“As the largest institutional accreditor, we have directly witnessed the rapid expansion of alternative credentials and the confusion and questions about quality and return on investment that has resulted—both for colleges and universities and for learners,” says HLC President Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley, according to a press release. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is launching a new initiative to tackle the proliferation of alternative credential programs as higher education embraces new business models amid a changing landscape. HLC’s Credential Lab will begin developing, testing and applying a new assurance structure for colleges and universities in order to create a framework that analyzes the quality of credentials offered by third-party providers. The HLC accredits institutions in over 19 states.
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Friday, September 29, 2023
A New Campaign to End Unpaid Internships - Johanna Alonzo, Inside Higher Ed
Research by NACE shows that paid internships benefit graduates far more than unpaid ones. Now the organization is pushing for legislation to ban the latter. Unpaid internships have long faced scrutiny for their inaccessibility, especially for lower-income students who can’t afford to work for free. Now the National Association of Colleges and Employers is taking a firm stance against unpaid internships, arguing in a new campaign—called Unpaid Is Unfair—that such internships should be outlawed nationally. "Congress should pass legislation requiring internships to be paid,” the organization wrote in a position statement released Tuesday.
Thursday, September 28, 2023
New Green Economy Investments Boost Calgary's Workforce - Mirage News
More than $143.8 million in funding under the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program's Green Economy Stream will be allocated to nine organizations for national projects: Project name: Unlocking Canada's Green Potential: Diverse Talent to Accelerate Clean Economic Growth. Description: The project will deliver a series of online tools, training and leadership courses, micro-credentials, certifications, mentorship opportunities and wage subsidies. The project will also promote skills assessment, training and tools to support clean economy employers, and develop justice, equity, diversity and inclusion training. It will also update labour market data, improve access and career pathways for new entrants, and recruit participants from equity-deserving groups.
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Micro-Credentials Could Begin To Resolve the Nursing Shortage in as Little as One Month - MedCity News
Hospitals across the country are desperately struggling to find nurses. Traditional nursing programs take years of schooling with costs running to more than $100,000. Nursing schools meanwhile compete desperately for available faculty and for clinical settings where students can practice. But the aging population and changing healthcare delivery models continue to drive demand for nurses higher.
There is a creative way to address these problems:
- Create new apprenticeship-style programs for nursing assistants and medical assistants with an education partner.
- Recruit a new type of healthcare employee – often a person who is seeking to change careers to a more dynamic and higher paying field.
- Invest in that new type of employee from day one, supporting them in their acquisition of micro-credentials that lead to higher nursing certifications and compensation.
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Numerous PNW staff members earn inclusion microcredentials - Purdue University Northwest
Michael Lynn, left, interim chair of the departments of English and World Languages and History, Philosophy, Politics and Economics and professor of History, poses with his certificate with Aaron Bolton, regional customer service director with ACUE. A total of 88 Purdue University Northwest (PNW) academic and non-academic staff members and administrators earned microcredentials centered on cultivating inclusive and welcoming environments through the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). Several university business units invested in professional development opportunities for multiple faculty and staff members during summer 2023 to participate in ACUE’s “Fostering a Culture of Belonging” microcredential course.
https://www.pnw.edu/numerous-pnw-staff-members-earn-inclusion-microcredentials/
Monday, September 25, 2023
‘Micro-credentials’ give students the career skills in demand right now - MADELINE PUMARIEGA, Miami Herald
Microcredentials and their growing use in higher education are emerging as a trend that helps students quickly and securely position themselves in the new world of work. These short programs are designed to develop skills, knowledge and experience in demand, which students need to ensure their success. A report from Inside Higher Education indicates that employers recognize and value industry microcredentials: 77% already are using or actively exploring skills-based hiring to bring on a candidate who has obtained them.
Sunday, September 24, 2023
$3.4M to upskill more than 7,500 Queenslanders -The Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory
17 projects have been awarded up to $250,000 each to deliver critical skills development for existing Queensland workers or jobseekers. The Palaszczuk Government has provided more than $3.4 million for the17 projects through its Micro-credentialing Program. Up to 7,525 Queenslanders will be equipped with critical and priority skills through the program. The Palaszczuk Government’s Micro-credentialing Program aims to upskill Queensland’s existing workers or job seekers by enabling the provision of training in specific skills. The Program supports industry development of specialised and targeted training that addresses gaps or emerging skills needs that are not addressed through accredited training.
Saturday, September 23, 2023
University of Texas System Bets Big on Microcredentials - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed
The system, with 250,000 students, has teamed up with microcredential provider Coursera in its largest partnership yet, which will get students credentialed by tech giants including Meta, IBM and Google. The University of Texas system, spanning nine campuses with roughly 250,000 students, is expanding its partnership with microcredential provider Coursera. The initiative announced last month is Coursera’s largest, aiming to reach 30,000 students with 35 courses by 2025.
Friday, September 22, 2023
How to design and build microcredentials in four steps - Verónica Alejandra Pérez Aguirre , et al; Times Higher Ed
A microcredential is usually a record of focused learning achievements. It should verify what a person knows or can do, include an assessment based on clearly defined quality standards, be attained in a shorter timeframe than a degree and should be granted by a trusted provider, which can be commercial entities, educational and training providers, professional bodies and more. It should hold independent value but also be able to contribute to or complement other microcredentials or macrocredentials. If you are looking to offer microcredentials at your institution, we suggest considering the following four steps.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Online certificate program is one of three in the nation focused on American Indian/Alaska Native health - Colorado School of Public Health
Ivanich said the required coursework focuses on the foundations of AI/AN health, social determinants of health, ethical considerations of research, and community and participatory research. Students can then choose from more than two dozen electives, from nutrition to public health administration. But the goal goes beyond giving students a piece of paper or helping them check a box on a resume, he stressed. The idea is to give them skills to address the specific needs of the communities they serve. “It’s important that what we are giving students isn’t just a credential, but something tangible,” Ivanich said. “We want to address how we can make you a better public health scholar and practitioner and make sure that you walk away with something very practical.”
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Grow with Google - State of Oklahoma
The Grow with Google initiative is a partnership between Google and the State of Oklahoma founded in 2022 that aims to provide training, tools and expertise for greater employment opportunities in high-growth career fields. Through self-paced, online learning, participants skill up in their elected area of study and work towards certification. The State of Oklahoma partnered with Google to provide learning paths and career certifications in Digital Marketing & E-Commerce, Data Analytics, UX Design, Project Management, and IT Support. Any adult citizen of the State of Oklahoma is eligible to enroll in the program.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
A Women’s College’s Profitable Foray Into Online Learning - Lauren Coffey, Inside Higher Ed
Spelman’s experiment with in-house certificate programs earned nearly $2 million in its first year, exceeding its expectations. The eSpelman program started out in the fall 2022, covering three certificate programs with a total of 49 learners. It served as an experiment of sorts for the historically Black women’s college to dip its toe into online education. But a deluge of interest followed, pushing Spelman to increase its program to 150 students—including Lindstrom—the following term. That jumped to 250 the term after and now sits at roughly 410 students in the current term. The program has also expanded to seven certificates, with an additional two in the works.
Monday, September 18, 2023
Are Additional Certifications Useful in the Workplace? - Jill McDonnell, Success
A certificate program can be a great option for those looking to change careers or deepen their professional knowledge. The certificate alone may not be enough to qualify for employment, depending on your career choice, but it can supplement your skills. “Our company values any type of education and certification a potential or current employee has or maintains,” Saxe says. “With the demand for digital aptitude within the workplace and generally among businesses today, the education from Coursera or Google certificate can only add value to our business.”
Sunday, September 17, 2023
UNBC (Prince George, British Columbia) tweaking education program to address teacher shortage - Ted Clarke, Richmond News
University offering 'micro-credentials' and more accessible programming options to train more teachers. “There are a lot of teachers in the schools who want to get their bachelor of education degree and they don’t have certification yet,” said Schiff. “But they can’t leave their school and leave their families and leave their community to come to Prince George and take a degree, and that’s something we’re really targeting, designing a program or various options that will make it more accessible to those folks.” UNBC is offering packages of four courses to give student teachers unable to commit to a full-time program their “micro-credentials” before they enter the grade school system.
Saturday, September 16, 2023
PASSHE partners with Google to offer career certificates - Zac Gibson, the Rocket
Governor Josh Shapiro announced the public-private partnership between tech giant Google and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) on Tuesday, September 5. The program will allow students to gain certificates under Google’s various career courses through their undergraduate classes. Google’s online learning program offers training in cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing, business intelligence, IT support, project management and user experience design (UX). Cynthia Shapira, chairwoman of the state system’s board of governors, said that the state system is the first higher education entity in Pennsylvania to bring Google career certificates to its students.
Friday, September 15, 2023
Shaping the future of education using stackable credentials - Times Higher Education
Microlearning is an educational approach that has gained momentum in recent years. The concept of stackable credentials could create a paradigm shift in the education sector by challenging the traditional linear model of education. “There’s been quite an explosion in microlearning,” said Graham Bell, director of digital education at Cranfield School of Management. Microlearning programmes offer learners the flexibility and autonomy to study the modules they choose and in the order they prefer. The programme at Cranfield is self-paced and globally available, with minimal entry requirements. This offers learners the opportunity to build their capabilities over time, with the option to progress to a master’s degree.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/shaping-future-education-using-stackable-credentials
Thursday, September 14, 2023
Report Finds Microcredentials Poorly Understood or Utilized by American Workers But Critical for Professional Development - Kate Lucariello, Campus Technology
Continuous upskilling is not yet the norm: Only 35% of U.S. workers had taken any professional education or training during the year, but 80% were interested in doing so. There is no clear preference for training providers: Twenty percent would prefer certificates from online courses with a non-university provider, while 14% prefer college or university courses. Microcredentials are not widely understood: Higher paid workers ($100,000+) do understand them, but while 38% of others said they were familiar with them, 30% said they could not identify what they are.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Teaching with AI - OpenAI
We’re releasing a guide for teachers using ChatGPT in their classroom—including suggested prompts, an explanation of how ChatGPT works and its limitations, the efficacy of AI detectors, and bias. We’re sharing a few stories of how educators are using ChatGPT to accelerate student learning and some prompts to help educators get started with the tool. In addition to the examples below, our new FAQ contains additional resources from leading education organizations on how to teach with and about AI, examples of new AI-powered education tools, and answers to frequently asked questions from educators about things like how ChatGPT works, its limitations, the efficacy of AI detectors, and bias. Read examples linked below.
https://openai.com/blog/teaching-with-ai
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing society, whether you like it or not. These 7 business schools are offering A.I. certificate programs to help you get ahead - Preston Fore, Fortune
So, for those looking down the barrel of A.I., finding a way to retool and learn in-demand skills may help propel you into an advanced career in the world of tech—with a high-paying salary. At Meta, the starting base salary for A.I. and machine learning technical program managers is $193,000. At Apple, machine learning engineers start at $199,800. One starting point to achieve these careers is obtaining a certificate in A.I. Mostly online and some as low as $599, programs can provide students with the necessary technical, financial, and ethical skills. Plus, students can learn on their own time over the course of a few weeks. The programs can provide a quicker learning route—and at a much cheaper cost—than seeking a master’s degree in A.I. or an MBA with an A.I. concentration.
Monday, September 11, 2023
St. Cloud State University is first state school to offer an online certificate in cannabis education minnesota - CAROLINE CUMMINGS, WCCO News
Those eager to cash in on a budding marijuana industry in Minnesota or cultivate plants of their own can turn to St. Cloud State University this fall to learn how. The university is the first state school to offer such classes, which are part of a 24-week, non-credit certificate program. It's a partnership with California-based cannabis training company, Green Flower, which will have industry experts as instructors. There are four topics students can study: Cannabis Agriculture and Horticulture, Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management, Business of Cannabis and Cannabis Healthcare and Medicine. Those enrolled can learn at their own pace with fully online classes, which take six months to complete.
Sunday, September 10, 2023
Alternative and micro-credentials are the future of workforce education, says expert HRCP - Hilary Tetenbaum, USA Today
Such a high number of job vacancies provides opportunities for people who want to pivot their career, either in the same or a different industry. Many of these people have been in their current career for several years, or even decades, but would want to shift to a different role. Rather than going back to college and studying to get a new degree, which is expensive and time-consuming, many people who would like to upgrade their careers are turning to micro-credentials, which are rapidly gaining popularity among jobseekers and acceptance among employers.
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