Abstract: Employers seek people matching particular qualifications and graduates seek jobs matching their qualifications. This market is currently managed primarily using paper certificates and heterogeneous university management systems that capture achieved learning outcomes as well as corporate information systems that capture required qualifications. In the light of current trends towards increased student mobility, employability and lifelong learning, this situation is less than satisfactory. Therefore, we propose a schema in this paper that facilitates interoperable storage and management of Personal Achieved Learning Outcomes (PALO) based on a common data model. We present use case scenarios and implementations addressing these challenges and demonstrating the added value of using such a common model.

Keywords: Competences, Learner Achievements, Learning Outcomes, Outcome-Based Learning, Skills, Standards

Leap2A is an open specification for transferring learner-owned information between different systems. e-Portfolio tools and systems are now widely used by learners to present evidence of learning, achievements and abilities for many purposes, including application for a job or university, assessment or professional accreditation. During their studies, these learners may invest significant time and effort in collecting, selecting, reflecting on and presenting the information included in their e-portfolios, so it is vital that their work doesn’t disappear or become unusable as learners move to another college, university or into the workplace.

[pdf http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/briefingpaper/2010/BPLeap2Av1.pdf]

Summary: Leap2A is a specification for information portability and interoperability between electronic portfolio tools and related systems. It has been developed through close collaboration between e-portfolio system developers, to ensure immediate applicability and relative ease of implementation. It covers learner-owned or learner-focused artefacts, information and reflections that people are likely to want to use themselves or present to others, in the context of educational, personal, professional or career development, including personal abilities, achievements, activities, plans and resources. The development projects are supported by the JISC, and managed through JISC CETIS.