CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Leaders say shorter, more targeted learning experiences focused on leveraging specific skills are the future of higher education.
Microcredentials are designed to offer students more flexibility and accessibility than traditional university degree courses.
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission met Thursday to further chart the path to implementing these microcredentials at colleges and universities across the state. They consider the new initiative Credential WV.
Dr. Corey Dennison
Dr. Corey Dennison, Policy Board Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said microcredentials are a unique option available to students to accelerate the pace of their higher education experience, meeting the evolving demands of West Virginia’s workforce. He said there was.
“We have always earned certificates and provided certificates, but the difference between microcredentials and, say, minors and certificates is that they help students improve their employability and workforce skills. “It’s a short, very skills-specific module that you take,” Dennison said.
At a summit earlier this month, higher education leaders developed a strategy to introduce microcredentials programs into existing academic courses. Dennison said some educational institutions in the state have already begun incorporating microcredentials programs into their curriculum.
He said several states, including New York, Ohio and Colorado, are leading the way in microcredentialing universities.
Dennison said the specific skill sets for these microcredential courses could include everything from phlebotomy to grants and technical documentation to automotive technology and bookkeeping. He said the possibilities are endless and span multiple areas.
“One of the things I was talking about with New York was surgical processing, the sterilization of surgical instruments. There’s a huge demand for this, and New York said it’s one of the most popular microcredentials. ” he said.
How it works is that once a student completes a microcredential course and demonstrates competency within that course, they are issued a digital badge that they can present to employers to demonstrate that they have mastered the relevant skills.
He said that when speaking with higher education leaders in New York, he was able to gain more insight into how beneficial the microcredentials route can be when applying skills to real-world situations. .
“What he was saying was that if you do the right thing and have the skills that employers want, students can use these micro-credentials to turn things around and have an immediate impact on their salary and certification prospects. “It’s about realizing that you can give a ‘job’,” Dennison said.
Dennison said the higher education sector is beginning to see more and more adult learners, and the power dynamics are changing.
He said the average age of students currently enrolled in higher education is 25 to 26 years old.
“The idea of the traditional 18-year-old graduating high school and going to college still exists in very large numbers, but more and more adult learners are coming to campus and, frankly, “They often want a shorter path to qualification,” Dennison said.
Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia Secretary of Higher Education, said the statewide implementation of microcredentials will directly impact students’ lives by meeting students where they are and preparing them for where they want to go. He said it could have an impact.
“Imagine a working professional who can only take a few courses at a time, a high school graduate who wants to quickly build a portfolio of skills, or a mid-career employee who needs to reskill for a new job opportunity. “By using it, we can provide these individuals with practical, career-relevant tools that they can apply immediately, whether they want to advance in their current role or pivot to a new industry.” Armstrong Tucker said in a statement.
The Higher Education Policy Commission wants to expand Credential WV to all colleges and universities in the state over the next three years.
