Workshops and Micro-Credentials
The College of Education and Leadership continues to explore ways we can support the professional development of educators and educational leaders. In Fall 2017, we posed the following question:
How can we create meaningful, competency-based professional development experiences for educators that will directly impact the student learning environment?
Through our research, we have concluded that micro-credentials are a professional development currency gaining momentum in the field of education.
What are Micro-Credentials?
Micro-credentials are digital representations of educational achievements that identify the specific competencies attained and how the mastery of the competencies or skill acquisition was achieved. In order to earn a micro-credential, there is an expectation that educators will apply content knowledge within their classrooms or educational sphere of influence and submit artifacts as evidence of application of content knowledge to demonstrate mastery of specific knowledge and skills.
Current Micro-Credentials
We are piloting and developing an Educational Equity Micro-credential series. The first two micro-credentials: Building Awareness and Sensitivity for an Inclusive Community were piloted in Spring 2018, and further micro-credentials in Educational Equity will be developed and piloted during the 2018-19 academic year. Additionally in Summer 2018, we piloted Accessibility Basics in LMS (Canvas) Design.
For Fall 2018, we have developed a micro-credential opportunity to accompany The Principals’ Center workshop series Equity and Mindfulness for Educators. Also, we are launching the first workshop and micro-credential in our Coaching and Mentoring for Educators series: Building and Supporting a Trusting Relationship.
Both of these opportunities are open to interested educators for any district or school. Please see the Principal Center web page or the Southeastern Wisconsin Educator Project (SWEP) page for more details.