Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Peripherals may include:
Bluetooth device
Firewire (IEEE 1394) device
keyboard
laptop
mobile phone
modem
mouse
multimedia kit
pen
personal digital assistant (PDA), such as palmtop
printer
scanner
speaker
tape cartridge
touch pad
universal serial bus (USB) device
wireless fidelity (wi-fi) router.
Users may include:
departments within an organisation
persons within a department
third parties.
OHS standards may include:
electrical safety
ergonomics in the workplace:
correct posture
style and adjustments of chair
type of desk
type of monitor
working position
length of time in front of computer
lighting level
placement of light fittings
repetitive strain injury (RSI) prevention
safe lifting methods
ventilation.
Network may include:
data
local area network (LAN)
private lines
the internet
use of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) for dial-up modems only
voice
virtual private network (VPN)
wide area network (WAN).
Printer may include:
ink jet
laser
network.
Software may include:
application
commercial
customised
in-house
programming:
assembler
compiler
development tools
system:
computer security
device drivers
operating system.
Applications may include:
database programs
email programs
internet browsers
spreadsheets
system browsers
word-processing.
Network operating system may include:
Linux
Mac
multi-user capability operating system
Novell NetWare 5 or above
Windows 2000 or above.
Consumables may include:
disks:
CD
DVD
ink cartridges
toner cartridges.
Components may include:
CD and DVD drives
central processing unit (CPU)
complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) battery
fax or modem cards
interface cards
motherboards
motherboards
power supply
random access memory (RAM).

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the ability to:
plan and install peripherals, and connect to network and test operation
manage the use of peripheral services with workstations
maintain networked peripherals according to a maintenance schedule
rectify faulty peripheral services or devices.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
range of peripherals
network administration tools
live network with a representative range of networked client server environments and operating systems
technical records, organisational policies and documentation
appropriate learning and assessment support when required
modified equipment for people with special needs.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
direct observation of candidate:
managing the use of peripheral services with workstations
rectifying faulty peripherals
maintaining networked peripherals
verbal or written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of networked peripherals
review of network peripheral entries prepared by candidate.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.
In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.