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.
Saturday, November 26, 2022
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.
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