User logs
We have a lot of personal and sensitive student data in aXcelerate, as would all aXcelerate clients. To ensure the integrity of this information we would like to be able to view aXcelerate logs on users. As a minimum, the log would include:
- User name
- Date
- Time
- IP Address
- Page Viewed (with a hyperlink) to that particular page.
Moodle has this feature and it's really handy as you can easily identify suspicious activity such as strange or unexpected IP addresses, login times and duration.
We believe this will not only help us in being able to identify and act unscrupulous activity but it will also help us with audits and government contracts both now and in the future.
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Official comment
Thank you all for your sharing your feedback, it helps us understand what is most important to focus on improving within the system. We hear your concerns about the need for more granular evidence of student engagement and authenticity particularly in relation to the new standards and want to ensure you have all the tools at your disposal to demonstrate this.
First of all we would like to assure you that uplifting the logging and reporting capabilities within aXcelerate is a key theme we are working on at the moment. We have just released our Audit Log feature, and while this does not currently capture learner analytics, our plan is to leverage this system to be able to improve logging across a range of functions in aXcelerate - learner interactions being one of them.
From speaking with our customers and industry experts, something we need to recognise is that its clear "student engagement" isn't a one-size-fits-all metric. How you track engagement depends heavily on your specific training delivery - whether you are using native aXcelerate LMS content, SCORM, or hybrid models - as well as the specific context of your training. Time spent logged in alone doesn't tell the whole story of their progress.
So the first thing for us to understand better is what specific logging improvements you would like to see added to the system. Is what was outlined in the original post the main improvements everyone wants to see (IP, page views and timestamps in the learner portal), or are there other specific data points people would like added?
The other side we would like to acknowledge is all of the data we already have available in the system at the moment to understand and demonstrate learner engagement and support. These are things like:- Viewing assessment logs to see exactly when an attempt is commenced or moved to "In Progress" and when it is completed and how long that took. This can also be seen on the individual assessment item log as well.
- Comparing a learner's completion percentage against their expected course duration.
- Identifying students who haven’t interacted with the system (e.g last login or missed assessment due dates) and triggering automated "nudges" or support interventions through workflow
- Looking at patterns of learners requiring many assessment attempts to identify outliers or students who may be struggling.
- Checking SCORM, Lesson, Learning Plan Module commencements and completions
We do recognise that a lot of this data is often presented on a per individual learner basis. So it would also be good for us to know what sort of format, view or report you think we might need to put some of these existing data points (or new ones) into to help you more easily demonstrate compliance.
We will also work on some additional support resources geared towards how to best utilise all the tools in the system to track and demonstrate learner engagement and support.
Thank you again for your dedication and collaboration. It helps us make the system the best it can be in supporting our community.
Kind Regards,
JulianComment actions -
Sounds like this idea may link nicely with the need for a record (for compliance/audit evidence) of a user's action such as:
- trainer marking an assessment (in lieu of their signature on a printed outcome record)
- learner submitting a task (in lieu of their signature on a "task cover sheet" or "task submission record")
- learner logging into the portal / downloading a task (evidence of engagement)
- trainer entering attendance records (in lieu of their signature on a printed attendance record).
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Hi aXcelerate, I would really like to get an official comment on the logs and if this is something that is being looked into. Under the new DEWR Progression and Completion Practice Guides it is expected that RTOs
- logs about student engagement in courses offered through a learning management system (LMS)
If you are not looking to implement, then no RTO can use your system and be compliant under the RTO Outcome Standards 2025.
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In addition, the RTO Outcome Standards 2025 require RTOs to demonstrate, through appropriate evidence, that training delivery and student support arrangements are effective and support learner progression. In particular:
- Outcome Standard 1.1 requires that training is structured and paced to support learners to progress, including the provision of sufficient opportunities for instruction, practice, feedback, and assessment. In an online or blended delivery context, LMS engagement data forms a key source of evidence to demonstrate how learners interact with training over time.
- Outcome Standard 2.3 requires RTOs to identify and respond to the individual support needs of VET students. System‑generated engagement logs assist RTOs to monitor participation, identify disengagement or risk indicators, and implement timely support interventions.
- Outcome Standard 2.4 requires RTOs to monitor and review the effectiveness of training and support provided. Reliable learner activity data within an LMS supports continuous review by providing objective evidence of learner engagement and progression patterns.
Given ASQA’s outcomes‑focused and evidence‑based regulatory approach, access to system‑level learner engagement logs is an important mechanism for RTOs to demonstrate compliance with these Standards in online and blended delivery environments.
Clarification regarding your current position or development roadmap in relation to learner engagement logging would therefore be appreciated. Should this functionality not be available or planned, RTOs may encounter difficulty in evidencing compliance with the above Outcome Standards. We would welcome the opportunity to understand how the system is intended to support RTOs in meeting these regulatory requirements.
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