UCW launches a set of micro-credentials for new students

University Canada West has launched a set of  micro-credentials  available to all new students at the outset of their academic journey.

At the start of each term, new students must attend UCW’s New Student Orientation and complete the four weeklong Learning4Success workshops.

These free, comprehensive sessions provide students the tools they need to excel in their degree programs and graduate on time. The workshops are held weekly over the first four weeks of the term and cover critical academic skills such as notetaking, research, academic writing, academic integrity and study strategies.

Students earn a badge for each workshop they attend and submit the required assignment. Students who complete all four weekly sessions of Learning4Success workshops also receive a Certificate of Achievement.

Launched at the beginning of the Summer (July) 2020 Term, the latest initiative from UCW’s Innovation Hub has already seen tremendous success.

So far,  3,861 Learning4Success micro-credential badges have been issued to students who completed the workshops in the Summer and Fall 2020 terms. Students can share their digital badges on social media and add them to their LinkedIn profile and resumé.

“These workshops and badges help our students build their competencies and the power skills they will need for employability,” said Dr. Cyndi Banks, VP Academic. “The student excitement over this new program is seen in the hundreds of emails sent to the workshop facilitators asking about the badges this term, and by the number of students who opened their credentials immediately after they were published in the early hours of the morning.

“This delivery of badges to Learning4Success students is a great first step towards achievement of their educational goals at UCW,” she said.

More micro-credentials planned

UCW has more  micro-credential programs  planned for development and launch in the Spring 2021 Terms including:

• Career Readiness (with the Career Development team)
• Academic Readiness Skills
• Innovation
• MBA Foundation

Micro-credentials for faculty

The University is also planning to launch a set of micro-credentials and certificates for faculty through UCW’s Centre for Teaching Excellence.

UCW faculty will be able to build their learner-centered, best practice pedagogies in various certificate programs, including:

• Productive Beginnings – Year-Long New Faculty Orientation
• Learner-Centered Pedagogies & Practices
• Creating Diversity in the Classroom
• Learner-Centered Assessment Practices
• Coaching Program

Micro-credentials and badges will also be developed for external professional development workshop series such as the just launched Virtual Internship Program completed in December by Kazakhstani doctoral students from the Almaty Management doctoral program at Alma University to satisfy their internship requirements. More workshops are planned for the Winter and Spring terms as part of the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s professional development program.