The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is expanding its microcredentialing footprint by offering digital badge courses.
Nebraska has long provided non-degree certificate programs, endorsements and industry certifications through online education and is now also offering digital badges for shorter, targeted courses that deliver in-demand training for individuals seeking new skills and knowledge to gain a competitive edge in the workforce.
A digital badge is a web-based icon that verifies a person’s skills, achievements or continuing education. The badges contain metadata tracking the badge to the institution or company that offered the course.
Following a two-year pilot project that developed and offered digital badge classes in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the catalog now includes Nebraska Innovation Studio courses, including Drone Pilot Training-Part 107, Universal Robots CORE Training and Collaborative Robot Welding.
Additional classes from across campus are expected to roll out in the coming year. A team in the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor, led by Kevin Shriner, assistant vice chancellor for digital and online learning, and Angie Rushman, microcredentials and badging coordinator, is working with colleges, faculty and staff to develop new classes. The microcredential digital badge catalog is available online. Additionally, current courses are listed through the University of Nebraska system’s online professional development catalog, NUAdvance.
“If our pilot within IANR and CASNR is any indication of the potential, a lot of colleges and faculty will be interested once they become familiar with the opportunity,” Shriner said. “Our faculty and staff will be teaching these courses, and for many people who already have a degree, they can add skills, backed by an institution — UNL — and that allows employers to see they have a skill set,” Shriner said.
The university is utilizing Canvas to confer the badges. Badges can be included on physical and virtual resumes, career sites such as LinkedIn or on social media sites, or they can be printed in certificate form. Digital badges have been around for about a decade but are becoming more popular as employers move further into digitized hiring and recruiting.
“It’s verified, vetted and, with the metadata, the employers can understand what the badge means and what skills were gained,” Rushman said.
Typically, a class offered for a digital badge from the university will require about 15 hours of coursework — the equivalent of a one credit-hour course.
Travis Ray, program coordinator for embedded systems at Innovation Studio, said the badges offer extra value to those who are taking classes.
“This badging offers institutional backing and demonstrates quickly to prospective or current employers or prospective business partners that they’ve completed the training or the work to learn a skill,” he said.
Many courses were popular during the pilot, Rushman said. For example, more than 900 people earned a badge in the Cottage Food Law course — a course required by Nebraska law for small, home-based food producers to sell direct-to-consumer. The class covers business and food requirements, labeling, and venues and services.
The microcredential digital badge courses are open to everyone, with plans to also offer some digital badges to Husker students.
“As students are preparing for their careers and applying for jobs, we know they are using their digital backpacks to show their skills and what credentials they have,” Rushman said.
Shriner expects to partner with companies, as well.
“We suspect we will have requests from businesses, and working with our faculty, we can deliver something specifically for them,” he said.
David Martin, executive director of Innovation Studio, is excited to be possibly the only makerspace to offer digital badging, which adds exponential value to current and prospective members.
“Now that we've taken the first step in microcredentials, Nebraska Innovation Studio plans to expand the digital badges we offer to include areas of expertise demonstrated in the makerspace,” Martin said. “This could include such skills as 3D printing or digital fabrication. These new badges recognize some of the hands-on, experiential skills our members acquire.”
