Digital Credentials Summit 2018

8:00 am - 9:00 am

Breakfast

Welcome

• Rob Abel, CEO, 1EdTech Consortium

The Opportunity Gap and What We Can Do About It: Unrealized Potential from K-20 to Work
The opening session will address how educators and employers can work together to tap the valuable pool of knowledge, skills, and abilities of their learners, including the use of technologies such as digital credentials to match employment supply and demand. The conversation will explore integrating industry credentials into a for-credit curriculum, using credentials to build social capital in the workforce, and tapping hidden talents in under-represented communities.

• Ryan Davis, President and CEO, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

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Building a Strategic Employer Engagement Plan
Expert guidance on steps to align your curriculum with workplace needs and keeping them aligned including the use of digital credentials.

• Jeff King, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching & Learning, University of Central Oklahoma
• Heidi Wilkes, Associate Vice President for Learning Solutions, Southern New Hampshire University

      

The Market is Demanding Faster + Cheaper Alternatives

The twin crises of college affordability and employability have birthed a new American revolution in postsecondary education: the emergence of faster + cheaper alternative pathways to good first (digital) jobs. These alternatives – in the form of bootcamps, income share programs, apprenticeship and staffing/placement models, all incorporating last-mile technical/digital training – are poised to capture millions of enrollments and prompt a radical restaging of how young people consume postsecondary education. 

• Ryan Craig, Author, Educator and Founder of University Ventures

Connecting Employer-based Micro-credential Programs to Education Outcomes

The IT skills gap is an increasing challenge for the IT industry and there’s more interest than ever in aligning employer-sponsored programs to educational institutions to create desired educational outcomes. As they consider how to train and validate cloud skills that are constantly changing, more IT companies are looking toward micro-credentials and badging as part of their modern credentialing solution. This session discusses how Microsoft is “reimagining” certification and training into a learning model that promotes lifelong learning through the use of digital credentials and working with educational institutions to create a mutually supportive relationship in a learner-centered program.

• Selina Winter, Senior Business Program Manager, Certification, Microsoft

Employer Challenges in Talent Acquisition: What Higher Education Can Do To Help

Moderator - Matthew Pittinsky, President, Parchment

• Ryan Davis, President and CEO, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
• De Anne Russell, Regional Director of Talent Acquisition, Dignity Health
• Kelli Jordan, Director of New Collar Program, IBM
• Jennifer Mellor, Vice President, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

                    

Policy, Practice and Cultural Barriers to Partnership between Employers and Institutions: What Can and Should Be Done

• Phil Regier, University Dean for Educational Initiatives and CEO, EdPlus at Arizona State University
• Michele Sandlin, Managing Consultant, AACRAO
• Karen Peters, Acting Academic Dean for the College of Information Systems and Technology, University of Phoenix 
• Andrea Deau, Director of Information Technology, University of Wisconsin Extension

The Benefits of Micro-credentials to Learners, Employers and Institutions: Lessons from Three Successful Micro-Credential Programs 

• Madison Area Technical College: presented by Katherine Radionoff, Dean, School of Professional and Continuing Education

• Ball State University: presented by Richard Edwards, Executive Director for Strategic Learning

• Colorado Community College System: presented by Michael Macklin, Associate Provost for Workforce Development/Partnerships

          

Action Planning for Employer/Education Partnerships: Outreach, Planning, Implementing and Measuring     

Moderator: Jon Mott, Chief Academic Officer, Learning Objects     

• Ryan Davis, President and CEO, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
• Kathleen deLaski, President, Education Design Lab
• Lou Pugliese, Senior Innovation Fellow & Managing Director Action Lab, EdPlus at ASU
• Julie Uranis, Vice President for Online and Strategic Initiatives, UPCEA

DIGITAL CREDENTIALS SUMMIT PROGRAM AGENDA - DAY TWO
Meeting Room Location: SkySong I - Room 301 Ingenuity
(Note: Different Building than Day One)

An Evidence-Based Process for Quality Digital Credentials

• Jeff King, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching & Learning, University of Central Oklahoma 

The University of Central Oklahoma's badge-based Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR) initiative is into its fourth year and generating compelling, evidence-based and data-supported results. STLR was built to help students develop workforce skills regardless of discipline and has been strongly informed since its inception with input from the STLR Employer Advisory Board. A UCO-AT&T research partnership is digging into "STLRized" graduates' preparation and abilities. Other institutions have adopted/adapted STLR, and a collaborative of those institutions now has a global footprint. We're completely transparent about all this, and it's free—details in this session.

Learning Pathways - Guiding Learner Skills Progression

• Wayne Skipper, CEO, Concentric Sky
• Kathleen deLaski, Founder and President, Education Design Lab

1EdTech standards such as Open Badges, CASE, and Extended Transcript give structure to a learner’s achievements, making them digitally verifiable and understandable in a broader context. But how does a learner know what options are available to them as the next step in their personal learning journey? Can we help learners understand their progress on learning pathways that span multiple institutional settings? 1EdTech contributing member Concentric Sky has proposed a new 1EdTech standard for Learning Pathways that ties together Open Badges, CASE, and Extended Transcript, making competency frameworks navigable to learners. Kathleen deLaski from Education Design Lab will demonstrate the Lab's 21st Century skill badges in Badgr as one use case for inserting portable skill credentials into multiple learning pathways. Come see a demonstration of this powerful new concept in action from leaders in the digital credentials movement.

Southern New Hampshire University's Blockchain-Based Digital Credentials Project

• Heidi Wilkes, Associate Vice President for Learning Solutions, Southern New Hampshire University
• Benjamin Dexter, Learning Solutions Analyst, Southern New Hampshire University

SNHU is widely recognized as a leader in competency-based education innovation and employer partnerships.  Come hear how SNHU is helping their learners receive recognition for their skills and achievements through digital credentials.  See the role that Blockchain will have in their future plans.  SNHU and 1EdTech share a long-term vision for technology that provides secure documentation of learner achievements searchable by employers needing qualified candidates. SNHU plans to navigate the steps to deliver these credentials with Learning Machine and using the Blockchain. Hear SNHU's plans to evaluate the value this provides to their students.

IBM + Northeastern University - Creating Learner Opportunities

• Kemi Jona, Associate Dean, Northeastern University
• Kelli Jordan, Director of New Collar Program, IBM

Northeastern University announced an innovative collaboration using IBM Digital Badges. IBM employees, customers, and members of the public can now use IBM issued badge credentials toward three Northeastern professional master’s degree programs—data analytics, project management, and portfolio management—with 51 additional graduate degrees and 17 certificate programs to follow.     

Exploring the Key Features of Open Badges 2.0

Join Open Badges platform providers and hear directly how they are enhancing their products to use new features of Open Badges 2.0 such as endorsements, badge image accessibility, multiple language options, versioning, and enhanced profiles.

RMIT: Engaging Employers in Innovative Credential Design 

• Jonathan Finkelstein, CEO, Credly
• Darien Rossiter, Principal Advisor to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Vice-President, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) is a global university of technology, design and enterprise and one of Australia’s largest and most prestigious institutions of higher education. RMIT has a proud 130-year history of partnering with industry to develop educational experiences, so it was a natural step to initiate a University-wide micro-credential program to improve students’ employability, career outcomes, and life skills. By incorporating innovative educational design, key industry expertise, and an integrated technology approach to its overall strategy, RMIT seeks to develop a leading role within the digital credentialing community both nationally and internationally. Learn how RMIT's 21st Century credentials (21CC) initiative is evolving and growing as we continue to enhance our strategy and approaches in close co-operation with university staff and industry partners, such as Credly.

Accelerate Hiring and Talent Development with Digital Credentials

• Pete Janzow, Co-founder, Acclaim
• Panel

IBM, EY, Microsoft, Pearson and ASU Ed Plus operate open badge programs to upskill, recruit, develop and deploy talent more effectively than ever. Each organization's specific goals connect to one overarching outcome: deliver a workforce that is ready to contribute to an ever-changing global economy. For learners across each of these programs, the badges represent an investment in their personal career growth, advancement and professional opportunities. Their badges make skills more transparent, portable and relevant than ever. In addition, learners leverage Acclaim's labor market insights to directly connect current skills with other learning opportunities, competencies, and paths that will ensure a strong professional future. This panel discussion will highlight success stories and best practices from these organizations.

21st Century Credentials for 21st Century Learners

• Heather Sharbaugh, Director of Academic Records, Colorado Technical University

• Jason Weaver, Senior Director of Product, Parchment

Colorado Technical University implemented an electronic credential program to issue credentials quickly, securely and in the medium their students wanted. CTU spearheaded the implementation of connected and portable digital credentials for its summative degree programs early in 2017 and has scaled up its credentialing efforts to include formative digital badges in several programs, and is on target to have issued more than 10,000 digital credentials in the initiative's first year. CTU's digital credentialing initiative builds on processes students are already using to access their transcripts via Parchment. On average, 80% of CTU students engage with their digital credentials.

Developing a Coalition for Preservice Educational Technology Open Badges

• Richard West, Associate Professor, Brigham Young University

The intersection of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and digital micro-credentials offers educational leaders the opportunity to revolutionize teacher professional development. Seven universities have been working collaboratively to form a national coalition to transform teacher professional development, with digital micro-credentials as a key aspect. Open Badges have been implemented at three of the partner universities, enabling the creation of customizable learning pathways for students in various majors and with various needs.