From education interfaces for examination to education interfaces for flexible learning pathways

A nice step in the movement towards barrier-free learning. Why it is? Ashwin Brouwer (captain Npuls) and Hans Swart (project leader OKE and OKX) tell you more about it.   

OK stands for Education interfaces. The X is still to be filled in – it means that the education interfaces can be used for various educational processes. Hans explains how the success of the OKE project led to the follow-up in the OKX project: ‘What succeeded with OKE, that systems talk to each other and exchange data for the examination process, you also want that for other processes that are part of realising flexible learning pathways.’   

The focus of the OKX project is on data exchange around the education catalogue, the SIS, the study tracking system, learning management system and planning and scheduling. This focus was determined during meetings with colleagues from mbo, hbo and wo. These processes and systems are mostly touched in the movement towards flexible learning pathways.   

As with OKE, the absence of automation between applications (links) is an important motive. Hans continues: ‘There are several systems active in this, exchange of data is now done manually. That now requires extra time, extra manual work and is error-prone. You solve that through automated data exchange and standards (such as the OOAPI).’  

Ashwin adds with preconditions as the rationale for OKX: ‘We are working towards standardisation and collectivity. So that eventually you can exchange data with each other. Now it’s about internal data exchange, but eventually this will also contribute to data exchange between educational institutions and between the mbo, hbo and wo. That is necessary for facilitating own learning pathways.

Ashwin talks about the steps already taken and the follow-up: ‘In two days, we worked with educational professionals from hbo and wo, suppliers and partner organisations on the desired standard process and with which data exchanges this should take place. In Npuls, we are working on a recommendation based on that two-day session, looking at what digital data exchanges are needed so that we can further specify and shape them.’  

Hans continues: ‘In the two-day event, we concluded with all attendees that we can work on ‘one main process with variants’ for both the mbo, and the hbo and wo. This is good news, because with this knowledge the complexity of the issue can be greatly simplified. The follow-up after the advice is still to be determined. In any case, it is our intention to start working with POP advisers again (POP stands for Policy, Organisation and Process), just like with OKE, because we know that the changes of this automation are particularly noticed within these POP aspects.’  

As an institution, you can get started now. ‘For example, by testing your institution’s readiness in terms of flexible learning pathways with the readiness scan’ Ashwin adds. This readiness scan covers the topics of vision, policy, organisation, systems and processes. This includes internal data exchange. ‘Soon we will start sessions per institution from Npuls to perform the readiness scan. Keep an eye on the website for that.’  

Would you like to know more about OKX? Then contact Hans at jg.swart@alfa-college.nl. Look here for more information on how the mbo, hbo and wo in Npuls are working on the movement towards flexible learning pathways.