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.

https://www.ilounge.com/articles/digital-certification-for-future-leaders

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.” 

https://apnews.com/press-release/globenewswire-mobile/colleges-and-universities-e6432baf50050046f06063cceee56220

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.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/no-bar-exam-required-practice-law-oregon-starting-next-year-2023-11-07/

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.

https://www.unssc.org/micro-credential-scheme-evaluation-wfp

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?

https://www.anthology.com/paper/a-global-perspective-on-the-potential-and-the-complexities-of-micro-credentials

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. 

https://www.colorado.edu/cudialogues/dei-informed-dialogic-pedagogy-micro-credential

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.

https://www.diverseeducation.com/opinion/article/15638011/the-role-of-higher-education-in-supporting-high-school-students-pathway-to-industry-recognized-credentials

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.

https://www.dailyexpress.com.my/interest/2031/flexible-studying-key-for-future-education-system/

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.” 

https://today.cofc.edu/2023/11/08/college-launches-new-micro-credential-program/

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. 

https://bigislandnow.com/2023/11/04/ea-ecoversity-receives-20k-grant-for-helunaike-program/

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.

https://qs-gen.com/a-milestone-reached-eciu-university-is-the-first-european-alliance-to-issue-e-sealed-micro-credentials/

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?

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-11-03-unlocking-skills-what-learners-and-employers-need-to-know-about-microcredentials

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.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/retention/2023/11/03/can-microcredentials-bring-learners-back-college

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.

https://timesng.com/fast-track-education-cheapest/

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.”

https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2023/atp-ai-in-higher-education

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.

https://itbrief.com.au/story/micro-credentials-advance-workplace-diversity-and-inclusion

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. 

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/moving-microcredentials-forward-how-universities-are-incubators-and-early-adopters

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. 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microcredentials-quiet-revolution-skills-training-130000222.html

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.

https://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/online-degrees/microcredentials/

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.

https://academicaffairs.rutgers.edu/microcredentialing-and-digital-badging

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. 

https://www.du.edu/registrar/academic-programs/micro-credentials-badges