In the framework of the “SKILLS Bridge” Masterclass series, a joint initiative by the ILO, World Bank and UNESCO, the last episode discussed the topic “Small Steps, Big Gains: Micro-credentials for Lifelong Learning.” The episode explored the opportunities and challenges of implementing micro-credentials in national skills systems.
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Is there significant potential for apprenticeships in the US market? - Kathryn Moody, Higher Ed Dive
Nearly 128 million U.S. workers — about 70% of the entire US workforce — could stand to benefit from apprenticeships and on-the-job learning opportunities, opening up a key cohort of trained workers for employers, according to a Nov. 13 report by Multiverse and the Burning Glass Institute. Apprenticeships still remain outside the mainstream in the U.S., the report said, but a U.S. workforce that would follow the U.K.’s “mature apprenticeship” system could host over 830,000 new apprenticeship opportunities per year, leading to $28.5 billion in wage increases.
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Using digital innovation to navigate challenges of student recruitment and retention - Times Higher Education
Microcredentials and other alternatives available to learners have increased the need for a student-centric approach, said Fadi Aloul, dean of engineering at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Aloul said that his university focuses on “the three Rs” to improve the student journey. “We want to recruit the best students, we want to retain the students and we want to reward them with a degree,” he said. Aloul said that the digital evolution of the education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic showed that technology can assist teachers in improving the student experience. This has resulted in technology being embedded across all areas of student learning and life. He added that personalised communication is a key part of successful digital transformation.
Monday, November 27, 2023
Why reengaging stopped-out students provides a well of opportunity for enrollment - Alcino Donadel, University Business
More colleges and universities are stepping away from focusing on enrolling potential prospects, opting to reengage with stopped-out students. Colleges overlooking this cohort may not be aware of the data that illustrates they’re ripe for picking. Despite freshman enrollment dropping this fall, overall undergraduate enrollment grew for the first time since the pandemic thanks to swaths of students choosing to reenroll, many of whom dropped during the pandemic. For example, Middlebury College was offering its third- and fourth-year students $10,000 to take the fall and spring semesters off due to an abscess of enrollment, Seven Days reports. Moreover, a survey from StraighterLine and UPCEA found that 61% of stopped-out students were either extremely, very or somewhat likely to return to school and earn a degree. This is great news for schools seeing their traditional-aged student prospects dwindling.
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Rail microcredentials to be offered by Deakin University - RAY CHAN, Rail Express
Rail-specific courses will be offered at Victoria’s Deakin University for the first time next year, after an agreement was signed with the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) to co-develop the curriculum in postgraduate and undergraduate engineering degrees. ARA Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wilkie signed the agreement with Douglas Creighton, Professor of Systems Engineering and the Director of the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI) at Deakin University, at the AusRAIL PLUS 2023 conference, which ends today. “This is a significant milestone towards addressing the current significant skills gap in rail and creating a more sustainable workforce to enable a thriving industry in the future,” she said.
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Asbury University introduces “digital badges” for online learning - Bryce Martin, Asbury Collegian
Asbury University’s Media Communications department is implementing a new way for students to build workforce skills with “digital badges.” Digital badges are short online-learning experiences that provide specialized education for specific career paths. They are intended to advance students’ career qualifications and to signal those qualifications to employers through social media. “Badges often give more information to potential employers than a transcript because they show the commitment that adult learners and badge earners give to lifelong learning including ongoing professional development,” Asbury’s introductory web page on digital badges reads.
Friday, November 24, 2023
Murujuga Rangers help create "first of its kind" qualifications in monitoring rock art - Giovanni Torre, National Indigenous Times (Australia)
Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation Rangers are helping to create a suite of university level "micro-credentials" for monitoring the rock art of Murujuga – the first of its kind in Australia, and likely the world. Developed by Curtin University in support of its participation in the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program that is being led by MAC and the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the micro-credentials each are valued at five credits that can count toward the completion of an undergraduate certificate or degree. There are five micro-credentials in development, covering different components of the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program: Passive air quality monitoring; Realtime air quality monitoring; Geochemistry; Spectroscopy; and Health and safety. Each requires 30 hours of online and in-person learning, plus practical learning and assessments on country.
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Digital Certification for Future Leaders - Lucy Bennett, iLounge
The importance of digital certificates in today’s quickly changing digital world cannot be emphasized. These certificates recognize and validate individuals’ talents and achievements in various disciplines, including career growth, education, and even personal hobbies. Digital certificates, including digital badges are electronic papers that certify an individual’s skills or accomplishments. They function as the digital version of paper certificates, degrees, or licenses. Educational institutions, training groups, and other certifying authorities frequently provide digital certificates. They provide various benefits, including:
Security: To guarantee the authenticity and integrity of the document, digital certificates employ digital signatures and encryption. They are, therefore, challenging to fake or alter.
Accessibility: People may readily discuss and exhibit their accomplishments on various digital platforms and social media, thanks to their online accessibility.
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
The College of Charleston Partners with Coursera to Equip Students, Faculty and Staff with In-Demand Skills - Associated Press
The College of Charleston is partnering with global online learning platform, Coursera, to launch a new program to provide industry-branded micro-credentials to students, faculty and staff at no cost. Students will be able to earn professional certificates for in-demand workplace skills that will complement any academic major or minor. Faculty and staff will also be able to earn professional certificates through flexible, online training. “This partnership will provide members of the College of Charleston community the opportunity to build skills using resources from some of the world’s leading companies,” said College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu. “As one of the oldest colleges in the nation, the College of Charleston is setting the blueprint for other liberal arts institutions to follow.”
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
No bar exam required to practice law in Oregon starting next year - Karen Sloan, Reuters
Law graduates will be able to become licensed in Oregon without taking the bar exam, starting in May 2024. The Oregon Supreme Court on Tuesday approved an alternative licensing program that bar exam reformers hope will spur further innovation in other states. After law school, candidates will spend 675 hours working under the supervision of an experienced attorney and create a portfolio of legal work that bar officials will grade as an alternative to the traditional bar exam.
Monday, November 20, 2023
Micro-credential scheme on evaluation for WFP - United Nations
The WFP Office of Evaluation and the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) are pleased to announce the launch of a micro-credentialing scheme in evaluation for members of the WFP evaluation community (evaluation officers working full-time on evaluation and M&E staff who have managed decentralized evaluations). The scheme aims to enhance the overall credibility and capability of the WFP evaluation function and its contribution to achieving zero hunger. It provides a flexible and targeted approach to enhance evaluation management capabilities, as well as a framework for recognizing acquired learning and skills.
Sunday, November 19, 2023
A Global Perspective on the Potential and the Complexities of Micro-credentials - Anthology
Given the rapid acceleration of technology use and changes of work practices across many areas of employment during the pandemic – we are facing a world where learning, skill and knowledge agility and adaptability are key. There is a rush toward micro-credentials globally to these new employability and other learning needs. While micro-credentials offer a great deal of potential, there are also complexities regionally and globally. What are the opportunities and what can we learn from those at the front of the race?
Saturday, November 18, 2023
DEI-Informed Dialogic Pedagogy Micro-credential - School of Education, University of Colorado Boulder
CU Dialogues is excited to be offering a new micro-credential workshop series to CU Boulder graduate students. Micro-credentials are issued and acknowledged by CU Boulder’s Registrar’s Office to recognize sustained inquiry and skill-building around a focused topic. The Spring 2024 DEI-Informed Dialogic Pedagogy workshop series will be offered to up to 20 graduate student instructors and will meet over the course of 10 weeks. Through in-person sustained dialogue practice, asynchronous activities, and readings, participants will learn about DEI-grounded dialogue, with attention to designing and facilitating dialogic practices that center intersectional equity in classroom practices. The creation and offering of this micro-credential is part of a long-term goal of advancing a campus culture attentive to dialogue and listening across many intersectional identities. We see this inaugural workshop series for graduate instructors as one pathway for developing a network of opportunities for undergraduate students to experience DEI-grounded dialogue in CU classes. In the future, we hope to establish a comparable workshop series for faculty.
Friday, November 17, 2023
The Role of Higher Education in Supporting High School Students' Pathway to Industry Recognized Credentials - Marcus Bright, Diverse Education
It is crucial to pave clear pathways for students to obtain industry recognized credentials in today’s challenging economic landscape. One of the fundamental aspects of supporting students on their route to industry recognized credentials is starting these pathways early. By introducing students to various career options and credentialing opportunities in middle school, they can make informed decisions about their educational journey. However, to advance the aim of more students graduating high school with industry recognized credentials, we must break down traditional hierarchies and limitations, enable acceleration, and embrace customization and personalization.
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Flexible studying key for future education system - Suria Abdullah, Daily Express
Flexible studying is the key for tomorrow’s education system, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He said the concept of one size fits all in higher education is no longer relevant to fulfil the needs of today and the future’s students. He said in the conventional tertiary education scheme, there is always a conflict between wanting to keep a standardised system with certain quality and criteria as opposed to the concept of flexible learning. “But the future of education requires us to be strong and quick enough to be able to withstand challenges ahead,” Khaled said. The synergy between flexibility and quality is important as flexibility allows us to adapt with the ever changing dynamics of learning and education, he said.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
College Launches New Micro-Credential Program - Mike Robertson, the College Today
The College of Charleston is partnering with global online learning platform Coursera to launch a new program providing industry-branded micro-credentials to students, faculty and staff at no cost. Students will be able to earn professional certificates for in-demand workplace skills that will complement any academic major or minor. Faculty and staff will also be able to earn professional certificates through flexible, online training. “This partnership will provide members of the College of Charleston community the opportunity to build skills using resources from some of the world’s leading companies,” says College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu. “As one of the oldest colleges in the nation, the College of Charleston is setting the blueprint for other liberal arts institutions to follow.”
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
EA Ecoversity receives $20K grant for Heluna‘ike program - Big Island Now
EA Ecoversity has received a $20,000 Spectrum Digital Education grant for Heluna‘ike, its digital micro-credentialing program for Native Hawaiians. In 2023, Spectrum is awarding $1.1 million total to 46 nonprofit organizations through Spectrum Digital Education, which supports broadband technology programs, education and training in unserved and underserved communities throughout the company’s service area. EA Ecoversity is a Hawaiian culture-based, higher education and career training program that provides blended online and offline learning in an atmosphere of aloha.
Monday, November 13, 2023
A milestone reached: ECIU University is the first European Alliance to issue e-sealed micro-credentials - KTU, Global Education News
In a historic European first and building on ECIU University’s micro-credential journey, the European University Alliance is rolling out centralized, tamper-proof micro-credentials to its learners. E-sealed by the ECIU (European Consortium of Innovative Universities) and issued using the EDC (European Digital Credentials) platform, micro-credentials offer students new opportunities to broaden their horizons and gain practical skills through real-life challenges. ECIU University learning opportunities are about gaining new skills and competencies, connecting with peers or potential employers, and having an impact on the societies where we live and work. These opportunities are also part of the University’s wider micro-credential vision that aims to encourage active citizenship and empower learners.
Sunday, November 12, 2023
Unlocking Skills: What Learners and Employers Need to Know About Microcredentials - Abbie Misha, EdSurge
Digital badges, microcredentials and digital credentials… What sets them apart, or are they synonymous? Essentially, these credentials share a few attributes: They are skill-specific and emphasize industry-relevant competencies. Moreover, they possess the valuable quality of being stackable, allowing learners to accumulate multiple credentials over time, systematically enhancing their expertise through a portfolio of competencies. One of the draws to credentialing programs is that they afford learners unparalleled flexibility while requiring a considerably smaller investment of time than traditional degree programs. Nevertheless, a pressing question remains: Do all credential programs uniformly pave the way to enhanced career opportunities?
Saturday, November 11, 2023
Can Microcredentials Bring Stop-Outs Back to College? - Sara Weissman, Inside Higher Ed
Arecent survey of students who stopped out of college suggests that giving them the opportunity to earn microcredentials and academic credit for prior learning could lure them back to higher ed. The survey of roughly 1,100 former students ages 18 to 64 was conducted in June by StraighterLine, an online course provider, and UPCEA, an association that focuses on professional, online and continuing education. The resulting study, released this week, explored when and why students left college and what factors could prompt them to return.
Friday, November 10, 2023
Fast-Track Your Education: Cheapest - Times News Global
Education is a valuable asset that can open up doors to new opportunities and help you achieve your goals. However, traditional education can be expensive and time-consuming. Thankfully, there are ways to fast-track your education while also keeping it affordable. In this article, we will explore some strategies to help you get the most out of your education without breaking the bank.
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Ask the Professor: Is ChatGPT an issue or a tool? - Maya Dampier, University of Nevada Reno
There is a large spectrum on which students and professors fall on whether or not AI has a place in higher educatio. At the University of Nevada Reno, Kathy Hanselman and Angie Chase are part of a team that has created micro-learning events for faculty breaking down different questions and topics in 12 minutes. Hanselman and Chase are Instructional Designers with the Office of Digital Learning and have conducted these events called “Teach in 12” since the spring semester of 2023. This semester they have focused on technology in teaching, specifically with AI, to try and tackle some of the difficult issues surrounding its use by students.“I don’t think we should be afraid of AI,” Hanselman said. “I think all of us, students and faculty, should be doing our best to understand how best to work with it and realize that we do have a place in guiding AI. I think it’s important to use it responsibly and for us faculty members to teach our students how to do that.”
Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Micro-credentials advance workplace diversity and inclusion - Sean Mitchell, IT Brief
Global learning company D2L emphasises the significant contribution of micro-credentials in augmenting diversity and inclusivity in the commercial landscape while addressing employment issues. More corporations and service providers are acknowledging the impact of genuine workforce diversity not only in boosting problem-solving and decision-making but also in fostering social inclusion. The Diversity Council of Australia's Inclusion@Work Index 2023-2024 indicates that workplace inclusion correlates with improved mental health. Workers within inclusive teams are statistically six times more likely to report that their work positively affects their mental health compared to those in non-inclusive teams. The previous Inclusion@Work Index 2021-2022 reported that employees in inclusive teams are eleven times likelier to be highly productive and four times less likely to quit their jobs within the next year.
Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Moving microcredentials forward: how universities are incubators and early adopters - Joanna Lee & Eric Scott Sembrat, Times Higher Ed
The non-traditional learner is shifting to become the “new traditional learner”, as the era when an undergraduate degree suffices for an entire career recedes rapidly. Many adult learners are not interested in obtaining additional degrees. Instead, amid fast technological change, including the advance of artificial intelligence (AI) and escalating demand for a highly skilled workforce, these new traditional learners are focusing on acquiring a more compact, meticulously curated skill set that will efficiently propel them on to the next stage of their career journey. In this light, microcredentials have emerged as a novel tool to collect and validate a person’s lifelong educational journey. And higher education (HE) can serve dual roles as an incubator and early adopter.
Monday, November 6, 2023
Microcredentials: The Quiet Revolution of Skills Training in Canada - Yahoo! Finance
In the past few years, there has been a major shift in skills training and education upgrading in Canada, which has gone under the radar. Microcredentials, otherwise known as MicroCreds, have ballooned in numbers and popularity, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, and now educational institutions across Canada offer them. A white paper released today by Express Employment Professionals delves into the who, what, where, when, why and how of microcredentials. For years, the Canadian economy has suffered from a skills mismatch—unemployed Canadians do not have the necessary skills for the jobs currently open.
Sunday, November 5, 2023
Microcredentials and Certificates at Oregon State University
In-demand skills. Career-building education.
Employers everywhere need professionals with the knowledge to help their businesses thrive. By earning an Oregon State University microcredential or certificate online, you’ll develop the highly specialized skills you need to boost your career and stand out in the job market. These high-quality offerings give you the ability to study a variety of focused subject areas in less time than a full degree program.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
Microcredentialing, Digital Credentials, Digital Badging, and Digital Certificates at Rutgers University
A Microcredential is a short, competency-based recognition that enables an educator to document a learner's mastery in a particular area. When these are digitally presented to learners, they are known as Digital Credentials. Digital Badges and Digital Certificates (collectively referred to as "Digital Credentials") are shareable electronic documentation of this learning. All Digital Credentials are Microcredentials, and some Microcredentials have Digital Badges or Digital Certificates to document the accomplished learning. Microcredential programs break down learning into smaller components, and may incorporate co-curricular and extracurricular activity, or may be conducted outside of credit-related learning. Digital Badges and Digital Certificates are structured into competencies that may align with the interest of prospective employers and graduate education programs, with verifiable assessments for measuring learning outcomes.
Friday, November 3, 2023
Micro-credentials and Badges - University of Denver
A micro-credential is a small class, workshop, or program that students can enroll in in order to gain relevant skills needed for today’s workforce. A digital badge is the visual representation of having earned a micro-credential and can be shared on various online platforms to showcase the earner’s achievement.
Why enroll in a Micro-credential course?
Choose what skills you want to develop. Micro-credentials differ from a degree, minor, or certificate program in that you only register for the courses offering the skills you wish to learn.
Combine several badges into a larger micro-credential program. Enroll in several related badges to earn a larger, overarching micro-credential.
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Top 5 Ways to Implement Digital Badging on Your Campus - Suitable Knowledge Center
At one time, grades and the promise of a bachelor’s degree were enough to keep college students engaged toward meeting their academic and professional goals. These days, Generation Z – who came of age in a digital world with more distractions than ever before – needs more. This is where micro-credentials and digital badging come into play.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Indigenous Policing Micro-Credentials offered at Lethbridge College - Angela Stewart - Bridge City News
A series of Indigenous Policing Micro-Credentials is now being offered at Lethbridge College for public safety professionals. It’s broken up into six mini courses and can be completed online at the individual’s own pace. Trudi Mason, the Dean of the Centre for Justice and Human Services explains how these courses came to be. “A couple years ago, the former chief of police of the Blood Tribe Police Service came to me and asked if I was familiar with the Rolf Inquiry. And I actually was not familiar with the Rolf inquiry. So that day he taught me quite a few things. And one of the things that he showed me was that in the 1991 recommendations included that Lethbridge College would be involved in developing or helping educate police members who are policing on a nation to help them understand the Blackfoot culture and the uniqueness of policing on a Blackfoot nation.” The report also specified that the college should take a leading role in bridging cultural differences. Mason says she then approached Lowell Yellow Horn, the Manager of Indigenous Services at the college, with the idea. Yellow Horn explains the importance behind offering these courses to safety professionals.
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