT put this assessment specification into Turnitin or it will match many similarities with other students’ submissions.) Alternative submission method (if applicable): Late submission of the assessment will result in a late penalty mark. Penalties for late submission: Up to one week late, maximum mark of 40%. Over one week later, 0%. Only the Extenuating Circumstances Panel may approve a change to submission dates. | ||
| Academic honesty / referencing: | Academic honesty is required. In the main body of your submission, you must give credit to authors on whose research and ideas your work is based. Append to your submission a reference list that indicates the books, articles, etc. that you have used, cited or quoted in order to complete this assessment. | ||
| Module Learning Outcomes (from module syllabus) |
| Knowledge and skills to use software packages and applications to support day-to-day business operations.Ability to create, present and communicate information in a structured and managed way at their workplace. |
Assessment Component 1
Component 1 – 100% of the final mark for the module
| Mode of assessment | Volume | Weighting |
| Portfolio with some assigned tasks | 4000 words or equivalent | 100% |
Use of Generative AI in Assessment |
| RESEARCH | For this assessment, you can use Generative AI to support you in research, including searching for bibliography, using tools to summarise, compare and interrogate materials. | Yes ☐ No ☒ |
| STRUCTURE | For this assessment, you can use Generative AI to support you in structuring your submission, including creating a draft argument structure, identifying parts and headings, etc. | Yes ☐ No ☒ |
| PROOFREADING | For this assessment, you can use Generative AI to check your own text/creation for grammatical and syntactical mistakes, including rephrasing of your own work within specific standards. | Yes ☒ No ☐ |
| WRITING | For this assessment, you can use Generative AI to create text for submission. Cite and reference once per task. | Yes ☐ No ☐ See guidance below. |
| CREATIVE | For this assessment, you can use Generative AI to create creative materials, such as images. | Yes ☐ No ☒ |
| PROGRAMING | For this assessment, you can use Generative AI to create and check code. | Yes ☐ No ☒ See guidance below. |
| NONE | For this assessment, you are not allowed to use any type of Generative AI support. This includes research support, structure support, writing/proofreading support and creative support. | Yes ☐ No ☒ |
Guidance on using GAI in this assessment:
Use of Generative AI: For foundational learning purposes at L4/Yr1, it is very important to learn how to research & reference correctly and to learn the foundational knowledge and skills that will be applied in specific L5 and L6 module assessment questions & scenarios, which Generative AI tools are not able to answer. Failure to learn the foundational skills at L4 will result in failing L5 and L6 modules and the HN/Degree programme.
For this L4 foundational assessment,Generative AI (GAI) can be used to:
As ONE reference source per question. Included in the report as follows:
- Reference: The content produced by GAI such as ChatGPT is classed as non-recoverable material and should be cited as a personal communication. In IEEE referencing, personal communications are included as numbered in-text citations that match the corresponding reference list entry. Use the full name of the AI tool as the author.
- Example: [1] OpenAI’s ChatGPT, private communication, Feb. 2023
- In-text citation: In the main body of the report, include a standard in-text citation number that matches the corresponding reference list entry.
- Example: GAI output from [1] states that …
- Either paraphrase or direct quote the information as you would normally do when citing reference source information.
- Example: GAI output from [1] states that …
For further information on referencing GAI output, please see the University’s Library referencing guidance here: Referencing handbooks.
For this L4 foundational assessment,Generative AI (GAI) cannot be used to:
- GAI ouput MUST NOT be used to answer any assignment tasks verbatim i.e. using the same words/commands/code/comments generated by the GAI tool. Doing so is deemed academic misconduct and students are penalised.
The aim of this assignment is for you to demonstrate your ability to use a variety of software applications/tools that are/can be used to enhance the technology-based solution for the workplace/business. You can make suggestions with examples as to how those software solutions can improve the workplace e.g., in terms of enhancing productivity
/ workflow / communication / decision-making etc. It is not necessary or essential, but you can apply the tools to your own sphere of employment/future-employment-area (live/private/sensitive information or data should not be used or included).
As indicated in the task descriptions below, each software area mentioned should first be explored, before selecting and testing some features of a relevant application to provide evidence of practical use for each area (this should not include actual live information, or any information that may be private or of a sensitive nature) but should be a simulation in order to demonstrate some practical application of the knowledge presented in the written element.
Task 1. e-Commerce Website builders/software solutions (Approx. 500 words)
Give a description of two contemporary e-Commerce website builders/software solutions (approx. 2/3 sources).
Task 2. Mind-map of contemporary software applications (Approx. 500 words).
- Describe mind mapping and explain the benefits of using mind mapping in business operations (approx. 2/3 sources).
- Create a mind map of contemporary software applications that are used to support day-to-to-to-today business/ Organisation operations.
Task 3. Office Applications for creating, storing, presenting, and analysing information/data (Approx. 2000 words).
- Explain four office software solutions for business operations (MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, and MS Access), highlighting their major features, benefits, and limitations (if there are any). You can use some images in addition to text (approx. 4/5 sources).
- Test any two features from the following Mail merge, IF Function, VLOOKUP, Pivot Table, Goal Seek in MS Excel, and document several screenshots with accompanying description to provide evidence of practical use.
Note: This task is based on your own practical activities.
Task 4. Communication and Collaboration applications (Approx. 1000 words).
- Analyse one contemporary Communication (Email and others) and one Online Collaboration (SharePoint, MS Teams etc.) applications/tools used frequently in modern business world and document a summary of their key features using written text with some images and relevant citations. (approx. 2/3 sources)
- Test one feature of a freely available Communication (1) and one feature of a Collaboration (1) application and document several screenshots with brief accompanying description to provide evidence of practical use.
Additional supporting information:
- Please note the assignment should be submitted as one Microsoft Word document.
- Your work must include a title page with your full name, student ID number, the program of study, module name, module code, Lecturer’s name, date of submission and the university name with relevant campus name.
- The references should be properly cited and listed. You need to employ proper in-text citations and references list according to IEEE Referencing Style.
- Your work should be typed in Arial font, size 11.
- Your work should be typed with 1.5 line spacing.
- Your work should have an appropriate structure including page number, table of contents, tasks answers, and references list. Different sections should incorporate headings and subheadings. Figures and tables need to be captioned.
NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five generic assessment criteria overleaf.
- Engagement with Literature Skills
Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed an appropriate range of sources, which may be academic, governmental, and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to- date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using a suitable referencing system, including in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list at the end of your work.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Engage with document research and referencing. See assignment tasks above. IEEE formatting for Referencing.
2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills
At level 4, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles associated with your area(s) of study. Knowledge relates to the facts, information, and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. to show your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Engage with research and practical testing to enhance and document your knowledge and understanding. See assignment tasks above.
3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills
You should be able to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of your subject(s) of study. You should be able to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems related to your area(s) of study and/or work. Your work must contain evidence of logical and analytical thinking. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just describing what! But also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At what cost? You should provide justification for your arguments and judgements using evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area and that you are able to make sound judgements and arguments using data and concepts. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Document some analysis. See assignment tasks above. Use references for justification of your analysis.
4. Practical Skills
At level 4, you should be able to apply the basic underlying concepts and principles to evaluate and interpret these within the context of your area of study. You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations and/or a particular context. How do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real-world artefacts, examples and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation against others based on stated criteria.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Perform practical testing. See assignment tasks above.
5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice
Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. This includes demonstrating that you can communicate the results of your study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments; that you can initiate and complete tasks and procedures, whether individually and/or collaboratively; fluency of expression; clarity and effectiveness in presentation and organisation. Work should be coherent and well-structured in presentation and organisation.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Your submission should have an appropriate structure, page numbers, table of content, and reference list. It should be well-organised and maintain a consistent format. Different sections should incorporate headings and subheadings. Figures and tables need to be captioned.
This section details the extent to which the assessment criteria are demonstrated by you, which in turn determines your mark. The marks available for each category of skill are shown. Lecturers will use the space provided to comment on the achievement of the task(s), including those areas in which you have performed well and areas that would benefit from development/improvement.
| Generic Assessment Criteria | | |
| 1. Engagement with Literature Skills (IEEE format) | 20 | |
| 2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills | 20 | |
| 3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills | 20 | |
| 4. Practical Application Skills | 20 | |
| 5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice | 20 | |
| Assessment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work and are for guidance only until they are confirmed.) | Late Submission Penalties appropriate) | (Tick | if | 100% | |
| Up to 1 week late (40% Max) | |||||
| Over 1 week late (0%) | |||||
| Level 4 |
| In accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 4 students will be expected to have demonstrated knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles of a subject, and an ability to evaluate and interpret these within the context of that area of study. They should be able to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements in accordance with basic theories and concepts of their subject(s) of study. They will have learned how to evaluate different approaches to solving problems and will be able to communicate the results of their study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments. They will be able to undertake further training and developing new skills within a structured and managed environment and will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. |
| Level 4 | FAIL | MARGINAL FAIL | SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass) | GOOD (2.2 / Pass) | VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit) | EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction) | EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction) |
| Category | 0-29% | 30-39% | 40-49% | 50-59% | 60-69% | 70-84% | 85-100% |
| Engagement with literature (including reading, referencing, academic conventions and academic honesty) | Little or no evidence of reading and/or reliance on inappropriate sources. Views and findings mostly unsupported and non- authoritative. Referencing conventions used incoherently or largely absent. | Poor engagement with essential reading. No evidence of wider reading. Reliance on inappropriate sources, and/or indiscriminate use of sources. Heavily reliant on information gained through class contact. Inconsistent and weak use of reference. | Engagement with a limited range of mostly relevant and credible sources but with some reliance on information gained through class contact. Some omissions and minor errors. Referencing conventions evident though not always applied accurately or consistently. | Engagement With an appropriate range of literature, including sources retrieved independently. Some over- reliance on texts rather than other sources. Referencing may show minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies. | Engagement with a wide range of literature , including sources retrieved independently. Selection of relevant and credible sources. Generally sound referencing, with no/very few inaccuracies or inconsistencies. | Engagement with an extensive range of relevant and credible literature. Consistently accurate application of referencing. | Exceptional engagement with an extensive range of relevant and credible literature. High- level referencing skills consistently applied. |
| Knowledge and understanding (Knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles of a subject.) | Major gaps in knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles of the subject matter. | Gaps in knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles, with flawed or superficial understanding. | Limited knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and principles within the subject area. | Knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles is accurate with a good understanding of the field of study | Competent knowledge of the basic underlying concepts and principles. Exhibits very | Excellent knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying concepts and | Exceptional, detailed knowledge and understanding of the basic underlying |
| Level 4 | FAIL | MARGINAL FAIL | SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass) | GOOD (2.2 / Pass) | VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit) | EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction) | EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction) |
| Category | 0-29% | 30-39% | 40-49% | 50-59% | 60-69% | 70-84% | 85-100% |
| Inclusion of irrelevant material. Substantial inaccuracies. | Some significant inaccuracies and/or irrelevant material. | Some elements may be missing. | but lacks depth and/or breadth. | good understanding. | principles of the subject. | concepts and principles |
| Cognitive and intellectual skills (Evaluate underlying concepts and principles of a subject and interpret qualitative and quantitative data in order to develop lines of argument and make sound judgements.) | Wholly or almost wholly descriptive work. Little or no evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Failure to develop arguments, leading to illogical or invalid judgements. Minimal or no use of evidence to back up views. | Largely descriptive work, with superficial evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Weak interpretation of data, flawed development of arguments and judgements. Information accepted uncritically, uses generalized statements made with scant evidence and unsubstantiated opinions. Ideas sometimes illogical and contradictory. | Limited attempt at evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles, tending towards description. Can interpret qualitative and quantitative data but with some errors. Some evidence to support emerging arguments and judgements but these may be underdeveloped or with a little inconsistency / mis- interpretation. | Good evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Can interpret qualitative and quantitative data, with minor errors. An emerging ability to use evidence to support the argument. Mostly valid arguments and logical judgements. | Sound evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Can interpret qualitative and quantitative data accurately. Ability to devise arguments using evidence to make most appropriate and valid judgements. | Excellent evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles. Can interpret qualitative and quantitative data accurately and with some insight. Excellent ability to devise arguments using evidence and make appropriate and valid judgements. | Exceptional evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles-based evidence. Outstanding interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data. Exceptional ability to devise arguments using evidence and make wholly appropriate and valid judgements. |
| Practical skills (Different approaches to solving problems in particular contexts.) | Limited or no use of taught, basic methods, materials, tools, and/or techniques. Little or no appreciation of the context of the application. Very weak evidence of | Rudimentary application of taught, basic methods, materials,  tools and/or techniques but without consideration and competence. Flawed | An adequate awareness and most appropriate application of basic methods, materials, tools, and/or techniques. Basic appreciation of | A good and appropriate application of basic methods, materials, tools, and/or techniques. Clear appreciation of the context of the application. | A very good application of a range of basic methods, materials,  tools and/or techniques. Very good consideration of the context of the application. Very good evidence of | An advanced application of a range of taught, basic methods, materials, tools, and/or techniques. The context of the application is well considered, and insightful. | Exceptional levels of application and deployment skills in particular practical contexts. Outstanding identification of problems in particular contexts and |
| Level 4 | FAIL | MARGINAL FAIL | SATISFACTORY (3rd / Pass) | GOOD (2.2 / Pass) | VERY GOOD (2.1 / Merit) | EXCELLENT (1st / Distinction) | EXCEPTIONAL (1st / Distinction) |
| Category | 0-29% | 30-39% | 40-49% | 50-59% | 60-69% | 70-84% | 85-100% |
| different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts. | appreciation of the context of the application. Weak evidence of different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts. | the context of the application. Can identify problems in particular contexts and propose basic alternative approaches or solutions though There may be errors. | Good evidence of different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts and proposes mostly appropriate solutions. | different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts and proposes appropriate solutions. | Excellent evidence of different approaches to problem-solving in particular contexts and proposes appropriate solutions. | formulation of wholly appropriate, thoughtful solutions / different approaches. | |
| Transferable skills for life and professional practice (Communicate the results of their study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments;  the qualities needed for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility within a structured and managed environment.) | Work is poorly structured, disorganised, inaccurate and/or confusingly expressed. Very weak use of language and/or very inappropriate style. Failure to work effectively individually or as part of a group. Little or no evidence of the skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. | Work is poorly presented in a disjointed manner. It’s’ loosely, and at times incoherently, structured,  with information and ideas often poorly expressed. Weak use of language and/or inappropriate style.  Flawed approach to individual or group work, meeting only partial obligations to others. Limited evidence of the skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility. | Mostly ordered presentation and structure in which relevant ideas / concepts are expressed. Work may lack coherence and/or accuracy in places. Can work as part of a group, meeting most obligations to others but perhaps with limited involvement in group activities. Demonstrates the basic skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility, with some areas of minor weakness. | Mostly coherent, organised and accurate work, in a suitable structure and is for the most part clearly expressed. Can work effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with clear contribution to group activities. Demonstrates the skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility, with some areas of strength and some minor weakness. | Work is accurate, coherent, fluent, well-structured, and organised. Can work effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with very good contribution to group activities. Demonstrates very good skills for employment requiring exercise of some personal responsibility, with just occasional minor weakness. | Work is coherent, very fluent and is presented professionally Can work effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with an excellent contribution to group activities. Demonstrates excellent skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility with an appetite for further development. | Work is accurate, exceptionally coherent, very fluent and presented well. Can work effectively independently and/or as part of a team, with an exceptional contribution to group activities. Demonstrates exceptional skills for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility with an appetite for further development. |
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