Linking research & learning technologies through standards

Can learners benefit from access to their qualifications data? Can learner controlled, electronic access to attainment data improve learner transition in and out of the vocational training sector?

Link Affiliates examined these questions in a report prepared for the Australian Flexible Learning Framework’s e-Portfolio business activity. The Verifying VET Learner Attainment Data report (PDF) was based on an investigation of existing learner verification services and a survey of possible consumers of verified learner information in the Australian VET sector. While the report found that accessing verified learner information is in its infancy in many ways, there is a cohort of information consumers who would find this information useful, and a number of possible models that could be investigated further.

Existing systems

Desktop research examined a number of existing Australian and overseas learner information verification services:

• Qualsearch
• Digitary
• Skills Profile
• Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP)
• e-Profiling
• Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) online verification of qualifications service
• Workpro
• CVcheck
• Tertiary Admissions Centre – Automated Results Transfer System (TAC ARTS): see for an example http://www.policy.monash.edu/university-glossary.html (nothing else publicly accessible)

The research found that while there are examples of successful learner information verification systems in the VET sector, these are limited in scope or immature in development. Therefore, VET can learn from these systems as well as provide leadership in this domain.

Information consumer needs

Key VET stakeholders consulted for this research included employers, occupational licensing bodies, recruitment agencies, professional associations and tertiary admission centres.

Nearly all respondents could see significant efficiency gains through electronic verification approaches.

For some respondents, identity and/or qualification fraud was a key concern. This was particularly true for occupational licensing bodies but was also articulated by recruitment agencies and employers. For some, the opportunity to replace a manual hard copy certificate with electronic access was seen as a great step forward in terms of overcoming fraud. For others, electronic access caused concern and gave more opportunity for fraudulent acts.

In licensing and recruitment scenarios there was a primary concern to verify the identity of the applicant (akin to a passport or bank account application where identity checks are paramount.) For some scenarios it will not be possible to obviate the need for an applicant to physically go to a trusted agent, say a post office, and prove their identity. However the respondents in these scenarios still saw the benefits of electronic approaches to learner information verification.

There was also diversity in the breadth and depth of information required in verified data. In some circumstances it is enough to know that the applicant has successfully completed a course, in others information on the subjects completed/ gained is required, and in yet others a rich history of their on-the-job and training experience is required. Any verification system, especially one for VET, will need to look broader than just completed qualifications. This is where a link to the broader use of an e-portfolio will be important.

Routing of learner information

One interesting aspect uncovered by the consultations related to how the verified learner information was “routed” to the information consumer. Respondents were deliberately asked whether they would prefer electronic access to learner information directly from an RTO or via a trusted third party proxy, or via an individual’s e-portfolio (see picture).

Respondents who had any concerns about identity or qualification fraud stated that they would not trust information contained in an individual’s e-portfolio, and had concerns about being routed via an individual’s e-portfolio to another system.

Where to from here?

The survey of existing systems showed that they are currently limited in scope or immature in development and the consultations highlighted many distinct learner information verification requirements. These requirements will most likely need to be supported by a variety of verification methods, rather than a single verification system which tries to service everyone’s needs. However, care needs to be taken not to confuse the market place with too many of these types of systems.

Other key stakeholder groups also need to be surveyed: the capacity and cost for RTOs supplying information to a verification system was raised in all our consultations; learners’ attitudes to such a service have also not yet been tested. As a next step, the VET e-Portfolio business activity is currently running an investigation into both these issues.

All this means that while access to verified learner information is a promising area for the VET sector to pursue, further work should be progressed in small stages, testing the policy and technical ramifications within confined boundaries such as a particular industry.