💻 NCEA Level 3

Digital Technologies

Computer science analysis, reflective practice, and the database, network and programming internals.

10 Standards 45 Total credits 2 Externals · 6 cr 0/10 Reviewed

Achievement standards

External · 6 credits

AS 91908 Analyse an area of computer science Choose one area: complexity, formal languages, graphics, vision, networks or big data. External 3 credits AS 91909 Present a reflective analysis of developing a digital outcome Your own project: tools and techniques, end users, and what you would change. External 3 credits

Internal · 39 credits

AS 91906 Use complex programming techniques to develop a computer program Data structures, decomposition, error handling and a real test plan. Internal 6 credits AS 91902 Use complex techniques to develop a database Normalisation, relationships, integrity constraints and multi-table queries. Internal 4 credits AS 91905 Use complex techniques to develop a network Addressing, subnetting, routing, security layers and proving it works. Internal 4 credits AS 91900 Conduct a critical inquiry to propose a digital technologies outcome Inquiry questions, research, analysis, and a traceable proposal. Internal 6 credits AS 91901 Apply user experience methodologies to develop a design for a digital technologies outcome Purpose and end-user requirements, UX methods, evidenced iteration. Internal 3 credits AS 91903 Use complex techniques to develop a digital media outcome Complex media techniques, data integrity, testing and implications. Internal 4 credits AS 91904 Use complex techniques to develop an electronics outcome Sensors and microcontrollers, signal conditioning, safety and testing. Internal 6 credits AS 91907 Use complex processes to develop a digital technologies outcome The process itself: planning tools, decomposition, integration, testing. Internal 6 credits

Where this leads in business & finance

Software is where the leverage is: the complexity and tractability content in 91908 is literally why some problems are cheap to solve and others are not, which is the judgement behind every build-or-buy decision. Fintech, algorithmic trading, data engineering and security all sit on this material, and the internals are the rare school assessment that produces a portfolio you can actually show someone. New Zealand tech is now one of the country’s largest export earners.

Watch: Digital Technologies in the real world Opens a YouTube search: a good one to watch when motivation dips