An umbrella term that includes degrees, diplomas, certificates, badges, professional/industry certifications, and licenses. Credentials vary in the awarding organization, the standards on which the award is based, and the rigor and type of assessment and validation processes used to attest to the skills, knowledge, and abilities credential holders possess.
Published in Chapter:
Opportunities for Innovation With Competencies as Currency
Deborah Everhart (Georgetown University, USA) and Deborah M. Seymour (Higher Education Innovation Consulting, USA)
Copyright: © 2021
|Pages: 26
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-1928-8.ch016
Abstract
Learners' needs are changing rapidly, driven by innovations in technology and the world of work. Increasingly, learners need flexible education options and the ability to verify their own competencies as valuable currency for careers. Multiple trends are putting pressure on postsecondary education to be more flexible and competency based. Credit hours as a basis for defining credentials will drive postsecondary practices for some time, but there are opportunities for innovation with competencies as a parallel and complementary currency. Credit hours define degree attainment, financial aid, and other critical functions. Competencies articulate learning that has value both within and outside educational institutions. This chapter analyzes how credits and competencies provide value for stakeholders in learning ecosystems, including education providers, employers, and learners. Effective changes in postsecondary practices can be achieved through focusing on competency-based learning and credentialing practices that incorporate the value of competencies into credit hour-based processes.