Designing Learning & Microcredentials Beyond the Classroom

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 15:44:39 -0500

This is a repost from the Digital Credential Innovation myUMBC group.

UMBC students develop powerful, career-relevant skills across campus— through leadership roles, civic engagement, student employment, involvement programs, community partnerships, and other experiences beyond the classroom.

Much of that learning is intentionally designed, coached, and mentored by staff—but it is not always formally recognized.

This 6-part professional learning series will help staff formalize those experiences into microcredentials that clearly document learning outcomes, competencies, and authentic assessment aligned with career readiness.

What This Series Will Do

Participants will:

Define clear, student-facing learning outcomes for co-curricular and experiential programs

Develop "experiential syllabi" that communicate purpose, expectations, and growth

Design authentic assessment approaches (beyond traditional grading)

Map programs to competencies and career readiness outcomes

Draft and refine a full microcredential proposal

Submit proposals for review through a cross-campus Microcredential Review Board

By the end of the series, you will have a complete, review-ready microcredential that documents student learning in your program area.

Why This Matters

Provides formal recognition for authentic student learning

Clarifies the learning happening across diverse campus contexts

Enhances visibility of staff contributions to student development

Supports future integration into UMBC's Learning & Employment Record (LEDR)

As leadership and program models evolve across campus, this series creates shared clarity around how we define, document, and recognize learning beyond the classroom.

Who Should Apply

UMBC staff who lead or support:

Co-curricular programs

Student leadership initiatives

Civic or community-based experiences

Work-integrated or career-connected learning

Student employment or involvement programs

Any structured experience where meaningful learning occurs

Meeting Dates

Welcome & The Experiential Syllabus as a Design Tool: March 13, 1 - 2 p.m., virtual

From Program Descriptions to Learning Outcomes: March 27, 1 - 2 p.m., virtual

Evidence of Learning and Authentic Assessment: April 10, 1 - 2 p.m., virtual

Microcredentials as Learning Documentation at UMBC: April 24, 1 - 2 p.m., virtual

Making Learning Visible: Earning Criteria, Skills, and Competencies: May 1, 1 - 2 p.m., virtual

Connecting Experiences: Pathways, Stacking, and Next Steps: TBD by cohort member, in person

Missed the Kickoff?

You can watch the launch session recording here. The recording provides an overview of the framework, expectations, and timeline for the series.

Application Details

Applications are open now. Deadline: Monday, March 2 at noon. Space is limited to ensure meaningful collaboration and feedback.

Questions?

Dr. James DeVita, Assistant Vice President for Academic Partnerships & High-Impact Experiences

jamesmdevita@umbc.edu

Collin Sullivan, Program Director for Digital Credential Innovation

collinsullivan@umbc.edu