Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota was invited to share their student-centered approach to badging with higher education administrators and faculty from across the nation last week as special contributors to the UPCEA Regions 2021 Conference Coffee Chat, Education Unbundled. Andrea Carroll-Glover, vice provost for online strategy and programs, and Carrie Wandler, Ed.D., interim director of CELT, shared insights into the unique ways that Saint Mary’s is using digital badging to empower students to be effective self-advocates for their career readiness.
“What makes badging so impactful is that it allows learners to showcase the knowledge and abilities that they have acquired in the classroom in a more robust and targeted way. Instead of just listing the courses they have taken on a resume, learners can use badges as linkable icons within their digital resumes. Employers can click on each icon and be brought to a page that provides an in-depth description of what the earner can do and what in-demand skills they have. This has been a game changer for our students, helping them to stand out and be noticed in an increasingly competitive job market,” Wandler explains.
The coffee chat was followed by a second presentation that Carroll-Glover and Wandler delivered at UPCEA Regions in partnership with colleagues from Southern New Hampshire University. This presentation, Building Workforce Relevant Skills Through University Initiatives and Digital Badges, focused on how skills-based learning can be made more transparent to learners at all levels. Wandler describes the impact of this work at the university, “Our students are so much more than their transcript; it is so gratifying to do work that helps them show the unique character of their Saint Mary’s education to the world.”
