Although TAG Developments is working towards establishing its API as an open standard, we recognise that it will take some time for centre focused e-portfolio/VLE/Learning Platform providers to integrate this open standard into their offerings, which could create a short-term barrier to schools/colleges submitting student evidence via this mechanism. Likewise, it was also recognised that not all schools/colleges use an e-portfolio/VLE or Learning Platform, preferring to simply manage student work and qualification evidence via their school network or other means.

To address both of these challenges, TAG designed and developed a lightweight, offline, Flash-based electronic submissions tool aimed at schools and colleges who were not able to use any existing system via the open standards API. This lightweight e-submission tool, or Desktop Tool as it is referred to, can be run locally from a USB stick or any computer, and requires no installation, and thus avoids any technical issues for the school. When run on an internet connected computer, the tool securely synchronises with the awarding body system via the API, populating the tool with all the current data on registered candidates and qualifications pertinent to that particular centre. The teacher can then use the tool to add each candidate’s coursework to an e-portfolio that the tool automatically creates for each registered candidate by simply dragging and dropping the relevant files from one location on the machine/network to the e-portfolio. They can then add the relevant marks awarded to that candidate, and then once all candidate coursework and marks have been added, the teacher clicks on a ‘submit’ button and the work is electronically and securely transferred via the API to the awarding body system.   This Desktop Tool is currently being piloted with a number of AQA GCSE and GCE qualifications.