Real World Learning: A New Era of Education
On May 25th, I was honored to participate in an extraordinary event hosted by the Real World Learning team in Kansas City. The event provided a platform for me to engage in a meaningful dialogue about the evolution of the Real World Learning Micro-credential Ecosystem with distinguished school district leaders from the Kansas City Region. These leaders showcased a keen interest in bolstering their unique learner communities through skills-based recognition, thereby amplifying their learners' employability and readiness for future careers.
→ learn more about my last trip to Kansas City
What is Real World Learning?
Visit https://realworldlearning.org/ to learn more.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, Real World Learning is an initiative that prepares students, employers, and the Kansas City region for the future of work. This innovative program, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, offers valuable recognition for learners engaging in valuable, immersive experiences like client-connected projects and internships with leading business partners, giving students a head start on achieving their career goals.
The Value of Real-World Learning
The value of Real World Learning is multifold:
For Learners: It provides a practical understanding of their field of interest, equipping them with industry-valued experiences that are proven to increase their likelihood of pursuing further education and successfully navigating their career journey.
For School Leaders: It offers a dynamic and engaging way to educate, moving beyond traditional classroom boundaries and into the realm of practical, hands-on learning.
For Employers and the Broader Community: It's a critical step toward a more inclusive, accessible, agile, resilient, and transparent talent pipeline.
A Glimpse into the Event
In the spirit of openness and transparency, I have been permitted to share the full recording of this event here on my website!
The Synergy of Real-World Learning and Micro-credentials
When Real World Learning is combined with a carefully and intentionally developed micro-credential ecosystem, the benefits multiply for learners, school leaders, and local employers.
Let's consider the example of client-connected projects.
For Learners:
Structured Learning Pathways: Micro-credentials map out requirements into clear learning pathways, providing learners with a structured approach to their goals while contextualizing their education inside school hours and beyond.
Recognition of Achievement: Upon completing the client-connected project, learners are awarded a micro-credential. Each micro-credential is a sharable, verifiable, and portable form of recognition for their evolving achievements and skills.
For School Leaders:
Enhanced Educational Framework: Integrating micro-credentials into Real World Learning provides an enhanced educational framework that aligns with industry needs and standards.
Trackable Student Progress: Micro-credentials offer a way to track and report student progress and achievements in a straightforward, tangible, and meaningful way.
For Local Employers:
Talent Identification: Micro-credentials make it easier for employers to identify talent, as they can see the specific, verifiable skills and projects a well-qualified candidate has completed.
Workforce Development: The combination of Real World Learning and micro-credentials contributes to a resilient and transparent local, regional, and national workforce by rapidly evolving to needs as they evolve in real-time.
This innovative approach to education and skill development is not just the future of learning - it's the present, and it's happening right here, right now. Stay tuned to Micro-credential Multiverse for more information about this exciting project as it unfolds over the next school year!
The Slide Deck
Here are the slides I presented during the event; unfortunately, I can no longer award the summative badge awarded to attendees during the event.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider:
🕊 Following me or my new company Micro-credential Multiverse on LinkedIn.
💌 Subscribing to my newsletter on LinkedIn to get these posts delivered conveniently to your inbox.
🌎 Sharing this article with someone in your network.
Feel free to refer others to these resources within your network, as they are invaluable assets for anyone interested in learning more about Microcredential Multiverse.
