Significant opportunities

Peter Wilson, Ufi/learndirect Head of Qualifications and Assessment, says: "We see significant opportunities to extend the accessibility and flexibility of assessment by making it available to learners through learndirect centres.

"The same promises we make to learners about the availability of on-line learning through learndirect can also be extended to the offer of on-line assessment.

"Our intention is to negotiate collective agreements with awarding bodies that will enable all learndirect centres that meet required standards to become approved to offer on-line assessment for all appropriate qualifications.

"We also believe that providing assessment as an integral part of the learndirect offer will enhance the value of many learndirect courses for many learners."

Pilot scheme in Summer

Centres interested in offering on-line assessment have been asked to take part in a pilot scheme in the Summer. We are piloting assessments in ICT and Skills for Life qualifications at 25 learndirect centres during the summer and early autumn. From September we plan to make ICT Level One assessments widely available through the learndirect network. The first assessments in literacy and numeracy are planned to be made generally available to centres in early 2003.

This work is being undertaken as part of a broader Ufi/learndirect strategy for recognising the achievements of learndirect learners.

Adds Peter: "We want to develop clear and explicit links between the outcomes of learndirect courses and the unit structure of nationally-recognised qualifications.

"Ufi is not an awarding body and has no plans to become one. Our approach to recognising achievement will be to develop relationships with awarding bodies that will enable us to establish the clearest and most straightforward connections between learndirect courses and nationally recognised qualifications.

"Once we have done this we can ensure that, through the process of enrolment on and engagement with a learndirect course, all learners are informed of the opportunities that exist to progress through their studies towards a nationally recognised qualification."

More information about building the capacity of learndirect centres to offer on-line assessment is available from Peter Wilson (pwilson@ufi.com)