| |MARCH 20269Innovative technology may allow for organizations--including University of Phoenix--to reinvent how these records are verified and shared. By capitalizing on Web 3.0 data types, LERs are designed to transform analogue records and artifacts into portable, verifiable and actionable data. This is accomplished by converting artifacts (that is, previous records like diplomas, digital badges and certificates, transcripts and skills data) into the Web 3.0 data format of JSON-LD, which are packaged together into verifiable credentials that cannot be altered or tampered with. These can be stored in registries, open libraries that house copies and descriptions of these records to be referenced and understood by third parties like employers. Even more important than what an LER is, is what an LER does. When many stakeholders align on using these LERs, they will participate in creating an entire ecosystem: issuers like schools share records across secure channels, all of them into an individual's digital "wallet," which acts as a comprehensive repository of all a learners' achievements. This wallet is similar to the one used in cryptocurrency, providing security and accuracy; but it also evokes an actual physical wallet, one that its owner has complete control over.Moreover, every stakeholder in an LER ecosystem--higher ed institutions, businesses, verifiers, registries--understand that the records they create may be immediately and seamlessly shared and trusted. This is not only highly efficient, but highly transparent: the individual who shares their records is assured that those they share it with can see the entire scope of their work and accomplishments, never doubting their authenticity and understanding them in the context of everything that person has achieved. In other words, not only is the record accurate and easy to understand, but also complete: a data-accurate representation of the person behind the record.From LER to the FutureMany organizations are working to develop LERs and the necessary standards but have yet to achieve full implementation. We believe University of Phoenix is uniquely situated to meet this goal first: We have created a baseline learner record that includes courses, programs and skills assessments/achievements, as well as robust records of student degrees, validated skills and digital badges. We have a variety of solutions, including the Career Navigator platform, all of which can bring together career-focused tools in a user-friendly interface where students and alumni can easily learn about various career options, plan their next steps, assess their skills and explore job opportunities that align with their program and goals.We are pursuing an LER ecosystem that can provide even more than an immediate solution that would benefit learners and employers alike: it can become the framework and foundation for a host of future-proofed data solutions. As partners join the ecosystem, they can bring their own data and innovation into the process; other solutions, such as AI, can continue to enrich the ecosystem and provide even more value for our students and employer alliances. A robust LER ecosystem is more than just the next step: it is a tool that can be used to create more and more innovation, to serve all stakeholders, well into the future of work. LERs 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.
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