The event was the inaugural conference of the Open Distance and E-Learning Association of Nigeria (ODeLAN), in collaboration with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The conference with the theme, “Global spaces, local contexts: Digital transformations and creative innovations in open distance and e-learning (ODeL)”, was attended by over 200 participants from and outside Nigeria from 40 institutions of higher learning. Delivering the keynote address, entitled, “Micro-credentialing as an acceptable model for open, distance and eLearning – A path to developing a policy framework”, the Vice-Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Olufemi Peters, called for embracing micro-credentialing as an acceptable model for open, distance, and eLearning in Nigeria.
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Monday, May 15, 2023
Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills - qld.gov.au
Almost 150 participants have registered for a free seven-week Workforce Planning Course funded by the Queensland Government’s Jobs Queensland. The short-course helps small and medium sized businesses find the right people, with the right skill at the right time to support their business. The course is being delivered online and/or in person at the Caboolture and Sippy Downs campuses of University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) Helping small and medium sized business owners and managers develop an agile, flexible workforce plan is the aim of a free seven week course underway at the Caboolture and University of the Sunshine Coast’s (UniSC) Sippy Downs campuses .
Sunday, May 14, 2023
New plan promises experience outside the classroom will earn college credit in Delaware - Delaware ONline
Thousands of dollars and months of time could be shaved off university, college or other postsecondary education experience under a new state framework released Tuesday. The plan would allow certain skills, knowledge gathered outside the classroom to earn credits. The "Delaware Credit for Prior Learning Policy Framework" aims to guide Delaware's higher education institutions as they develop procedures for evaluating such experience, the Department of Education said in a press release. Credits could apply to college degree programs and more, while examples of this work include learning during military service or during apprenticeships. Students can receive credit for full courses, the department said, if "they can demonstrate they gained the equivalent knowledge and learning."
Saturday, May 13, 2023
College students still struggling to stay enrolled, Gallup research finds - Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Higher Ed Dive
The organizations polled more than 6,000 students seeking a credential, as well as thousands of adults who either stopped out of college or never enrolled in the first place. Not only did 41% of students mull stopping out, but also those shares were higher for Black and Hispanic students — 43% and 52%, respectively. More than half of students who considered stopping out attributed their thinking to emotional stress. A little under half reported they were considering stopping due to personal mental health reasons, and just under 30% said it was because of college costs.
Friday, May 12, 2023
Micro-credentials can help unlock economic opportunity. - Jeff Maggioncalda, World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2023 forecasts that 61% of workers will require retraining between now and 2027.
A shifting labour market, enabled by digital connectivity, means employers are embracing skills-based hiring and micro-credentials to address skilled talent shortages at scale.
Skills-based learning can provide an equitable and fast-tracked path to new careers for job seekers while expanding and diversifying talent pipelines for employers.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Unlocking Success with The League of Entrepreneurs’ Micro-Credential Short Courses - Maxwell Ampong, News Ghana
From a Ghanaian perspective, colloquially referred to as ‘short courses’, micro-credentials present a unique opportunity for professionals to stay ahead of the curve. This educational trend has emerged in response to the dynamic nature of the modern workforce, where the shelf life of skills is dwindling, and the need for continuous learning is imperative. As a result, Ghanaians quickly realise the immense value of these ‘short courses’, enabling many people to acquire new competencies, hone existing ones, and keep pace with the ever-changing demands of the job market.
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
The Unmarked Potential of Lifelong Learning Across the Institution - Frederick Wherle, Illumination Modern Campus
Non-traditional credentials are beginning to get noticed by departments outside of CE, but oftentimes they’re creating this programming on the side of their desk. A centralized institution-wide approach to lifelong learning—lead by CE—is critical to deliver a modern learner experience. On this episode, Frederick Wehrle, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of California—Berkeley, discusses the need for a consolidated administration to deliver a seamless lifelong learning experience that students demand.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Micro-credentials: their role in the economy and lifelong learning - Paul Grainger, FE News
In general qualifications, particularly vocational qualifications, are valuable things, much to be treasured by their possessor. How much good they do is variable. In what was is the content determined, how current are the skills, how does it integrate with economic activity? A further problem is how much learning is unnecessarily repeated to meet the formalities of the assessment process. Many of the vocational awarding bodies of the UK are the envy of the world, but they can be inflexible, needing due time for accreditation, and not always acknowledging existing learning and competence.
Monday, May 8, 2023
Micro-credentials give students an employability edge at GETEX in Dubai - Anjana Kumar, Gulf News
“I have plans to learn more. The more variety we can add to our learning kit the better it is,” added Senalda, a graduate of GEMS Founders School in Dubai. Her friend Jess Anthony, 18, agrees. Jess, who finished home school from Wolsey Hall Oxford, was attending GETEX scouting for short courses that he can add to his portfolio. “I have done JavaScript; I’m also doing an internship in graphic design and video editing. The courses add a lot of impetus to our portfolios. It shows a potential employer our varied interests and capabilities. More so, these courses upskill students and make them attractive to potential employers,” he said.
Sunday, May 7, 2023
Perceptions About the Tight U.S. Labor Market - George Lorenzo, Workforce Monitor
The labor market obviously has dramatic effects on our nation’s overall social and economic well-being on multiple levels. Understanding how the current, long-standing tight labor market has positively and dramatically impacted the lives of previously marginalized job seekers, gives us an informative window into how we can maintain such positivity well into the future. A tight labor market is one marked by consistently low unemployment rates that result in many employers being challenged to maintain adequate staffing levels. Tight labor markets create new and enhanced hiring scenarios for job seekers who have typically been sidelined.
Saturday, May 6, 2023
NJ’s Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative seeks apprentices - Rowan University
New Jersey’s Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative—one of the nation’s first programs dedicated to training workers in the growing cannabis retail field—is gearing up to welcome its first group of 20 students this summer. A pilot program uniquely presented by a broad consortium committed to workforce development in the state, the Cannabis Apprenticeship Training Initiative will provide industry-specific training for employees in the cannabis retail sector. The apprenticeship program is unregistered because cannabis currently is not legal at the federal level.
Friday, May 5, 2023
Robotics In Energy – A New UH Micro-Credential Course - Rashda Khan, University of Houston
“A huge gap exists between the expertise of the current workforce and the dynamic growth in robotics and their capabilities,” said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at the University of Houston. “The workforce, now and in the future, needs to be really knowledgeable about technology – not only for optimal efficiency, but also to adapt to changing scenarios and innovate new solutions.” To address this skill gap challenge, UH’s Subsea Systems Institute (SSI), in collaboration with SPRINT Robotics – an internationally recognized not-for-profit organization, has developed a four-part series of micro-credentialing courses focused on robotics. UH, located the Energy Capital of the World, is perfectly positioned to bring together all the key elements needed for an impactful industry-focused robotics course.
Thursday, May 4, 2023
Educators can learn more about economics through UNLV's 8-week, $35 economics microcredential - KTNV
The UNLV's Center for Business and Economic research will start their next economics microcredential for Clark County School District teachers on April 15. However, an official with UNLV said teachers are able to register until May 15 due to the nature of the class being online and asynchronous. The economics microcredential comes after a a legislative pass in 2017 that requires teaching of economics in classrooms. CBER said they saw a need to, "help teachers teach economics in the classroom." The class will be taught by a UNLV Lee Business School economics professor according to the college. The class is also said to meet once in person to provide further support of the materials and to learn specific activities.
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Autonomy, Microcredentials Address Need for Effective STEM Educators in Grant-funded Professional Learning Program Co-developed by Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor Gail Jones - Janine Bowen, NC State
“Gaining Retention and Effectiveness through Advancing Teacher-Centered STEM Professional Learning for STEM Elementary Teachers in Rural Communities” will provide teachers in high-need school districts with a professional learning program that includes teacher-identified learning needs and goals, competency-based online microcredentials, microcredential coaching and support, and teacher compensation and recognition for achievements. The project will be conducted in collaboration with Appalachian State University. The College of Education will receive $254,813 of the overall $993,814 in funding from the National Science Foundation.
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
DCC Announces New Microcredential in Cannabis Retail Management - Dutchess Community College
Dutchess Community College unveiled a new Business program offering on Saturday during a Cannabis Workforce Initiative (CWI) event held in Greenspan Cafeteria. The Cannabis Retail Management microcredential will welcome its first cohort in fall 2023, with registration now officially open. What is a microcredential? Microcredentials are short, focused credentials designed to provide in-demand skills, know-how and experience. Stackable microcredentials can also provide a pathway to a certificate or full degree. The 13-credit microcredential will help students develop critical business skills in retail management, merchandising, storeroom operations, cost control, customer service and cannabis science.
Monday, May 1, 2023
Silver Program Excellence Award Goes to St. Lawrence College
The silver winning entry, Integrating Digital Micro-Credentials into Correction Canada’s Learning Management System, is a partnership with the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to integrate self-guided digital micro-credentials into the learning management system at CSC. This is a brand-new learning opportunity and the first of its kind in Canada. Each micro-credential earned comes with a digital badge that can be shared with employers and added to a digital profile or portfolio.
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Northern State University now offers micro-credentials - Lori Walsh, Ellen Koester, Ari Jungemann; SDPB Radio |
Northern State University is offering a new digital way for students to flaunt their skills to employers. Take a free micro-credentialing course at NSU to get a digital badge certification in highly-marketable skills. Joshua Citrak is the director of innovator empowerment at the university. He joins In the Moment to explain what a micro-credential is and how you could get one.
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Five Erath students make Vermilion Parish history - KATC
These five Erath High School students made Vermilion Parish history this month as they became the first ever group of aspiring teachers in the school district to earn the Educators Rising “Classroom Culture” Micro-Credential! The “Classroom Culture” Micro-credential is the first in a series of five different “Beginning to Teach” credentials offered through the Educators Rising curriculum for preservice educators. Each micro-credential submission requires an estimated 5-15 hours of work. Congratulations to the following students on this historical accomplishment!
Friday, April 28, 2023
Career-Focused Credentials Are Booming. We Need to Know What They’re Worth. - Michelle Van Noy and Kermit Kaleba, Governing
But this proliferation of credentials raises questions about their quality and value. Credential Engine reports that there are nearly 1 million credentials being offered in the U.S., only about 20 percent of which are traditional degrees awarded by colleges and universities. A lack of consistent, reliable quality standards for career-focused credentials makes it difficult for job seekers to select the right programs and for employers to assess whether credentials demonstrate specific skills and competencies. For their part, policymakers need better standards and more outcomes data to inform their efforts to expand financial aid and other support to help learners access the credentials they need.
Thursday, April 27, 2023
U.S. Inching Closer to Goal of Working Adults Attaining Degree or Credential - Liann Herder, Diverse Education
Nearly 54% of working age adults in the U.S. have achieved some kind of postsecondary degree or credential, putting the country even closer to the Lumina Foundation’s goal of 60% attainment by 2025. Lumina, a private nonprofit working to increase learning opportunities for all after high school, has been tracking credential and degree attainment for adults from 25 to 64 years of age since 2008. The latest numbers for 2021 have revealed the largest two-year increase in degree attainment since Lumina began this project.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Coursera Survey: Student and Employer Demand for Microcredentials Is High - Rhea Kelly, Campus Technology
According to a global survey from Coursera, employers and students alike see value in microcredentials that document job-relevant skills and experience. The online learning provider commissioned research firm Dynata to poll 3,600 students and employers across eight countries — Australia, India, France, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States — about the motivations, needs, and challenges of both students pursuing a degree and employers hiring them. Globally, 89% of students in the survey agreed or strongly agreed that earning an entry-level professional certificate or microcredential will help them stand out to employers and secure jobs when they graduate.
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