Information and Digital Technology 2021 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• use the first page of the answer booklet for an extended response to develop a plan to assist in the logical sequencing of information
• engage with what the question is asking rather than presenting a pre-prepared response
• relate to the question throughout the response rather than just at the beginning
• ensure each extended response answer is completed in a separate writing booklet
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the examinable units of competency from the syllabus
• communicate ideas and information using relevant workplace examples and industry terms
• be prepared to address a range of industry issues
• demonstrate knowledge of employability skills relevant to various situations
• include relevant annotations when including a diagram
• present a logical and cohesive response that answers the question
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify possible causes such as, connectivity, hardware damage, user access issues (a)
• describe actions required by employees which relate to the protection of computers from malicious software, for example, install and configure firewalls, install and update anti-virus software (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing two different possible causes, for example, connectivity and wifi not working
• being able to differentiate between network drives and driver software
• linking procedures to the scenario of protection against malicious software, for example, secure storage space for sensitive information to protect against data thieves, regularly updating software.

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• link manual handling techniques to the scenario, for example, transporting boxes using trolleys while using a lift
• outline multiple techniques linked to the scenario, for example, unbox equipment so it can be lighter to transport.

Areas for students to improve include:

• outlining multiple manual handling techniques instead of just one
• providing a description of how manual handling techniques can be used rather than just listing them, for example, bend your knees and keep your back straight when initially lifting the boxes.

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• differentiate between hibernate and standby in terms of power consumption (a)
• link accessibility features to special needs and provide justification, for example, the sticky key feature will be able to help disabled users to type special commands such as CTRL+ALT+DEL (b)
• provide a range of accessibility features with strong justification (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• correctly stating the purpose of hibernate and standby
• providing justification for identified features, for example, a magnify tool for users with vision impairment, to see small text when the mouse hovers over it.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• give a definition and explain the purpose of key frames
• provide an example to further show their understanding
• draw a ball with a motion path that included arrows to show direction.

Areas for students to improve include:

• sketching a motion path.

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide multiple benefits to collaboration with descriptions and examples
• describe the effects and reasons for squashing an object and for stretching it.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using examples to describe squash and stretch.

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain a communication principle (a)
• focus on a communication principle in the design and production phase (a)
• make direct comparisons and provide features of freehand illustrations and digital illustrations (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying communication principles.

In better responses, students were able to:

• name and provide a reason for distinct file management practices, for example, version control to track changes (a)
• name multiple audio elements demonstrating how each audio element can improve the dog food commercial (b)
• provide an example that links back to the scenario, for instance, sound effect to simulate a dog barking (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing a description of each audio element with an appropriate example.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide multiple steps to connect a server to a network, including physical connection and configuration processes (a)
• explain the importance of communication and how it benefits the installation of a network, for example, selecting appropriate products (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing relevant reasons for communicating between vendors and clients.

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide reasons for the use of Bluetooth connections, for example, on a smart phone connecting the hands free option in a car and connecting a smart phone to wireless speakers or headphones (a)
• draw logical representations of an appropriate network which catered for the requirements of the small company (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing relevant information about Bluetooth and its application within SOHO network environments (a)
• ensuring all necessary components are included in the network diagram with appropriate labelling (b).

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide two relevant technical questions applicable to the problem of accessing web pages (a)
• demonstrate a logical progression of determining the possible causes for not being able to access web pages (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• determining relevant questions to solve the problem of accessing web pages
• describing a logical progression to test possible causes of the problem.

In better responses, students were able to:

• use correct protocols such as POP, IMAP, SMTP in explaining how email transmission works using real life examples (a)
• use a workflow diagram to illustrate sending and receiving email transmissions (a)
• link a range of procedures to the task of protecting against network attacks, for example, having a strong password policy or MAC-filtering to restrict access (b)
• describe a solution to protecting against network attacks, for example, encryption or password policy (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• explaining how email transmission happens from point A to point B using a relevant example
• outlining how procedures can protect against network attacks with examples.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline two benefits of keyboard shortcuts, for example, more efficient and accessible (a)
• outline the risks with downloaded files from unknown sources and how a user should safely respond (b)
• demonstrate an understanding of what macros do and how this is a security issue (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding where macros reside and how they operate
• interpreting a dialog box.

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline the purpose and process to insert a section break (a)
• select the most appropriate survey form for the different types of questions, for example, a radio button, dropdown or checkboxes (b)
• clearly label the diagram and components of the survey form (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing the purpose of section breaks from page breaks.

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe the benefits of using an external CSS file, for example, to provide consistency across a website to efficiently make changes to visual elements on multiple web pages (a)
• outline the disadvantages of updating or editing embedded CSS code (a)
• provide explanation of the identified issues when both creating and maintaining the content of the website (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the role of CSS.

In better responses, students were able to:

• align their response directly to the scenario of a small business requiring word processing and spreadsheet software that can be customised to meet it’s needs
• describe the impact of consistent organisational features in word processing documents on the organisation, such as, effectiveness, time savings, professionalism (a)
• describe the word processing feature(s) in detail, for example, style guides and templates (a)
• explain using examples of security, sharing and storage impacts prior to and after installation of application software (b)
• highlight the impact of managing security, sharing and storage on the business after initial installation (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing detail within their response including examples and the impact on the organisation
• linking their response to the scenario.

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a method of installation of the software network/image, relating to the geographical location and number of computers
• justify an appropriate time when the installation could take place to minimise the impact
• explain methods to address needs of a diverse workforce including employees from different language backgrounds as well as employees with disabilities
• explain optimisation and customisation of the operating system to meet the needs of employees with disabilities or different language backgrounds
• provide realistic solutions to training and installation options, for example, video conferencing, video training with subtitles, self-paced tutorials, multiple languages or peer training.

Areas for students to improve include:

• outlining methods of installing operating system software
• describing solutions that would minimise impact on the organisation.