Empowering Personal Development: Introducing Digital Badges and Verifiable Credentials
In today’s fast-paced world, continuous learning has become more important than ever before. Not only are technological advancements happening at an accelerated pace, but they’re also anticipated to reshape millions of jobs over the next decade, according to the European Commission. Because of this, individuals need to keep themselves updated with the latest skills and knowledge to stay competitive in the job market.
But, how can educational institutions and university registrars motivate students to pursue continuous learning when learners don’t see the immediate value in doing so? Read on to find out how organisations across the educational realm are using digital credentials to support and motivate students along their lifelong learning journeys.
In today’s fast-paced world, continuous learning has become more important than ever before. Not only are technological advancements happening at an accelerated pace, but they’re also anticipated to reshape millions of jobs over the next decade, according to the European Commission. Because of this, individuals need to keep themselves updated with the latest skills and knowledge to stay competitive in the job market.
But, how can educational institutions and university registrars motivate students to pursue continuous learning when learners don’t see the immediate value in doing so? Read on to find out how organisations across the educational realm are using digital credentials to support and motivate students along their lifelong learning journeys.
The accelerated growth of digital credentialing in education
Digital credentials — typically issued by educational institutions, training providers or professional organisations — are more granular and flexible ways of representing an individual’s full scope of capabilities, compared to traditional degrees and certifications.
According to the State of Digital Credentials report from Accredible, there’s been a notable increase in the number of credentials issued to learners in recent years. This swift growth is generally attributed to the convenience, portability, stackability and security that verifiable digital credentials offer learners, which give them a better opportunity to present a full picture to third parties of who they are and what they’ve accomplished.
The value of lifelong learning
It’s critical for organisations in the education sector to motivate students to engage in continuous learning to help them stay relevant, skilled and adaptable in an ever-changing job market. As a matter of fact, Talent Accelerator reports that 82% of employees and 62% of HR directors believe there’s a need for workers to reskill or upskill at least once a year.
Persistent learning gives individuals the necessary skills to succeed in their field and role while helping to foster personal growth, enhance critical thinking abilities and promote innovation. Education providers are well suited to meet the increasing demands for continuous education, and by doing so, they can help students thrive in their careers and become lifelong learners.
Let’s take a closer look at how higher institutions and university registrars can use digital credentials to encourage continued education among learners of all ages.
4 ways digital credentials can promote continuous learning
Here are four ways that organisations across the education sector can use digital credentials to influence learners to pursue a continued education:
- Offer digital badges for course completion: Digital badges are visual representations of achievements, skills or knowledge that individuals can earn by completing a course or specific learning objective. Badges can be displayed on students’ online portfolios or shared on social media. Giving learners a tangible reward and recognition for their efforts — that can be easily shared and verified as needed — is an effective way to improve engagement, retention and motivation.
- Provide personalised experiences: Simply put, a one-size-fits-all approach to learning doesn’t work. With digital credentials, organisations can provide tailored learning experiences that are tailored to each student’s individual needs and interests. This might involve customised learning paths or individualised feedback to help them recognise the immediate value of pursuing lifelong learning.
- Introduce credentials for non-degree programs: Just as a universal approach to learning isn’t the best option for every learner, neither are traditional, full-degree programs. As an alternative, institutions and registrars can consider digital credentials for non-degree programs, such as workshops or short courses. This offers a more flexible learning experience, allowing individuals the opportunity to earn credentials for specific skills — without committing to a full-time degree plan.
- Create a digital credentialing program: Organisations can also implement digital credentialing programs to provide students with a clear path toward their learning goals. With programs typically including a variety of courses to earn niche credentials, learners can complete relevant short courses and demonstrate a broader range of skills and knowledge. This is a surefire way for individuals to maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly cutthroat job market.
While it’s clear that digital credentials are a powerful motivator for students to pursue education long-term, organisations need trusted partners and solutions that can help them take advantage of digital credentials effectively — and Digitary by Parchment can help.
The Digitary by Parchment approach to digital credentials
Digitary by Parchment has provided the support needed by leading institutions across the globe with the Digitary platform, which promotes digital credentialing solutions and supports implementing micro-credentialing strategies in institutions through open badges.
With Digitary by Parchment, your institution can take advantage of digital credentialing and badging solutions to:
- Engage candidates in continuous learning.
- Deliver a high-quality learning experience.
- Make training and education more accessible.
- Motivate and encourage alumni to return and re-skill.
In an ever-changing job market, digital credentials are the lifelong human capital currency that opens doors for learners. Ready to empower students of all ages on their lifelong learning journeys with digital credentials? Submit an enquiry to get started.
