HKDSE ICT
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination - Information and Communication Technology
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Cheat sheet
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ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
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Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) Information and Communication Technology subject is a Category A: Senior Secondary Subjects offering administered by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). It is designed for senior secondary students in Hong Kong who are preparing for the HKDSE, and it is assessed through a written examination together with School-based Assessment (SBA), which the HKEAA confirms is administered for this subject. According to the HKEAA subject page, the published support materials include Sample Papers for HKDSE Information and Communication Technology, Level descriptors for HKDSE Information and Communication Technology, an Assessment Framework for 2012 HKDSE, briefing-session PowerPoint presentations, and the Senior Secondary Curriculum and Assessment Guide (Final Version) (March 2007). The subject's content spans information processing, computer system fundamentals, the internet and its applications, basic programming concepts, social implications, and technological innovation and its impact on society. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the HKEAA. To prepare, read the curriculum and assessment guide to map the syllabus, then work through the sample papers under timed conditions, check your answers against the level descriptors, and plan your SBA work alongside revision rather than leaving it to the final term.
What you'll study
About HKDSE ICT preparation
What is the HKDSE ICT subject and who takes it?
It is a Category A senior secondary subject in the HKDSE, administered by the HKEAA. It suits senior secondary students building a foundation for further study or work in computing and information technology. It is assessed by written examination plus School-based Assessment, which the HKEAA states is administered for this subject.
What is the exam format?
The HKEAA lists the assessment as a written examination together with School-based Assessment (SBA). The subject page publishes an Assessment Framework for 2012 HKDSE, sample papers and level descriptors. Check the current assessment framework and your school's SBA handbook for the exact paper structure and weightings before you plan revision.
How long is the exam and how many marks is it worth?
The HKEAA subject page does not state the paper duration, total marks or the SBA weighting. These details sit in the assessment framework and SBA teachers' handbook for your cohort. Do not rely on remembered figures from older years; confirm with your teacher or the HKEAA assessment framework page.
What score do I need to pass?
There is no fixed pass mark published on the subject page. HKDSE results are reported on a standards-referenced scale, and the HKEAA publishes level descriptors for this subject describing typical performance at each level. Use those descriptors, not a percentage target, to judge whether your practice answers are at the level you want.
How difficult is the subject?
Difficulty depends on your comfort with both technical content and explanation. The syllabus mixes factual material, such as computer system fundamentals and internet applications, with skills such as basic programming concepts and discussion of social implications. Candidates often lose marks by writing vague social-implication answers or by being unable to trace code by hand.
Can I retake the subject, and how?
The HKEAA administers the HKDSE annually and publishes exam registration, fees and timetable information on its website. Retake arrangements, including any special entry provisions, are set out in the HKEAA registration pages and circulars. Confirm the current rules and deadlines there, because they are updated each year.
In what order should I study the topics?
Start with information processing and computer system fundamentals, since later topics assume that vocabulary. Then work through internet applications and basic programming concepts, practising code tracing by hand. Leave social implications and technological innovation until you can argue both benefits and risks with concrete examples, then attempt full sample papers.
What are the most common ways candidates lose marks?
Three recurring problems: describing a technology without saying what it does in the given scenario, giving one-sided answers on social implications instead of weighing benefits against risks, and being unable to dry-run a short program without a computer. Practise writing short, scenario-specific answers and trace loops and conditions on paper.
Where can I find official past papers and sample papers?
The HKEAA subject page lists Sample Papers for HKDSE Information and Communication Technology and links to the sample papers section of its website. It also publishes examination reports that discuss candidate performance. Use these official materials alongside your textbook, and note that reproduction of HKEAA papers is subject to its copyright and licensing terms.