Working in Science and Technology

Know how a science or technology based organisation operates.

Indicative Content

Learners might focus on the workplace or be given a choice of local science or technology organisations to research. They should find out the structure of the chosen organisation and the functions of the departments within the organisation. Once the structure is established, learners might develop flow charts or concept maps to demonstrate their understanding of how the different departments work together to meet the aims of the organisation. Eventually, learners might survey the local community or do further research to evaluate how the organisation impacts on the local community.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1
  Describe the structure of a selected organisation.
  
• 1.2
  Outline the functions of different departments of a selected organisation and how they work with each other to meet the aims of the organisation.
  

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Know about the product development process in science or technology.

Indicative Content

Learners might research the product development process and represent their understanding in an annotated flow chart. They could then be given a selected product, choose a product from a given list or within the workplace, and apply their understanding to that selected product. Learners could then be given opportunities to explain each step of the process and its importance to product development.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1
  Outline the key features of the product development process in science or technology.
  

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Know the duties and responsibilities of a junior technician or assistant practitioner in a science or technology based organisation.

Indicative Content

Learners might focus on their own workplace role (as a junior technician or assistant practitioner) or be given a suggested role in a local science or technology organisation to study. It would be wise for the organisation chosen to be the same as that used for LO1. Learners should be able to describe the role including its typical duties and responsibilities. Eventually, learners could compare this role with that in other science and technology organisations.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1
  Describe the typical duties and responsibilities of a junior science technician or assistant practitioner.
  

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Know the personal, communication and ICT skills needed to work in a science or technology based organisation.

Indicative Content

Using the junior technicians /assistant practitioners role explored in LO3, learners should outline the personal, communication and ICT skills required and explain why these skills are needed. Learners could then go on to explain how these skills contribute to the work of the science or technology organisation through research or surveying others within this role in the organisation.

Eventually, learners could evaluate their own personal, communication and ICT skills to review how these skills fit with those needed for the role of a junior technicians /assistant practitioners and suggest further training they would require to meet these skills requirements. For example, learners might note that skills in using Excel are required for the role and that their own skills in this area need improvement.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1
  Outline the personal, communication and ICT skills required by junior technicians /assistant practitioners within a science or technology based organisation.
  
• 4.2
  Explain why these skills are needed.
  

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Know about health and safety working practices and procedures within a science or technology based organisation.

Indicative Content

Learners should be able to investigate their chosen science or technology organisation further and outline the key health and safety working practices and procedures and relevant legislation stating why these are important. They should research to outline the responsibilities of an individual worker for health and safety. For example, learners might have chosen, for LO3, a junior technician in a laboratory-based organisation which utilises poisonous or corrosive chemicals, therefore risk assessments and mitigations would be in place.

Learners could go on to explain the key health and safety working practices and procedures within the organisation and why each is important, from personal or online research. They might review the organisation’s health and safety policy and suggest improvements. This would be especially pertinent if learners were in the workplace. Eventually, learners might develop flow charts or concept maps to show the consequences of not following health and safety working practices. For example, in a laboratory-based organisation, learners might look at the risk assessments of using corrosive chemicals and suggest the consequences of not following guidelines.

Assessment Criteria

• 5.1
  Outline key health and safety working practices and procedures within a science or technology organisation and why they are important.
  
• 5.2
  Identify the health and safety legislation which relates to working within a science or technology based organisation.
  
• 5.3
  Outline the responsibilities of an individual worker for health and safety within a science or technology based organisation.
  

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