Signaling Student Experience and Accomplishment

The methods for signaling individuals’ capabilities and competencies are rapidly changing, even as little consensus exists about the value and validation of these alternative methods. In one area, however, leaders from the postsecondary and workforce community do agree – student transcripts do not convey the information and insight they should for students or employers. As postsecondary institutions continue to enhance alignment with the needs of students and employers, they are striving to evolve how and from where students’ evidence of learning is collected and validated.

Building on findings from our Evidence of Learning publication series and in partnership with University of Central Oklahoma’s Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching & Learning, we hosted a discussion with leaders rethinking how institutions introduce models that enhance students’ ability to demonstrate and promote their learning and experience. Our panelists, noted below, shared rich insights into the evolution of the credentialing ecosystem; compelling institutional badging and authentic assessment models; and awareness of the need for broader, more transparent community engagement.

• Jeff King, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching & Learning, University of Central Oklahoma
• Bret Eynon, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, LaGuardia Community College (CUNY)
• Matthew Pittinsky, Chief Executive Officer, Parchment
• Adam Newman, Founder and Managing Partner, Tyton Partners (Moderator)

For those interested in a deeper dive into this topic, a link to the archived webinar can be found below, as well as the presentation used during the discussion. In addition, we have included access to resources that each of the participating organizations has shared that offers additional commentary on this vibrant set of issues.

Listen to webinar recording here

View webinar presentation here

Additional Resources on Evidence of Learning

Tyton Partners

• “Evidence of Learning: A Framework for Facilitation“
• The Case for an Integrated Competency Management System
• Evidence of Learning: Understanding the Supplier Ecosystem

University of Central Oklahoma

• Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR)
• “Transformative Learning at the University of Central Oklahoma“
• “Lumina Foundation “Beyond the Transcript” Initiative“
• UCO Center for Excellence in Transformative Teaching and Learning

LaGuardia Community College

• Making Connections: National Resource Center on Inquiry, Reflection and Integrative Education
• Catalyst for Learning: ePortfolio Resources and Research
• The Difference that Inquiry Makes: A Collaborative Case Study of Technology and Learning, from the Visible Knowledge Project

Parchment

• Extending the Credential; Empowering the Learner
• “Making Credentials Matter“
• “How to Connect K12 and Higher Ed with Structured Data“
• “Underserved and Overburdened, Transfer Students Face an Uphill Battle to Earn Their Degrees“