UPDATES TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF ECDL CERTIFICATIONS

Transcription

1 UPDATES TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF ECDL CERTIFICATIONS Effective 1 st October 2013 A Guide for Test Centres

2 The New ECDL will be launched on 1st October On this date ECDL Malta will also introduce a process whereby candidates are allocated a single ECDL registration number for ECDL Base, Standard and Advanced. ONE ECDL Registration Number for ALL ECDL Certifications As from 1st October 2013, all new candidates registering for ANY ECDL certification (excluding EqualSkills) will be allocated a single ECDL registration number. Candidates will no longer have different registration numbers for ECDL Standard (formerly known as ECDL Core) and ECDL Advanced. Candidates will make use of the same ECDL registration number for all ECDL certifications. The ECDL registration numbers allocated from 1 st October onwards will not expire and will follow candidates for life. Every candidate will now have a single record in EnlightKS for ALL ECDL certifications. This record will move with the candidate when doing tests at different Test Centres. The ECDL Registration Numbers allocated from 1 st October onwards: a. will have the following format: MTRN###### b. cost 32 each including one printed certificate. c. are ordered in bulk from ECDL Malta Office. Prompt payments will attract a 5% discount. ECDL Base & Standard New candidates starting ECDL Base & Standard will register as usual at the Test Centre of their choice. The Test Centre will assign the new ECDL Registration Numbers (MTRNs) to the candidates. The Test Centre will register the candidates on EnlightKS and assign ECDL Base or Standard tests. Test Centres will continue to order ECDL Base & Standard tests from ECDL Malta as per current procedure. Candidates may request an ECDL Base certificate upon successful completion of 4 Base modules and/or an ECDL Standard certificate upon successful completion of four (4) Base plus any three (3) Standard modules. The first certificate will be issued at no cost because this is included in the cost of the MTRN. ECDL Malta will charge 10 for each additional certificate. Candidates should be encouraged to request their first certificate after completing the ECDL Standard certification (4 Base + 3 Standard modules). Candidates will continue to order certificates at the Test Centre where they did the last test. The Test Centre will order the certificates from ECDL Malta Office on behalf of the candidates. 1

3 Base Modules Standard Modules Advanced Modules Computer Essentials Using Databases Advanced Word Processing Online Essentials Presentation Advanced Spreadsheets Word Processing Image Editing Advanced Databases Spreadsheets Web Editing Advanced Presentation IT Security 2D Computer Aided Design Additional ECDL Standard Modules The ECDL Standard consists of four (4) mandatory Base modules and a choice of any three (3) Standard modules from a pool of six (6) Standard modules. Candidates who have completed the ECDL Standard certification may be interested in taking additional standard module tests. Candidates who have completed ECDL Standard will use the same MTRN for any additional Standard module tests. Test Centres will not need to re-register candidates with an MTRN and can proceed with allocating further standard tests. Where applicable, Test Centres should follow the usual procedure to request transfer of candidates between Test Centres. Candidates may request a certificate for each Standard test pass or else they may request a certificate after passing two or more standard modules. There will be a fee of 10 for each certificate. Candidates will continue to order certificates at the Test Centre where they did the last test. The Test Centre will order the certificates from ECDL Malta Office on behalf of the candidates. ECDL Advanced Candidates who have completed the ECDL Base & Standard will use the same MTRN for any ECDL Advanced test. ECDL Advanced Approved Test Centres will not need to re-register candidates with an MTRN and can proceed with allocating Advanced tests. Where applicable, Test Centres should follow the usual procedure to request transfer of candidates between Test Centres. ECDL Malta has revised the cost of each Advanced test down to 25 per test. Candidates may request a certificate for each Advanced test pass or else they may request a certificate after passing two or more modules. There will be a fee of 10 for each printed certificate. Candidates who pass the four (4) Advanced tests will be awarded the ECDL Expert Certificate at no cost. Candidates who intend to sit for all four (4) Advanced tests should be encouraged to make a request for one certificate - Expert Certificate - after completing the four modules. ECDL Malta will issue this certificate at no cost. Candidates will continue to order certificates at the Test Centre where they did the last test. The Test Centre will order the certificates from ECDL Malta Office on behalf of the candidates. 2

4 Test Centre Frequently Asked Questions Q1. What will happen to candidates who are registered in EnlightKS for ECDL Core and Advanced? There will be no changes for candidates who have been registered in EnlightKS by the 30 September ECDL Core candidates will continue using the same ECDL Registration Number or Skills Card (MT########). They will continue sitting for the seven (7) ECDL tests as per ECDL Syllabus 5.0. The certification must be completed within 3-years from their first successful test. Test Centres should clearly distinguish between candidates following ECDL Core Syllabus 5.0 and those following the New ECDL (Base or Standard certification) when assigning tests. For example, a candidate following Syllabus 5.0 cannot be allocated an IT Security test. ECDL Advanced candidates will continue using the same Advanced Registration Number (ARN). Q2. What process should be followed for candidates who have obtained an ECDL certificate (Start, Core, Web Editing, Image Editing, CAD or Advanced) and wish to follow another ECDL certification as from 1st October 2013? As from 1st October 2013, candidates starting a new ECDL certification will be allocated the new ECDL registration number (MTRN). To encourage the re-engagement of past candidates with the ECDL certifications, holders of any ECDL certificate (Start, Core, Web Editing, Image Editing, CAD or Advanced) will benefit from an exemption on the fee of the MTRN. This exemption excludes the issue of the first certificate at no cost. Therefore, candidates with an ECDL certificate (Start, Core, Web Editing, Image Editing, CAD or Advanced) who will be sitting for any Standard or Advanced test will be issued with the MTRN at no cost. Candidates are requested to present their certificate (Start, Core, Web Editing, Image Editing, CAD or Advanced) at the Test Centre who will in turn contact ECDL Malta Office and provide these details: Candidate Name & Surname: Identity Card Number: Certificate type: Start, Core, Advanced, Web Editing, Image Editing or CAD Certificate Number: ECDL Malta will the MTRN to the Test Centre. These MTRNs are issued against the named candidates and are non-transferable. The Test Centre will register these candidates on EnlightKS and follow the current procedures to allocate tests. Certificates are issued against a 10 fee per certificate. 3

5 Q3. What will happen to unassigned ECDL Registration Numbers (ERNs) or Advanced Registration Numbers (ARNs) as from 1st October 2013? Test Centres will continue assigning the current ERNs and ARNs to candidates registering for ECDL Core and Advanced respectively until the 30th September 2013*. It is important that all allocated ERNs and ARNs are registered on EnlightKS by this date. After 1st October, Test Centres will be allowed to register candidates with the new MTRN only. On 1st October, Test Centres are required to ECDL Malta Office and specify the unassigned ERNs and ARNs. The ERNs will be replaced with an equivalent number of MTRNs. ECDL Malta will issue a credit note (discounted amount if applicable) for all unassigned ARNs to the Test Centre's account. *It is recommended that: Test Centres assign the current ERNs to candidates who want to do ECDL Core based on Syllabus 5.0 ONLY. Otherwise it makes more sense to wait for 1 st October and register candidates with the new MTRNs. Test Centres should refrain from assigning ARNs to candidates who do not plan to sit for Advanced tests before 1 st October Q4. Will manual tests of Image Editing and Web Editing be available as from 1st October 2013? As from 1st October 2013, Image Editing (based on GIMP) and Web Editing (based on Kompozer) tests will be available in EnlightKS. On 1st October, Test Centres are required to ECDL Malta Office and specify the unassigned Image Editing and Web Editing registration numbers. ECDL Malta will issue a credit note (discounted amount if applicable) for all unassigned registration numbers to the Test Centre's account. It is recommended that: Test Centres offering Image Editing and Web Editing manual tests are requested to contact candidates who still need to do these tests (manual version), to do so by not later than 31st December After this date, ONLY automated tests for Image Editing and Web Editing will be allowed. ECDL Malta will contact the Test Centres offering these certifications to collect the test banks. Test Centres should not allocate Image Editing or Web Editing registration numbers to new candidates that are planning to sit for the tests after 30th September

6 Q5. Will there be any changes to the ECDL CAD certification as from 1st October 2013? The ECDL CAD certification will continue to be assessed through manual tests that are marked by ECDL Malta assessors. Candidates who have the MTRN will be able to purchase CAD tests from the Test Centre. ECDL Malta shall charge the Test Centre 15 for each CAD test and 10 for the certificate. Other candidates will need to be allocated the MTRN. ECDL shall charge the Test Centre as follows: MTRN + one certificate: 32* CAD Test: 15 Holders of ECDL Start, Core or Advanced certificate qualify for an exemption to the MTRN fee. This exemption excludes the issue of the first certificate at no cost. Q6. Which tests will be available in EnlightKS as from 1st October 2013? These tests will be available in EnlightKS: Base Modules Computer Essentials - NEW Online Essentials - NEW Word processing Spreadsheets Advanced Modules Word Processing Spreadsheets Database Presentation Standard Modules Using Databases Presentations IT Security - NEW Image Editing - NEW Web Editing - NEW Syllabus 5.0 Core Modules* Concepts of Information & Communication Technology Using the Computer & Managing Files Web Browsing & Communication *Only candidates registered for ECDL Core on EnlightKS by the 30th September will be allowed to sit for these tests. CAD, forming part of the set of Standard Modules, will be available through manual tests (refer to Q5). Q7. An existing candidate who has not completed the ECDL Core Syllabus 5 wants to switch to the New ECDL. Is this allowed? Existing candidates who have passed at least one (1) Syllabus 5 test cannot switch to the New ECDL. These candidates will complete the seven (7) tests within 3 years of their first successful test. Test Centres should distinguish between candidates following ECDL Core Syllabus 5 and those following the New ECDL (Base or Standard certification) when assigning tests. For example, a candidate following Syllabus 5 cannot be allocated an IT Security test. 5

7 Q8. A candidate is registered on ECDL Syllabus 5 on EnlightKS. S/he has never done any tests. Can this candidate switch to the New ECDL? Candidates registered on EnlightKS who have never sat for or passed any Syllabus 5 test may be allowed to switch to the New ECDL. The Test Centre shall contact ECDL Malta Office and provide these details: Candidate Name & Surname: Identity Card Number: ECDL Registration Number: ECDL Malta will the MTRN to the Test Centre. The MTRN is issued against the named candidates and are nontransferable. There are no fees associated with this process. Q9. A candidate does not have the ECDL Core certification and wants to sit for ECDL Advanced tests. What process should be followed? Candidates can sit for Advanced tests without having a Core certificate. The candidates purchase MTRN and Advanced tests from the Test Centre. ECDL Malta charges the Test Centre: MTRN + one certificate: 32 ECDL Advanced Test: 25 The MTRN purchased by candidates for ECDL Advanced tests can then be used for other ECDL certifications. Candidates who pass the four ECDL Advanced tests will be awarded the ECDL Expert Certificate at no cost. 6