Share this post

Micro-Credentials to Support English Learners

Last year I had the chance to dive into Digital Promise’s micro-credential program. If you haven’t seen their online platform before, these on-demand, micro-credentials let educators jump into course content. You can work through the material at their own pace and on their own time. I love professional learning that is customizable and ready when you are. The team at Digital Promise has lots of resources available, and I was excited to learn about their courses specifically designed to support English Language Learners.

Micro-Credentials from Digital Promise

There are many reasons why micro-credentials are important to educators. Micro-credentials are personalized. This means you can select the course on a topic you’d like to dedicate time to learning more about. If you’ve ever sat in on professional development that wasn’t relevant to your practice or current interests, you know just how refreshing it can be to take advantage of this type of opportunity. Known as a competency-based professional learning model, micro-credentials focus on how to best personalize learning opportunities for educators. This is instead of merely counting seat-time.

In addition to being personalized, you can earn digital badges when taking part in a micro-credential course. Once you’ve completed the coursework, you can display your digital badges on your learning management system profile. Alternatively, you can add it to your social media sites or a personal or professional blog. Since micro-credentials are competency-based, you can focus on a specific skill. This means you can learn about a new topic and put it into practice right away. Lots of micro-credential courses encourage attendees to show off what they’ve learned through classroom videos or examples of student work.

To earn a micro-credential from Digital Promise, all you have to do is follow these steps:

  1. Choose a skill or area to focus on (this could include an area you’ve already mastered or one you’d like to grow in)
  2. Collect evidence to show off your mastery of content (this could include a video, a writing sample, or even samples of student work)
  3. Submit the evidence you’ve collected (each micro-credential will tell you exactly what to submit)
  4. A group of assessors then review the evidence you submit (if you show that you master the skill you’ll earn the digital badge that corresponds to that micro-credential)

English Language Learner Micro-Credentials

As a former classroom teacher, I know how challenging it can be to meet the diverse needs of all students in your classroom. Supporting English Learners is essential and sometimes finding the right strategies to reach every student is a daunting task. The micro-credentials offered by Digital Promise can help teachers at all levels support their students.

The folks at Digital Promise have a handful of courses you’ll totally want to check out, all about Supporting English Language Learners:

The team at Digital Promise developed each micro-credential using a framework. Each course has a focus on a single competency. It is supported by research and require evidence of competence. Each course also includes a rubric for evaluation. Teachers can earn their digital badge upon completion of a micro-credential course. Although I shared a few specific courses above, you’ll find lots of options on Digital Promise’s website.

Micro-credentials give learners an opportunity for a deep dive into a specific topic. You’ll definitely find this to be the case with the resources from Digital Promise. I also really like how these micro-credentials focus on cross-curricular connections. They provide lots of ways to apply the new knowledge you’ll gain from participating in these activities.

Whether you work with a large English Learner population or simply want to grow your skill set in to meet the need of every student, check out the new micro-credential opportunities from Digital Promise!

NEWSLETTER
Stay up-to-date on all things EdTech.

EdTech tips and resources for educators, straight from Monica’s desk every Monday. Don’t miss a thing. 

Share this post:

Blog Author and EdTech Consultant Dr. Monica Burns

Monica Burns

Dr. Monica Burns is a former classroom teacher, Author, Speaker, and Curriculum & EdTech Consultant. Visit her site ClassTechTips.com for more ideas on how to become a tech-savvy teacher.

Share this post:
Keep Reading
Free Planning Pages
Free gift: Weekly Planner Pages for Teachers and Educators

Start every week with a plan and stay organized this school year!

Free summer Checklist

Sign up for EdTech Tips Newsletter from Monica Burns

5 Things to Do Now to Make Tech Easier in the New School Year

Free eBook
Free Gift: Spring Cleaning - 10 Quick Tips to Organize Your Google Drive

Spring Cleaning with an EdTech twist!