OCR J277 - Extended Response Workbook

1: Automated Manufacturing [8 Marks]

A company replaces its manual assembly line with an automated robotic system to build smartphones.

Discuss the impact on the company and employees. Include ethical and cultural issues.

Keywords: Redundancies, deskilling, efficiency, 24/7 production, safety.

✅ Mark Scheme

Company: Setup costs vs long-term savings. Consistent quality. 24/7 output. Employees: Job losses/Redundancies. Deskilling. Safer work environment (robots do dangerous jobs).

Level 3 (6-8): Balanced discussion of both sides.

Score:

2: Facial Recognition in Retail [8 Marks]

A supermarket installs facial recognition cameras to identify "known shoplifters".

Discuss impact. Include ethical, legal, and privacy issues.

Keywords: Consent, DPA 2018, Bias, Security, Theft reduction.

✅ Mark Scheme

Positive: Reduces theft, improves safety. Privacy/Ethical: Lack of consent. Surveillance state. Algorithmic bias (mistaken identity). Legal: DPA requires signage and secure storage of biometric data.

Score:

3: Software Licensing (School) [8 Marks]

School choosing between Proprietary VLE and Open Source alternative.

Discuss features, benefits, drawbacks and make a recommendation.

Keywords: Cost, Support, Customisation, Source Code access.

✅ Mark Scheme

Proprietary: Paid support, polished, can't change code. Ongoing cost. Open Source: Free (no licence fee), customisable code. Needs internal expertise. Recommendation: Must be justified (e.g. Open Source to save money, or Proprietary for reliability).

Score:

4: Remote Medical Monitoring [8 Marks]

Elderly patients given wearable heart monitors to alert doctors automatically.

Discuss impact on hospital and patients. Include ethical and privacy issues.

Keywords: Independence, Bed-blocking, Data security, Human contact.

✅ Mark Scheme

Patients: Independence (home living), peace of mind. Anxiety of being watched. Loss of human contact. Hospital: Frees up beds (cost saving). Early intervention. Privacy: Security of transmitting health data.

Score:

5: Social Media AI (Toxic Content) [8 Marks]

AI scans and deletes posts with "toxic" language automatically.

Discuss positive and negative uses. Include legal, ethical, and privacy.

Keywords: Censorship, Safety, Context (sarcasm), False positives.

✅ Mark Scheme

Positive: Removes hate speech instantly. 24/7 moderation. Negative: Censorship / Freedom of speech. AI misunderstands sarcasm/context. Legal: DPA check - is it reading private messages?

Score:

6: Digital Upgrade Cycle [8 Marks]

New flagship phone every 6 months. Planned obsolescence.

Discuss environmental and ethical issues.

Keywords: E-waste, Rare earth metals, Landfill, Cost to consumer.

✅ Mark Scheme

Environmental: E-waste in landfills (toxic). Mining for lithium/gold causes damage. Energy in manufacturing. Ethical: Planned obsolescence manipulates users. Digital divide (poor can't keep up).

Score:

7: BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) [8 Marks]

Employees use personal tablets/phones for work to save costs.

Discuss legal, ethical, and privacy issues.

Keywords: Data security, DPA compliance, Work-life balance, Inequality.

✅ Mark Scheme

Legal: Hard to ensure DPA compliance on personal devices (malware risk). Ethical: Work-life balance (always online). Inequality (staff with better phones vs worse). Privacy: Company wiping personal photos if phone is lost?

Score:

8: Smart Cities (Tracking) [8 Marks]

Smart Streetlights track movement of every car and pedestrian.

Discuss impact on inhabitants. Include privacy and ethical issues.

Keywords: Digital footprint, Safety, Traffic management, Privacy intrusion.

✅ Mark Scheme

Privacy: Constant tracking = no privacy in public. Data could be hacked/misused. Ethical: Safety (street lights on when needed) vs Surveillance. Efficient traffic vs Freedom.

Score:

9: AI in Scientific Research [8 Marks]

AI tests chemical combinations for new medicine, replacing scientists.

Discuss ethical, legal, and cultural issues.

Keywords: Job replacement (high skill), Discovery speed, Human intuition, Error reduction.

✅ Mark Scheme

Impact: Faster cures (saves lives). Removes human error. Ethical/Cultural: Replacement of highly skilled jobs (what does it mean for education?). Loss of human intuition/ethics in decision making.

Score:

10: Connectivity in Isolated Areas [8 Marks]

Remote village connected to high-speed satellite internet.

Discuss impact. Include ethical and privacy issues.

Keywords: Global economy, Education, Culture erosion, Cyber-crime.

✅ Mark Scheme

Positive: Telemedicine (health), Online education, E-commerce for local business. Negative: Exposure to scams/cyber-crime. Erosion of local traditions/culture due to globalisation.

Score:

Unit 1.6 Extended Response Workbook