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Developing a Systemof Micro-credentials:Supporting Deeper Learning in the Classroom

OverviewWhat aremicro-credentials?. 3What is Deeper Learning?. 5What are Deeper Learningmicro-credentials?.13What is next?. 20The fine print.back

What Are EducatorMicro-credentials?Teachers earn credentials at the beginning of their careers, but they learn new skillsevery day. While teachers are recognized for the time they spend in formal professionaldevelopment settings, they often don’t have the opportunity to demonstrate the fullbreadth of what they have learned, including in informal contexts.To address this, Digital Promise is building a system of micro-credentials to provideprofessional educators a new way to identify competencies they are developing and gainrecognition for the skills they learn throughout their careers.We can move to a competency-basedsystem of professional F COMPETENCESource: g-Paper.pdfN TI A L SMULTIPLE WAYSTO LEARNDeveloping a System of Micro-credentials3

What Are EducatorMicro-credentials?Bite-sized—focused on a specific, observable competencySubject-adaptable—can usually be adapted to multiple subject areas tosupport college and career-ready standardsResearch-based—grounded in educational researchTeacher- and student-centered—teachers can be selected based on thespecific and relevant needs of studentsPersonal and timely—supports professional growthPortable—can be shared as digital badges in online platformsTransparent—supported by publicly available, accessible content,including criteria for assessmentPerformance-based—demonstrated through artifacts, such as: Lesson, project, and unit plansStudent work samplesTeacher and student reflectionsObservationsVideos of teacher and student interactionPeer and self evaluations and reviewsDeveloping a System of Micro-credentials4

What is DeeperLearning?“Deeper Learning” is an umbrella term for the skills, understandings, and mindsetsstudents must possess to succeed in today’s jobs and civic life. At its heart, DeeperLearning is defined by a set of competencies students must master to develop akeen understanding of academic content and apply their skills to challenges in theclassroom, on the job, and in everyday life.Why does DeeperLearning matter?Deeper Learning is for ALL students —providinga solid foundation for lifelong learning.Deeper Learning provides a framework throughwhich ALL students can develop the criticalskills they will need to succeed in college,in the workforce, and as lifelong learners.By engaging with Deeper Learning competencies,students become more motivated and able toapply what they have learned across subjectareas and topics, helping them master thecontent and retain what they have learned.Developing a System of Micro-credentials5

HISTORYFramework forDeeper LearningDeeper Learning is comprised ofsix categories of strategies that are essentialfor students to achieve at high levels. Byengaging in Deeper Learning, studentswill master academic content, developknowledge, skills, and academic mindsets,and learn more efficiently.

Framework forDeeper Learning1Master coreacademiccontentClearly state why the contentmatters.Explain and/or demonstrate thecore facts and concepts of thesubject, how they relate to yourwork, and how they relate to eachother.HISTORYUse and apply the core processesand procedures that are commonpractice in the subject.Transfer your knowledge of thecore facts, concepts, processes, andlanguage to a novel context.Developing a System of Micro-credentials7

Framework forDeeper Learning2Think criticallyand solve complexproblemsAnalyze and develop a complex question,problem, issue, or perspective and identify itsrelevant parts or dimensions.Consider possible approaches to a question,problem, issue, or perspective and generatea hypothesis and action plan.Recognize the facts, concepts, processes,and language you need to learn to addressthe question, problem, issue, or perspective,and use effective strategies to acquire them.Evaluate the reliability and validity of newinformation, evidence, and ideas frommultiple sources and perspectives.Support your hypothesis or position withgood evidence and logical reasoning.Carry out your action plan and when yourapproach is not working, persist, adjust, andtry something different.Seek out and positively respond to critiquesof your ideas, and give kind and specificfeedback to others.Purposely reflect on your process and yourwork.Developing a System of Micro-credentials8

Framework forDeeper Learning3WorkcollaborativelyContribute relevant knowledge,skills, and ideas to the groupand listen carefully to others’contributions.Encourage and build on a range ofideas from the group.Identify why your individualresponsibilities matter to the group’swork and why you should completethem in a timely manner.Work with the group on an actionplan that has specific goals anddistributes the work fairly.Help the group work productivelytoward its goals, resolving conflictswhen necessary.Give feedback to others in thegroup about their collaboration andintegrate their feedback into youractions.Work with the group to assessprogress toward its goals.Developing a System of Micro-credentials9

Framework forDeeper Learning4CommunicateeffectivelyIdentify your target audience and itscharacteristics and needs.Create messages that are clear,accessible, and useful to youraudience.Concisely state the main idea andpurpose of your message.Communicate your meaning in bothwritten and oral form.Choose a communication form thatsuits your audience and purpose.Consider feedback from reliablesources and respond to questions,critiques, counterarguments, andsuggestions.Offer kind, specific, and helpfulfeedback to others.Developing a System of Micro-credentials10

Framework forDeeper Learning5Learn howto learnSeek out intellectual, creative, andpersonal challenges that lead togrowth and learning.Set goals and keep track of progress.Recognize what you don’t knowor understand and find strategiesor support from others to help fillthose gaps.Seek feedback for improvement.Treat mistakes as opportunities tolearn.Use revisions and reflections togrow and learn.Developing a System of Micro-credentials11

Framework forDeeper Learning6DevelopacademicmindsetsSeek out academic challenges thatlead to growth and learning.Identify the relevance and value ofthe academic work.Take initiative and show effort inyour work.Persist despite difficulties.Show increasing autonomy in yourwork.Build helpful relationships andaccess the support and resourcesyou need.Consider ethical values in alldecision making and behavior.Developing a System of Micro-credentials12

Deeper LearningMicro-credentialsDigital Promise embarked upon a mission to determinehow teachers can demonstrate and be recognized for theirability to engage students in Deeper Learning.There are 40 micro-credentialsthat can be mapped to the six indicators of Deeper Learning.For Deeper Learning,research suggeststhat student work isthe most powerfulartifact of mastery.Developing a System of Micro-credentials13

Deeper LearningMicro-credentials1Master core academic contentMaking Projects Real—knowing and practicing theessential activities of each stage of a project to improvestudent learning and support successful outcomes forlearning projects.Mapping Facts—creating visual maps of what studentsthink are the key facts in a topic to be learned, beforeand after study, to see the effects of the learningprocess and to deepen learning.Mapping Processes—creating visual maps of whatstudents think are the key processes in a topic to belearned, before and after study, to see the effects ofthe learning process and to deepen learning.Mapping Concepts—creating visual maps of whatstudents think are the key concepts in a topic to belearned, before and after study, to see the effects ofthe learning process and to deepen learning.Developing a System of Micro-credentials14

Deeper LearningMicro-credentials2Think critically and solve complex problemsProductive Researching—using astructured approach to get the mostout of finding, evaluating, and usinginformation in the research process.Effective Reasoning—using a timetested, logical scientific reasoningprocess to develop and test ahypothesis related to a learningchallenge.Systems Thinking—understandinghow connections and feedback loopswork in complicated systems tobuild systems thinking and complexproblem-solving skills.Idea Generating—enhancing creativethinking and idea generation througha well-structured set of processes thatboth expand and deepen learning.Evaluating Online Information—distinguishing fact from fiction, prooffrom persuasion, and authority fromadvertising to assess the credibilityand reliability of online information.Evidence-backed Positions—engaging in learning projectsthat build a number of essentialcommunication, critical thinking, andother Deeper Learning skills, suchas researching, analyzing, clarifying,categorizing, prioritizing, questioning,explaining, defending, and mostimportantly, building a case withstrong evidence to support a position.Kind Critiquing— offering feedbackthat is timely, specific, actionable,and positive to increase motivationto deepen one’s learning.Practicing Reflection—reflecting onone’s learning before, during, andafter learning activities.Sound Decision-making—taking thetime to fully explore the options andpossible outcomes of decisions, withdiscussions and reflections from others,to make better and deeper decisions.Creative Problem Solving—enhancing the process of devisingcreative solutions by incorporatinga variety of perspectives and usingdiffering views to stimulate a moreunexpected, innovative solution.Analyzing Media Impacts—analyzingand understanding how mediamessages are intentionally crafted toproduce specific audience responsesto become more media literate, betterable to choose media for learninggoals, and better able to craft effectivemedia messages.Designing Effective Solutions—using a tested design anddevelopment project methodologyto create an effective solution to aproblem.Developing a System of Micro-credentials15

Deeper LearningMicro-credentials3Work collaborativelyProductive Teamwork—creating an upfront Team Agreementto set goals and expectations for how teamwork will happenin a project.Getting Help & Support—practicing positive strategiesfor seeking help and finding support to enhance students’social support networks and increase their motivation andopportunities for lifelong Deeper Learning.Belonging & Caring—having a regular time to check in witha consistent group of peers and adults and share what’shappening in their lives in order to build students’ sense ofbelonging.Managing Project Cycles—knowing and practicing theessential activities of each stage of a project to improvestudent learning and support successful outcomes for learningprojects.Collaborative Problem Solving—working together throughfour stages of a problem-solving challenge to design solutionscollaboratively.Resolving Conflicts—understanding each team member’sconflict resolution style to develop effective strategies to resolvedifferences of opinion or approach among members of a team.Effective Leadership—practicing proven student leadershipstrategies and methods.Practicing Open-mindedness—actively searching for evidenceagainst one’s favored beliefs, values, plans, or goals; weighingsuch evidence fairly: and considering alternative perspectives todeepen one’s understanding of and empathy for diverse pointsof view.Developing a System of Micro-credentials16