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HiStAAT or Higher Still Attainment tracker is a modular database system that is designed to assist Higher Still Co-ordinators in monitoring the progress of students working on Higher Still Access Level 2 and 3 Units. It is composed of a tracker system, which assists monitoring of progress and a linked database of all Access 2 and 3 Units. This is called the Access Units Database and can be used to search for any Access 2or 3 Unit. Once a unit has been identified it can be copied into the Tracker system through the use of a Unit Summary which contains all the relevant information, such as Subject Area, Unit Number, Cluster Number, Access Level, Unit Title and Core Skills. Access Units Database This is a database containing
all the Access 2 and Access 3 units. The user can search the database on a
variety of Fields: -
The key to the system is the
Unit Summary, which can be copied and pasted into the Tracker System. Attainment Tracker This is a separate database that contains a pupil's Higher Still Access course information. The system allows each pupil to be presented for up to 45 different Access Units. The courses can be typed in or copied from the Access Units Database. Once a number of Access Units have been set, the school co-ordinator updates the pupil's progress on the system. The co-ordinator records when a candidate is presented for a Unit, when the candidate achieves the Unit and the date that is was achieved. In addition the co-ordinator must record what core skill component, if any, was linked with the Unit. The tracker system automatically
totals the number of Units and the Core Skills achieved and compares these
totals with the criteria for a Scottish Group Award. This provides an automatic
and instant measure of a candidate's progress. The system holds pre-set award
requirements for Access 2, Access 2 (double), Access 2 (triple), Access 3,
Access 3 (double) and Access 3 (triple) awards. There is also the facility to record courses towards
Intermediate 1 as well as Standard Grade Credit Transfer towards Access 3. Using this system the Higher
Still Co-ordinator only needs to enter data when a Unit has been achieved and
check when a candidate is ready for an SGA award. There is still a requirement
for a high degree of knowledge about Higher Still access, however the
possibility of a pupil missing an award is greatly reduced. A separate Access
Level 1 tracker is also available. The remainder of this guide
explains more about the system and how to enter and modify data. LOOKING AT THE VARIOUS LAYOUTS
CONTROL When the database is switched on
the first screen to appear asks for the User Password. Once the password is
entered HiStAAT will always open at the CONTROL layout. This layout gives the
user a number of buttons to choose from. By clicking on a button another screen
or layout will appear. PUPIL OVERVIEW
This
layout is used to add most of the important information on a pupil. It is
essential that care is taken adding information, as mistakes in this layout will
be carried through the other layouts. The Pupil Overview layout is where the
Access Units are listed and progress is updated. The Unit Summary can be copied
from the Access Units Database. The user then records when the candidate is
presented, when the Unit was achieved and at what level, and the Core Skill
component. To enter information into a field simply click on the field with the
mouse pointer and a pull down menu will appear with an X. Simply click on the X
with the mouse pointer or hit return. The
remaining layouts present the information in different formats. GETTING STARTED HiStAAT and Access Units Database is provided on one master floppy disk. Insert the disk into your disk drive. Click on the floppy drive and you will see two icons for HiStAAT and Access Units Database. Now create a new folder on the hard disk or C Drive and name it "Higher Still Access". Next copy both HiStAAT and
Access Units Database into the Higher Still Access folder on your computer by
dragging from the floppy to the folder. The program should now be installed. Double click on HiStAAT which should now be on the hard disk within the Higher Still Access folder. The program should open up with FileMaker Pro and a password box will appear. Click on the password box with
the mouse until you get a flashing cursor. Now type in the password, which is
located on the back sheet of this manual. HiStAAT will now open and is ready to
be used. Problem Solving In some instances you may get a message saying that the application program which created this cannot be found. If this occurs please ensure that you have installed FileMaker Pro 5. If the program still fails to
run then the problem lies with the computer not recognising which program that
will open HiStAAT. Carry out the following: - Open FileMaker Pro Select "open an existing database". Locate HiStAAT on the hard disk and select it to be opened. HiStAAT will now open. The computer will now know to
open HiStAAT using FileMaker Pro 5. QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
How do I move between different layouts? On the top left hand corner of the screen under the FILE command there is a box with ENTRY on it. This is the LAYOUT MENU. Using the mouse click on this box. A menu will appear with a list of all the different layouts. The current layout will have tick next to it. To go to another layout use the mouse to highlight the desired layout and then click on it. The new layout will open. The new layout name will appear in the box under the FILE command.
How do I add a new candidate? Go the PUPIL OVERVIEWS layout by either clicking on the button on the CONTROL layout or use the LAYOUT MENU on the top left-hand corner above the card index. Once you are in the PUPIL OVERVIEW layout go to the RECORDS command on the menu bar, click with the mouse, a pull down menu appears, select NEW RECORD. A new record will be added ready for you to add data. When you have added a record you
will see that the total records on the left-hand side increase by one. Once a
pupil has been added to the system they will remain on it until they leave
school. The pupil record will contain all the Access Units that the pupil will
follow over their time in school. How do I enter or edit pupil data? To edit data, whether adding or changing information, click on the field box that you wish to alter. The box will change to a solid line around it, a flashing cursor will appear, then start to type. You should note that you could only type within the area the box covers. Although you can type as much text as you wish, it will not be displayed. It is also possible to use the TAB key to move through the various fields. Each layout will have a set Tab order; this can be useful when adding a large amount of information in different fields. The system has been designed to
make data entry as easy and fast as possible.
Most fields have a pull down menu, which offers an X. By clicking on the
X or hitting RETURN the X will be entered into the box. If a mistake is made
then click on the box again and press the DELETE key. It is important to note
that as soon as any character or letter is entered into a filed box then the
system records it and assigns it a value of 1. This is how the system manages
the numerical totals. It is therefore important that care is taken when entering
data so that errors are not made. How
do I record an Access Unit
Once
a pupil has been added to the Tracker you are then ready to enter the Access
Units that they will be working on. Go
to the PUPIL OVERVIEW layout and type in the pupil's forename, surname and SQA
Number. Although a user can type in the Access Unit details it can save time by
going to the Access Units Database and selecting the unit details. The Access
Units database is a separate file that can be accessed by clicking on the ACCESS
UNITS DATABASE button located at the top right of the page. This opens up the
database at the OPTIONS MENU LAYOUT. You do not require a password to open this
database as it has been set on a default password. This prevents the user from
accidentally delete any information. The
OPTIONS MENU has various buttons, which allow the user to perform a search on a
number of fields. If we wanted to find a specific Access Unit for English then
we would carry out the following: - Go
to the Access Units Database OPTIONS MENU
Click
on the SEARCH BY SUBJECT BUTTON. A
new layout will appear with all the fields empty. You are now in FIND MODE. A
flashing cursor will be located within the Subject field box. Click
on the field with the mouse and a pull down menu will appear listing all the
various Subjects
Scroll
down until you see English. Click on English and it will appear in the box. You
are now ready to perform a FIND. If you make a mistake and English does not
appear in the box then click on the screen away from the box then return to the
box and click again. If you accidentally enter the wrong subject then click on
the box and hit the delete key. Now
click on the FIND button located on the left-hand side.
11
Records will be found which correspond to all the Access 2 and 3 Units for
English. To look through the 11 records click on the card index icon to move
through the list. W When
we carried out the FIND we could have been more specific and also selected the
Access Level we wanted. This would have reduced the number of records found and
saved time. To do this we would not only select English but also go to the
ACCESS LEVEL field box and select Access 2. Then click on FIND. This would
return a find of only 3 English Access 2 units. The
Unit Summary contains all the relevant information on the Unit. This can be
copied and pasted into HiStAAT, which saves time and ensures that no errors are
made. To
copy and paste the Unit Summary When
you have found the exact Unit that the pupil will be working on go to the Unit
Summary and highlight the text by dragging through it with the left mouse button
pressed down. When
the text has been highlighted, go to EDIT command on the MENU bar and select
COPY. (NOTE: DO NOTE USE CUT, AS THIS
WILL REMOVE THE TEXT). Useful
Tip: If you are using a PC then you can use the right mouse button to open the
edit command. You
have now copied the Unit Summary and want to place it into HiStAAT. Click
on the Attainment Tracker button located at the top of the page or go to WINDOW
on the MENU bar. You will see the above box. This tells you that two databases
are working at this time and that Access Units Database is the active window.
Click on HiStAAT to change the active window. Now
go to where you want to paste the text and click with the mouse. A
flashing cursor will appear, go to EDIT on the MENU bar and click on PASTE. Some
Units have more text than others and it may be necessary to edit the Unit
Summary to make it fit the filed box. To do this click on the text and use the
backspace key to move the text closer together. This is not vital but may make
it easier to see the entire summary. How
do I update a pupil's progress? Once
a list of Access Units have been added on the Pupil Overview in HiStAAT, the co-ordinator
needs to be informed of when a pupil is presented for a Unit and also when the
Unit has been achieved. It will be necessary for schools to establish a process
where information is passed to the Higher Still Co-ordinator as soon as a Unit
has been achieved.
It is also necessary to record which Core Skill component, if any was achieved within the Unit. This is recorded by clicking the box in the grid located on the right hand side. In some computers it will be necessary to scroll right.
It is necessary to check which core skill is contained within the Unit summary. If the Unit Summary contained the Core Skills WWO and O-COMM then the user would click the boxes under Access 2 Working with Others and Oral Communication. It is essential that the user
establishes a process where the Core Skills are updated every time a Unit is
achieved. In this way the system
will ensure that all Core Skills are achieved which is an essential element of
gaining a Group Award. How do I check a pupil's progress? A pupil's overall progress can be checked by going to the ATTAINMENT SUMMARY layout. This provides an instant guide to the pupil's current status in relation to Scottish Group Awards.
The UNIT CREDIT STATUS indicates
whether or not the pupil has achieved the correct number of Access Units to meet
the award criteria, e.g. 9 Units at Access 2 = Access 2 Award. If the correct
number have not been achieved then the box will state 'Not Ready'. The AWARD
STATUS indicates if the pupil is ready for an award based on the Core Skills
Profile being met and also the correct number of Access Units. If the AWARD
STATUS is 'Not Ready' but the UNIT CREDIT STATUS is 'Ready for Award' then this
means that the pupil is missing one or more Core Skills. How can I use the system to find a specific Core Skill for a pupil? A situation may arise where a
pupil has achieved the correct number of Units at the correct level but is
missing a specific core skill. In this instance we can use the search facility
on the Access Units Database to find any Units which contain a specific Core
Skill. To do this, go to the Access Units Database and Click on the SEARCH BY
CORE SKILL. Type in the code for the Core Skill, e.g. IT and click on FIND. This
will show all the Units which have an IT core skill component. How do I use the system to record an intermediate 1 award? Although the system was
primarily designed for Access 2 and Access 3, there is an Access 3 Unit
requirement to gain an intermediate 1 award. The tracker will assist in
recording the 2 Intermediate Courses achieved and will then allow the user to
record the Access 3 Courses and Core Skills. (8 Unit Credits at Access 3 plus
Core Skills Profile at Access 3). To do this go to the Intermediate 1 Tracker
layout and type in the 2 Intermediate Courses achieved. The user then adds the
Access 3 Units and updates them as required. The pupil's overall progress
towards an Intermediate 1 Award is displayed through the Attainment Summary
layout. What about Standard Grade Credit Transfer? If a pupil has passed a Standard
Grade ten this can be counted as 4 x Access 3 Units which can be used as part of
a Access 3 SGA. The system is designed to accept this credit transfer as long as
the Standard Grade subject is recorded within the Credit Transfer layout. The
user must type in the Standard Grade subject that has been passed. The system
then automatically assigns the pupil 4 Access 3 Units. These are not displayed
on the Pupil Overview but are taken into account on the Attainment Summary. How do I delete a pupil record? You will only delete a pupil when they leave school. To delete a pupil go to the RECORDS command on the menu bar, click with the mouse, a pull down menu appears, select DELETE RECORD. You will then be asked if you wish to PERMANENTLY DELETED THIS ENTIRE RECORD, select the DELETE button. If you hit RETURN then nothing will happen. When you delete a record it cannot be retrieved. Take care when using the delete
command. Below it is the DELETE ALL RECORDS command. This will delete all the
records that you are working with and can cause a lot of problems if used
incorrectly. Do not use the DELETE ALL command unless you are very confident. How do I Find a pupil? This is probably the most useful procedure that a database can carry out. In order to find a pupil or other field item you must put the database into FIND mode. To do this, go to VIEW on the menu bar and click with the mouse, a pull down menu appears, select FIND. The screen will change and all the fields will go blank. Go to the layout which contains the field that you wish to search on. In most cases it will be in the PUPIL OVERVIEW layout. Select the field that you want to find on, for example Surname. Type in the pupil surname and then click on the FIND button, which is located on the left-hand side of the screen in the middle. The correct record should now be displayed.
Note that below the card file icon on the left hand side, the comment ‘Found 1’ is present. This is because you have effectively taken that record out of the system and you are now working only with that record. Once you have finished with the
record you must return it with the other records. To do this, go to RECORDS
command on the menu bar and click on SHOW ALL RECORDS. You should then notice
that the word FOUND has vanished and all the records are together. ALWAYS
REMEMBER TO GO TO RECORDS AND THEN SHOW
ALL RECORDS AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE FIND.
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