iTQ Unit 82: Website Software level 3

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Unit purpose and aim

This is the ability to use a software application designed for planning, designing and building websites.

This unit is about the skills and knowledge required by an IT user to select and use a range of advanced of website software tools and techniques to develop multiple-page websites with multimedia and interactive features.

Website software techniques will be described as ‘advanced’ because:

  • the software tools and functions used will be complex and at times involve having the idea that there may be a tool or function to do something (eg improve efficiency or create an effect), exploring technical support, self-teaching and applying;
  • the development techniques will be complex, and will involve research, identification and application; and
  • the user will take full responsibility for planning and developing the structure, inputting, manipulating, adding multimedia or interactive features, uploading and publishing the information.

Learning Outcomes

Assessment Criteria

Knowledge, understanding & skills

1. Create structures and styles and use them to produce websites

1.1 Determine what website content and layout will be needed for each page and for the site

1.2 Plan and create web page templates to layout content

1.3 Select and use website features and structures to enhance website navigation and functionality

1.4 Create, select and use styles to enhance website consistency and readability

1.5 Provide guidance on laws, guidelines and constraints that affect the content and use of websites

1.6 Explain what access issues may need to be taken into account

1.7 Explain when and why to use different file types for saving content

1.8 Store and retrieve files effectively, in line with local guidelines and conventions where available

Content and layout:
Web page content and layout will vary according to the template, but may include:
text (eg body text, headings, captions),
images (eg still photographs, diagrams),
numbers (eg tables, charts or graphs),
background (eg colours, gradients, patterns, textures),
structure (eg frames, side bars),
moving images (eg animation, video clips),
sound (eg clips linked to navigation, background music, video sound track),
interactive components (eg message boards, forms, e- mail links, registration log-ins),
downloads (eg pdf files, pod casts)

Copyright constraints:
Effect of copyright law
(eg on music downloads or use of other people’s images), acknowledgment of sources, avoiding plagiarism, provisions of the Data Protection Act; accessibility standards

Website access issues:
The difficulties different users may have in accessing websites, accessibility
guidelines, affect of download speeds (eg from different browser software,
connection type, size of web page contents), ways to increase accessibility, ways to improve download speeds

Web page templates:
Web page content and layout will vary according to the template, but may include:
text (eg body text, headings, captions),
images (eg still photographs, diagrams),
numbers (eg tables, charts or graphs),
background
(eg colours, gradients, patterns, textures),
structure (eg frames, side bars),
moving images (eg animation, video clips),
sound (eg clips linked to navigation, background music, video sound track),
interactive components (eg message boards, database fields, forms, e-mail links, registration log-ins),
downloads (eg pdf files, podcasts)

Web page styles:
Styles will vary according to the different elements of the design, but may include:
typeface (eg font, colour, size and alignment of headings, captions or body text),
lines (eg type, thickness and colour of borders, tables, diagrams),
structure (eg size of frames, number of tabs, format of menu), cascading style sheets

File types:
Text (eg rtf, doc, pdf),
images (eg jpeg, tiff, psd),
charts and graphs (eg xls),
sound (eg wav, MP3)

Store and retrieve:
Save, save as, find, open, close, open rtf file in application, save file as text, rtf or html; password protection; methods to reduce file size, file properties

2. Select and use website software tools and features to develop multiple page websites with multimedia and interactive features

2.1 Prepare content for web pages so that it is ready for editing and formatting

2.2 Organise and combine information needed for web pages in line with any copyright constraints, including across different software

2.3 Select and use appropriate editing and formatting techniques to aid meaning

2.4 Select and use appropriate programming and development techniques to add features and enhance websites

2.5 Select and use file formats that make information easier to download

2.6 Check web pages meet needs, using IT tools and making corrections as necessary and/or video; numbers with charts and graphs; text alignment, captions, text wrap; behind, in front, grouping

Combine information:
Combine images with text (eg photo captions); presentation with audio and/or video; numbers with charts and graphs; text alignment, captions, text wrap; behind, in front, grouping

Editing techniques:
Editing techniques will vary in line
with the type of information,
for example: select, copy, cut, paste, undo, redo, drag and drop, find, replace, size, crop, position, change templates

Programming and
development techniques:

Creating links to bookmark text within a page, linking web pages together, adding
a link to another website, altering simple code using programming language,
creating code using an appropriate programming language, adding multimedia content to web pages, setting
up a secure area, message board or e-mail link, adding meta tags

File formats: Change format of documents to RTF or HTML

Check web pages:
Using help; Will vary depending on the content but may include, for example:
Text: Spell check; grammar check, type face and size, hyphenation
Layout: Page layout, margins, line and page breaks, tables, sections
Images: Size, alignment and orientation, suitability of file format, appropriate choice of colour mode and use of filters, fitness for purpose of image resolution

3. Publish and test multiple page websites with multimedia and interactive features

3.1 Select and use appropriate testing methods to check that all elements and features of complex websites are working as planned

3.2 Identify any quality problems with websites and explain how to respond to them

3.3 Select and use an appropriate programme to upload and publish the website and make sure that it
will download efficiently

3.4 Respond appropriately to quality problems with websites to ensure outcomes are fit for purpose

Testing methods:
Methods will vary but may include:
viewing web pages using browser software, testing navigation round pages within multiple page website, testing external links, testing multi-media and interactive elements

Quality problems with websites:
Problems may vary, but could include:
content that is not appropriate for the template or missing, text that is not
readable or missing, images that are oriented or sized wrongly, navigation that does not work as planned; multimedia features (eg sound levels, image
resolution, synchronisation of sound and images), interactive features (eg response to posting a message or when key fields on forms are not completed,
downloads not active)

Upload and publish website:
Upload content to a template, use file exchange programme to upload and
publish (eg FTP or HTTP), improve loading speed of a website


Details of relationship between the unit and national occupational standards

This unit maps fully to competences outlined in IT User National Occupational Standards version 3 (2009).

Assessment

All ITQ units may be assessed using any method, or combination of methods, which clearly demonstrates that the learning outcomes and assessment criteria have been met. Assessments must also take into account the additional information provided in the unit Purpose and Aims relating to the level of demand of:

  • The activity, task, problem or question and the context in which it is set;
  • The information input and output type and structure involved; and
  • The IT tools, techniques or functions to be used.

See Recommended Assessment Methods in the ITQ Centre Handbook.


Evidence requirements

Where candidates are not using CLAiT Unit 1 to produce evidence, an evidence checklist must be completed without gaps.


Guidance on assessment and evidence requirements

Please refer to the centre handbook for ITQ 2009.

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