“Portable Microcredentials: Applications of Blockchain to the Disaggregation of a Degree Program”

June 19, 2024 — This USDLA Free Friday Webinar focuses on ways that blockchain technology can improve the portability of micro-credentials.

Blockchain, a tool that originated in the financial sector, has recently supported enhanced documentation and information sharing in education. The pilot presented here involved disaggregating the three specialization courses of a degree program to create micro-credentials. One key goal was to develop micro-credentials that aligned with the degree program. A second goal was to ensure that the credentials existed as part of a formal ledger and provide shared access. GitHub, an open-sourced repository, created a soul-bound token for adding credentials to the chain. The chain supports ease of verification, thereby improving outcomes for students. Expanding this initiative may help support equity for students seeking short-term credentials.

About the presenters:

Dr. Michelle Dennis serves National University as Director of Curriculum in the School of Business and Economics and Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology and Social Sciences. Dr. Dennis has held various positions in academic affairs over the past 22 years, and she formerly served as a statistician. Dr. Dennis provides service as a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and as a Reviewer for the International Journal of Smart Education and Urban Society. She previously served as Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Anafiel House, a nonprofit serving survivors of intimate partner violence. Dr. Dennis also previously served on the Online Administration Network of the Association for Professional, Continuing, and Online Education as Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion, and she is a member of the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prisons. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Marquette University, her MA in Training and Development from Roosevelt University, and her M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from the American College of Education. Dr. Dennis has published in online faculty management, virtual student and faculty engagement, online faculty training and evaluation, and best practices for online instruction.

Dr. Dennis is joined in this presentation by colleagues from the National University, Dr. Eric Roe, Dean, and Dr. Justin Goldston, Academic Program Director.

Our host: Valary Oleinik, president of USDLA 2024-2025. Learn more at USDLA.org

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