Eportfolio: Why FE Colleges must embrace streamlined learner management

Issue 

Digital technology has completely changed the way in which further education colleges are run. In just a few short years EdTech advances have transformed the FE landscape, with students and apprentices now able to learn ‘on the go’ anytime and anywhere. 

Take, for example, Onefile’s Eportfolio. It sits at the very heart of our learner management platform, ensuring that every single aspect of the learner’s college course and/or apprenticeship is streamlined and in one place. 

Edtech like Onefile’s has also introduced efficient new ways of working for admin teams and backroom staff, who now use tailored software to support tutors and learners with everything from enrolment and onboarding to the submission of ILR (Individualised Learner Record) data to the Department for Education (DfE). 

But, while many FE colleges were early adopters and quick to embrace change, others have been much slower to get on board with integrated learning. And although most colleges are now catching up, there are still too many who are not aware of – or not making optimum use of – the essential software tools out there. 

With digital systems increasingly incorporating ever-more sophisticated AI that gives even more productivity benefit, it’s all too easy to get left behind in such a fast-paced IT revolution.  

Educate 

Ofsted outcomes  

Although Ofsted inspections don’t judge FE colleges specifically on their use of edtech, there is no doubt that its use supports training providers in every area of education and skills delivery — and can be a real game changer for Training Providers. 

And, while 75% of the 53 general FE colleges inspected by Ofsted were judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for overall effectiveness as of August 31, 2024, it would appear that the remaining 25% have some catching up to do.  

Notably, all the FE colleges graded as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ overall were also found to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for their quality of education, behaviour, attitudes, leadership, and management.  

Educating the educators 

So how do FE colleges start to build upon and maximise their learner management? Well, researching the market is the obvious place to start. Take a look at colleges that score well with Ofsted, receive sector awards and accolades and are generally well thought of in the communities they serve. What are they doing to increase enrolment numbers, deliver successful apprenticeships and forge strong lasting relationships with schools, employers and higher education institutions? 

You can be sure that their successes – those in the public eye and those behind the scenes – are underpinned by the best learner management systems. 

Onefile has been in the learner management driving seat right from day one. With over two million learners successfully completing their courses to date, we’re proud to have developed the very first Eportfolio.  

Our award-winning platform has the tools that enable FE colleges to show learning progress, build content that helps learners prepare for end point assessment, manages assignment setting online and streamlines teaching and learning plans. By investing in Eportfolio, FE colleges can save themselves precious time and money in admin while making sure students, apprentices and employers are receiving top quality training provision.  

The Solution  

Eportfolio offers a user-friendly comprehensive solution that allows FE providers to deliver, manage and track a learner’s progress right from initial assessment though to gateway then on to EPA.  

Key features include assessment management that lets them capture evidence, map competencies and keep a clear record of feedback and activities. Its learning plan management feature, for example, helps FE tutors organise tasks, activities and assessments for themselves, learners and employers.  

Having a structured plan which sets out learning objectives, teaching methods and assessments saves everyone time and simplifies the whole process. And the system has also been developed to easily create and reuse review templates so that every stage of the review, gateway and checkpoint process is simpler and more standardised.  

Eportfolio’s easy time logging is another feature that is much appreciated by college support and admin staff as well as tutors and assessors. It lets colleges track the time apprentices or T level students spend on OTJT – off-the job training – helping them to stay compliant and audit-ready.  

In addition, Onefile’s Eportfolio offers learners and assessors ‘smart evidence capture.’ Its tools allow them to upload videos and images from any device – anytime, anywhere – evidencing competency and tracking progress remotely.  

And, as if these distinguishing features weren’t enough, Eportfolio also lets users create and manage customer forms to collect key data, capture digital signatures and support tailored workflows – from learner reviews and individual learning plans to assessor signoffs and compliance checks.  

As a new customer, there’s so much to learn about Eportfolio, but don’t worry – our team of experts can quickly help you and your staff get onboard. We’re also continually enhancing the learner experience, with a planned programme of improvements designed to meet the expectations of modern software users. 

So, if you want a simple, stress free but leading-edge learner management system, providing professional support and peace of mind right from day one, talk to us today.