| |MARCH 20268IN MY OPINION Jean MandernachBy Doris Savron, MBA, Vice Provost, Colleges, Assessment and Curriculum, University of PhoenixDATA TO LIFE: HOW LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT RECORDS TELL WORKING ADULT STUDENTS' WHOLE STORIESData EverywhereAs data governs more and more of our lives, understanding it all has become increasingly difficult: not only are data sources multiplying, but it's also becoming increasingly difficult to parse these records for accuracy. In other words, there's a lot of data and we're not sure if it's correct.In higher education, questions about data are more than just numbers and digital recordkeeping. Student's accomplishments--from degrees and certificates to training and experience outside the classroom--need to be verifiable and easy to share, an important tool for pursuing career opportunities. This can be particularly challenging for a student body of working adults, whose career and education journeys are more likely to have taken them through a variety of institutions and businesses, each with their own disparate recordkeeping practices. Meanwhile, employers struggle to parse applications from dozens of sources, all the while uncertain if the information they receive is up-to-date or even accurate. In a fragmented landscape of job boards and application portals, a singular reliable resource is more necessary than ever to connect businesses and employees for their mutual gain.As an online higher education institution, University of Phoenix is uniquely situated to understand and respond to these difficulties. Our vision is to participate in the development of a seamless and interoperable Learning and Employment Record (LER) that empowers learners with experiences and tools that will enable them to pursue their goals and give employers a clearer picture of their capabilities. We aspire to provide our learners with the ability to present credentials of all kinds, including degrees, badges, skills and achievements outside of a classroom. An LER would allow these to be compiled together, a valuable resource for employers who seek competitive advantages through effective hiring and continuing knowledge management practices.LERs will build on existing and emerging technology to provide learners with verifiable, secure and portable records of their education, achievements, employment history. These records will belong to the individual, giving them power and control over what they share and with whom; meanwhile, verification processes provide evidence that these records are accurate and up to date, streamlining hiring and providing them access to a diverse talent pool. These efforts do more than just address problems with data: they will transform data into actionable insights, allowing for better decision-making at every level--and fulfill data's promise to tell every individual's whole story.Higher Ed 3.0The current model of talent data is largely siloed: records for education, employment and training are stored across separate systems with limited accessibility, making it almost as difficult to share this data as it is with old-fashioned paper records--in fact, much of talent data is still analogue, highlighting that while data has become more and more important, it can still be hard to act upon, even for crucial decision-making. These inefficiencies are holding back learners and employers alike, who would be best served by a singular interoperable method of sharing trustworthy records--especially records that are owned by the individual whose experience they reflect, providing security and certainty for all stakeholders.
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