Dive Brief:
- Eduventures has three recommendations for college administrators looking to build a strategic framework for alternative credentialing to minimize confusion within the institution and among prospective adult learners.
- The first step, it says, is to define all of the alternative credentialing options, and to then determine the preferred outcome of such credentials — whether it is to prove mastery of a skill, complete a portion of a degree, or demonstrate additional learning.
- Once that is clear, institutions must articulate the ways in which alternative credentials fit into more traditional pathways or replace them.
Dive Insight:
Eduventures’ latest research outlines the need for clarity more than anything else. Everyone seems to be confused about where alternative credentials fit in. Prospective students still overwhelmingly prefer traditional degrees to alternative credentials when looking to further their education. For colleges and universities interested in expanding their offerings, Eduventures’ strategic planning can help define the value proposition and clarify the role such alternative pathways can fill.