Course Admin

Course Admin is available to QAC and LSA account holders only. Go to More > Course Admin > Courses to add, edit and modify courses.

1. Adding a course

1. Go to Course Admin > Courses, click Add Course, and enter a course code and description. You can also choose any settings you need at this point (see Course preferences and settings below).
2. Click Save.
3. Click Link Aims to link one or more learning aims to the course. For each aim, choose Primary Aim or Linked from the link options. One aim must be set as the Primary Aim.
4. Select the Awarding Body from the drop-down list.
5. Optional: set the aim weightings (see Aim weighting below).
6. Click Save. The course is now ready to use.

Learning aims that don't contain any units won't appear in the list of linked aims.

Tip: we recommend each course has only one learning aim, unless the course needs learners to complete more than one, as with an apprenticeship.

Course preferences and settings

Turning on Allow Unplanned Evidence for existing candidates

1. Go to Course Admin > Courses, select the course, click Modify, tick the option and click Save.
2. For candidates who were already on the course before step 1, also tick Allow Unplanned Evidence to be added on each of their ILPs.

Course feedback

Candidates' responses feed the Candidate Feedback pie chart on your dashboard. Click a segment to see which candidates chose that face. Assessors, IQAs and Quality Assurers can also see each candidate's face on their portfolio front page (hover over it to read the comment), or run a report:

1. Go to Reports > Choose > Interactive Progress Report.
2. Tick Candidate Feedback in the Interactive Report Column Selector.
3. Click Generate Report.

Track Plans

Track Plans sets how portfolio progress is calculated. It also adds links to each assessment plan on the portfolio front page, with a progress figure for each plan based on how many of its evidence items have positive feedback.

To turn it on

1. Go to Course Admin > Courses, select the course and click Modify.
2. Set Track Plansto one of these options:
   • Tracked Plans: overall progress is based only on plan progress.
   • Tracked Plans and Active Units: recommended only for prescriptive courses, where all evidence is planned at the start.
   • Active Units: overall progress is based on unit progress. Recommended for Apprenticeship Standards.
3. Click Save. Plan links will now appear on the portfolio front page.

A tracked plan's progress depends on the feedback decision, not on coverage. Evidence with a positive decision counts towards the plan's progress. Evidence with a negative decision, or not yet assessed, is ignored.

To turn it off

1. Go to Course Admin > Courses, select the course and click Modify.
2. Set Track Plans to OFF.
3. Click Save. Plan links will no longer appear on the portfolio front page.

To stop tracking a single plan

1. Click the plan.
2. Click Plan Values.
3. Untick Plan Tracking and click Save.

2. Setting up or editing a course

Linking aims

The aims linked to a course decide which units are available when you set up a portfolio. This is also where you change an aim's awarding body.

1. Select the course.
2. Click Link Aims.
3. Link an aim by choosing Primary Aim or Linked from the link options. One aim must be set as the Primary Aim.
4. Select the Awarding Body from the drop-down list.
5. Optional: set the aim weightings (see below).
6. Click Save.

If you set an aim to Not Linked on an existing course, unlink it from the course's active portfolios first.

If you can't find a learning aim, it may need adding to your account. Email support@ecordia.co.uk with the learning aim reference code and title and, if possible, a copy of or link to the unit specification.

If an aim is linked but doesn't appear on the View Course screen, it has no units. It won't appear on the Skills Scan or the Individual Learning Plan either.

Aim weighting

• If the weightings add up to less than 100%, the shortfall is shared equally between the aims. For example, with Aim 1 at 50%, Aim 2 at 10% and Aim 3 at 15%, the total is 75%. The missing 25% is split three ways, adding 8.33% to each aim. That gives 58.33%, 18.33% and 23.33% (99.99%, rounded to 100%).
• If the weightings add up to more than 100%, each aim is reduced in proportion until the total is 100%. For example, with Aim 1 at 60%, Aim 2 at 75% and Aim 3 at 50%, the total is 185%. Each aim is multiplied by 100/185 (0.54), which is the same as taking 46% off each one. That gives 32.4%, 40.5% and 27% (99.9%, rounded to 100%).
• If a linked aim has no weighting but the others do, that aim (at 0%) is left out of the portfolio's overall progress.

Assessment decisions

Depending on the aims linked to the course, you may want assessment decisions that better match the decisions your assessors make.

1. Select the course.
2. Click Link Assessment Decisions.
3. Tick the decisions you want assessors to see when they click Prepare Assessment Feedback.
4. Click Save.

3. Evidence types and templates

3.1 Evidence types

The evidence types available from Add Evidence in a portfolio depend on the evidence types selected for the learning aims linked to the course. To add an evidence type:

1. Go to More > Course Admin > Learning Aims and select the learning aim.
2. Click Evidence Types.
3. Tick each evidence type you want available for the learning aim.
4. Click Save.

3.2 Evidence templates

Add a template to an evidence type and it will appear whenever that evidence type is added to a portfolio. Make sure the evidence type is switched on (3.1 above) before you start.

1. Go to Course Admin > Learning Aims.
2. Click the learning aim.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click Evidence Templates.
4. Select the evidence type you want to add a template to, or choose an existing template to edit.
5. Make your changes and click Save and Close. To edit another template, click Save and Add More and repeat from step 4.
6. Click your Dashboard/Start tab to exit.

When copying text into an evidence template from another document, use Paste as plain text. Formatting brought across from the source can clash with Ecordia's formatting and stop the template working.

4. Updating evidence templates in a work template

1. Go to My Account > Work Templates.
2. Click the template containing the evidence you want to update, then click Set-up.
3. Click the green Evidence tab.
4. Click the evidence you want to change.
5. Click Edit Evidence Properties.
6. Click Remove Template (this updates the template), then Save.
7. Click your Start tab to exit.

All future uses of the work template will include the update.

5. Minimum coverage

5.1 For a learning part

The minimum coverage count is how many ticks a criterion needs before it's complete.

1. Go to Course Admin > Units.
2. Select the unit.
3. Click the learning part (elements, knowledge requirements or range). Learning aims and assessment criteria are under knowledge requirements.
4. Click Special ER next to the criterion or group.
5. Enter the Minimum Coverage and click Update.
6. Click Finish.

5.2 For a range

1. Go to Course Admin > Units.
2. Select the unit.
3. Click the Range tab in the sub-menu.
4. Select the range group you want to manage.
5. Click Edit next to the criterion or group.
6. Enter the Minimum Observation (the number of evidence items needed for completion) and click Update.

6. Evidence requirements for a learning part

Evidence requirements set which types of evidence a learning part needs before it's complete.

1. Go to Course Admin > Units.
2. Select the unit.
3. Click the learning part (elements, knowledge requirements or range). Learning aims and assessment criteria are under knowledge requirements.
4. Click Special ER next to the criterion or group.
5. Set the evidence type and evidence mode, and enter the minimum number of times that type must be used.
6. Click Add.
7. Click Finish.

7. Course Events/Manage Events

Course Events (recommended) are the best place for events that apply to all

Manage Events in a Portfolio are best for individual events specific to the portfolio

Manage Events in a Work Template are best for events that apply to all, but might need to be personalised at a later date.

7.1 Course event - Message to candidate when their progress reaches X%

7.1.1 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'

7.1.2 Click 'Add'

7.2 Course event - Portfolio has not reached 5% by 2 months since start date:

7.2.1 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'

7.2.2 Click 'Add'

7.3 Course event - Portfolio has not reached 5% by 6 weeks 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: 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

7.3.2 Click 'Add'

7.4 Course event - Prompt to Register candidate:

7.4.1 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'

7.4.2 Click 'Add'

7.5 Course Event - Automatically end portfolio after completion

7.5.1 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

7.5.2 Click 'Add'

7.6 Course Event - Apply a Work template at a given step

7.6.1 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

7.6.2 Click 'Add'

7.7 Course Event - Apply a Work template at portfolio set-up

7.7.1 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

7.7.2 Click 'Add'

7.8 Course event - Message all candidates on a course:

7.8.1 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'

7.8.2 Click 'Add'

7.9 Course event - Notify a selected user once final verification has been processed and the portfolio status is Certification.

7.9.1 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'

7.9.2 Click 'Add'

7.10 Notify a user with a specific relationship when the portfolio reaches a given %.

7.10.1 Go to the Course, and click 'Course Events', and create the following event subscription:

• Trigger = Portfolio has reached complete %
• Trigger Details = Progress required: #%
• Action = ‘Make Portfolio Action’
• Action Details = enter message to intended recipient about the trigger i.e. IQA sample required: Portfolio has reached #% complete
• Target User = leave as 'no target user'
• Target Role = leave as 'any role'
• Target Relationship = select intended recipient role

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 Course Event - Alert when all units are confirmed complete for an aim by the IV:

8.1.1 "Course Admin" / "Learning Aims" and select an Aim

8.1.2 Click ‘IV Sampling Events’

8.1.3 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'

8.1.4 Click 'Add'

8.2 Learning aim event - A specific unit has been confirmed complete

8.2.1 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'

8.2.2 Click 'Add'

8.3 Learning aim event - Notify IQA/IV when all units are confirmed complete by assessor

8.3.1 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

8.3.2 Click 'Add'

9. Adding notes to a unit

1. Go to Course Admin > Units.
2. Select the unit.
3. Click Notes.
4. Add your notes. They appear on the Show Standards and Link Evidence screens, at the bottom by default, or at the top if you tick Display before (before the criteria).

10. Choosing contact log types for a course

1. Go to My Centre > Lookups, search for CandidateContactLogType and select it.
2. Click Link Contact Log Types to Course at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select a course in the Course Selector.
4. Move the contact log types you want from the left to the right, then click Save.

Once you've saved one or more contact log types for a course, only those types can be used when adding contact logs to its portfolios.

11. Evidence feedback templates

Feedback templates are set up for specific evidence types. When an assessor clicks Prepare Assessment Feedback, the template appears for them to complete. They're especially useful for online progress reviews, IAG, ILPs and BTEC assessments.

1. Go to Course Admin > Learning Aims.
2. Click the learning aim.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click Evidence Feedback Templates.
4. Select the evidence type you want to add a template to, or choose an existing template to edit.
5. Make your changes and click Save and Close. To edit another template, click Save and Add More and repeat from step 4.
6. Click your Start tab to exit.

12. Colour coding criteria

1. Go to Course Admin > Learning Aims and select an aim.
2. Click Colour Code.
3. Select the colour code to apply.
4. Select the unit.
5. Tick the criteria you want to colour.
6. Click Save. To colour code another unit in the aim, go back to step 3.

13. Plagiarism options

Plagiarism checking needs an additional annual subscription and a Turnitin licence. Contact support@ecordia.co.uk to find out more. To switch it on for a course:

1. Go to Course Admin and select the course.
2. Click Modify.
3. Tick the plagiarism options you need.
4. Click Save.

14. Units not showing on an ILP

If units aren't showing on an ILP, check the following:

1. Has the learning aim's award end date passed? Units only appear if the Learning Part Award End Date is on or after the portfolio's planned start date. To change it, go to More > Course Admin > Learning Aims, select the aim, click Modify and edit the date.
2. Are the units active? Go to More > Course Admin > Learning Aims, select the aim, click Active Units and check the unit is selected.
3. Is the learning aim linked to the course? Go to More > Course Admin, select the course and click Link Aims. Check the aim is linked as either the Primary Aim or Linked.

15. Archiving a course or stopping enrolments

If you no longer need a course but can't delete it because candidates are assigned to it, you can stop new enrolments instead:

1. Go to Course Admin and select the course.
2. Click Modify.
3. Untick Allow new candidates to enrol.
4. Click Save.

You can reopen enrolments at any time by ticking the option again.