portfolio

OneFile

OneFile is an electronic portfolio ("e-Portfolio") for use in vocational qualifications such as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ), Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ), the new Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF), BTEC and the 14-19 National Diploma. It is also suitable for other criteria or competency-based qualifications such as a company's induction programme or internal training programmes.

OneFile is owned, developed, managed and hosted by Citrus Lounge. It is licensed directly to colleges and training providers on a per-learner basis rather than sold directly to the end-user. It is currently being used by over 200 centres throughout the UK and even abroad. It is endorsed by the 4 major UK awarding bodies: City & Guilds, Edexcel, OCR and EDI.

OneFile replaces the traditional bulky paper-based portfolio that learners are required to bring with them every time an assessment is carried out by an assessor. The e-portfolio not overcomes the logistical problems but also the reporting aspect on progress. It's incredibly difficult, nonetheless time-consuming to work out on paper how far a learner has progressed through the qualification, given that in some qualifications such as Health & Social Care, a learner may be expected to demonstrate they are competent in over 1000 individual tasks. Not only is this unmotivating for the learner it's difficult for the training provider's manager to get a realistic indication of how far an entire cohort is progressing at any given time. The e-portfolio on the other hand automatically calculates progress on the fly so progress reporting is instantaneous at the click of the button.

See www.onefile.co.uk for more information.

PreQuals, University of Manchester

We were approached by the University's Admissions Department to develop an online database of "pre-University Qualifications" that would facilitate the exchange of admissions information across the many various faculties and departments within the University.

This software was further developed for the International team to publish and manage detailed information on various country's qualification systems to determine their suitability for admission.

Gradfairz, Staffordshire University

Staffordshire University careers department commissioned us to develop an online careers fair for their graduates. Employers are invited to exhibit their online stalls on the fairs where they can directly communicate with the graduates. A phase two development saw us commercialise the software by enabling the University to roll out the software to other Universities and careers fairs organisers, who in turn can hold and manage their own fairs.

Widening Participation Database, University of Manchester

We were approached by a branch of the University's Recruitment Team to provide a solution to the fragmentation of data collection by the various faculties and departments. The Widening Participation database enables multi-user level access so that data input is consolidated into a central online database. The outcome is that activity reports can instantly be generated at the press of the button which can facilitate planning and also cater for "on-demand" reporting requirements which would have been impossible with various dispersed and unrelated databases.

We demonstrated this software to Oxford University which later led to a consultancy session with the Houses of Parliament Education Service.