What’s New with Microcredentials in Higher Education? - Andy Viano, EdTech

Solving the enrollment crisis is a complicated and daunting task with no quick fix, but the confluence of two significant economic developments offers a good place to start: High school graduates, many of whom watched their parents carry burdensome student loans deep into adulthood, are questioning the value of a costly four-year degree. Employers, faced with a shortage of qualified job candidates, are more willing to take on new workers who lack an advanced degree and instead have job-specific skills that can be honed through on-the-job training. That’s led to an explosion of interest in certificate programs — bite-sized educational pathways that give students proof of competency in the form of microcredentials.

https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2023/04/whats-new-microcredentials-higher-education-perfcon

Portuguese Language and Cultures Online Undergraduate Certificate

The UMass Dartmouth certificate in Portuguese Language and Cultures helps develop and strengthen communication skills in Portuguese, as well as understanding of related cultures. A strong foundation in the Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures prepares students to pursue further coursework in Portuguese and related areas. It also prepares students to take advantage of opportunities in fields such as international relations, business, translation and interpretation, teaching, government, and many more. Eligible students have earned a high school diploma. 

https://www.umassd.edu/programs/portuguese-language-culture-cert-online/

Manhattanville College and The Windward School Announce Online Certificate Program in Dyslexia Education

he Rose Institute at Manhattanville College and The Windward School, a leading independent day school for children with language-based learning disabilities, have announced their collaboration to offer a new 16-credit online certificate program for teachers. The Dyslexia and Science of Reading Advanced Certificate will give these educators an in-depth understanding of the research and evidence supporting the Science of Reading.

https://www.prweb.com/releases/manhattanville_college_and_the_windward_school_announce_online_certificate_program_in_dyslexia_education/prweb19273875.htm

RSU students become first in state to earn drone pilot credentials - Alexandria Tafoya, KTUL

Rogers State University announced Friday that 24 students are scheduled to graduate this spring and earn Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education-approved micro-credentials as drone pilots. While graduating with the credential recognizes these students' increased mastery in their area of study, this accomplishment is especially significant considering they will be the first students in Oklahoma to do so.

https://ktul.com/news/local/rsu-students-become-first-in-state-to-earn-drone-pilot-credentials

Will ‘Microcredentials’ Revolutionize Higher Ed? - GEORGE LEEF, National Review

That something might be “microcredentials,” and in today’s Martin Center article, Rick Hess peers into his crystal ball to see if they might be the next big thing. Hess writes, “The idea is simple: Formal learning has to be somehow measured. Microcredentialing offers a way to more precisely assess and document that learning. Microcredentials signal completion of short courses in specific marketable skills. Some of the more popular and useful ones cover discrete expertise in high-demand fields like IT support, data analytics, and cybersecurity.”

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/will-microcredentials-revolutionize-higher-ed/

Job candidates struggle to add microcredentials to hiring platforms - Carolyn Crist, HR Drive

As employers demonstrate interest in skills-based training in addition to — or instead of — degree-only requirements on hiring applications, job candidates may face barriers to properly sharing their information for hiring teams to assess, according to a March report from Northeastern University. A company’s hiring platform, as well as third-party options, may not provide adequate fields to capture the relevant skills and nondegree credentials. In addition, some software may prioritize traditional degrees over microcredentials. When extracting data, information about alternative credentials may also be “lost in translation,” researchers found.

https://www.hrdive.com/news/job-candidates-struggle-to-add-microcredentials-to-hiring-platforms/646769/

Alternative credentials market size for higher education to grow by USD 2,275.05 million between 2022 and 2027; Growth driven by widening skill gap - Technavio

The alternative credentials market for higher education is set to grow by USD 2,275.05 million from 2022 to 2027, progressing at a CAGR of 17.8% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the widening skill gap. There are a large number of graduate and post-graduate degree holders in the employment market. However, only a few are employable due to the disparity in skill sets. In addition, the growing competition has led to an increased demand for specific skills that provide employment readiness. Alternate credentials allow students to acquire non-traditional skills and help them stand out from the crowd. For recruiters, alternate credentials offer a way of easily verifying student achievements and checking for suitability for the job. All these factors are driving the growth of the market.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alternative-credentials-market-size-higher-210500518.html

The Changing Role of Learning Development Through Microcredentials - Margot Baron, Illumination by Modern Campus

Bite-sized learning is gaining traction as modern learners are looking for quick ways to upskill and reskill in the workforce. What’s needed is a collaborative and creative approach to shifting how programming is developed, and how it’s translated to employers.  On this episode, Margot Baron, Google Cloud Certifications and Credential Lead at Google, discusses the transition to a skills-focused industry, and how to take a collaborative approach to program development in order to meet workforce needs. 

https://moderncampus.com/podcast/episode-ninety.html

Lighthouse Labs and Saskatchewan Polytechnic provide free training to grow silicon prairie - Saskatchewan Polytechnic

Saskatchewan Polytechnic is excited to partner with tech education leader Lighthouse Labs to offer web development and data science training to learners at no cost to help grow Saskatchewan’s expanding tech sector. The ICT Boost initiative is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP). The focus of this partnership is to empower and provide skills training to learners from equity-deserving groups wanting to work in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

https://saskpolytech.ca/news/posts/2023/lighthouse-labs-and-sask-polytech-provide-free-training-to-grow-silicon-prairie.aspx

Critical training available for Zoning Board of Appeals members - MSU Extension

Acting properly, a community’s Zoning Board of Appeals protects the interests of all parties and upholds due process, but when poorly trained, the board can be a serious legal risk to the community. Fortunately, Michigan State University Extension offers the ZBA Online Certificate Course — a self-paced online training designed for members of the local government Zoning Board of Appeals, local government staff who work alongside the ZBA, and local government managers and attorneys. All too often, a ZBA that has not met for many months is suddenly scheduled to hear a request that is perhaps unlike anything they have considered for years. The ZBA might have little more than 15 days to get training and prepare for the meeting, based on minimum public hearing notice requirements (MCL 125.3103).

https://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/critical-training-available-for-zoning-board-of-appeals-members/

HR ideas right for 2023: Six progressive strategies to attract — and retain — the employees you need - Helen Lammers-Helps, Country Guide

Let employees know that you support further education such as by offering time off or financial support for tuition and books, suggests Chhinzer. Educational opportunities are often available on-demand online and could include micro-credentials which certify the learning outcomes of short-term learning experiences. (Courses through LinkedIn and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are some examples of micro-credentials.) With the fast-paced changes in technology, employees’ technical skills become out of date much faster, says Reeve. Up-skilling has become incredibly important to ensure employees, even recent graduates, have the skills and knowledge relevant to new and evolving technology.

https://www.country-guide.ca/guide-business/hr-ideas-right-for-2023/

Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Focus EduSolutions partner to offer Aquaculture Micro-Credential Certificate Program

The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies (HRI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Focus EduSolutions have teamed up to offer a comprehensive Aquaculture Micro-Credential Certificate Program, aimed at preparing learners to be competent, ethical, and innovative professionals in related areas of aquaculture. The partnership's vision is to create a world where micro-credentials are widely recognized and a valued form of professional development, providing individuals and organizations with the agility and adaptability needed to thrive in the 21st-century economy.

https://www.prweb.com/releases/2023/3/prweb19249383.htm

LSU Joins LDOE for STEM Micro-Credentialing Project - LSU Engineering

With STEM learning gaining speed, it’s more important than ever for Louisiana to provide its high school educators the opportunity to earn micro-credentials in order to teach STEM subjects to their students. The $4 million, five-year Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Improving Pre-Engineering and Computer Science Education through Micro-Credentialing, is a collaboration among LSU, the Louisiana Department of Education,  BloomBoard Inc., and RAND Corporation that involves the development, implementation, and testing of a set of micro-credentials designed to help teachers demonstrate proficiency in STEM competencies.

https://www.lsu.edu/eng/news/2023/03/lsu-ldoe-stem-project.php

Consider Alternative Credentials to Close Skills Gap: SHRM Foundation Report - Fed Manager

As the federal government and U.S. businesses face a shortage of skilled workers, a new report from The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation suggests that employers should consider an applicant’s alternative credentials in the hiring process and that relying on alternative credentials may be a way to close the skills gap. The report states that alternative credentials may be the “key to uncovering untapped talent among people who may not have specific work experience or a degree but have been trained in the competencies needed for the job.”

https://fedmanager.com/news/consider-alternative-credentials-to-close-skills-gap-shrm-foundation-report

Microcredentials - Dutchess Community College

If you’re ready to upskill, microcredentials can provide a pathway to new capabilities and skills. A flexible, affordable way to start or continue your educational journey, microcredentials are short, focused programs of study that can help you build specific skills in your chosen field. You'll earn a digital badge and at a later point, can take the next step by "stacking" your qualifications into future certificates or degrees.

https://www.sunydutchess.edu/academics/more-ways/microcredentials.html

‘Microcredentials’ poised to disrupt higher ed as degrees lose relevance to employers - Shelby Kearns, Campus Reform

Recent surveys show that students are relying on “microcredentials” to confer job skills that are often overlooked in four-year degree programs.  Respondents are demonstrating confidence in microcredentials–online training programs that take no more than six months to complete–even as the volume of colleges and companies offering these programs can them hard to vet. A Mar. 3 article from Inside Higher Ed shares survey results from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) and EdResearcher, guaging how students and employers feel about microcredentials. 

https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=21537

Micro-credentials and Digital Badges Influence the Workforce, Giving FGCU Students the Upperhand - Abigail Muth, Eagle News

Support through Innovative Education and Partnerships I’Riel Williams said. Most classes have just one exam at the end of the course, which students are able to take more than once. Once that exam is passed, the student is awarded the digital certificate or badge.  There are three categories of digital badges students can earn. One is industry specific, which is linked to a credit earned course and is in partnership with a business in our community. Another is transferable skills, which is based on National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) competencies. The third category is continuing education and skills academy, which focuses on professional development. This category offers different competencies that you should know if you want to go into a specific field, but are not necessarily required in the industry.

https://eaglenews.org/28886/news/micro-credentials-and-digital-badges-influence-the-workforce-giving-fgcu-students-the-upperhand/

The Power of Microcredentials and America’s Higher Education Dilemma - Mordecai I. Brownlee, EdSurge

In order to understand the significance of microcredentials, their ability to help meet workforce demands, and the dilemma these short-term credentials are causing to traditional higher education, we must first walk through the ways college has evolved during its nearly 400 years of history in our nation.

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-03-23-the-power-of-microcredentials-and-america-s-higher-education-dilemma

As Microcredentials Boom, Employers’ Hiring Platforms Fumble - Susan D'Agostino, Inside Higher Ed

Learners who earn verifiable, nondegree online offerings targeted to specific industries sometimes struggle to enter the information into employers’ hiring platforms. Microcredentials—quality, verifiable, bite-size, low-priced, nondegree online offerings targeted to specific industries—have boomed in recent years in response to demand from employers and would-be workers alike for additional options that can better prepare learners for the workforce. But it turns out that employers’ own hiring platforms and third-party intermediaries often act as barriers to matching the right talent to the right positions, according to a recent Northeastern University report.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/28/microcredentials-boom-employers-hiring-platforms-fumble

Teaching with Primary Sources Micro-credential Library - NEA

The Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Micro-credentials were developed by Citizen U® in conjunction with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Partner Program and in collaboration with TPS Consortium members.  The TPS micro-credentials are free for NEA members and $75 for non-members. Citizen U has a number of vouchers available for non-members. To learn more, contact us. In addition to the micro-credential badges and digital portfolios, educators can typically also receive local/state certification of professional development credit towards license renewal. Graduate credit may also be possible for a supplemental fee. 

https://nea.certificationbank.com/TPS/TPS/CandidatePortal/StackLibrary.aspx?Stack=TPS

ANALYSIS: ‘Microcredentials’ poised to disrupt higher ed as degrees lose relevance to employers - Shelby Kearns, Campus Reform

Survey respondents are demonstrating confidence in microcredentials–online training programs that take no more than six months to complete–as four-year degree programs often overlook job training. 'Grade inflation and efforts to help everyone ... attend college make it harder for employers to differentiate among applicants.'  The consensus is that students find value in these programs. Inside Higher Ed reported, however, that students have trouble defining “microcredentials” and finding the right program with often little more than a Reddit review. Employers, meanwhile, are confused by microcredentials, according to the UCPEA survey. Though they express skepticism about their quality, they are still willing to collaborate with the companies and universities offering microcredentials to ensure that students’ training fits workforce needs. 

https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=21537