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Diploma aggregation service:An introduction to Release 3 for CABs
March 2009
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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Things to know before you start cont
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.
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Things to know before you start cont
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.
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Results Poster
Things to know before you start cont
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
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Things to know before you start cont
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.
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Things to know before you start cont
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
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Things to know before you start cont
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).
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Things to know before you start cont
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
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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
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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
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What’s in Release 3 for CABs? cont
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
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What’s in Release 3 for CABs? cont
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.
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What’s in Release 3 for CABs? cont
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.
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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
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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
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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:
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What’s new for CABs as TPLAs? cont
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.
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What’s new for CABs as TPLAs? cont
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
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What’s new for CABs as TPLAs? cont
Alternatively, extract a report for one or more learners
from your home page to print or save to a computer
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What’s new for CABs as TPLAs? cont
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
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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
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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