WHAT ARE, AREN’T AND MIGHT BE MICRO-CREDENTIALS? - eCampus Ontario

In comparison to traditional courses and ways of learning that focus on structure and specific due dates for assessments , micro-credentials value self-directed learning and recognize that learners will complete smaller units of learning experiences at a pace that meets their learning needs and styles. As a result, micro-credentials should be flexible and, where possible, learners should complete them at a pace that works best for them. In some offerings, there are no specific due dates except for the end date. Micro-credentials have the potential to fill skills gaps in both the current and future labour markets.

https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/microcredentialtoolkit/chapter/what-are-arent-and-might-be-micro-credentials/

5 Reasons Why Online Certificate Programmes Are Worth It - Finance Monthly

In this modern era, there is no need to educate people on the importance of education. Instead, we should help them get an education easily since many individuals quit their higher studies for several reasons. Lack of money and busy schedules are some of the most common issues that prevent them from getting professional degrees and making a bright career.  Online learning is becoming massively popular worldwide, not because of the pandemic but because of the advantages it offers. Below, we’ll shed some light on how online certificate programmes are better than on-campus programmes. 

https://www.finance-monthly.com/2022/08/5-reasons-why-online-certificate-programmes-are-worth-it/

CAE and Edalex Examine Essential Academic and Career Skills, Importance of Micro-Credentials During Professional Learning Webinar

The Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE), a nonprofit developer of assessments that measure students’ academic and career readiness, and strategic partner Edalex earlier this month held a webinar on the importance of essential skills in preparing students for career success, and the use of micro-credentials to demonstrate proficiency in these areas. The July 12 discussion is now available for free on-demand viewing.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/08/01/2489801/0/en/CAE-and-Edalex-Examine-Essential-Academic-and-Career-Skills-Importance-of-Micro-Credentials-During-Professional-Learning-Webinar.html

Australian Engineers Pursue Continuing Education - Manufacturer's Monthly

Engineers Australia chief engineer Jane MacMaster FIEAust CPEng said engineers must ensure their knowledge and skills remain relevant to a very dynamic industry. “Engineers need to keep developing and retaining that ability to learn.”  “Communication, stakeholder engagement, risk management and ethical practice are all key areas that need to be maintained.” 

https://www.manmonthly.com.au/features/five-ways-stay-relevant-engineering-career/

Connecticut Announces 7 New Higher Ed Tech Programs, Grants - Connor Linskey, Government Technology

Gov. Ned Lamont announced the creation of seven new technology education programs at Connecticut's public and private colleges and universities on Friday. Lamont said these programs will help give students the skills they need to be successful in the tech sector. "Bringing our educators to the same table as our businesses has been a priority of our administration since day one," Lamont said in a press release. "Having businesses articulate what types of skills they need and working with Connecticut's best educational institutions to create new programs that put people in high-quality careers is how we are building a nation-leading workforce."

https://www.govtech.com/education/higher-ed/connecticut-announces-7-new-higher-ed-tech-programs-grants

New humanities certificate offers themed pathways for students - ROB MCCULLOUGH, University of Michigan - Flint

The University of Michigan-Flint's College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is offering a pathway for students to complete a portion of their general education program through an innovative 12-16 credit hour Certificate in Humanistic Inquiry in the Liberal Arts & Sciences (CHILAS) that debuts in fall 2022.  With an $85,000 grant provided by the Teagle Foundation for planning and implementation, Jennifer Alvey, associate professor of anthropology and co-primary investigators (PIs) DJ Trela, professor of English, and Stephanie Roach, associate professor of English, led the development of the program to give UM-Flint students opportunities for "humanistic inquiry" also known as skill sets that are vital to student success on campus and beyond in today's competitive job market.

https://news.umflint.edu/2022/07/11/a-new-humanities-certificate-offers-themed-pathways-for-students/

Pa. state university system will chase non-traditional students to boost enrollment under next phase of redesign - Susan Snyder, Philadelphia Enquirer

With the merger of six of its schools in effect, Pennsylvania’s state university system is looking ahead to the next phase of its redesign, including how to lure adults to enroll who have some college but no degree. Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of the system, said there are about a million such adults in Pennsylvania. They are just one group of untapped potential students that could help the system stem enrollment losses and meet workforce needs, he said. He said the system also will pursue high school graduates who have the grade point averages and ability for college, but who for whatever reason are not pursuing a degree, as well as workers who would prefer other kinds of training or certificate programs in areas such as business, health care and technology.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania-state-univeresity-system-redesign-20220721.html

Husson University Online Now Offers Animal Assisted Therapy and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificates - Husson University

These certificate programs enhance degrees in psychology or business by providing additional specialized, career-focused knowledge. Students can now earn a certificate in animal assisted therapy from Husson University Online.  This certificate program can teach students how to facilitate effective human–animal interactions - a beneficial skill set that can enhance the health of patients with anxiety and the careers of mental health professionals everywhere.”

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/07/22/2484406/0/en/Husson-University-Online-Now-Offers-Animal-Assisted-Therapy-and-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Certificates.html

States Partner On Micro-Credentials To Personalize Teacher Learning - Tom Vander Ark, Forbes

In 2020, more than 2000 educators earned more than 4000 micro-credentials. BloomBoard and Digital Promise host over 500 active microcredentials each, and the National Education Association (NEA) offers nearly 200. Educator micro-credentials are, according to New America, “a verification of a discrete skill or competency that a teacher has demonstrated through the submission of evidence assessed via a validated rubric.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomvanderark/2022/07/21/states-partner-on-micro-credentials-to-personalize-teacher-learning/

Skills and Credentials Critical to Advancing Career Readiness - Susan Fourtané, Fierce Education

We take a look at how South Carolina’s Denmark Technical College partnered with YouScience to provide their students with industry-recognized certification and skills toward career success. According to the UN, education and training are paramount to the achievement of the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development goals. The observance of World Youth Skills Day also serves as a stepping stone to opening up a dialogue between students, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, organizations, policy-makers, and development partners. 

https://www.fierceeducation.com/student-engagement/skills-and-credentials-critical-advancing-career-readiness

Should you Switch from Teacher to Instructional Designer? - Teamed for Learning

Employers are inundated by teachers who have rebranded as instructional designers without the skills and credentials. Show them you’ve done your homework by taking the time to position yourself as an instructional designer.  Some colleges and universities also offer instructional design certificate programs that you can stack on top of your existing degree. Work experience beyond the classroom also counts. Seek out opportunities to support course design, curriculum design, or training development.

https://teamedforlearning.com/teacher-to-instructional-designer/

The Different Types of Potential Learners and What They Want - Doug Lederman, Inside Higher Ed

Accenture presents mind-set as an alternative, focused on learners’ goals and emotions rather than immutable characteristics such as age, race, geography or gender. The report separates learners into six categories, linked below from most to least likely to currently be enrolled in a traditional college or university or academic program. The proportion of all learners they represent are in parentheses.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/07/20/understanding-todays-and-tomorrows-learners-and-their-mind-sets

Degree vs. Experience: How important are degrees to employers? - Preston Wickersham, Remote (UK)

However, our research shows the gap between salaries offered to people with and without degrees is in many cases marginal, and there are a surprising number of roles where those without degrees can actually earn just as much (or even more) than those with bachelor's degrees. The table below shows the average salary available for candidates in 20 high-paying roles with varying levels of education, ranked from highest to lowest in terms of average salary across all degree levels.

https://remote.com/blog/degree-vs-experience-how-important-are-degrees

AllCampus Announces More Than 15 New Programs and Several New University Partners

“It’s exciting to see the depth and breadth of the new programs that AllCampus continues to add to its roster,” said Joe Diamond, CEO of AllCampus. “With the current skills gap in the U.S. impacting nearly every industry, business and employee, certificate and upskilling programs are an accessible and effective way to develop and hone new skills. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the employees and employers we’ll be able to help by introducing these new programs with our impressive university partners.”

https://www.prweb.com/releases/allcampus_announces_more_than_15_new_programs_and_several_new_university_partners_in_first_half_of_2022_significantly_expanding_online_certificate_offerings/prweb18795045.htm

Engineers Australia launches new micro-credentials to help boost engineering careers - Jonathan Bradley, Create Digital

A new series of micro-credentials promises to provide a more flexible and tailored learning pathway for engineers to build and verify in-demand skills.  An ageing workforce and a boom in new projects have left Australia with a problem: a shortage of engineers.  The challenge is a long-term one, but a new initiative from Engineers Australia and Engineering Education Australia (EEA) will help address the issue. Eight micro-credentials launched this week will provide engineers flexible pathways to build and verify their skills to a recognised standard, through previous or current work.  

https://createdigital.org.au/engineers-australia-launches-new-micro-credentials/

Alternative Credentials: New Ways to Certify Learning - David Schejbal, UPCEA Unbound

One serious challenge to increasing educational attainment in the U.S. is the higher education credential itself, i.e., the degree. At best, it is a very blunt instrument that signifies in very general terms disciplinary knowledge and skill. At worst, it is a document noting only that the holder spent time in college, but provides no information at all about what the holder actually knows and can do. Even in the best circumstances, however, degrees are expensive in both time and money, and they meet the needs of only a fraction of the population that requires more knowledge and skills to remain gainfully employed. Many Americans need short bursts of education culminating in targeted credentials that clearly signal what they can do with the knowledge they have. Those credentials should be stackable, combinable, readily available, and clearly indicative of ability and expertise.

https://unbound.upcea.edu/innovation/alternative-credentialing/alternative-credentials-new-ways-to-certify-learning/

The emergence of alternative credentials - OECD

The landscape of post-secondary education is changing with the emergence of new credentials that are engaging millions of learners. So-called “alternative credentials” – such as micro-credentials, digital badges and industry-recognised certificates – have expanded their scale considerably, as a consequence of a rising demand for upskilling and reskilling, as well as a sharp reduction in the unit cost of provision made possible by digitalisation. Higher education institutions, businesses and other institutions are actively offering alternative credentials that help learners acquire new skills, update their existing skills and signal the competencies they already have.

https://www.oecd.org/publications/the-emergence-of-alternative-credentials-b741f39e-en.htm

Thinking About Alternative Credentials - Michael Feldstein, eLiterate

I haven’t written much about alternative credentials, partly because I’ve been waiting for patterns to become more evident to me. Oddly, my recent post about Web3 in education catalyzed my thinking about the credentials topic. In both cases, proponents want to decentralize power structures by using technology to make centralization less necessary. But while decentralization can be facilitated by technology up to a point, it is also limited by the nature of humans as social animals.

https://eliterate.us/thinking-about-alternative-credentials/

Micro & Alternative Credentials. Size, Shape and Scenarios - Part 1 - HOLON IQ

As drivers for change in post-secondary education strengthen, micro-credentials are set to play a critical role in supporting ongoing learning and up-skilling, both within and outside traditional providers of education and training.  While the space is still forming, and multiple models and approaches abound, there are clear signals of emerging standards, definitions and recognition of micro-credentials. This, along with digital infrastructure to support adoption at scale, is likely to lead to broad acceptance of micro-credentials sooner rather than later.

https://www.holoniq.com/notes/micro-and-alternative-credentials.-size-shape-and-scenarios-part-1/

Top Findings in Coursera’s Global Skills Report for 2022 - Nerd Voices, Nerdbot

Presented data from more than 100 million users is a great way to show an industry progress. Coursera – one of the top ranked online learning platforms analyzes the data in 3 skill areas in their Global Skills Report for 2022.  The main 3 skill areas Coursera focuses on in the report are: Business, Technology, and Data Science. According to the report, there are an estimated 85 million jobs that might disappear, while 97 million new ones are expected to take place. So naturally, these new jobs will most likely be connected to the 3 most popular skill areas mentioned above. 

https://nerdbot.com/2022/07/14/top-findings-in-courseras-global-skills-report-for-2022/

Microcredentials - Daniel Higginbotham, Prospects (UK)

Referring to 'mini' or 'small' qualifications, microcredentials are short-term learning experiences designed to help students and employees acquire new skills, progress with their personal development or even change careers. While some microcredentials may be delivered as in-person classes or training, they're typically offered as on-demand online courses lasting up to 12 weeks. In the higher education realm, these short courses are often described as 'microdegrees' or 'nanodegrees' and comprise a series of modules. They are becoming more commonly available at postgraduate level in particular - as well as for those who don't yet hold an undergraduate qualification but are interested in achieving credit at that level.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/masters-degrees/microcredentials