Progression in electronics and communications technology

The paper is based on the Marconi Electronics and Communications Technology Project. The project aims to interest and educate a significantly larger number of young people in England and Wales in Electronics and Communications technology. The Marconi ECT Project aims to support high quality work in schools up to GCSE level. The paper describes the criteria on which the project has selected content, and how that content has been organised at the levels of ‘Starter’ ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Advanced’. In developing ideas for pupil practical activities, the approach that has been adopted is what we call a ‘layered’ approach. The intention is that, depending on experience and confidence, teachers need only look at ideas for pupil activities to the depth of ‘layer’ that they require. A questionnaire-based survey of pupils in eight schools has been conducted to gauge their interest in a wide variety of possible projects.