The aim of this book is to provide comprehensive coverage of topics in Unit 1 of the BTEC Level 3 course in Information Technology in an interesting and approachable manner. If you are studying this course, you need to notice, read about, experience and analyse the impact and implications of current and emerging digital technologies. Examples and case studies from scenarios and events that have recently been in the news are used to bring the subject to life. Reading and discussing articles from quality newspapers, whether printed or online, discussing relevant TV documentaries, noticing and analysing the use of digital technology in countless aspects of life, as well as learning from a textbook, are all going to contribute to a successful exam result. The book is divided into six sections corresponding to the six Learning Aims outlined in the specification, complementing each of the PG Online teaching resource packs. These sections are divided into between four and eight chapters, each containing material that can be covered in one or two lessons. The chapters have in-text questions which can be used as discussion points in a lesson. An extra chapter at the end of Learning Aim B on "Drawing System Diagrams" will be useful for students faced with a question on the exam for which they are required to draw such a diagram. In addition to almost 100 in-text questions and discussion points, there are over 80 end-of-chapter exercises that are designed to give practice in answering exam-style questions, using command words such as state, describe, explain, analyse. As much practice as possible is needed in answering such questions and getting feedback from the teacher so as to understand how to gain the maximum possible marks in the final exam.

Pat Heathcote is a well-known and successful author of Computer Science textbooks. She has spent many years as a teacher of A Level Computing courses with significant examining experience. She has also worked as a programmer and systems analyst, and was Managing Director of Payne-Gallway Publishers until 2005.