Hi
Does anyone have a good way of recording cadet exams and other achievements that they would be willing to share on a spreadsheet or something?
Thanks
B)
Bader?
Well yeah, of course there is Bader. I was thinking more of a spreadsheet
if you want one! Just make one! with the details you want to record!
Simples
For what purpose?
I can’t think of a particularly good reason… I mean SMS does adequately record exams and a raft of achievements (recording all of them on a ss would make such a ss unusable in my view).
It seems like this would be a lot of work when there are better things to be getting on with?
Just my opinion of course!
As said easy enough to do yourself and I can see exactly where you’re coming from.
[quote=“Perry Mason” post=1593]For what purpose?
I can’t think of a particularly good reason… I mean SMS does adequately record exams and a raft of achievements (recording all of them on a ss would make such a ss unusable in my view).
It seems like this would be a lot of work when there are better things to be getting on with?
Just my opinion of course![/quote]
The over-riding problem with Bader is accessing information once you’ve put it on there. In many ways it’s not an interactive database it’s an information repository. When we have asked about ad hoc reports at CO’s Conferences, we have been told no, as it has some obtuse data protection angle imposed by the MoD. I say obtuse as the information that is so dangerous sits in a filing cabinet in my office, so I can get access it anytime I like. I think there is a lack of real world knowledge among our rule setters.
Also Bader is rubbish for recording achievements and qualifications in an easy to correlate manner.
Thus a spreadsheet with every cadet on it and what they have achieved in one place so you can look through and see what people have done, is much easier than trawling through individual cadet records. We have and still do keep a spreadsheet for flying and gliding detail dates and who went. I was going to bin it when we started using SMS and use the report, but it is less than extremely poor for my purpose at sqn level, but I can’t quite workout who it is useful for.
IMO the reports on SMS have all the usefulness of a fireguard made of ice. If I was employed by them, I’d come up with reports that were in a much more usable format, but I’m not and so I won’t. I do it at work, but then I have unrestricted access to all the information.
just out if interest, are there any real world tools out there that would do the job that Sharepoint can’t do that Sqns would find useful?
cheers
DJ
[quote=“djrice” post=1598]just out if interest, are there any real world tools out there that would do the job that Sharepoint can’t do that Sqns would find useful?
cheers
DJ[/quote]
An online exam system thats intuitive and works? :dry:
hmmmm 
.
Don’t know about Sharepoint, but there must have been some real tools involved in Ultilearn…
I created a spreadsheet which can be used in a way akin to the old training boards. It lists cadet by classification, and as you fill in dates of exams passed, and 1st aid courses, it updates the classification. I also use it to highlight cadets within 6 months of 18 and needing a BASIC.
Hidden columns include ultilearn usernames and passwords so that they are easy to obtain at exam time, and fast to update after the numerous failed entry attempts by cadets!
It does require a little data entry, but it’s easy enough to maintain, and is a more useful tool than ultilearn/SMS for monitoring progress than just a lits of cadets by classification.
I take it has their name and date or birth in it?
I personally admire any training officer that has the time, after sorting the programme, helping to deliver lessons, making sure instructors and training aids are in place etc…let alone updating say training records on Bader, that still finds time to have a day job and/or relationship AND update spreadsheets that offer similar information to the SMS system that we already have.
Bravo.
With regards to things like Ultilearn passwords and the like, sorry but I’m going through 1 round of password resets for those numpties that didn’t write it down, and that’s it. If they then can’t remember, they will have to come and ask for a reset to be done, and will be shown the process of resetting the password, so that they know it is an inconvenience to staff to continuously have to do this.
The reason for Sharepoint, SMS (if used correctly) is to stop uncontrolled data getting out there, I deplore multiple spreadsheets. I reset someones Ultilearn password the other day and was told a spreadsheet then had to be updated on paper and on a computer. Do I have the time or energy for that? Nope!
Just out of interest, do you get to choose the new password or is it randomly generated?
If you get to choose, could you simply make it the cadet’s birthday?
Its random… supposedly because one or two Sqn Cdrs were setting all their cadets’ passwords to “password1” instead of the gibberish thats auto generated.
No, that would be far too usable and convenient.
Much better that the system generates easy to remember passwords like 7Ktyod’DF$kd!u
Dammit who gave you my password?!
I’d imagine that if it wasn’t something at ACO/MOD level, Edexcel may want randomised passwords to make sure others aren’t gaining qualifications on an individual’s behalf.
The passwords are a pain in the bum in terms of their construction, BUT if you store them correctly as an individual, surely it is fairly straightforward?
It may be an MOD issue… BUT - having a random password doesn’t make it any more secure if someone wants to share it with a mate than if it was a simple password does it?