Credential Innovations for Inclusive Pathways to Professions

With the increasingly interconnected learning and employment ecosystems, competency-based e-credentials and alternative e-credentials are trailblazing multiple pathways to professions for inclusive excellence. Integrating high-leverage pedagogies, high-impact field experiences, and competency-based assessments with evidence-rich documentations, the new generation of micro-credentials and digital badges offer competitive advantages for both professional growth and career advancement. The proliferation of e-credentials and alternative e-credentials reflects cross-sector interests in recent years. However, the varying quality and value of the e-credentials are creating confusion and will likely impact practices across educational, employment, and policy arenas on how learning and credentials are designed, experienced, and awarded. Credential Innovations for Inclusive Pathways to Professions surveys the state of e-credential exam current practices and explores future impactions with case studies highlighting e-credentials and alternative e-credentials issued through a variety of agencies across the nation. This book simultaneously increases the quality and value of e-credentials through collective research and development, while at the same time improving validity and transparency of e-credentials through multi-sector partnerships for inclusive excellence. Covering topics such as credential value, digital badging, and social learning communities, this book is an ideal resource for managers, teachers, administrators, researchers, students, professors, and academicians.