The ILM and CMI promote the use of e-portfolio systems as a way of engaging and retaining learners.  City & Guilds has an e-portfolio called Learning Assistant and say that “E-portfolio systems enable easy communication between learners, managers, assessors and verifiers.  The internal verifier, candidate line manager and the awarding body have 24/7 access to the e-portfolio system ensuring that working practices are open and transparent.  These systems also allow increased flexibility on evidence collection methods including digital pictures, sound and video.”  (www.cityandguilds.com)

For everyone faster assessment time, improved motivation, reduced administration costs and time are all important factors.  Any e-portfolio system will also enable more transparent internal communication and improve the consistency of quality assessment.  E-portfolios make progress and attainment more obvious to assessors and learners as viewing the work shows development, the achievements, strengths and weaknesses.  E-portfolios are not just a repository for work but a tool to achieve a qualification with positive learning outcomes.  A good experience can result in further learner development and repeat customers.

PNE Development (oscar user) are able to provide a snapshot analysis which showed that those learners using a previous paper and recorded discussion based assessment system to build a NVQ portfolio took on average 30 hours of direct assessor time.  In contrast candidates using oscar took on average 21 hours of assessor time.  A considerable saving of resource time and there is also the added bonus of reduced costs and travelling time.  It was also noted that using oscar meant that the qualifications were achieved over a shorter period of time.  If the same result can be achieved more efficiently then that’s a bonus.  And, this is backed up by assessor and learner feedback.

In the very competitive field of professional development and qualifications the motivation to learners and staff, accelerated completion times, improved security and high quality standards become the expected.  At present e-portfolios and online assessment tools are not compulsory but as we move forward in an environmentally aware world and where time and space are ever more valuable commodities then moving forward means embracing available technology.

Click to book your free demonstration of oscar.

This article follows on from an earlier post in the Cog Blog that profiled the typical working day of a fictional assessor using a paper-based assessment process.

I’ll make myself very clear – switching to e-portfolio software that be accessed from any internet enabled device is going to deliver a multitude of efficiencies into existing business activities. That’s a bold statement you might say – “I want to hear more”…

1. Assessors, who are the delivery end for any training provider, are going to be spending less time commuting to the homes and workplaces of candidates. Why? Because the assessor-candidate relationship can be maintained via the e-portfolio tool, with a transparent process of recording activity between the two parties.
   
2. Support staff (principally in an administrative or audit role) at the offices of the training organisation will have to spend less of their precious (paid) time on supporting the management of candidate files and communications. As the assessment documentation can be accessed online from a secure central depositary, staff at the training organisation can work smarter and more collaboratively. The savings in man-hours could be truly significant for larger organisations.
   
3. And let’s not forget that people are still involved in the e-assessment process. E-portfolio’s are not there to eliminate the assessor or the course administrator’s but to enable them to work more efficiently and, most importantly, work happy. Training organisations should open their eyes to the benefit on improving staff morale!!!

‘How on earth can I possibly relate to the persuasive statements being set out in this article?’ (you may be wondering). Easy – get in touch with the team at oscar e-portfolio and book a demo. 30-40 minutes later you will begin to come around to my way of thinking – guaranteed. If for some reason not, post an article below and I’ll see if I can answer your question.

As the demographics of the work force change so do the ways of working and learning.  The modern learner is very likely to have a multi-faceted role – much more so than say 10 or 15 years ago.  I know my job title today compared with 12 years ago isn’t that much different but my actual job role is and my own use of technology is. The way I approached and completed a level 3 NVQ 12 years ago has changed to how I did my next level 3 NVQ last year – as much as the ways of how I work have changed.   I decided to ask the assessors I work with who they see the modern learner as and the key points made were busy (no surprise there!), needing flexibility and seeking support.  So how does this fit with using an e-portfolio or online system? oscar can help with these because it’s dynamic, and it’s so easy and quick to save and upload evidence.  oscar has support areas for learners in the forum and the assessor feedback ensures that the learner maintains regular contact.

When gaining a vocational qualification the learner may have lots of different types of evidence and it’s not always practical to save this in one or two folders.  oscar enables the learner to provide a wide range of evidence from text documents to presentations to video.  I believe that it enables the learner to express their role and learning in more ways than previously possible.  And, in a convenient format.  Using oscar means the learner doesn’t have to copy lots of documents and carry and store large files.  It also means less waste and costs, such as files, copy costs and paper, to build up a portfolio as the evidence and work can be uploaded straight to oscar.  And because of oscar’s simple to use navigation it is very user friendly for those of us who remember having to build-up a portfolio in a lever arch file (or two). 

Confidentiality is very important as well and that’s why each e-portfolio is password secured with access only given to the learner and assessment team members who need it – and much more secure than carrying a folder around.

We are all intensely aware that technology and computers have come a long way, even since the last century, and there is much more emphasis on proficiency and efficiency.   I believe this is where the e-portfolio and oscar play the part to enable the move forward. 

A demonstration of oscar is only a click away.

Depending on your age, sex and location you’ll have a different view from me on how the world has changed over the past few years but I suspect we would agree that it’s changed quickly.

I was in the last phase of students to go to university when submitting work electronically wasn’t compulsory, it was rare to email professors and meetings were all face to face.

The world of learning has changed a great deal since then and the majority of changes have been driven by computers. Computers that at first took up a corner of a room and needed 10 minutes to boot up, now occupy a tiny space in our trouser pockets or handbags and provide instant access to almost any information we want.

There are estimated to be 1.5 billion phones in the world (Prensky, 2004) which is more than 3 times the number of PCs, and at the same time, the performance gap between phones and PCs is getting smaller.

This technology has revolutionised learning and training and will continue to do so for a new generation of learners.

By making your learning processes compatible with learner’s mobile phones, it offers a huge opportunity to increase learner engagement and improve the learning experience.

Mobile learning allows an expansion of the different formats in which learning can be communicated, opening up possibilities with blogs, podcasts, audio books and online interactive sessions all of which produce a much more blended learning approach.

The increase in mobile learning also leads to an expansion in the number of potential learners. Where previously learners would have to juggle course attendance with jobs and family, effective use of mobile technology makes it easier for learners to manage their time and achieve the learning objectives they desire.

For training organisations looking to increase the number of learners they have, mobile engagement is a no brainer and not providing it risks disappointing learners who increasingly expect it as standard.

Get in touch with the oscar team to book an online demonstration of the oscar e-portfolio.

A wide variety of technology buyers from the across the North East, and some from further afield, converged on Newcastle Racecourse to see the latest software and hardware solutions for the B2B market.

Speaking to training providers and employers, we explained how our simple and flexible approach to online assessment was winning new fans from across the country.

Business owners recognised how the oscar e-portfolio could be easily integrated into existing processes and the potential to make significant savings from material and travel costs.

A number of oscar demonstrations were booked on the day and we hope to receive more soon off the back of our promotional literature distributed at the event.

If you would like to view a demonstration of the latest e-portfolio to hit the market, please get in touch.

Today I would like to focus on the importance of educating learners – the most important people for any training organisation.   Switching from a paper based system to an e-portfolio system such as oscar can be greatly beneficial for the learner.    By looking at the process in a holistic way we know that the Learners benefit in many ways along with other members of the Assessment Team.

I know that our Assessors can see how the online portfolio system makes life easier for them and they are confident that the learners will too.  By encouraging the learners to use oscar the Assessors said that they are able to manage the time spent with learners much more effectively.

From the very start it’s vital to let the learners know how an e-portfolio can revolutionise the way they gain their qualification.  This is in terms of location of their evidence, Assessor support and feedback, progress of their qualification and importantly the ease of access.  It takes a minute to log on, locate and upload evidence.  This means that the evidence won’t be lost, is immediately available to the Assessor and is securely stored.  It’s also stored in a logical and organised way which benefits the Learner, Assessor, Internal Verifier and External Verifier.  Learners can provide a profile of their role and organisation to support their qualification, and if necessary it can be updated throughout the time they are registered.

Since oscar was launched I have seen quite a few learners who were new to the idea of an e-portfolio and the overwhelming feedback we received was that they had a positive experience and it helped them balance their learning with their work and home lives.  Learners who had previous experience of a paper based portfolio told us that oscar was so much easier to use and they didn’t have big bulky files to carry around!

However you deliver your qualification it’s important that the learners are encouraged to build their e-portfolio and engage with the system.  As an oscar Administrator I’ve come into contact with candidates of all IT literacy levels and experience in vocational qualifications.  As with all things new, there are those that lack IT confidence and are unsure of what they should be doing.  There are those who use a computer every day and who are confident trying something new and there are those who are nervous of a new system and see the ‘technical’ side of things above everything else.

It’s important that learners have support and as a Centre we’ve made sure that they know where to go for help if needed.  Past experience shows that firsthand experience of the oscar system is the best way forward, along with a telephone number or email address for the learner to receive support.  oscar will supply you with handbooks to ensure Administrators, Learners and Assessors can refer to an easy to follow guide to using oscar.

Anyone who uses the internet and can search for saved documents on a computer can use oscar – it really is as simple as that!

Why not book a free demonstration of oscar, the simple and flexible e-portfolio by clicking here.

Representatives of the oscar e-portfolio system will be exhibiting at the Business Technology Show, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on Thursday 8th March 2012.

The Business Technology Show is a free to attend, regional cross-sector, end-user, demand-driven, emerging business technology event, responding to North East buyer’s requirements.

Delegates will be invited to view a quick demonstration of the simple and flexible e-portfolio on our large screen HD television with the offer of a follow-up demonstration from the convenience of the user’s PC or laptop.

A programme of seminars with topics ranging from digital mobile & app solutions, online marketing & SEO to social media content and technical solutions, will be running throughout the day. All are free to attend!

To learn more about this event, visit the website: www.businesstechnologyshow.com

oscar isn’t the result of an IT company spotting a gap in the marketplace that it could exploit. It was founded because PNE Development, the company behind the newest online assessment system in the market, had been practising assessment for over 20 years and had arrived at a point where paper based assessment was becoming an obstacle.

Tracey Moore and Tracy Gee, both qualified assessors and internal verifiers at PNE Development, were responsible for identifying that need. Back in 2009 they were searching the Internet, trade publications and talking to other educators in an effort to obtain an e-portfolio system that would support them in the assessment of the management and leadership qualifications they were both delivering.

They both understood the benefits of leaving paper based assessment behind, and the additional savings made by a reduction in travel and stationary costs.

They agreed to each review an e-portfolio system which was currently on the market, including all the ‘leading’ providers and each took an e-portfolio solution to research and test. The results were not what we expected – the e-portfolio systems on the market seemed to provide a great alternative to their current assessment approach, but the systems were very complicated and seemed to do so much more than was needed. 

The two Tracey’s agreed the company needed a simple, easy to use e-portfolio system which would enable PNE to communicate with its candidates, provide a space for them to upload their work and support the assessor team to follow the existing consistent, quality assured assessment process – but online.

After searching for a suitable solution for over three months, they decided to try a different approach. Using their knowledge and experience of assessment, they decided to develop a completely original simple and flexible solution with the help and support of a local web development agency. oscar the simple and flexible e-portfolio system had arrived!

If you think oscar could save your organisation time and money, book a free demo.

When PNE started to develop oscar, the main forms of evidence that tended to be submitted by candidates and assessors were documents and sound recordings of professional discussions.

Technology though, is a great enabler and as computers have become more advanced and storage space cheaper, video has now become almost as ubiquitous as Word documents and MP3 files.

Video is great for professional discussions, adding a visual compliment to the sound but where video really comes in useful is for those qualifications of a more practical element such as construction or fitness.

That’s why we’ve now added the ability to upload and store video as part of the candidate profile. We like to shout about how easy and flexible oscar is and we were determined that adding a video would be the same -  and so it is.

Video is added in exactly the same way you add a Word document or sound recording. You don’t have to worry about converting it into the right format, you just select it like any other piece of evidence and oscar will do the rest.

And not only that, lead developer Gary has made it so that once the video is uploaded it can be played from within oscar straight away. You don’t have to spend ages waiting to download it again, just click on play and start viewing.

View this demonstration of uploading a video to the oscar system.

Trawling through large files, sifting through good and bad evidence, wondering if it has been used for the right unit or at all, wondering if all the criteria has been met, arriving at your appointment to find that your learner hasn’t followed their learner plan or provided any new evidence.  Do you work extra hours to fit it all in?

This is where we believe oscar can revolutionise the way you work.

Through the oscar system all the portfolios are in one easy accessible place and available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  (Although we wouldn’t expect you to be online 2am on a Sunday!)

Records and documents such as achievement records are in one place.  As the assessor you can view the record of each unit and easily see where a unit has been completed and see where there are any gaps.  Learner plans can be uploaded so they are secure and can’t be misplaced.  Our assessors say that by having the plans online they can view them prior to the appointment, so they have an easy way to plan the discussion with the learner – and at a planned time.

As an assessor there are a lot of factors to consider and to know that the candidates’ work is safe is just one of them.  All learner portfolios are secure and backed up daily so there’s no chance of a file being misplaced, lost or stolen.

As well as the technical aspects of an e-portfolio, oscar can help you plan your time effectively.  By knowing how much evidence the learner has uploaded you can easily see how much time you will spend with them and no more travelling to wasted appointments!

We’ve also included a colourful visual progress bar so both you and the learner can see the units which have been completed.  Assessors and learners both say that this is a great way to increase motivation.

Have you ever arrived at an appointment and your learner hasn’t been available or the workplace is so hectic there isn’t a private area to meet in? 

Each learner has their own secure online portfolio and access to learning materials and relevant paperwork.  By using an e-portfolio system you won’t waste time travelling to that appointment.  There’s no requirement to visit the learner to view the evidence as the evidence is online, so before and during each appointment you can review your learner’s portfolio. 

Of course meeting the learner can be an important, and mandatory, part of any qualification.  And by using oscar it doesn’t mean that meetings won’t take place.  But, oscar can help you to manage time more effectively, cut down on travel costs and time and provides a safe and reliable way to store the learners’ portfolio.

As an oscar Administrator I’ve worked with a large number of assessors and they’ve all agreed that oscar is easy to use, flexible and makes life easier for them.

Why not book a free demonstration of oscar, the simple and flexible e-portfolio by clicking here.