This QED Program facilitates the creating/printing of a multi-choice questionnaire examination.  Questions can be varied at the touch of a button to create a new examination paper each time.  The Database enables the Trainer/Assessor to create a printed results sheet, of either individual results or lists the results of all candidates.  The results may be listed as scores out of 10 or as a percentage. 

It has been designed especially for the RLSS NPLQ Training Program, however during its evolution the flexibility of the program now enables it to more that cope with other aquatic training courses  It is probably one of the first of its generation where the three main components of the NPLQ, namely CPR/First Aid, Generic Theory and Water Skills, have been brought together for the first time in an advanced MS Windows format.  The program has been written to give the Trainer/Assessor ease of use in both creating records of performance for these three disciplines and also being able to explore weaknesses and strengths within any individual lifeguard.  The reporting is up to date, accurate and suitable for Training Centre Records. 

The program is divided into five main sections:

Library Database of Generic Theory Questions that are taken from “The Lifeguard”  training Manual and are cross-referenced back to the section of this manual that they were drawn from.  This enables the lifeguard or candidate together with the Trainer/Assessor to be able to explore his/her individual strengths/weaknesses and to read up or revise as necessary.  The questions have been organized into eight group headings to facilitate choosing a particular subject or area easy.

The Create Exam Facility Trainer/Assessors or other person can create and print with delightful ease an assessment paper to any given length and on any selected subject by using the Create Exam facility.  This facility also gives an easy to use mixing screen to jumble the multiple-choice questions around. Any compiled exam, which could be the result of considerable care and time, can be labeled, dated, and stored for future use, with a further capability of quick change if required.  As mentioned above, having the questions grouped into eight sections, helps selection from the 570 on offer.

The Student Records Database The performance rating index generated here enables the Training Centre to keep accurate well-prepared and correct details on each candidate, not only with names, addresses and telephone numbers but also items such as Society numbers, re-take dates and other information together with the ability to type notes about any candidate they wish to be reminded of. An important element also included here is the facility to record training time against the individual so that training centre managers can accurately analyze their costs.  The threshold data section is able to report any performance that is set below a selected figure (the program arrives with this set at 7.0 and can only be changed by using password entry).  Novice students are highlighted in this database in green so that they are prominent from the other entries hence keeping qualified and non qualified persons apart.  Also waiting lists are shown in orange/yellow so that enquiries for Lifeguarding courses can be kept in the same place.  For those of you who prefer a hard copy of the details entered into this database a printout is available at the touch of a button.

The Printing Output Section is easy to use and yet selective and powerful.  It is possible to look at all the performance on the database, or selecting performance from one date to another, or selecting individual performance by date request.  These individual reports can be given to the individual candidates or lifeguards as a paperwork result of their performance.  This section also deals with the overall performance of the Training Centre in terms of its lifeguards, having the capability of analysing and reporting the single overall performance rating of the individual disciplines. The above-mentioned recording of time is brought through to this collective for managers dealing with overall costs. Trainers (T/A’s) are not forgotten either, their names are a mandatory entry to the analysis so trends compared to results figures for good or bad, can be tracked over time.  Lastly, poolside check sheets for both Water Skills and CPR sequence can be generated in any numbers, at the touch of a button, as well as the facility to customize these to the name of your own Training Centre.

The NPLQ or Other Course Section This section deals with setting up new or retake courses and all the relevant details that would be needed to record session after session of each course (which incidentally can be handled together if courses run in parallel or simply overlap).  This section has been designed in such a way that it can handle other aquatic training courses such as Rescue Tests for Swimming Teachers etc.  Lesson plans can be created in advance of a session and stored for future use.  The Unit 2 syllabus for the NPLQ foundation module is already embedded in the program and with a click of the mouse can be inserted into a record sheet without the need to do any typing.  The Session Record Sheets are semi automatic and are a delightful way of marking your register of attendance, together with a proven attendance record which is provided for you.  The print out of these sheets is professional, of good quality and something you can be proud of to put in your ring binder.  Lastly all session records are archived to the program, and are locked up so that they cannot be changed unless password entry is used.