Changes to Unit 1: Media Representations
Find out about changes made to Unit 1: Media Representations in January 2018 exam series.
Details of Unit 1 changes
Due to technical issues experienced by some learners during the summer 2017 session, a change has been made to the way Unit 1 (31688H) Media Representations will be delivered from January 2018.
The test will no longer be delivered via the Pearson Onscreen Platform (POP) platform but will delivered through an interactive PDF.
Materials for the exam will be released on the Edexcel website with gold padlock security one week in advance of the supervised test window. This can only be accessed by a centre’s Edexcel Online administrator.
These advance materials will include an interactive Adobe PDF question booklet and associated media-clips needed for the test. The content of the unit and specification remain the same, and only the delivery method of the test has been changed.
Media technicians in centres must check the materials in advance of the exam for functionality. The tested files must then be uploaded to each learner’s computer before the exam is sat during the supervised window.
This version of the exam is offline and internet access is neither required nor allowed during the exam.
At the end of the exam, you should save learner work to a USB and send it via a secure trackable method to your allocated examiner with the attendance register. Centres in England will receive pre-paid yellow Parcelforce labels. The learner work should also be saved locally.
Learners for this test can now be entered via the External Assessment option on Edexcel Online. This is the same process as for timetabled BTEC exams and other Level 3 Creative Digital Media external assessments.
Learners can no longer be entered via the Onscreen Assessment option. If you have already made entries for the January 2018 series you do not need to re-enter your learners.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Centres should supply their own USB in the same way they do for the other Level 3 Media unit (Unit 8)
No. Centres will already have saved a copy of their learners’ work.
Work for the whole cohort should be saved on one USB.
The USB needs to be large enough to fit work but the files being sent are small (PDFs)
Files should not be zipped.
Yes, this is detailed on the front page of the exam booklet and in the Administrative Support Guide.
Approximately 1.9 MB per learner.
The work should be sent via a secure trackable method. Pre-paid Parcelforce labels will be provided for centres in England.
January 2018 series: 22-23 January
Summer 2018 series: 5-6 June
Centres are free to timetable their two hour sessions within these windows.
The material will be released on the subject page of the Pearson qualifications website one week before the test window begins. It will have “gold padlock” security and can only be accessed by centres’ Edexcel Online Administrator:
January 2018 series: 15 January
Summer 2018 series: 22 May
