Why do users need to click "Renew my learning record" to begin their recertification?

Question

When users access a course, they may see a “Renew my learning record” hyperlink, which they must click to complete their recertification. Why doesn’t the system automatically assume they are there for recertification?

Answer

First, it's important to note that users don’t always need to click this link. There are many scenarios where it doesn’t appear, as explained in this article.

That said, if the system cannot automatically determine whether a user is accessing the course for recertification or simply reviewing past content, the user is prompted to explicitly confirm their intent to recertify.

Unlike other systems that may not effectively track compliance, our platform provides access to both historical and current information, ensuring a comprehensive record of each user’s learning history.

Before recertification begins, certain historical data must be reset to maintain compliance. While learning records stored in the Learning Record Store (LRS) are never erased, users must still complete required activities from scratch to be recertified. For example, in multipart courses where an activity must be completed before progressing to the next, the system must recognize the user as having not completed the prerequisite activity during the recertification process, even if they successfully completed it years ago. This ensures compliance with recertification standards rather than relying on outdated completions.

Similarly, if a user previously attempted a quiz and now needs to recertify, their past answers cannot be prepopulated—they must retake the quiz in full to demonstrate their current knowledge.

At the same time, it is essential that users, instructors, and administrators can review historical data before it is reset. For instance, if the system erased a learner’s survey responses each time they revisited a course, instructors would lose the opportunity to assess course feedback over time. Automatically deleting past responses would eliminate valuable insights needed for course improvement.

Our system strikes the right balance—retaining historical data for reference while ensuring the integrity of the recertification process.