A new partnership demonstrates the growth of digital badges and connecting higher education to employability
Pearson and Capella University will partner in order to issue digital badges for students completing the online university’s National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security-designated master’s program, representatives for both organizations said.
Capella University is among the first online universities to leverage Pearson’s Acclaim digital badging platform to help inform employers about professional skills and competencies students have gained through coursework and certificate programs.
“The IT landscape is constantly evolving. Digital badges complement our master’s in information assurance and security program because they are secure, verifiable and provide full context of the capabilities our students bring to an employer,” said Bill Dafnis, Ph.D., PMP, Capella’s interim dean of technology. “Capella University is committed to providing students with the skills they need to immediately be effective members of the workforce.”
Capella is designated by the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense. As a result, Capella is able to offer NSA Focus Area digital badges to students completing its master’s in information assurance and security, network defense and digital forensic specializations.
“While transcripts and diplomas are long-standing, trusted validations of student achievement, digital badges provide employers with more detailed, transparent aggregations of a student’s earned skills,” said Peter Janzow, senior director of business development, Acclaim, Pearson. “We are pleased to add Capella to our growing roster of academic institutions offering badges through Acclaim. Pearson is proud to be at the forefront of the growing trend toward badging to connect higher education and employability, which advances the transition from college to careers and improves communications between higher education, learners and employers.”
Badges issued through Acclaim can be shared via popular networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, over email and other online destinations. They can be verified by clicking on the badge. Each badge includes metadata that shows who earned the credential, what was accomplished, and the organization that issued the badge. This portability and transparency make it easy for individuals to represent online their full range of abilities to academic institutions, employers and industry peers.
- EDUCAUSE and University of Central Florida enable blended learning innovation - February 27, 2017
- Collabco launches personalized academic organizer - September 1, 2016
- Wayne State University targets retention and graduation rates - September 1, 2016