Course Admin is only accessible to QAC and LSA account holders. From the "More" > "Course Admin" > "Courses" tab you can add, edit and modify Courses.
There are 3 main steps to adding a course:
1. Add a Course:
1.1 To add a Course, click 'Add Course', and complete the following fields:
Course Preferences/Settings | |
| Course Code: | this must be unique to this course |
| Course Description: | this can be up to 250 characters, this appears on the portfolio front page after the course code. |
| QCF Group: | select (Not Applicable) for non-QCF qualifications |
| System QCF Group | for QCF qualifications only, if selected, select award level in next field |
| QCF Award Level: | select the QCF award level |
| Basic Style Course: | for BTEC, NCFE and Open University qualifications only |
| Candidates can access Show Standards button: | gives candidates access to the 'Show Standards' button. |
| Verification activities required?: | only for non-accredited courses such as CPD, and employee inductions |
| Allow candidates to add evidence to active plans?: | if switched off, candidate will not have access to the 'Add Evidence Type' button unless the candidate can add plans. |
| Skip sources page for offline candidates?: Allow candidates to add OTJ Logs?: Auto Approve Candidate OTJ logs: | this will skip the evidence sources and resources page for assessors if the candidate is offline If you do not want candidates to see the OTJ Logs button, set to NO Tick if you want OTJ Logs created by candidates to be automatically approved, otherwise assessors will need to tick against an OTJ Log before it will be added to the progress bar. |
| Offline Candidate control on portfolio front page: | allows Centre based users to change the candidates feature status from normal to offline via the portfolio front page. Users will see the following buttons Make Offline = Changes feature status from normal to offline Make Online = Changes feature status from offline to normal |
| Allow Evidence to be prepared again: | Gives candidates access to 'Prepare Again' button on evidence if the assessment decision is positive. An evidence version will be created each time this feature is used. |
| Allow Unplanned Evidence to be added: | Gives assessors access to 'Add Evidence Type' button on Evidence page. The 'Allow Unplanned Evidence to be added' option in the ILP will also be on, so candidates can access the 'Add Evidence Type' button on Evidence page. This option can be activated retrospectively as follows: 1. Go to Course Admin/Courses, select the course and click 'Modify' to then tick the option and 'Save'. 2. The 'Allow Unplanned Evidence to be added' option on the ILP will then also need to be selecting for any candidate activated on this course before step 1 above was completed. |
| Allow new candidates to enrol?: | untick this option if no more candidates can enrol onto the course. Current candidates can continue if already enrolled. |
| Assessor accepts all IV decisions?: | if ticked, assessors will be notified to all IV feedback and will have an accept button. If unticked, then assessor will only be alerted to negative IV feedback. |
| Colour code evidence lists: | Specifically designed for BTEC courses, this helps indicate items that are over-due or late on the Evidence page. Red - Past target date Amber - Presented past target date Green - Presented on time |
| When evidence is presented, send it to: | select user who should receive evidence. Note: if Unit Assessor is selected and evidence is linked to more than one unit or no units, then it will go to the Primary Assessor. |
| Track Plans: (To activate, select how overall progress is to be determined) | Selecting one of the following options will add a link to assessment plans on the portfolio front page. Each plan will have a progress based on the number of evidence items which are linked to the plan and have a positive assessment decision. Tracked Plans - Overall Progress is based solely on the plan progress Tracked Plans and Active Units (recommended for prescriptive courses only, were all evidence is pre-planned on commencing) Active Units - Overall progress is based on unit progress (recommended for Apprenticeship Standards) |
| Supports Portfolio of Evidence (needs to be ticked for Apprenticeship Standards) | Recommended for New Apprenticeship Standards. This will activate the blue tab in portfolios Optional: also see setting-up your PE Components via More/Course Admin/PE Components |
| Evidence - Allow Assess Again (Allow Assessors to asses evidence again) Evidence - Allow Assessor Prepare Again (Allow Assessors to prepare again) Evidence - Allow Revision (Allow Assessors to change evidence without preparing again) | Allow Always = This will allow assessors access to this feature at all times Allow on request only = Assessors will need to use the 'Permission Request' button on the viewing evidence page before being able to access this feature |
| Plagiarism Options | Select who can run a plagiarism scan |
| (LearnAimRef) Programme aim code | Not currently used in any reports |
| FworkCode | Can be used for the framework code of similar, and will appear on the following reports:
|
| Qualification Number | Can be used for the qualification number or similar, and will appear on the following reports: |
| Resubmissions to be authorised | If selected, assessor will be able to send the evidence to an IQA for checking before candidate receives the feedback. |
| LCL Awards course | Select only if your candidates are being imported to Ecordia from Parnassus |
| Expected Portfolio Progress | This feature allows you to calibrate the expected progress bar for a course. i.e. if expected progress should be 10% by month 3. You cannot add just one, or the expected progress will never pass the highest %. Therefore, if you will need to select at which month the portfolio needs to reach other values including 100% |
| Course Owner | This is not currently used in any reports |
| Course Duration | Used for calculating Portfolio Target Completion Date when adding a new candidate (only whole numbers are accepted) |
| OTJ Logs Target | You can set the default amount of hours and minutes required for the Off the Job training for this course. This can then be changed on an individual basis via the portfolio. |
| Collect Course feedback from candidates | If selected, each candidate on the course will be able to select a smiley face that best matches how they feel about their course at any time, and they can add a comment too. The results are then added to the Candidate Feedback pie chart on your dashboard, and you can then click on a segment to view the candidates who have selected that relevant smile.The selected smiley face (and comments too, if you place your cursor over the face) can be viewed on the candidates' portfolio front page by any assessor, IQA or Quality Assurer, or by using the interactive progress report: - Go to Reports/Choose/Interactive Progress Report - Tick the Candidate Feedback option in the Interactive Report Column Selector list - Click 'Generate Report'. |
| Allow 'Approve Final Verification' on Portfolios with Incomplete Units/Negative Feedback/Evidence still being verified: | This will allow 'approve verification' on partially complete portfolios. only recommended for courses containing aims with units that will only be partially achieved. |
| Skills Scan Enabled | Select to enable the skills scan. This will allow users to select whether they cover a unit sometimes, oftern or always in their place of work, and provide details of any Knowledge, Skills and Training needed for each unit. |
1.2 Click 'Save', then 'Link Aims'
1.3 To link an Aim by selecting either "Primary Aim" or "Linked" in the link options (You must select one Aim as the Primary Aim)
1.4 Select the "Awarding Body" from drop-down list
1.5 Optional: Set aim weighting (see notes below)
1.6 Click 'Save', the course is now ready for use.
You can also colour code the Evidence table to show items of evidence that have been presented on target, late, or that are still awaited, using the RAG system. This setting can be activated by checking the tick box against "Colour code evidence lists" when setting up or modifying a Course.
Note: We recommend a course only contains one learning aim, unless the course requires additional learning aims to be completed such as an Apprenticeship.
Track Plans:
This feature determines how the portfolio progress is calculated, and will also provide links to assessment plans, and progress for each plan (based on the number of evidence items with positive feedback) on the Portfolio Front Page.
To activate the feature:
1.1 Go to the Course Admin/Courses, select the course and click ‘Modify’.
1.2 Set Track Plans option to one of the following:
Tracked Plans - Overall Progress is based solely on the plan progress
Tracked Plans and Active Units (recommended for prescriptive courses only, were all evidence is pre-planned on commencing)
Active Units - Overall progress is based on unit progress (recommended for Apprenticeship Standards)
1.3 Click ‘Save’. Plan links will no longer appear on a portfolio front page.
To remove the feature:
2.1 Go to the Course Admin/Courses, select the course and click ‘Modify’.
2.2 Set Track Plans option to ‘OFF’
2.3 Click ‘Save’. Plan links will no longer appear on a portfolio front page.
To remove an individual plan:
3.1 Click on the Plan
3.2 Click ‘Plan Values’
3.3 untick the Plan Tracking option and ‘Save’
Set-up/Edit/Modify a Course:
1. Link Aims: This determines the Units available when setting up a Portfolio, and also allows you to change Awarding Body for an Aim.
1.1 Select the Course
1.2 Click 'Link Aims'
1.3 To link an Aim by selecting either "Primary Aim" or "Linked" in the link options (You must select one Aim as the Primary Aim)
1.4 Select the "Awarding Body" from drop-down list
1.5 Optional: Set aim weighting (see notes below)
1.6 Click 'Save'
Note: If you set an aim to 'Not Linked' for an existing course, be sure to unlink the aim from active portfolios on the course before proceeding.
• If the total weighting of aims within a course/portfolio is less than 100%
o The difference is added as a buffer to all the selected aims equally
o Eg: Aim 1: 50%, Aim 2: 10%, Aim 3: 15%
o Aim Total =75%, so the gap of 25% is spread equally amongst the three aims (8.33% added to each 3 aims)
o New data: Aim 1: 58.33%, Aim 2: 18.33%, Aim 3: 23.33% (bringing new total to 99.99% rounded to 100%)
• If the total weighting of aims within a course/portfolio is more than 100%
o An equal proportion is taken of each aim till the total of the aim becomes 100%.
o Eg: Aim 1: 60%, Aim 2: 75%, Aim 3: 50%
o Aim Total =185%, 100/185 = 0.54 is multiplied with each aim (same as 46% being taken off each aim)
o New data: Aim 1: 32.4%, Aim 2: 40.5%, Aim 3: 27% (bringing new total to 99.9% rounded to 100%)
• If a linked aim is not given a weighting, but others are, the aim with 0 will be excluded from the overall progress for the portfolio
Note: If you cannot locate a learning aim, you might need to request the aim to be added to your account, which can be done by emailing support@ecordia.co.uk with the learning aim reference code, title and where possible a copy of or link to the unit specification.
Note: If a learning aim is linked, but not appearing on the view course screen, then the aim does not contain any units and will not appear on the Skills Scan or Individual Learning Plan
2. Assessment Decisions: Depending on the Aims being linked to this Course, you may require specific Assessment Decisions which better reflect
the types of assessment decisions Assessors are having to make.
2.1 Select the Course
2.2 Click 'Link Assessment Decisions'
2.3 Tick the relevant decisions you want available to Assessors when they "Prepare Assessment Feedback"
2.4 Click 'Save'
3.1 Evidence Types:
When using the 'Add Evidence' control in a portfolio, the available evidence types are dependent on the evidence types which have been selected for the learning aims that are linked to the course. Here is how to add an evidence type to the list:
3.1.1 Go to More/Course Admin/Learning aims, and select the learning aim
3.1.2 Click 'Evidence Types'
3.1.3 Tick next to the evidence types you would like available for the learning aim
3.1.4 Click 'Save'
3.2 Evidence Templates: Add an Evidence Template to your Evidence Types and the template will appear whenever the evidence type is added to a Portfolio.
Note: Please ensure the Evidence Type for the Evidence Template you want to add has been activated in 'Evidence Types' (3.1 above) prior to carrying out the steps below.
3.2.1 Go to the "Course Admin" tab then "Learning Aims"
3.2.2 Click on the relevant Learning Aim
3.2.3 Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click 'Evidence Templates'
3.2.4 Select the Evidence Type you want to add your template to, or edit an existing template
3.2.5 Add/make changes and click 'Save and Close'. 'Save and Add More' will save changes then you can repeat from step 3.4 to edit another template
3.2.6 Click on your "Dashboard/Start" tab to exit
Note: It is important when copying and pasting into an Evidence Template from another document/source that you select "paste as plain text", otherwise the source formatting may be copied across into Ecordia and cause conflict between the different types of formatting and may cause your Evidence Template to fail when used.
4. Updating evidence templates in a Work Template:
4.1 Go to "My Account" then "Work Templates"
4.2 Click on the template containing the Evidence you want to edit, and click 'Set-up'
4.3 Click on the green "Evidence" tab
4.4 Click on the Evidence to be changed
4.5 Click 'Edit Evidence Properties'
4.6 Click 'Remove Template' (this will update the template) then 'Save'.
4.7 Click on your "Start" tab to exit
All future applications will contain the new update.
5.1 To change the minimum coverage count for a learning part (how many ticks a criteria must have before complete):
5.1.1 Go to "Course Admin" then "Units"
5.1.2 Select the Unit you require
5.1.3 Click on the learning part (elements, knowledge requirements, range). Learning Aims and Assessment Criteria can be found under knowledge
requirements.
5.1.4 Click ‘Special ER’ next to the criteria/group
5.1.5 Enter the "Minimum Coverage" and click ‘Update’
5.1.6 Click ‘Finish’
5.2 To change the minimum coverage count for a Range:
5.2.1 Go to "Course Admin" then "Units"
5.2.2 Select the Unit you require
5.2.3 Click on the Range tab in the sub-menu.
5.2.4 Select the Ranges for Group you want to manage
5.2.5 Click ‘Edit’ next to the criteria/group
5.2.6 Enter the "Minimum Observation" (this will be the number of items of evidence require to reach complete) and click ‘Update’
6. To change the evidence requirements for a learning part (the types of evidence required before a learning part is complete):
6.1 Go to "Course Admin" then "Units"
6.2 Select the Unit you require
6.3 Click on the learning part (elements, knowledge requirements, range). Learning Aims and Assessment Criteria can be found under knowledge
requirements.
6.4 Click ‘Special ER’ next to the criteria/group
6.5 Set evidence type, set evidence mode and add minimum observations to the number of times this type must be used.
6.6 Click 'Add'
6.7 Click ‘Finish’
7. Course Events
7.1 Course Event - Alert when all units are confirmed complete for an aim by the IV:
7.1.1 "Course Admin" / "Learning Aims" and select an Aim
7.1.2 Click ‘IV Sampling Events’
7.1.3 Create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio Aim all units confirmed complete at step
Trigger Details = Confirmation type: Internal Verifier Confirmation
Action = Make Portfolio Action
Action Details = enter instruction for user
Target User = select intended recipient of the task
Target Role = leave as 'any role'
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
7.1.4 Click 'Add'
7.2 Course event - Message to candidate when their progress reaches X%
7.2.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio has reached complete %
Trigger Details = Progress required: 90%
Action = 'Send Detailed System Message'
Action Details = enter message subject, and message details. This message needs to be generic, because you cannot include the candidate
name, if you include a web link you can right click on the link and select Properties, to ensure it opens in a new window etc.
Target User = leave as 'no target user'
Target Role = select 'Candidate'
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
7.2.2 Click 'Add'
7.3 Course event - Portfolio has not reached 5% by 2 months since start date:
7.3.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio has not reached % since portfolio start date
Trigger Details = Progress required: 5%; by: 2; Months
Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
Action Details = enter message to intended recipient about the trigger i.e. Candidate has reached 2 months in training and not passed 5%
complete
Target User = Select user who is to be notified accordingly
Target Role = leave as 'any role'
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
7.3.2 Click 'Add'
7.4 Course event - Portfolio has not reached 5% by 6 weeks since start date:
7.4.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio has not reached % since portfolio start date
Trigger Details = Progress required: 5%; by: 6; Weeks
Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
Action Details = enter message to intended recipient about the trigger i.e. Candidate has reached 6 weeks point but not passed 5%
complete, at 2 months the Centre Admin will be alerted
Target User = leave as 'no target user'
Target Role = leave as 'any role'
Target Relationship = Assessor
7.4.2 Click 'Add'
7.5 Course event - Prompt to Register candidate:
7.5.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio is Set up
Trigger Details = n/a
Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
Action Details = enter message to intended recipient about the trigger i.e. Candidate Portfolio has been set-up, registration required
Target User = Select user who is to be notified
Target Role = leave as 'any role’
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
7.5.2 Click 'Add'
7.6 Course Event - Automatically end portfolio after completion
7.6.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription: Trigger = Number of days since portfolio completion date Trigger Details = Days: i.e. 90 Action = Change Learning Status Action Details = End Reason: Select as required 7.6.2 Click 'Add'
7.7 Course Event - Apply a Work template at a given step
7.7.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription: Trigger = Number of days before Portfolio target end is Trigger Details = Days: i.e. 90 Action = Apply Template Action Details = Template Name: select as required; Apply as: Proposed 7.7.2 Click 'Add'
7.8 Course Event - Apply a Work template at portfolio set-up
7.8.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio is set-up
Action = Apply Template
Action Details = Template Name: select as required; Apply as: Proposed
7.8.2 Click 'Add'
7.9 Course event - Message all candidates on a course:
7.9.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Date Trigger
Trigger Details = Date: enter a future date
Action = ‘send detailed system message’
Action Details = Enter message subject and message details (this will go to all active candidates on course, therefore do not enter names, and content should be generic)
Target User = leave as 'no target user'
Target Role = select 'Candidate’
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
7.9.2 Click 'Add'
7.10 Course event - Notify a selected user once final verification has been processed and the portfolio status is Certification .
7.10.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio Status is
Trigger Details = Certification
Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
Action Details = Send automatic system message
Target User = Select user to be notified
Target Role = leave as 'any role'
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
7.10.2 Click 'Add'
Note: If Trigger = Date Trigger, the system will delete the course event if the date has passed and the event has not been modified in the past 24 months.
8. Learning aim events
Create learning aim events for events which are not course specific, but specific to a learning aim regardless of the course it is linked to.
8.1 Learning aim event - A specific unit has been confirmed complete
8.1.1 Go to the Learning aim, and click 'IQA Sampling Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = A unit has confirmed complete
Trigger Details = Select the desired step
Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
Action Details = enter message to intended recipient about the trigger i.e. Unit X has been confirmed complete by ...
Target User = Select user who is to be notified
Target Role = leave as 'any role’
Target Relationship = leave as 'any relationship'
8.1.2 Click 'Add'
8.2 Learning aim event - Notify IQA/IV when all units are confirmed complete by assessor
8.2.1 Go to the Learning aim, and click 'IQA Sampling Events', and create the following event subscription:
Trigger = Portfolio Aim all units confirmed complete at step
Trigger Details = Assessor Confirmation
Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
Action Details = enter text/instructions as required
Target User = leave as 'No target user)
Target Role = leave as 'any role’
Target Relationship = Internal Verifier
8.2.2 Click 'Add'
9. Adding Notes to a Unit
9.1 Go to "Course Admin" / "Units"
9.2 Select a Unit
9.3 Click on ‘Notes’
9.4 Add notes as required. These will then be displayed in the ‘Show Standards’ and ‘Link Evidence’ screens at the top or bottom depending on
whether you tick ‘Display before' – which means they would be displayed before the criteria.
10. Specifying Contact Log types for a Course:
10.1 Go to the "My Centre" tab, then "Lookups", and search for CandidateContactLogType and select
10.2 Click ‘Link Contact Log Types to Course’ button at the bottom of the screen
10.3 Select a Course in the Course Selector
10.4 Then move the Contact Log types from left to right and click ‘Save’.
10.5 Once you save one or more Contact Log types for the selected Course, only these Contact Log types will appear for use when adding Contact Logs
to a Portfolio.
11. Evidence Feedback Templates:
Allows the creation of feedback templates for specific evidence types. When the assessor then clicks 'prepare assessment feedback' the template will appear for the assessor to complete. This should be particularly useful for online progress reviews, IAG, ILPs and BTEC assessments.
11.1 Go to the "Course Admin" tab then "Learning Aims"
11.2 Click on the relevant Learning Aim
11.3 Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click 'Evidence Feedback Templates'
11.4 Select the Evidence Type you want to add your template to, or edit an existing template
11.5 Add/make changes and click 'Save and Close'. 'Save and Add More' will save changes then you can repeat from step 10.4 to edit another
template
11.6 Click on your "Start" tab to exit
12. Colour code criteria
12.1 Go to the "Course Admin" tab then "Learning Aims" and select an aim
12.2 Click the ‘Colour Code’ button
12.3 Select the colour code to be applied
12.4 Select the unit
12.5 Tick the criteria for which you would like the colours applied
12.6 Click ‘Save’ and return to step 12.3 to colour code another unit in the aim.
13. Plagiarism Options
Plagiarism checking feature is available for an additional annual subscription fee and a Turnitin licence (contact support@ecordia.co.uk to find our more). To activate the feature for a course:
13.1 Go to the "Course Admin" and select the course 13.2 Click ‘Modify’
13.3 Tick the Plagiarism options as required
13.4 Click 'Save'
14. Unit(s) not showing on an ILP: If unit(s) are not showing on an ILP, check the following:
14.1 Has the Learning aim award end date passed?
If the 'Learning Part Award End Date' is on or after the Planned Start Date of the portfolio, the units will then appear for selection.
- Go to More/Course Admin/Learning aims - Select the learning aim - Click 'Modify', and edit the 'Learning Part Award End Date' as required.
14.2 Is the Unit(s) active: - Go to More/Course Admin/Learning aims - Select the learning aim - Click 'Active Units' and check the unit is selected
14.3 Is the learning aim linked to the course? - Go to More/Course Admin - Select the Course - Click 'Link Aims' to check the aim you require is link, as either the Primary Aim or Linked.
15. Archive Course/Stop enrolments: If a course is no longer required, but cannot be deleted because it has candidates assigned to it, you can stop enrolments as follows: 15.1 Go to the "Course Admin" and select the course 15.2 Click ‘Modify’ 15.3 Un-tick the 'Allow new candidates to enrol' option 15.4 Click 'Save' You can allow enrolments again at any time by ticking the 'Allow new candidates to enrol' option at step 15.3 above.
Keywords: course admin, amend course, change evidence requirements, amend minimum coverage, special evidence requirements, special ER, amend evidence templates, add notes, outcome, pass, merit, distinction, complete, competent. not yet competent, specify Contact Log types, colour code evidence table
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