eMadrid Network, coordinated by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, organized on May 13 the seminar on “Microcredentials as facilitators of lifelong learning” together with the UNESCO Chair “Scalable Digital Education for All”. The eMadrid Network is a project promoted by six universities in Madrid (UC3M, UAM, UCM, URJC, UPM and UNED) that aims to promote everything related to research and development of educational technologies. It is a project co-financed by the Community of Madrid through grant S2018/TCS-4307, co-financed with European Structural Funds (ESF and ERDF). The seminar was attended by international speakers with diverse approaches to microcredentials including higher education, technology companies and non-profit organizations. The recorded presentations can be viewed at the links below.
María Eugenia Renaldi, Account Manager Italy Spain at LinkedIn, shared her vision on the role of constant training in a skills-based labor context, and how the technology company has been incorporating training pills and its own credentials in the market of supply and demand of employment in which its users move. In Maria Eugenia’s words,
“Updating personal skills has become a central factor in staying relevant in the job market. Recent LinkedIn data shows that the skill set has changed by 25% since 2015. By 2027, these numbers are expected to double. Currently 40% of recruiters use candidates’ skills-related information during the hiring process, compared to 20% the previous year. Our data suggests that the skills required for a particular position will not remain constant and these changes will only be seen to accelerate over time.”
Richard West, Professor of Educational Psychology and Technology at Brigham Young University, explained about the potential of Open Micro/Nano-Credentials at the Micro, Meso and Macro Levels of Education as an emerging innovation to support the way we assess and recognize learning. According to Richard himself,
“Open micro/nanocredentials are one aspect of open education infrastructure capable of enhancing traditional educational practices around how we recognize and certify learning. I also study research findings on how these open credentials might impact teaching and learning at the micro (individual), meso (institutional) and macro (societal) levels, and draw recommendations for both practice and research.”
Beatriz Arnillas, Director of Curriculum Innovation at the IMS Global Education Consortium, presented her organization’s work in creating digital standards for lifelong learning. In Beatriz’s words,
“How do you document knowledge, certificates, skills and attitudes learned in various positions, and even various careers? Until recently, open digital standards were considered cutting edge. Now they are a necessity for detailed and proven communication of training and professional experiences.”