The first phase has been successfully completed in an innovative project for recording learners’ Skills Profiles in Wales via a web-based environment built by Connect. The Skills Profile is a tool for planning, recording and reporting learners’ skills development in Thinking, Number and Communication.

Connect was successful in 2007 in being awarded the contract by the University of Liverpool, specifically CRIPSAT (the Centre for Research in Primary Science and Technology), as part of their contracts with the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) to develop the Skills Profiles and to prepare optional materials to assess the development of learners’ thinking.

Over the next two years Connect will be delivering a fully bi-lingual, web-based tool which will also meet accessibility guidelines to ensure access for all.

This is a phased development; the first phase involved a pilot group of teachers in Wales being able to access the infrastructure of the web environment and trial some early functionality. The next phase will allow teachers to upload multi-media materials as supporting evidence of learner achievement.

Janet Symes, Connect’s Deputy CEO says “This is a very high profile project in Wales and a very exciting one for Connect. By being involved from the inception of this innovation and by using a phased approach we are able to evolve the system as the needs of users and the Welsh Assembly Government emerge.”