International Grades - Open Technologies

QCA ref: 5

Awarding and issuing certificates

When a student demonstrates that they have matched the criteria relevant to a particular award, the assessor registers the student and makes the appropriate award using the certification web site. To do this go to www.theINGOTs.org in a standards compliant web browser and click on certification login. Log in as an assessor using a valid username or E-mail address and your password. (If you forget your password E-mail your Account Manager). The On-line course for assessors provides detailed instructions about how to use the mark book and your Account Manager to register awards and print certificates. 

Printing Certificates

The original certificate can be obtained by writing to The Learning Machine Ltd and paying a £5 administration fee for each certificate sent out. Duplicate certificates can be printed directly from the Web Site at www.theINGOTs.org.

Authentication

Certificates can be authenticated on the web site using the verify certificate link on the front page by entering the certificate number. For this reason students should be advised to record the certificate number so that authentication can be achieved and they can print a duplicate certificate should their certificate be lost. Further authentication can be provided eg by using photographic evidence, address data or other similar evidence to verify the candidate is who they say they are. Should it be requested, this added level of authentication will be carried out by the Awarding Body at cost.

Security

The main issue for security is through an individual accessing the assessor's account without authorisation. The only way that this can be achieved is by someone else learning the assessor password. So use a robust password. "Password" might be easy to remember but it's a very bad password from a security point of view. Robust passwords should at least contain some numbers as well as letters. Choose something relatively easy to remember eg a combination of your best ever golf score, your mother and father's initials, the first and last letters of your street name in lower case and last digit of your telephone number. Avoid typing your password when others are close by and could see and remember your key presses and never give your password to someone else. Change your password from time to time but always make it a robust password. The system will tell you if your password is strong enough when you first enter it.

If an account is compromised, the Assessor must take the following action.

Make a note of any changes that have occurred since you they logged in

Change your password to a new and robust password (include numbers as well as upper and lower case letters and at least 7 characters) Inform the Principal Assessor and your Account Manager with as much detail of any changes as soon as possible and the dates and times of the last log in and the previous to last log in. From this information the account can be restored. The Learning Machine reserves the right to charge for time incurred where damage to an account is shown to be due to assessor negligence. In extreme cases of repeated negligence the account could be terminated. Treat security seriously, your account is your responsibility. There are restrictions on editing designed to minimise the risk of damage should a malicious individual hack into the system. It is only possible to edit pupil names up until the first award is made so be careful with spelling. Once an award is made, the assessor can not delete the record (and neither can anyone hacking into the system). When making further awards the assessor can only change the awards within 15 minutes of making them. After this time they need to contact website@thelearningmachine.co.uk to make changes for them. For these reasons be careful when making the awards. Although it might be a little less convenient, it also means that it will be relatively easy to put right any security breaches. The system is regularly backed up and remembers the times when alterations take place. If an assessor knows they haven't made any changes for three days but there are changes two days ago we can determine exactly what has been altered and set it back to where it should be. Be vigilant and check records regularly reporting any changes that you have not made yourself to your Principal Assessor and Account Manager. The Assessor will lock any records against alteration when the candidate has finished at the Centre or has completed the range of certificates on offer. From this point the record can only be un-locked for updating by The Learning Machine Ltd.