Diploma aggregation service: An introduction to Release 3 for CABs March 2009.

Diploma aggregation service:An introduction to Release 3 for CABs

March 2009

1 2 543

1. About this guide

2. Things to know before you start

3. What’s in Release 3 for CABs?

4. What’s new for CABs as third party learner administrators?

5. Training and support available

Content

1 2 543

1. About this guide

This guide provides an introduction to Release 3 of the Diploma aggregation service (DAS) for component awarding bodies (CABs). It is specifically aimed at trainers to help them bring existing users up to date with the latest functionality.

Accompanying this slide show is an updated reference guide and e-Learning tool. The latter can be used by trainers in delivering refresher training or by users to self-teach.

Use the forward and backward arrows on your keyboard to navigate through the slides. Click on ‘Esc’ at any time to escape and close the file.

1 2 543

2. Things to know before you start

Before we start on Release 3, let’s just re-cap:

• What is DAS?

• What roles can CABs be assigned?

• What is a learner account?

And discuss how to migrate from Release 2 to Release 3

1 2 543

Things to know before you start cont

What is DAS?

DAS is a managed, web-based IT system that brings together all parties involved in the administration and awarding of Diplomas.

DfES QMIS TESG

LRS

Home centres

Assess-ment

centres

CABs

Delivery centres

DABs

DAS

1 2 543


DAS stores information on learners and their Diplomas, and shares it between centres and awarding bodies.

Open learneraccountin DAS

KeyAwarding Body Das

RecordPLTS & WE

Enroll onDiplomacourse

Completecomponents

Validate ULNwith LRS

Enterlearner for

exams

Obtain ULNs

Post expectedresults

Learner Centre

New step – not mandatory

for CABs

Remit of Diploma aggregation service

VerifyULNs

Continues overleaf

The main tasks performed by DAS users, learners and the system prior to aggregation and claiming are shown in the figure below.

1 2 543


Issue trialgrade

Learner Centre

Do more learning/

resits

Initiateclaim

DAS enables the awarding of Diplomas by managing the claims process and providing information for the transcript.

Make availabledata for

transcript

ITC set

Aggregate components

Accept claimrequest/award

Diploma

IssueDiploma

KeyAwarding Body Das

Learner Centre

Remit of Diploma aggregation service

Post results

Amend/upgradeDiplomaContinued

from overleaf

New step

The main tasks performed by DAS users, learners and the system during aggregation and claiming are shown in the figure below.

1 2 543

Results Poster


What roles can CABs be assigned? All users are assigned a role according to the tasks they perform. CABs will have one or more local administrators, results posters and, if they have been delegated third party access by a centre, learner administrators.

Creates and manages user accounts

Posts results, result amendments, result withdrawals and expected results

CA

B

Local Administrator

Creates and manages learner accounts on behalf of a centre

Records PLTS and work experience on behalf of a centre

Registers, sets ITCs and claims Diplomas on behalf of a centre

Views and retrieves learner information on behalf of a centre

Learner data maintainer

PLTS and work experience recorder

DAB relationship manager

Learner data viewer

Thi

rd P

arty

Lea

rner

A

dmin

istr

ator

Tasks Roles

1 2 543


What is a learner account? Within DAS, a learner account holds information on the learner, their chosen line and level of learning, and their achievements to track progress towards the completion of their Diploma.

1 2 543


CABs post results (and expected results – see later) into learner accounts. If they have third party learner administrator (TPLA) status, they can also view accounts associated with the centre that delegated the TPLA rights.

TPLAs will not see the qualification number, CAB or

assessment centre

1 2 543


Migrating to Release 3

There is no change to the Release 2 interfaces and CABs can continue to use these until March 2011. However, users should migrate to Release 3 before this time in order to make use of new functionality and enhanced error messages.

If your organisation has a direct link to DAS, via the application programming interface (API), you will need to upgrade your system and select the Release 3 end points (see the API Guide at www.qca.org.uk/dasdocs).

If you use batch files, you will need to review your file layouts against the Release 3 Batch file definitions document, and indicate to DAS that you are changing the version of interfaces you use (see overleaf).

1 2 543


From their home page, the local administrator will need to

change the version of their batch file interfaces from

Version 2 to Version 3 when they migrate to Release 3

1 2 543

3. What’s in Release 3 for CABs?

New CAB functions:

Release 3 provides greater flexibility for CABs so they can post results with alternative pathways or options, and help centres by posting ‘expected results’. New functionality also enables CABs to manage batch file uploads and downloads more efficiently.

Batch downloadof notifications

QualificationAccreditation Number

(QAN) suffices

Batch filestatus

Results Batch files

Expectedresults The following

slides discuss these new

functions in more detail

1 2 543

What’s in Release 3 for CABs? cont

DAS is able to distinguish between the results for qualifications that have alternative pathways by using a Qualification Accreditation Number (QAN) suffix.

This four-digit identifier, to be shown in NDAQ, enables DAS to aggregate multiple achievements of the same QAN, so long as the suffices are different.

The QAN suffix will replace the ‘CAB level endorsement’ used in DAS Release 2. CABs can continue to use this with Release 2 interface, however, the text must match the pathway title in NDAQ exactly or a error message will be generated.

Results 1: Qualification Accreditation Number suffix

1 2 543


Results 2: Expected results

CABs can post an expected result to enable centres (and TPLAs) to identify missing results and ensure that learners are awarded their Diploma on time.

TPLAs will not see the qualification number, CAB or assessment centre for

expected results

1 2 543


Batch files 1: Batch download of notifications

CABs can download notifications received during a user-defined period and either print or save these to a computer.

1 2 543


Batch files 2: Batch file status

Users can be sure that their batch files have uploaded and been processed correctly by viewing a new batch file status screen.

1 2 543

What’s in Release 3? cont

Users can view a file showing information, warnings and error

messages. They can also change the

‘action required’ icon to ‘reviewed’ to assist

administration

1 2 543

4. What’s new for CABs as TPLAs?

New centre-facingfunctions:

Batch updateto learner

account status

Automaticde/reactivation oflearner accounts

Completionstatus report

Amend/upgradeawarded Diploma

Interface Security Diploma

Release 3 is important to centres and CABs acting as TPLAs as it gives them a new interface and more functionality.

CentreAPI

1 2 543

What’s new for CABs as TPLAs? cont

Current interface options:

Release 3 will enable developers to build a direct link between centres(and third parties acting as centres) and DAS which may increase efficiency and accuracy.

MIS

Web-BasedUser InterfaceWeb-Based

User Interface

Option1

DAS

Option3

Option2

Web-BasedUser InterfaceWeb-Based

User Interface

DAS

.csv.csv

DAS R3

MIS

Interface 1: Centre API

New interface:

1 2 543


Security 1: Batch update to learner account status

TPLAs can improve the security of learner accounts by deactivating them in one step by uploading a new batch file, eg when a cohort leaves.

Security 2: Automatic deactivation and reactivation

If there has been no activity in a learner account for two years, DAS will automatically deactivate it for security reasons. The account will be automatically reactivated by certain triggers, eg CABs posting new results.

1 2 543


Diploma 1: Completion status reports

Users can track a learner’s progress with a new report that shows what components are required and have been completed.

Access the bar charts from the learner’s account. Click on component

heading to see the results for that component, or ‘view details’ to see all

actual and expected results

1 2 543


Alternatively, extract a report for one or more learners

from your home page to print or save to a computer

1 2 543


Diploma 2: Amend/upgrade an awarded DiplomaUsers can request a change to an already-awarded Diploma if a learner achieved more ASL qualifications than required and:

• wants these to show on their transcript

• wants to change their Diploma to one with an endorsed title, change to a different endorsed title, or revert from an endorsed Diploma to an non-endorsed one

• wants to upgrade from a Progression to an Advanced Diploma

1 2 543

5. Training and support available

Upgraded and enhanced products:

There is a portfolio of updated and enhanced training materials, support functions and guidance documents to support Release 3.

E-learning toolsfor centres, CABs

and DABs

DAS Helpdesk (forcentres) and Service

desk (for ABs)

Presentations fortrainers in centres,

CABs and DABs

Reference manualsfor centres, CABs

and DABs

QCA website,includes FAQs

EssentialGuides for centres

Training Support Guidance

DAS QuickGuide for centres

Regularcommunications

Factsheets onDAS, ULNs and verifying ULNs

1 2 543

Training and support available cont

For general information, see:

DAS home page at www.qca.org.uk/das

Go direct to CAB training materials on:

Information for awarding bodies at: www.qca.org.uk/qca_19060.aspx

Access technical documentation (including the API guide) in:

Secure store at: www.qca.org.uk/dasdocs

Thank you

Diploma aggregation service: An introduction to Release 3 for CABs March 2009.

Documents

Transcript of Diploma aggregation service: An introduction to Release 3 for CABs March 2009.