mozilla presentation researchers final
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Kathleen Radionoff Dr. Michael Olneck Dean of Continuing Education Professor Emeritus Madison College University of Wisconsin-Madison (Comments)
Madison College Case Study: Using Digital Badges to Assess Non-Credit Learning Outcomes
A National Conversation
20.8m students in non-credit programs
Two year schools: 6.5m credit/5m non-credit
Adult students and informal learning
The National Council on Continuing Education and Training (2004)
Rigid silos between non-credit and credit programming
The need for adult students to transition easily between credit and non-credit education
The need for life-long learning to keep workers current in their skill sets.
The National Council on Continuing Education and Training (2004)
Transitional Worker Moving from one
career to another
Occupational and
developmental
learning
Credit or non-credit
learning; possible
developmental
coursework
Entrepreneurial
Worker
Small business owner Learning to enhance
their business
opportunities
Contract training,
non-credit short-term
certificates, discrete
non-credit classes
Incumbent Worker Adult employee Learning to enhance
current skills
Contract training,,
non-credit short-term
certificates, discrete
non-credit classes
Flynn’s Worker Segments
Ganzglass, Bird and Prince (2011)
Non-credit classes are completely disconnected from degree programs
The national credentialing system is in chaos and does not serve the needs of employers or nontraditional students
U.S. needs a consistent and market relevant credentialing system that uses competency based assessment
Business Roundtable (2009)
Traditional educational systems are unable to validate non-credit learning
A new national system to measure and value non-credit coursework is urgently needed
Non-credit coursework provides a valuable benefit to workers and employers
Schooley, Moore and Magarie (2011)
Informal learning can keep worker skill sets relevant and can be delivered on a just-in-time basis
Millennial demographic cohort are both social media and digital natives
Companies are beginning to support informal learning opportunities to engage employees
Dean’s Assessment of Incumbent Worker Training Trends
Digital badges meet several market needs
Pedagogy impact
Business and market strategy impacts
Madison College Continuing Education Program
Madison Area Technical College serves more than 44,000 students at 11 locations in portions of 12 counties
Continuing Education served 14629 individuals in 2012
Broad programming range
Program Challenges
Moved to self-funded status
Student population shift
Shift to professional development programming
Competition
Introduction of Badges at Madison College
Improved learner outcomes through assessment
Employer credibility
Marketing opportunities
Lessons Learned
Technology not well supported; few vendor options
Resource intensive
Faculty training
Student training
Market strategies for roll-out; badges are ahead of customer demand
Potential Research Questions
The credit - non-credit divide (Slides 3,5,6)
Skills and competencies (Slides 3,5,7)
Employers' needs and practices with respect to credentials (Slides 5, 11)
Standardization versus Mozilla's commitment to "openness" (Slides 5,6)
Impact on pedagogical, curricular, and assessment practices in higher education (Slides 8,11)
Submitted for discussion by Dr. Olneck
Bibliography
(2009). Counting the hidden assets. Business Roundtable, Retrieved from http://www.businessroundtable.org
Fain, P. (2013, 4 22). Competency-based education's newest form creates promise and questions. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.edu
Flynn, W. J. (2004). Eight strategic questions for community college. NCCET, Retrieved from http://www.nccet.org
Ganzglass, E., Bird, K., & Prince, H. (2011). Giving credit where credit is due. Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success, Retrieved from http://www.clasp.org
Better futures for 2 million americans through open badges. (2013, 6 13). HASTAC. Retrieved from http://www.hastac.org
Schooley, C., Moore, C., & Magarie, A. (2011, 7 11). Informal learning garners acceptance as a legitimate learning approach [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://www.forrester.com
Soares, L. (2013). Post-traditional learners and the transformation of postsecondary education: A manifesto for college leaders. American Council on Education, Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu
Van Noy, M., Jacobs, J., Korey, S., Bailey, T., & Hughes, K. American Association of Community Colleges, (2008). Noncredit enrollment in workforce education: State policies and community college practices. Retrieved from website: http://www.aacc.nche.edu