Most people agree that UCD will be useful once it reaches ubiquity. The question is how to get there. Education provides the best (and possibly the only practical) starting point. The graphic explains why.

So the lead UCD application will be:

. . . to be used by learners as a point in the cloud from which to

  • interact with learning providers (and each other); and
  • transition between learning providers and into employment,

showing proof of qualifications and (if necessary) identity, at each stage

Data infrastructure in the UK education sector is ripe for reform.

Learners :

  • still receive qualifications as paper certificates;
  • and have to learn a new interface (with a new username and password) for every learning-facing organization

The Learning Records Service is the clearest signal of the need for change:

  • it is a central database of qualification data, mostly from secondary and further education.
  • learners cannot access, or use their data, in LRS

SLC

 =

Student Loan Company

UCAS

 =

Universities and Colleges Admission Service

MOOC

 =

Massive Online Open Course/Online Learning

NPDB

 =

National Pupil Database

HESA

 =

Higher Education Statistics Authority

But the Learning Records Service can become a key component of UCD

Learners will:

  • set up a wallet-enabled relationship with LRS at the same time as registering at a new secondary or FE provider; and
  • will then use LRS as conduit through which to pull down qualification data from the awarding bodies that serve learning providers in those sectors

Later on, when interacting with learning providers which act as their own awarding bodies (such as universities, trade and professional bodies, MOOCs etc), learners will be able to pull down further qualifications directly to their wallet.