Summary of "How to get an A*/9 in IGCSE ICT complete guide - how I studied, tips, resources and more!"
Summary of "How to get an A*/9 in IGCSE ICT complete guide - how I studied, tips, resources and more!"
This video is a comprehensive guide by Haiba on how to achieve an A* (or grade 9) in IGCSE ICT, based on her personal experience of scoring an A* in ICT and eight other IGCSE subjects. She shares detailed study methods, useful resources, and practical advice for both theory and practical papers, emphasizing the importance of understanding concepts, active recall, and extensive practice with past papers.
Main Ideas and Lessons
Background & Context
- Haiba took IGCSE ICT in May-June 2022 during COVID-19, where only Paper 1 (Theory) was taken; Papers 2 and 3 (Practical) were exempted.
- Despite not sitting for practical papers, she studied and scored well in them during online classes and tests.
- ICT has three papers: Paper 1 (Theory), Paper 2 and 3 (Practicals).
- Paper 1 (Theory) is the most challenging due to the vast content.
Study Resources for IGCSE ICT
- Textbook: Primary study source; comprehensive guide covering all syllabus content.
- Websites: These sites summarize content and make learning more engaging.
- YouTube Channels:
- "Yesterday on YouTube" (explains theory concepts well)
- Ahmad’s videos and PowerPoint presentations (used for revision and annotation)
- All recommended resources are linked in the video description.
Study Methodology for Theory Paper
- Reading & Understanding:
- Read one page of the textbook thoroughly to understand the content.
- Reflect and actively recall by writing down or verbally summarizing what you remember without looking.
- Compare your notes with the textbook, marking mistakes or missed points in red pen for better memory retention.
- This method is a form of active recall, which improves long-term retention over passive reading.
- Using Annotated PowerPoints:
- Print Ahmad’s PowerPoint slides at reduced size with blank spaces.
- Annotate slides with extra points or corrections from the textbook and online notes.
- This makes revision interactive and fun.
- Alternative to Textbook:
- If bored or unmotivated by the textbook, start with watching "Yesterday’s" YouTube videos to get an overview.
- Follow up with textbook reading for details missed in videos.
- Focus on Understanding:
- Emphasize understanding concepts rather than rote memorization.
- Understanding reduces the need to memorize large amounts of content.
- Extensive Practice with Past Papers:
- Solve many past papers, ideally classified by chapter.
- Use past papers to identify weak areas and focus revision accordingly.
- Past papers help familiarize with exam style and preferred terminology.
- Memorize answers and keywords from marking schemes rather than the textbook alone.
- Create notes from marking schemes highlighting preferred terms and repeated questions.
- Dealing with Marking Scheme Issues:
- Sometimes correct answers or facts may not be rewarded if not in the marking scheme.
- This can be discouraging but is part of the exam process.
- The solution is to learn the exact terms and examples favored by examiners through past papers.
Practical Papers (Paper 2 and 3) Tips
- Practical papers are generally easier to score well in.
- Listen carefully during practical classes and lab sessions to understand procedures.
- Practice solving many past practical papers to improve speed and accuracy.
- Use YouTube tutorials to learn practical skills if unsure.
- Always check answers against the marking scheme to identify and correct mistakes.
- Read the practical sections of the textbook thoroughly at least once.
- Do not leave practical revision to the last minute due to time-consuming nature.
- Identify weak topics (e.g., PowerPoint) and focus extra practice there.
General Advice & Motivation
- ICT is initially overwhelming but becomes manageable with consistent practice.
- Progress may be slow at first, especially due to marking scheme nuances.
- Persistence and continuous practice of past papers lead to improvement.
- Track your progress by checking marks regularly and revising mistakes.
- Trust the process and be patient.
- Share the video and tips with others who might benefit.
Summary of Key Methodology in Bullet Points
- Theory Study:
- Read textbook page by page for comprehension.
- Actively recall and write/speak summaries without looking.
- Compare with textbook; mark errors/missed points in red.
- Annotate printed PowerPoint slides with extra info from textbook and notes.
- Use YouTube videos as supplementary or motivational tools.
- Understand concepts over memorization.
- Solve classified past paper questions per chapter.
- Make notes from marking schemes focusing on preferred terms/examples.
Category
Educational
