Report: Colleges must offer digital credentials to stay relevant - Natalie Schwartz, Education Dive

Colleges that offer online programs should grow their digital credential options in order to stay competitive, according to a new report from the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE). Credentials are an increasingly popular option for learners, prompting traditional colleges and alternative education providers to increase their offerings to claim a stake in the growing market. Colleges that don't follow suit could lose out to "nontraditional and tech-savvy organizations" that are dipping into "universities' traditional spheres of influence," ICDE warns. Traditional transcripts don't adequately convey a student’s skills, whereas credentials indicate if an applicant has the required competencies for a job, the working group argues. Credentials will eventually make transcripts irrelevant, they predict, and better align learning outcomes with workplace needs. https://www.educationdive.com/news/report-colleges-must-offer-digital-credentials-to-stay-relevant/547858/