new framework paper: verifying vet learner attainment data
National Monday Update Issue:
Being able to electronically verify learner information, such as educational qualifications, has the potential to help streamline employment applications, course admissions and RPL (recognition of prior learning) processes.
Taking a lead role in gaining national agreement on the development of portable learner information, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework) has released the Verifying VET Learner Attainment Data paper.
This paper, based on widespread consultation with employer groups, industry groups, unions, recruitment agencies, tertiary admission centres and professional associations, found that electronic access to learner information would support learner transitions and produce significant efficiency gains for the vocational education and training (VET) sector.
It presents findings around:
- the benefits and limitations of existing learner information verification systems and their relevance to the Australian VET sector
- the verification needs of ‘information consumers’ (eg employers, recruiters and education and training admissions centres)
- key issues surrounding the introduction of electronic access of VET learner information.
The research found that existing learner verification services are limited in scope or immature in development, and so the paper makes recommendations regarding the continued development of learner record systems which allow learners to electronically access and share their VET learner records.
It stresses that any implementation of electronic learner record systems would need to proceed alongside an education program and address issues of privacy, governance and access protocols.
The paper highlights the need to cater for the diversity in information consumers’ verification requirements and to address a number of concerns, including:
- verified learner data being directly associated with an individual’s e-portfolio, which may lead to fraudulent assertions
- the need to have third party learner record systems to support aggregated lifelong, electronic learner records.
The paper builds on a previous Framework investigation into managing learner information and supports the verification goal from the Framework’s VET E-portfolio Roadmap, a national strategy designed to support the introduction and use of e-portfolios to support lifelong learning in the VET sector.
Continued work into electronically accessing VET learner information will continue in 2010 with an investigation of registered training organisations' willingness and ability to offer electronic learner data as well as the attitude of learners to such services.
The paper forms part of the E-portfolios Resource Bank – a comprehensive and central online resource including reports, articles, news, blogs and events dedicated to e-portfolios and their application in VET.
For more information, email: allison [dot] miller [at] flexiblelearning [dot] net [dot] au (Allison Miller), or visit: http://flexiblelearning.net.au/e-portfolios