Learn about the various certificates available in Axis LMS.
The ability to certify your users is a benefit of using Axis LMS, but how your learners achieve LMS certificates can vary depending on your business process and goals.
For example, it can be as simple as issuing an LMS certificate when a learner passes a quiz, or linked to a completion of a training course, or, an achievement of a skill which involves participation in various learning courses.
Axis LMS addresses these different scenarios by providing you with several highly customizable LMS certificates: Quiz, Course, and Curriculum (or Competency) LMS certificates (and, a 4th type not discussed – Certification LMS Certificates, will be available as of Axis LMS 10.4 – relates to the world of Continuing Education and CEU’s).
LMS Certificates can be used either independently, or in conjunction with each other.
Quiz LMS Certificates are the simplest, and one of the most commonly used. They have one requirement – pass a quiz.
Course LMS Certificates require both a Score and Progress percentile to be achieved before becoming accessible. Unlike Quiz LMS Certificates, these may be accessed by the user, but aren’t valid until they’ve met the requirements.
Competency LMS Certificates require a passing score in multiple courses, as well as eligibility for the certification. Every user could theoretically complete the same courses, but only users from eligible user-groups are capable of earning the Competency LMS Certificate.
How to Use LMS Certificates with Online Quizzes
The objective of many admins is to have their users earn an LMS certificate, or something akin to an LMS certification. As an Axis admin, you are able to customize how your LMS certificate looks, and how your users earn and access that LMS certificate.
There are three (soon to be four) different LMS certificates your users can earn, and can be delivered in conjunction or independently from each other. However, which LMS certificates you use, and how they are weaved into your system may change based on your business practices. The three different LMS Certificates are (1) Graded Quiz, (2) Course, and (3) Competency.
LMS Certificate Access (All)
All of a user’s LMS Certificates can be accessed by the user by adding a Certificates widget to your Learning Portal.
- Portal Designer > Learning Portal Designer > Edit {page} > Add Widget > Reports and Score > Certificate Listing Widget.
Graded Quiz Certificates
- Modules > Manage Modules > Edit {Graded Quiz} > Graded Quiz Settings
Graded Quiz LMS Certificates are unique in that they take a snapshot of the user’s data as soon as it is achieved. What this means is that the certificate is static. If a user earns a Graded Quiz Certificate this year, and is married next month, when the user opens the certificate it will reflect their pre-marital name.
How is it earned?
Graded Quiz Certificates are the simplest certificates, and only require a user to Pass and Complete the Graded quiz. The passing score of a Graded Quiz can be edited by going to the module’s Graded Quiz settings.
Where can I customize it?
Your graded quiz certificates, by default, use a Blue ribbon border with the text below.
You can edit the text of the LMS Certificate by going to the module’s Graded Quiz settings, and working with the Certificate editor.
Access
Users can access their Graded Quiz Certificates at the end of the quiz (upon passing), in their score reports, and from a Certificates widget.
Course Certificates
- Courses > Manage Courses > Course Certificate
Unlike Graded Quiz Certificates, Course LMS Certificates are dynamic. If a user opened a Course Certificate both before and after marriage, the name on the LMS Certificate would update to use the latest information available.
How is it earned?
Course Certificates are, by default, always accessible to a user. But it does not become valid until the user has achieved the requirements set by the admin, which include Course Progress, Course Average, or both.
Where can I customize it?
Your Course Certificate can be edited on a Course by Course basis by going into your Course Dashboard, and selecting Course Certificate. You can then change both the background and text by using either the front-facing editor, or the HTML editor.
Access
Users can access their Course Certificates from either a Certificates placeholder, or the Certificates widget.
Competency Certificates
- Competencies > New / Edit Competency > Certificate
Competencies are a collection of Courses that form a type of Curriculum, so by their nature, a user will have earned multiple Course Certificates before earning their Competency’s.
How is it earned?
Competency Certificates are earned after a user has completed a Competency, which can be a fairly elaborate process (read more here), but does require that, in addition to completing the required courses, also be eligible to earn that certificate. The same users could complete the same activities, but only the user that is eligible to earn that competency (by being in an eligible group), will be able to access the certificate.
How can I customize it?
Competency Certificates can be edited when initially creating the Competency, or right before Activating the Competency. Because of the nature of competencies, Certificates cannot be edited after Activating the Competency.
Access
Users can access their Competency Certificates from the Certificates Widget, or the Competencies widget.