TEL-lingit like IT is

So, a bridge is being built across informal learning and micro-credentialing, and formal education frameworks. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) recently held a consultation on recognising micro-credentials , based on a consultation paper . NZQA also reports on three pilot studies that completed in June 2018. Recognising micro-credentials is not without its challenges , so work in this space is very timely. This is a remarkably forward-thinking move, with admirable motivation: These pilots are a stepping stone to NZQA developing a full micro-credential system, so that employers and learners can access the skills they need throughout their lifetime. This is becoming even more important as the nature of work continues to change. The outcome is a new system for recognising micro-credentials , now in place. It's important to note that the new scheme does not seek to recognise all individual MOOCs or even collections of MOOC completions (perhaps these will come l...

I'm guilty of sometimes getting myopic about TEL as consisting of the effective use of VLE systems. Administering, maintaining and extending VLE infrastructure is a vital foundation for TEL practice. It provides the platform for learning activity design (in all its forms), tutoring, and analytics to assist with student success. In all of this it's easy to lose sight of the potential of TEL to, somewhat more adventurously, add to the authenticity of learning. A colleague at the Open University is a keen advocate on supplying students with real data in their learning. It's a value all TEL practitioners will endorse; technology routinely extends into authentic environments, particularly where the gathering or analysis of data is technologically-mediated and so already digitised. A recent catch-up with a different OU colleague showed me something very interesting. A stone's throw away from my current OU desk (though safely protected by at least two walls and my naturally...