Acca aa s21 Notes

EMPLOYABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
Chapter 30
EMPLOYABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY 
SKILLS
1. Introduction
The ACCA has introduced this new section into the syllabus for all of the Applied Skills and Strategic 
Professional examinations now that all the examinations in all locations will be computer based.
However, it does not require the same sort of learning as for other syllabus areas because it has been 
added to reflect the outcomes and demonstrable skills required for the exams, using the Computer 
Based Exam software. The level of skill needed to be able to use the CBE software can also be 
beneficial for your employment.
Many students will already have a high level of skill on computers and be familiar with the use of word 
processors and spreadsheets. However, those provided in the exam software might not be identical to 
those that you are familiar with and, in addition, it is essential that you are able to navigate the 
software efficiently so as not to waste time in the exam.
There are many excellent resources available on the ACCA website to assist you, and so in this chapter 
we will direct you to some of the relevant ACCA pages and explain their importance.
2. Navigating the exam and the tools available
The exam screen has a top bar and a bottom bar.
On the 
top bar
there are options to call up an ‘online calculator’, to call up the ‘scratch pad’, and to 
‘flag for review’.
The online calculator is used in the normal way and can be switched at any time between a basic 
mode and a scientific mode. You can use your own calculator instead provided that it does not store 
or display text.
The scratch pad can be used to make notes and do your own rough workings, but nothing written on 
the scratchpad will actually be marked. You will also be provided with paper if sitting the exam in an 
exam centre and so you can use this for workings instead - the paper will be collected in at the end of 
the exam but, again, nothing on this rough paper will be marked. (Note: if you are sitting the exam 
remotely then paper is not allowed and you can only use the scratchpad.)
The ‘flag for review’ option enables you to put a mark against a question to enable you to quickly 
come back to it again later if you have time.