Information and Digital Technology record of changes
All changes made to the Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework are recorded here. Learn about these updates.
About the record of changes
This record details any changes to the Framework including the syllabus and assessment, HSC exam and support materials.
Changes are also communicated via NESA official notices or news items in NESA News.
For more information, contact: curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au
Reminder – updated performance band descriptions for HSC VET exams
(Official notice NESA 28/23)
NESA updated the performance band descriptions for Information and Digital Technology.
Effective from the 2023 HSC exam.
Amendment – Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus
(NESA News)
NESA has amended the Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus following the release of version 8.1 (21 June 2022) of the ICT Information and Communications Technology Training Package on training.gov.au.
No impact on HSC courses and their requirements. No changes to HSC Content.
The cover page of the syllabus, associated documents and support materials now reference ICTv8.1, and are available on the NESA website.
Update to Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus
(Official Notice NESA 3/22)
NESA has updated the Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus following the release of version 8 (3 February 2022) of the ICT Information and Communications Technology Training Package on training.gov.au.
The updated syllabus based on ICTv8 is now available.
Implementation commences from 2022 with Year 11. The first HSC exam based on the updated syllabus will be in 2023.
No changes to mandatory focus areas and their associated units of competency. No changes to HSC Content.
Summary of changes to elective units of competency:
- Group A Animation
- ICTGAM304 Develop three-dimensional (3D) models for digital games supersedes ICTGAM301 Apply simple modelling techniques (equivalent)
- ICTGAM305 Apply simple textures and shading to three-dimensional (3D) models for digital games supersedes ICTGAM302 Design and apply simple textures to digital art (equivalent)
- ICTGAM306 Review and apply traditional animation principles supersedes ICTGAM303 (equivalent)
- Group D Digital Media
- CUADIG211 Maintain interactive content supersedes CUADIG201 (equivalent)
- CUADIG311 Prepare video assets supersedes CUADIG301 (equivalent)
- CUADIG312 Author interactive sequences supersedes CUADIG302 (equivalent)
- CUAPOS211 Perform basic vision and sound editing supersedes CUAPOS201 (equivalent)
- CUASOU212 Perform basic sound editing supersedes CUASOU202 (not equivalent)
- Group E Generalist IT Support
- Group F IT Work Ready Skills
- ICTICT316 Implement new technology supersedes ICTICT306 Migrate to new technology (equivalent)
- Group I Generalist IT Support
Revised Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus
(Official Notice NESA 31/21)
NESA has revised the Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus following the release of version 6 (21 July 2020), version 6.1 (2 October 2020), version 7 (19 January 2021), version 7.1 (12 February 2021) and version 7.2 (9 April 2021) of the ICT Information and Communications Technology Training Package on training.gov.au.
The revised syllabus and support material based on ICTv7.2 are now available. A summary of changes is listed below. New course numbers and exam number are detailed in the syllabus.
Implementation commences from 2022 with Year 11. The first HSC exam based on the revised syllabus will be in 2023.
Students who commenced an Information and Digital Technology course in 2021 and are completing the course in 2022, will continue the course as outlined in the ‘old’ Information and Digital Technology syllabus (final year of delivery with Year 12, 2022).
Students who want to undertake the 240-hour Information and Digital Technology course in one year in 2022 will also complete the course as outlined in the ‘old’ syllabus.
The 2022 HSC exam for Information and Digital Technology will be based on this ‘old’ syllabus.
This is in line with Australian Skills Quality Authority’s (ASQA) approval of an extended learner transition period for ICTv5 (specific to NSW secondary school students and for this qualification pathway) until 25 November 2022.
Any student wanting to sit the 2022 HSC exam must complete the 240-hour course from the ‘old’ syllabus.
Summary of changes – revised syllabus:
- qualification:
- ICT30120 Certificate III in Information Technology supersedes ICT30118 Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology (not equivalent)
- associated HSC mandatory units of competency:
- BSBWHS304 Participate effectively in WHS communication and consultation processes superseded and deleted from the Framework
- ICTICT202 Work and communicate effectively in an ICT environment deleted from the Training Package and Framework
- ICTICT302 Install and optimise operating system software and ICTSAS308 Run standard diagnostic tests moved to the HSC elective pool
- BSBCRT301 Develop and extend critical and creative thinking skills added (core for ICT30120) – Innovation focus area
- ICTSAS305 Provide ICT advice to clients added (core for ICT30120) – Innovation focus area (formerly associated HSC stream unit of competency)
- BSBXCS303 Securely manage personally identifiable information and workplace information added (core for ICT30120) – Protecting data focus area
- ICTICT313 Identify IP, ethics and privacy policies in ICT environments added (core for ICT30120) – Protecting data focus area
- BSBWHS311 Assist with maintaining workplace safety added (elective for ICT30120) – Safety focus area (replaces superseded BSBWHS304)
- BSBXTW301 Work in a team added (core for ICT30120) – Working in the industry focus area
- ICTPRG302 Apply introductory programming techniques added (core for ICT30120) – Working in the industry focus area
- streams removed from the Framework
- formerly associated HSC stream units of competency moved to Section 2.5.2 HSC elective pool and where required, updated to reflect current unit of competency codes and titles
- HSC elective units of competency:
- where required, updated to reflect current unit of competency codes and titles
- added to and deleted from the Framework as appropriate to the qualification pathway
- HSC focus areas:
- 2 retained – Safety and Working in the industry – HSC Content updated
- 2 new – Innovation and Protecting data – HSC Content added
- 5 deleted – Operating system software, Diagnostic testing, Web and software applications, Networking and hardware, and Digital animation
- minor changes to syllabus format, such as removal of course requirement diagrams and reduced table referencing
- exam specifications:
- from 2023, there will be one exam paper and the HSC exam will be based on HSC Content from mandatory focus areas only
- minor change to mark allocations for Section I (reduced from 20 to 15 marks) and Section II (increased from 30 to 35 marks)
- Section II will include 4 to 6 short-answer questions.
Revisions to suggested time allocation in some HSC VET exams
(NESA News)
NESA has revised the suggested allocated time for sections of some HSC VET exams from 2020. This will improve consistency of advice across the suite of VET exams.
The suggested allocation of time for each section in the Information and Digital Technology exams (Digital animation, Networking and hardware, and Web and software applications) from 2020 is as follows:
- Section 1 — objective response questions (20 marks) — allow about 25 minutes
- Section 2 — short answer questions (30 marks) — allow about 45 minutes
- Section 3 — extended response questions (15 marks) — allow about 25 minutes
- Section 4 — structured extended response question (15 marks) — allow about 25 minutes.
Updated – Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus
(Official notice NESA 53/19)
NESA has updated the Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus to align with version 4.0 and version 5.0 of the ICTInformation and Communications Technology Training Package. ICTv4 was released on training.gov.au on 30 Jan 2019 and ICTv5 was released on training.gov.au on 30 August 2019.
The updated syllabus and support materials based on ICTv5 are now available.
Summary of changes:
- qualification:
- ICT30118 Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology supersedes ICT30115 Certificate III in Information, Digital Media and Technology (equivalent)
- units of competency:
- mandatory:
- ICTSAS308 Run standard diagnostic tests - supersedes ICTSAS301 (equivalent)
- electives - Table 7
- ICTWEB301 Create a simple markup language document (deleted)
- ICTBWN305 Use optical and radio frequency measuring instruments (deleted)
- ICTBWN307 Use optical measuring instruments (new unit and pre-requisite for ICTBWN308)
- ICTBWN308 Work safely on live optical fibre installations supersedes ICTBWN304 (not equivalent)
- ICTBWN309 Perform tests on optical communication systems and components supersedes ICTBWN301 (not equivalent)
- ICTCBL246 Install, maintain and modify customer premises communications cabling: ACMA Restricted Rule - supersedes ICTCBL236 (equivalent)
- ICTCBL247 Install, maintain and modify customer premises communications cabling: ACMA Open Rule - supersedes ICTCBL237 (equivalent)
- ICTCBL330 Splice and terminate optical fibre cable for telecommunications projects supersedes ICTCBL208 (not equivalent)
- ICTDBS414 Complete database backup and restore supersedes ICTDBS402 (equivalent)
- ICTTEN208 Use electrical skills when working with telecommunications networks supersedes ICTTEN201 (not equivalent)
- ICTWEB431 Create and style simple markup language documents added to Table 7 (new unit)
- mandatory:
- Minor change to HSC Content - WorkCover NSW was replaced by SafeWork NSW.
The 2020 HSC exam for Information and Digital Technology will be based on the updated syllabus.
Amendment – Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus
(NESA News)
NESA has amended the cover page of the Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus to reference version 3.1 of the ICT Information and Communications Technology Training Package.
No change to HSC courses and their requirements, or HSC Content.
Within the document NESA has replaced BOSTES and hyperlinks have been updated.
SafeWork NSW: Health and safety regulator – HSC VET courses
(Official notice NESA 11/17)
VET teachers/trainers would be aware that since 1 September 2015 the functions of WorkCover NSW have been assumed by three new organisations – SafeWork NSW, SIRA (State Insurance Regulatory Authority) and icare (Insurance and Care NSW).
This change is reflected in the VET Curriculum Framework syllabuses updated/revised last year for the cohort commencing 2017.
For the remainder of the Frameworks, any reference to WorkCover NSW is replaced by SafeWork NSW. The HSC Content/HSC Requirements and Advice should be amended on the following pages:
- Information and Digital Technology (ICTv3.1) p37.
This change is effective immediately, including for the 2017 HSC exams and beyond.
Updated Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus
(Official notice BOS 14/16)
Following the release of the new ICT Information and Communications Technology Training Package, BOSTES has updated the Stage 6 Information and Digital Technology Curriculum Framework syllabus. The updated syllabus, based on ICTv3, is now available and can be viewed, along with a range of associated documents, on the BOSTES website.
Implementation commences in 2016. The first Information and Digital Technology HSC examination based on the updated syllabus will be conducted in 2017.