‘Micro-credentials’ in pipeline for irrigation industry - Farmers Weekly

The Workforce Development Council for the food and fibre sector, Muka Tangata, is working with the irrigation industry to develop new credentials to better support learners and the industry. Muka Tangata chief executive Jeremy Baker said engagement with the industry has identified the opportunity to create standalone “micro-credentials” that would give learners a quick pathway to demonstrating specific skills in water measurement and reporting. “We’re now working together with the industry to develop and refine these micro-credentials, based on learner outcomes, that will allow companies to gain accreditation to work in the water measurement space.” The work was initiated mid-2023 when Irrigation New Zealand sought Muka Tangata’s support to turn two of its existing NZQA unit standards into “micro-credentials” – small, focused achievement credentials that mean learners can show skills without having to complete larger qualifications.

https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/news/micro-credentials-in-pipeline-for-irrigation-industry/

Work experience, not college, prepared employees for jobs, study finds - Ginger Crist, Higher Ed Dive

Nearly half of workers (46%) don’t think higher education prepared them for their current jobs, according to a survey released Nov. 8 by online learning platform Go1. Sixty-one percent of the 3,000 full-time office workers surveyed in Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. said work experience was the best preparation for their positions, followed by formal on-the-job training and life experience. Half of the respondents said they wish they had known how to handle career progression prior to entering the workforce. Employees also said they wish they had better understood the fundamentals of the role and how to collaborate across departments. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed said learning and development opportunities make or break their decision to take a job or stay at a company, and 73% said their current employer provides L&D options that meet their needs, the survey found.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/experience-prepared-workers-for-jobs/699746/

AICTE plans to upskill in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, focuses on ‘ethics’ - Education Times

 The All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE) has directed colleges and technical institutions to widely disseminate the report ‘National Program on Artificial Intelligence’ to promote upskilling in the technical sectors, with a renewed focus on ethics in AI.  The report was prepared by the committee constituted by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MieTY) and was issued in June 2023 as a part of MieTY’s ‘National Program on Artificial Intelligence’ (NPAI). The committee listed several programmes on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Sciences and other measures to promote upskilling. Recommendations of the committee included skilling of youths in AI and data science should start from the early school levels. Further, the report has suggested a basic curriculum for different levels aligned with the National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF) and the National Credit Framework (NCrF).  

https://www.educationtimes.com/article/newsroom/99734187/aicte-plans-to-upskill-in-artificial-intelligence-and-data-science-focuses-on-ethics

Ont. to expand rapid training programs in a variety of manufacturing industries - Canadian Manufacturing

The Ontario government is investing $5 million through the Micro-credentials Challenge Fund, to help more Ontarians quickly upgrade their skills for good-paying jobs in health care, auto, advanced manufacturing and other in-demand sectors. “Our government is bridging the gap between postsecondary education and the labour market to equip learners with the specific skills employers are looking for,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “This investment will help institutions create more flexible, industry-relevant micro-credentials that provide learners with a competitive edge in the workforce.” Micro-credentials are complementary to traditional learning and offer learners training focused on specific skills or knowledge areas such as cybersecurity or digital skills. They take less time to complete than degrees and diplomas and provide a way for individuals to demonstrate their skills and abilities to prospective employers.

https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/manufacturing/ont-to-expand-rapid-training-programs-in-a-variety-of-manufacturing-industries-296249/

Instructure: Filipino students opt for micro-credentials to acquire new skills - Backend News

According to the latest report from Instructure, a learning platform and maker of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), Filipino students are increasingly opting for skills-based education, aiming to stay competitive and match job market needs.The findings are based on Instructure’s annual global State of Student Success and Engagement in Higher Education report for 2023, conducted in collaboration with Hanover Research. The report, covering 17 countries with 571 participants in the Philippines, highlights key motivations driving Filipino students: the desire for new skills (77%), career growth (68%), program flexibility (59%), and career readiness (56%).

https://backendnews.net/instructure-filipino-students-opt-for-micro-credentials-to-acquire-new-skills/

SKILLS Bridge Masterclass - Small Steps, Big Gains: Micro-credentials for Lifelong Learning - International Labour Organization

In the framework of the “SKILLS Bridge” Masterclass series, a joint initiative by the ILO, World Bank and UNESCO, the last episode discussed the topic “Small Steps, Big Gains: Micro-credentials for Lifelong Learning.” The episode explored the opportunities and challenges of implementing micro-credentials in national skills systems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOMB8VJIhn8

Is there significant potential for apprenticeships in the US market? - Kathryn Moody, Higher Ed Dive

Nearly 128 million U.S. workers — about 70% of the entire US workforce — could stand to benefit from apprenticeships and on-the-job learning opportunities, opening up a key cohort of trained workers for employers, according to a Nov. 13 report by Multiverse and the Burning Glass Institute. Apprenticeships still remain outside the mainstream in the U.S., the report said, but a U.S. workforce that would follow the U.K.’s “mature apprenticeship” system could host over 830,000 new apprenticeship opportunities per year, leading to $28.5 billion in wage increases.

https://www.highereddive.com/news/potential-for-apprenticeship-automation/700497/

Using digital innovation to navigate challenges of student recruitment and retention - Times Higher Education

Microcredentials and other alternatives available to learners have increased the need for a student-centric approach, said Fadi Aloul, dean of engineering at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Aloul said that his university focuses on “the three Rs” to improve the student journey. “We want to recruit the best students, we want to retain the students and we want to reward them with a degree,” he said. Aloul said that the digital evolution of the education sector during the Covid-19 pandemic showed that technology can assist teachers in improving the student experience. This has resulted in technology being embedded across all areas of student learning and life. He added that personalised communication is a key part of successful digital transformation.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/using-digital-innovation-navigate-challenges-student-recruitment-and-retention

Why reengaging stopped-out students provides a well of opportunity for enrollment - Alcino Donadel, University Business

More colleges and universities are stepping away from focusing on enrolling potential prospects, opting to reengage with stopped-out students. Colleges overlooking this cohort may not be aware of the data that illustrates they’re ripe for picking. Despite freshman enrollment dropping this fall, overall undergraduate enrollment grew for the first time since the pandemic thanks to swaths of students choosing to reenroll, many of whom dropped during the pandemic. For example, Middlebury College was offering its third- and fourth-year students $10,000 to take the fall and spring semesters off due to an abscess of enrollment, Seven Days reports. Moreover, a survey from StraighterLine and UPCEA found that 61% of stopped-out students were either extremely, very or somewhat likely to return to school and earn a degree. This is great news for schools seeing their traditional-aged student prospects dwindling.

https://universitybusiness.com/why-reengaging-stopped-out-students-provide-a-well-of-opportunity-for-enrollment/

Rail microcredentials to be offered by Deakin University - RAY CHAN, Rail Express

Rail-specific courses will be offered at Victoria’s Deakin University for the first time next year, after an agreement was signed with the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) to co-develop the curriculum in postgraduate and undergraduate engineering degrees. ARA Chief Executive Officer Caroline Wilkie signed the agreement with Douglas Creighton, Professor of Systems Engineering and the Director of the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (IISRI) at Deakin University, at the AusRAIL PLUS 2023 conference, which ends today. “This is a significant milestone towards addressing the current significant skills gap in rail and creating a more sustainable workforce to enable a thriving industry in the future,” she said.

https://www.railexpress.com.au/rail-microcredentils-to-be-offered-by-deakin-university/

Asbury University introduces “digital badges” for online learning - Bryce Martin, Asbury Collegian

Asbury University’s Media Communications department is implementing a new way for students to build workforce skills with “digital badges.” Digital badges are short online-learning experiences that provide specialized education for specific career paths. They are intended to advance students’ career qualifications and to signal those qualifications to employers through social media. “Badges often give more information to potential employers than a transcript because they show the commitment that adult learners and badge earners give to lifelong learning including ongoing professional development,” Asbury’s introductory web page on digital badges reads.

https://www.theasburycollegian.com/2023/11/asbury-university-introduces-digital-badges-for-online-learning/

Murujuga Rangers help create "first of its kind" qualifications in monitoring rock art - Giovanni Torre, National Indigenous Times (Australia)

Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation Rangers are helping to create a suite of university level "micro-credentials" for monitoring the rock art of Murujuga – the first of its kind in Australia, and likely the world. Developed by Curtin University in support of its participation in the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program that is being led by MAC and the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the micro-credentials each are valued at five credits that can count toward the completion of an undergraduate certificate or degree. There are five micro-credentials in development, covering different components of the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program: Passive air quality monitoring; Realtime air quality monitoring; Geochemistry; Spectroscopy; and Health and safety. Each requires 30 hours of online and in-person learning, plus practical learning and assessments on country.

https://nit.com.au/15-11-2023/8639/murujuga-rangers-create-first-of-its-kind-qualifications-in-monitoring-rock-art

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/