Learner Pathways System (LPS)
Access Learner Pathways tools
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Alberta Transfer System member institutions use Learner Pathways System (LPS) technology and tools to share targeted high school transitions information and transfer decisions they have made for courses and programs at their institution. If an institution develops courses or programs with a high potential for student mobility, they can also contact other members with similar offerings to request approval of transfer decisions proposals. Every member institution identifies an Operational Contact Person(s) to lead and manage these processes, as well as a Strategic Contact Person(s) to support and inform decision-making.
The ACAT Secretariat leads the operations of the LPS and collaboration with member institutions/stakeholders in alignment with the system principles that support system operations. The Secretariat manages the technology and tools, data standards, stakeholder relationships and data management, projects and initiatives, and system work and communications related to the LPS and the broader Alberta Transfer and Pathways System and jurisdictional and national collaboration. This work currently includes 41 institution members from Alberta and five other jurisdictions, with the ACAT Secretariat directly engaging with:
- Strategic Contact Persons/Registrars for strategic decision making for the LPS and the broader Alberta Transfer and Pathways System in Alberta's Adult Learning System
- Operational Contact Persons regarding the development, maintenance, and use of LPS tools; transfer and pathways best practices; and data standards and management of high school transitions and transfer decisions data, including LPS member institution management of transfer decisions for transfer credit, targeted high school transitions information (e.g., AP, IB, dual credit, academic upgrading, provincial equivalencies), and information for other pathways as relevant to the institution, including Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) and interprovincial mobility
- Students, K-12, government, local and jurisdictional organizations, and other stakeholders to support ease of access to public-facing learner pathways data and information for post-secondary planning via Transfer Alberta
Operational Contact Persons at member institutions use LPS tools to support their transfer and pathways work, including to:
- Manage and maintain their high school transitions and transfer decisions data according to agreed upon LPS data standards, including uploading information about program and course offerings and transfer decisions and targeted high school transitions course information
- Propose transfer decisions for their courses and programs to other member institutions
- Update reference data for their institution
- Access system-wide information, including via different types of data reports for high school transitions and transfer decisions data
- Find member institution contact information and provide contact information for use by other institutions
Operational Contact Persons at member institutions update the LPS Catalog using three applications, which help manage different types of information. These applications require users to sign in with a MyAlberta Digital ID (MADI), requiring you to login through MADI. You will also need user confirmation codes, provided by the ACAT Secretariat, to access individual applications.
Alberta’s Transfer System and related learner pathways are also continually evolving as student mobility opportunities expand throughout the province and nation. The LPS tools were developed as part of ACAT’s Learner Pathways Modernization Initiative (LPMI) to further streamline transfer decisions between member institutions, and make it easier for learners and academic advisors to access student mobility information. These tools and supports are regularly reviewed and updated as needed to ensure they reflect any resulting updates to processes, terms and standards for the system.
Download the the LPS System Overview guide for a diagram and summary of the LPS applications information and relationships provided below.
LPS Applications
LPS Catalog
The Catalog is the central repository for targeted high school transitions information, and program and course transfer decisions opportunities between institutional members, including:
- Institutional transfer decisions with other member institutions, and also with non-member institutions where the member institution is the receiving (To) institution
- Post-secondary programs and courses
- Advanced Placement (AP) & International Baccalaureate (IB) courses for admissions
- Dual Credit agreements
- Academic Upgrading courses
- Provincial Transitions high school matriculation and other relevant courses for provincial equivalency
The Catalog includes:
- A focus on Course transfer decisions - where one institution has decided to grant transfer credit for another institution’s course
- Reciprocal course transfer decisions between two member institutions that agree on the inter-transferability of a course
- Program/credential level transfer decisions - where one institution has decided to grant transfer credit for another institution's program/credential
The Catalog is updated by member institutions and populates the public-facing Transfer Alberta Search Tool, which is used by learners and other stakeholders.
LPS Catalog Administration
Manage institution information and reference data, ACAT transfer system reference data, high school course information and guide periods.
Login to the Catalog How-To Guide How-To Videos
Transfer Credit Evaluation System (TCES)
TCES is designed for individual course, program and agreement creation and management by the TO institution. You can also articulate transfer decisions proposals as the FROM institutions in this tool.
Login How-To-Guide How-To Videos
Data Collection and Reporting (DCaR)
DCaR is a mass upload tool for course, program and agreement creation and management by the TO institution.
Login How-To Guide How-To Videos
Dual Credit-related Opportunities (DCRO) (formerly High School Transitions (HS))
The Dual Credit-Related Opportunities (DCRO) Module contains information on dual credit and other high school transitions pathways, all of which allow high school students to earn credits towards their high school diploma while simultaneously earning credits towards a post-secondary credential. These credentials can include:
- certificates
- diplomas
- degrees
- first period apprenticeship
Some common high school pathways include specific Career and Technology Studies streams, and the Registered Apprenticeship Program.
The purpose of the DCRO module is to record details of dual credit and high school transitions pathways, so that potential partners can see what is being or will be offered.
Partners and Permission Levels
All data in the DCRO module will be entered by school authority-designated representatives. No one else will be granted this access, because all DCRO agreements include an Alberta school authority, as they relate to high school students. School authority representatives can view, edit, and create agreements.
Partners who can request read-only access are:
- Post-secondary institution representatives, who may be a different person than the regular Contact Person
- Firm representatives of industries and businesses who support such experiences for students
- Ministry representatives who are involved in awarding credentials (such as for Apprenticeship, Green Certificate)
Information in the DCRO Module
Both agreements and DCRO-related contact data are stored in this module.
Agreement data includes the partners involved. Each type of agreement will include a different combination of partners, such as the:
- School authority
- Post-secondary institution
- Firm
- Ministry
Agreements will also detail:
- Applicable courses
- Overall description
- Any contributions in kind
Financial data is collected, but is only viewable by the partners to the agreement – no-one else can see it.
While the data in this module drives the Transfer Alberta Search Tool, students and the public only see data relevant to their interests, such as the:
- high school courses involved
- post-secondary credits available
- partner institutions where the various opportunities are offered
Students can search by agreements relevant to their high school or their school authority (called a school district in the search tool). They will not have to know anything about the typology of agreements in order to search results, nor will they have to know which partners are involved.
A DCRO Module How-To Guide is available here.
For authorized access to or assistance with the DCRO module, please contact ae.lps@gov.ab.ca.
Note: Data updates using the DCRO and on the Transfer Alberta Search Tool for dual credit are currently paused, pending next steps for being able to more directly access this data and save dual credit partners time and effort for data uploads. More information will be provided when available.
MADI LPS Access
MADI gives users access to several online applications using a single “User ID and Password” (not only for the LPS applications).
New LPS users or existing users requiring additional access for an LPS application(s) should complete the following steps to obtain confirmation codes:
Contact Persons
LPS member institution Operational Contact Persons should email the ACAT Secretariat to request permission for confirmation codes for the Catalog, DCaR, and TCES, so that you can begin the enrolment process and gain access to the applications. Operational Contact Persons manage their institution’s data in the LPS and will generally receive read/write permissions for the applications.
Academic Advisors/Institution Representatives
Academic advisors and other post-secondary institution users who wish to have access to view data in the Catalog and TCES to support your work with students should contact your institution’s Contact Person(s) in the articulation/transfer office of your institution to request permission for read only access. Should your request be granted/authenticated by your institution, your institution’s Contact Persons will then email approved institution users’ information to the ACAT Secretariat, so that confirmation codes can be issued to these authenticated read-only users for the Catalog and TCES.
Other Education Stakeholder Users
Other education stakeholder users who wish to have access to view data in the Catalog and TCES to support your work with students should contact the ACAT Secretariat to request confirmation codes for read-only permissions for the Catalog and TCES. Your identity and purpose for access will be authenticated by the Secretariat prior to potential confirmation codes being issued.
Other users, such as school authority representatives managing high school transitions or dual credit-related data or post-secondary institutions, firms, or ministries viewing this data, will require their school authority (such as their superintendent, associate superintendent, principal) or organization to contact the ACAT Secretariat to request permission for you to have confirmation codes for the Dual Credit-Related Opportunity (DCRO) module and LPS Catalog. Then, you can begin the enrolment process and gain access to the applications. These users will manage their dual credit partnerships’ data and/or PLAR data in the LPS and will generally receive read/write permissions for the applications.
The following user information should be included in your email in order to request confirmation codes for a user account:
- First and last name
- Institution/organization role
- Institution/organization name
- Institution/organization email address
- Institution/organization phone number
- Type of access requested based on your role (such as read/write or read only)
Once users are approved and authenticated, the ACAT Secretariat will email you a confirmation code for each LPS application you need access to. After receiving the confirmation code(s), you can activate your LPS application.
Forms
Operational Contact Persons at member institutions use these forms to negotiate and confirm transfer decisions with other institutions, and to upload data into LPS applications.
Course Offerings (CSV File)
Establishes formal agreements about course data standards.
Download Blank CSV File Format Guide
Program Offerings (CSV File)
Establishes formal agreements about program data standards.
Download Blank CSV File Format Guide
Transfer Decisions Between Institutions (CSV File)
Establishes formal student mobility agreements between institutions.
Data Dictionary
The Data Dictionary for Alberta’s transfer system is a guide to key terms and definitions used to support system standards, ensuring we use consistent language to describe processes, courses, programs and transfer decisions.
Learn about getting admitted, transferring and support for planning your pathway through post-secondary.
LPS Dashboard
Select an application to log into and gain access.