Electronics
About the Subject
Course Name: Electronics
Award: GCSE
Exam Board: WJEC Eduqas
Electronics Teacher: Mrs V Gowan
Note: This subject is taught after school
What you will study:
Electronics is an increasingly vital part of our lives; the principles being directly applicable across a wide spectrum of technologies. Taking this subject as an option will mark out any student as one who can apply themselves to any technical task, whether as a technician, a designer or a manager.
Course Content:
Component 1: Discovering Electronics. Written examination: 90 minutes: 40% of qualification
A mix of short answer, structured and extended writing questions, with some set in a practical context.
- Electronic systems and sub-systems. Sensors for light, sound, temperature, movement, pressure.
- Circuit concepts. Outputs for driving motors, lamps, sounders, actuators.
- Resistive components in circuits
- Switching circuits, using transistors
- Applications of diodes
- Combinational logic systems
Component 2: Application of Electronics. Written examination: 90 minutes: 40% of qualification
A mix of short answer, structured and extended writing questions, with some set in a practical context.
- Operational amplifiers, a look at audio and radio circuits.
- Timing circuits
- Sequential systems
- Interfacing digital to analogue circuits, the real world.
- Control circuits using programmable microcontrollers.
Practical work is carried out on a computerised circuit simulator, where components can be easily manipulated and measurements are taken during simulation. The simulator is available for home use.
Component 3: Extended system design and realisation task. Non-exam assessment: 20% of qualification
An extended system design and realisation task to assess electronics skills.
A systematic, engineering approach is used to:
- analyse the task requirement and derive a design specification
- develop and test a range of sub-systems
- develop, realise and test a final physical system
- evaluate the final system against the design specification and suggest improvements.
Studying this GCSE in Electronics enables learners to:
- Develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding of the behaviour of analogue and digital electrical/electronic circuits including a wide range of electronic components
- Develop an understanding of the nature, processes and methods of electronics as an engineering discipline to help them answer questions about practical circuits
- Be aware of new and emerging technologies
- Develop and learn how to apply observational, practical, problem solving and evaluative skills in the identification of needs in the world around them and to propose and test electronic solutions