A new initiative from the Competency/XChange reveals that colleges and universities have begun to embrace competency-based education (CBE) with more than 1,000 CBE programs being offered across 600 institutions. New research projects that CBE programs will continue to grow over the next five years. The value of CBE is it allows students to get credit for competencies—knowledge, skills, and behaviors.
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Higher Education Trends to Watch for in 2023 - Cecilia Buchanan, Fierce Education
\With the fall semester of the academic year nearing an end, leaders of higher education should watch out for key trends that will shape the higher education landscape well into the new year. Below we explore the top five global trends as reported by the FinancesOnline Research Center in more depth: affordability of college tuition; discount fees by private universities; shifting campus demographics; accommodating nontraditional learners; and online education.
Monday, November 28, 2022
Next Chapter Matters – Two More Universities Launch Midlife Programs For Every Budget - Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes
Whether you are retiring with millions in the bank or stuck at midlife desperately dreaming of a career pivot, there may soon be a university program for you. The latest offerings coming to the market are a testament to the diversity that is likely to develop as educational institutions start to respond to ageing societies and the future of work. The idea that you get all the education you need up front in a four-year bundle at 18, should fast fade as careers lengthen towards the six-decade mark and retirement ages drift ever upward.
Sunday, November 27, 2022
‘Waterbury U' Program Helps School Staff, Allows Teachers to Advance Careers - Jolie Sherman, NBC Connecticut
A new program in Waterbury is helping teachers advance their careers and it is also a way to address a large teacher shortage in the district. There are teacher shortages across the country and the Waterbury school district is also feeling that pressure. To address the issue, Waterbury is launching a program that invests in and values its teachers. It is like a mini university for Waterbury teachers. "Waterbury U" gives them the chance to earn a master's degree or micro-credentials, a form of certification in a specific area.
Saturday, November 26, 2022
Are Microcredentials Finally Gaining Traction? - Joshua Kim, Inside Higher Ed
There is general acceptance now from learners, employers and institutions that flexibility and accessibility in learning have to be a key focus. Of course, the pandemic has made it clear that people have competing demands, and flexibility is increasingly expected and necessary. But it goes beyond this. The world around us is changing, rapidly, and we need to support professionals, alumni and students in refreshing and adapting their knowledge and skills, as and when they need, through evolving lives and careers.
Friday, November 25, 2022
Colorado businesses and colleges should speed path to jobs for students, report says - Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado
College students need more ways to finish classes quickly and learn skills that employers are seeking — and businesses need to do a better job talking to students about career paths at an early age and partnering with colleges and universities so that education leads to better-paying jobs. Those are the conclusions of a recently released report from Colorado Succeeds, an advocacy group made up of education and business groups. Industry and higher education need to work together if students are to have access to opportunity and if businesses are to have the skilled workers they need to grow, the report says.
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Less than half of students whose colleges abruptly close go on to enroll elsewhere - Natalie Schwartz, Higher Ed Dive
Less than half of students whose colleges close end up reenrolling in another institution, and only about one-third of that group go on to earn a credential, according to a new analysis from two higher education organizations. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center teamed up with the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association to examine how students fare after their colleges close — especially when they do so without warning. Their findings suggest that closures add to the population of students who leave college without earning credentials.
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Driving Innovation in Higher Ed Through Data - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
It's one thing to talk about innovation, but another thing to actually make it happen. Driving actual change is all about timing — having the right idea at the right moment, according to Phil Komarny, chief innovation officer at an institution known for innovation: Maryville University. And that moment is now: Phil sees COVID as a catalyst for utilizing data to revolutionize higher education and the student experience. Here, we talk about the potential of verifiable credentials, why graduation should not be the end of a student's learning journey, helping students make the most of their own data, and more. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Career-boosting benefits of microcredentials - Dave McCool, Quartz
Some estimates say a third of Americans have left their jobs in the past two years. Economists are calling this wave of quitting “the great resignation,” but I see it more as “the great reboot,” in which workers are looking to upgrade to new careers that offer more flexibility, higher compensation, and greater job satisfaction. For workers with advanced degrees and years of experience, the great beboot might be as simple as an actual reboot, but it’s much more challenging for the more than 39 million Americans who have attended college, but earned no degree. But there is a pathway for them, too.
https://qz.com/career-boosting-benefits-of-microcredentials-1849697494
Monday, November 21, 2022
Australian Government’s $18.5 million microcredential pilot aims to inject workers into sectors suffering from talent shortages - Melissa Coade, Smart Company
Jason Clare has announced $18.5 million for a higher education initiative to inject new skills into the workforce using small courses. The Australian government will fund higher-education institutions to develop microcredentials targeting national priority areas, which include teaching, engineering, health, and technology. The Education Minister said the pilot would parachute workers with particular skills into industries that were “crying out” for talent.
Sunday, November 20, 2022
Reflecting on Our Roots to Define Our Future: Establishing a Path for Lifelong Higher Ed - Rovy Branon, Modern Campus Illumination
Looking at higher education in the modern era, Branon said there are still audiences that are underserved and under-served, which should prompt colleges and universities to revisit their execution on their respective missions. “Reflecting on that mission of serving who is not served today, for us at the University of Washington that includes taking our diversity, equity, and belonging mission and reformulating that into a new social compact to define how we want to have social impact,” he said.
https://moderncampus.com/blog/lifelong-pathways-illumination-podcast.html
Saturday, November 19, 2022
Students say microcredentials help them stand out in the workforce - Laura Ascione, eCampus News
An overwhelming majority of surveyed students say they believe earning microcredentials or professional certificates will better position them for employment upon graduation, according to new data from Coursera. Coursera surveyed 3,600 students and employers in Australia, India, France, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, the UK, and the U.S. to understand the motivations and challenges facing different groups as they finish their education and enter the workforce.
Friday, November 18, 2022
University receives funding for micro-credential programs - ALEJANDRA PULIDO-GUZMAN, Lethbridge Herald
The University of Lethbridge has successfully secured funding from Advanced Education to create new micro-credentials in the Health and Science and Business Departments. The U of L has earned $838,750 from Advanced Education, part of an $8-million investment in micro-credential programming across the province. University of Lethbridge provost and vice-president, Erasmus Okine said in a release that continuing education and non-traditional programming, have long been a way for the University to connect further with our communities and encourage lifelong learning.
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Micro-credentialing program upskills and reskills energy workforce in data analytics - University of Houston
The energy industry is undergoing a significant transformation amid a volatile energy market and growing demands for sustainable energy solutions. To improve cost, efficiency and to increase competitive advantage during this transition, many oil and gas companies are implementing data science solutions. There is, however, a substantial challenge: Industry leaders widely recognize a shortage of energy professionals skilled in data science. Data analytics is one of the fields prioritized in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Accelerating Credentials of Purpose and Value (ACPV) grant program, funded by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER). ACPV is designed to support the rapid reskilling and upskilling of the Texas workforce through the expansion of postsecondary workforce education.
New courses to target future skills needs - New South Wales Australia
New short courses focused on the advanced manufacturing skills of the future will be rolled out in Western Sydney, with the aim of unlocking the half-a-trillion dollar global semiconductor market. Semiconductors are the building blocks of modern computing and power almost all electronic devices, from smartphones to military communication and medical devices. Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade and Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said three new semiconductor micro-credentials would be rolled out under the NSW Government’s $37 million New Education Training Model (NETM).
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Universities Looking Beyond the Traditional For-Credit Semester Experiences - Ray Schroeder, Inside Higher Ed
A recent survey shows nearly half said they chose their college on the basis of potential career prospects, but only 11 percent felt prepared to enter the workforce. In response to these concerns, we are seeing a flood of universities offering alternative credentials to document workforce skills and knowledge. Clearly, we are seeing a popular, but relatively uncoordinated, movement to address the disconnect between the university and the workforce. Finding the best ways to help rebuild that bridge may require looking back at the motivating factors of the past, including internships, apprenticeships, and credit-for-prior-learning.
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Microcredentials among 3 trends are shaping the future of ed tech - Natalie Schwartz, Higher Ed Dive
Ed tech companies and college leaders shared their predictions for higher education’s future during Educause’s conference in late October. “Things are different these days — they’re different from the way they were before the pandemic,” said Susan Grajek, vice president for partnerships, communities and research at Educause, during a speech at the conference. “We’re seeing that institutional and technology leaders are ready for a new approach.” Here are three major ed tech trends colleges can expect.
Monday, November 14, 2022
How one university quickly created a certificate program that attracted 135,000 participants -- University of South Florida
The University of South Florida in Tampa Bay recently pulled off something remarkable: It conceived, developed, promoted and presented a free online certificate program — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace — in just six months. Even more impressive was the response: 135,000 people from companies and universities across the nation and around the world signed up for the program marketed solely by email, organic social media and word of mouth. Forty-seven percent of students earned a certificate by completing the program — triple the rate of the typical massive open online course.
https://narratives.insidehighered.com/USF-quick-certificate-program-success/index.html
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Leveraging Continuing Education Programming in Conjunction with Traditional Degree Programs - Erica Kunkel, Evolllution
Continuing Education departments are uniquely positioned to meet their local workforce development needs while supporting and advocating for the goals of adult learners starting or returning to school. In some situations, higher education institutions and adult learners are leveraging multiple Continuing Education offerings in an innovative way to upskill quickly while staying on the path to a degree. Adult learners are a growth opportunity for many higher education institutions, if supported and acknowledged as a different community than traditional-aged students.
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Micro-credentials gift for Christmas - Australia Campus Morning Call
It’s all part of the plan to encourage the present pilot of m-c courses. But it will help if people have to know where to find them. The previous government was on to that, announcing in June 2020 there would be, “a nationally consistent platform to compare course outcomes, duration, mode of delivery and credit point value. Last year the NSW Universities Admission Centre was commissioned to build a “micro-credentials marketplace” (CMM, July 15 2021 and March 23 2022). So how’s that going? UAC’s Kim Paino says, “we are currently onboarding providers” and anticipates the site will be live in December.
Friday, November 11, 2022
Panel Explores Data Needs for Changing Student Pathways - Jon Edelman, Diverse Education
Every sector of America has been buffeted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a shifting economy, and the world of higher education is no exception. Enrollment has declined steeply, with 85% of 2022 losses coming from four-year schools. Definitions of student success are changing, and there has been a rise in alternative degrees and credentials, micro-credentials, and apprenticeships. Understanding these changes and their effects is going to require not only new data, but new kinds of data.
Thursday, November 10, 2022
Symposium 2022 The Journey of the Champions - ICoCB
These Champions, or also sometimes called “intrapreneurs”, are following a vision that is bigger than the tasks that they are assigned to at their workplace. They understand that building ecosystems with other organizational, governmental and educational stakeholders is key for scaling their programs – be it for internal mobility, increased engagement, or leveraging the potential of the growing gig-economy. At ICoBC, we think that such Champions are a true source of inspiration for the community and that supporting them in their scaling their network, the entire community benefits. If you call yourself a Champion or you have the aspiration to become one, join us at the 2nd ICoBC Symposium on November 22, 2022 in Berlin/Germany or online (free). Please write us about sponsorship of the ticket, contribution or any other questions via email.
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
What does the ‘metaverse’ mean for education? - Javeria Salman, Hechinger Report
In a true metaverse experience, your digital identity travels between the physical and virtual worlds, Platt said. With the help of blockchain technology, that identity — your preferences, your achievements, your educational records, other elements of who you are — is maintained across platforms and applications. “So, when you get credit for classes, when you get badges and certificates and minors and majors and all these kinds of academic credentialing,” Platt said, “it can be cobbled together from various different digital and physical places and all attached to this single identity.”
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Law Students Are Happy Learning Online, Survey Says - Liam Knox, Inside Higher Ed
Law school students are increasingly both satisfied and comfortable with online learning, according to the 2022 Law School Survey of Student Engagement. The results are a potential sign that the pandemic’s normalization of online classes is bolstering a growing acceptance of, and heightened proficiency in, virtual instruction among law students and instructors. Fifty percent of the survey’s nearly 13,000 respondents took at least one course taught mostly or entirely online; three-quarters of them said they were comfortable with nearly all features of online education, including communicating with faculty and taking exams.
Monday, November 7, 2022
Continuing Education is Key to Your Best Tech Career - Nick Kolakowski, Dice
In today’s rapidly-evolving landscape, staying up to date on the latest tools of your trade will help you nail the next interview — and ensure success in your new role. Those with cutting-edge skills may find themselves climbing the salary ladder quickly — and potentially avoiding potential layoffs in the future due to their specialized knowledge. Even in times of economic uncertainty, companies want to hold onto their specialists and skilled technologists. Fortunately, a good employer is as interested in your education as you are, since that ultimately makes you a more valuable employee. Even if your manager seems disinclined to negotiate over increased compensation (more on that later), they may prove willing to pay for classes and other educational opportunities that boost your current skillset. Online learning courses, for instance, can offer flexible scheduling that allows you to juggle work and education.
Sunday, November 6, 2022
Micro-credentials in the Asia-Pacific - Stuart Martin, FE News
The first question that I asked the members of the panel forms the basis of this article: I asked them to talk about how their country defines a micro-credential. In addition to the four countries that were discussed as part of the panel I have also chosen to explore Malaysia’s use of micro-credentials in this article, to cover more of Asia in addition to the Pacific region. I’m going to go through the definition and process for each country and then explore and analyse the impact.
Saturday, November 5, 2022
Serving Adult Learners with Flexibility, Stackable Credentials, and Data - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
As a predominately online institution geared toward serving adult students, University of Massachusetts Global is rethinking traditional models of education to embrace the flexibility and career relevance that working learners need. That means getting granular: unbundling courses or curricula into smaller modules that can be more accessible to busy students but also stack into credentials that will be meaningful to employers. We spoke with Dr. David Andrews, chancellor of UMass Global, about developing a new credentialing ecosystem, listening to student and industry needs, and the data infrastructure that can really support student success,
Friday, November 4, 2022
The increasing importance of micro-credentials on your international college applications - Prateek Bhargava, Economic Times
Higher educational institutions are one of the primary providers of micro-credentials. Micro-credentials can be subdivided into credit-bearing micro-credentials and non-credit-bearing micro-credentials. It is important to understand that there is a wide spectrum of what the term micro-credentials mean. Today, the pressing talent shortage is affecting just about every business and organization in a big way. It’s more than just a matter of sourcing people willing to work; they also have to possess the skills that match up with the role. ‘Skills gap’ is a plague that seems to be spreading far and wide. As the demand for upskilling and reskilling within the changing face of the world of work has gained importance, notably in the context of the recovery plans surrounding COVID-19, the focus on micro-credentials has amplified.
Thursday, November 3, 2022
Google Partners with 4 Universities to Offer First-Ever Specializations to Complement Its Career Certificates - Kate Lucariello, Campus Technology
Google announced it is partnering with Columbia University, the University of Michigan, Arizona State University, and the University of Illinois' Gies College of Business to offer new industry specializations in growing fields to complement its Google Career Certificates. These specializations are designed for those in continuing education programs and will give them additional skills in high-demand fields. Offered on the Coursera online learning platform, the specializations include construction management, public sector data analytics, financial analysis, and sustainability analysis.
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
College is one way to get ahead. It shouldn't be the only one - Maria Flynn, WBUR
The good news is that, despite the confusion and concerns, change is happening. The U.S. Department of Labor recently designated $113 million in funding toward expanding Registered Apprenticeship for adults and school-aged young people. The bipartisan ISA Student Protection Act of 2022, introduced in the U.S. Senate in July, is a step toward making outcome-based financing, which ties learners’ training costs to their post-program salaries. Even the idea that career-focused training and education must wait until after high school is shifting. In Massachusetts, more students are graduating from high school with associate’s degrees thanks to the increased popularity of dual-enrollment programs, which allow students to earn college credits in high school.
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Durbin Visits Harper College, Meets With Apprentices - Journal & Topics
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D) recently visited Harper College in Palatine to discuss a variety of topics related to education, student support and Illinois’ workforce needs. The senior U.S. senator from Illinois met with Harper President Avis Proctor to talk about subjects ranging from open educational resources and student services to partnerships with school districts and universities. Durbin participated in a discussion with Harper faculty, staff and apprentices who are studying and working in health careers, supply chain management and CNC precision machining. “Harper and other community colleges are key to our ability to replenish and transform the workforce,” Durbin said. “Colleges can make sure our workforce matches our needs as a state.
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