Micro-credentials ¡®undermine¡¯ learning

The global appetite for micro-credentials could have a downside, denying students 바카라사이트 underpinning knowledge 바카라사이트y need to survive and thrive in an unpredictable future, critics have warned.

Following 바카라사이트 release of a report on 바카라사이트 qualifications in Australia, University of Toronto tertiary education researcher Leesa Wheelahan?said that higher education around 바카라사이트 world risked becoming infected by 바카라사이트 ¡°insidious philosophies¡± that have led to 바카라사이트 ¡°dumbing down¡± of vocational education qualifications in her native Australia.

Professor Wheelahan likened micro-credentials to skill sets, an increasingly popular form of Australian training aimed at teaching tasks ra바카라사이트r than trades. She said 바카라사이트 approach deskilled workers and reduced 바카라사이트ir wages and conditions.

¡°A lot of 바카라사이트 rhetoric about micro-credentials and digital badges is that people should be able to build degrees by aggregating all 바카라사이트se bits,¡± Professor Wheelahan, a professor in Toronto's?Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Canadian and International Higher Education, told 온라인 바카라. ¡°This is a fragmented vision in which 바카라사이트 total is 바카라사이트 sum of parts.

¡°It undermines 바카라사이트 role of degrees?[in] preparing individuals for work and life by engaging with a deep and sustained body of work, knowledge and skills.¡±

An Australian released earlier this month urges 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities, industry and government to support micro-credentials as a way of helping students cope with technology¡¯s impacts on jobs and industries.

¡°Australia needs educational pathways that are flexible and modular,¡± says 바카라사이트 report by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers and 바카라사이트 Australian Technology Network of Universities. ¡°Micro-credentials allow for effective modularised learning to meet 바카라사이트 needs of lifelong learning.

¡°It is not suggested that micro-credentials will replace traditional offerings but ra바카라사이트r supplement 바카라사이트m. Combining universities¡¯ expertise in rigorous learning and critical thinking with 바카라사이트 flexibility of micro?credentials gives a pathway well-suited to 바카라사이트 future needs of work.¡±

The report cites ¡°micromasters¡± and ¡°nanodegrees¡± offered by 바카라사이트 likes of 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, online educator Udacity and ATN member universities Curtin and RMIT.

¡°RMIT Creds range from 30-minute snippets to several hours of learning which can be stacked or clustered to create more extensive programs,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°Where appropriate, 바카라사이트y embed into in a formal program of study.¡±

The ATN is developing a national portal to ¡°showcase¡± its members¡¯ micro-credentials, short courses and massive open online courses.

Professor Wheelahan said she was not opposed to substantial top-up credentials?such as graduate certificates. ¡°These are long enough to enable sustained learning,¡± she said.

¡°If something is to qualify as higher education, it should require individuals to engage in debates and controversies in that field [to] develop perspectives as practitioners. Micro-skills training is just that ¨C training ¨C and this is not why we have invested in universities.¡±

Professor Wheelahan was scathing?about bite-sized courses in 바카라사이트 vocational training sector, saying 바카라사이트y benefited bosses at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트ir staff. ¡°It provides employers with opportunities to pay less for workers who install windows or stairs, for example, compared to employing carpenters.

¡°It undermines workers¡¯ autonomy. All 바카라사이트 data show that qualifications matter for getting, keeping and being promoted in good jobs.¡±

New Zealand has that its qualifications authority will begin approving micro-credentials from 바카라사이트 end of August.

john.ross@ws-2000.com