A Message on Microcredentialing from Dr. Katie Linder, Associate Vice Chancellor for Digital Strategy and Learning

Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing with an update on our progress with microcredential efforts here at CU Denver, including next steps for our badging platform. Please feel free to pass along this update to your faculty, staff, and other colleagues who may also be interested in this work.

Microcredential Definition Feedback Sessions

Over the last few months, we have gathered feedback on a draft definition of microcredentials for CU Denver. The definition was informed by an exploration of definitions from other institutions, industry, and higher education adjacent organizations to better understand how others are framing microcredentials both historically and in the current moment. Additionally, this draft definition includes the various forms of microcredentialing already occurring at CU Denver such as our range of CPE programs, certificates, and other noncredit initiatives.

The draft definition for Microcredentials is: “an umbrella term for several types of small-scale, skill-based, earned recognitions of proficiency in a designated competency or set of competencies.”

Feedback has been gathered from six campus groups thus far, as well as from three open campus conversations. Several groups remain to be visited. Once these feedback sessions are complete, a report will be created and shared, along with a related FAQ that addresses questions raised in these feedback sessions.

If you would like to request a feedback session, please let me know and we can help you get a scheduled time with Jeremy Lingle, Director of Microcredentials. An introductory video about microcredentials is also available here if that’s helpful: https://ucdenver.edu/tips/program-strategy/microcredentials

New Credly Badging Platform

I’m really excited to share that the platform that will host the official badges for CU Denver is in the final stages of procurement (this process started last August, so it’s a long time coming!). A contract has now been signed by CU System and the platform provider, Credly. We are awaiting information about next steps for campus-level roll out from the Credly customer success manager.

A number of processes are being considered for establishing CU Denver’s badges, which will be shared with different constituents across campus in order to select initial approaches to pilot. It is expected that several processes will be needed based on the type of microcredential with which it is associated (e.g., graduate/undergraduate, credit and noncredit certificates, professional learning, etc.).

Microcredential and Badging Working Groups

To ensure that we engage in a collaborative process as we draft guidelines for developing microcredentials and designing and awarding badges, we are looking to create two working groups of campus community members. These groups will help shape the processes needed for a successful rollout of our microcredential efforts and our badging platform. We expect that the working groups will be particularly active during the months of March and April as we look to a summer of resource development and a Fall 2023 pilot project.

In collaboration with the schools/colleges and various campus departments (Registrar, CPE colleagues, the budget office, etc.), as well as in consultation with Faculty Assembly (including EPPC and LETTS committees), UCDALI, and Staff Council representatives, these working groups will engage in the following activities:

Microcredential Working Group

• Finalize definitions and categories for Microcredentials;
• Document processes for establishing microcredential programs, leveraging existing structures when possible;
• Clarify administrative responsibilities, and data and reporting needs; and
• Inform resource development and communication plans for our CU Denver community.

Badging Working Group

• Establish an initial badge taxonomy (i.e., how we will differentiate between different types and levels of badges) and related icons that follow University branding guidelines;
• Create guidelines for the CU Denver community for establishing and awarding Badges in Credly;
• Clarify administrative responsibilities; and
• Inform resource development and communication plans for our CU Denver community.

If you know campus community members who might be interested in these working groups, please have them fill out this survey to express their interest in joining this effort. We also are creating an “interest group” for folks who cannot commit to the working groups, but want to be kept informed about these efforts. People can also sign up for the interest group through the survey linked above.

Current State of Proposing Microcredentials

There may be some confusion about whether microcredentials can be proposed given the work that is ongoing in this space. To try and clarify, we do already offer microcredentials across the university in a variety of forms, particularly in the form of certificates. Since we do have models and processes for creating credit and noncredit certificates, those can be developed at any time.

Given that we have not had a badging platform until now, that piece is less clear. Badges are a form of documentation for microcredentials, so a microcredential can be created and designed, but we do not have processes in place yet to administer the badge that would be associated with a microcredential. Badges can be assigned retroactively, so if there is a desire to award a badge for a microcredential, we will need to track those requests for when the badge administration processes are in place. Through our working groups, we will strive to get these processes and procedures in place as swiftly as possible.

Questions or Feedback?

There are a lot of exciting things on the horizon with microcredential development and our new badging platform. I look forward to updating you in the months to come about our progress.

Please feel free to reach out to me or Jeremy with any questions you might have about this work.

Best,