EDvancement ... Competency-Based Professional Learning for MN Educators

MSC EDvancement provides a sustainable system of professional growth that ...

elevates the profession of teaching,

is competency driven,

addresses teacher and student needs,

is individualized and flexible, and

leads to a valued credentials.

MDE Commissioner Heather Mueller’s focus on learning recovery noted in this article has districts across the state developing strategies to address these needs for their students. Educators across Minnesota are already benefiting from our ongoing partnership with BloomBoard. While our partnership isn’t new, we are excited to share with you some new offerings to equip you for challenges you and your teachers are facing as a direct result of COVID-19.

Click on each of the "Building Educator Skills ... " arrows below to explore the micro-credential options available to MN school districts. Please reach out to Jen McLachlan with any questions you have.

Micro-Credentials

In partnership with BloomBoard, MSC is working with districts across the state to offer a competency-based professional learning framework comprising a series of micro-endorsements, which allow educators to prove proficiency in specific practice areas while accumulating masters equivalent credit hours.

What is Micro-endorsement?

Rooted in the concept of existing teaching endorsements, micro-endorsements can be thought of as a competency-based approach to building requisite levels of proficiency in specific skill areas such as subject or pedagogical topics. The conceptual difference between traditional endorsements and micro-endorsements is that each micro-endorsement is made up of a cohesive group of micro-credentials, each representing an educator’s demonstration of competence in a single skill. By completing the series of micro-credentials in a micro-endorsement, an educator demonstrates their general competence and qualification in a subject area or pedagogical topic.
How Do You Earn a Micro-credential?
Unlike a traditional course or workshop, where the learning process is linear and time-based, the micro-credential learning process is a unique online experience whereby educators gain an understanding at the outset of their specific goals, and then personalize their learning to achieve the specific requirements for achieving competence.

To earn a micro-credential, educators will move through this five-step process:
1. Get Started: Each micro-credential includes the learning goal, the requirements for effective demonstration of the competency, and a performance rubric so teachers understand the commitment.
2. Learn: From the beginning, teachers can leverage online resources developed by experts from the BloomBoard platform, receive coaching, and collaborate with other educators.
3. Build Artifacts: As they learn, teachers will apply new methods into their practice and collect evidence needed to earn their micro-credential.
4. Submit Portfolio: When they’re ready, they will upload these artifacts and submit them online through the BloomBoard platform.
5. Review Results: A certified assessor will review the submission and provide concrete feedback. When a teacher successfully earns a micro-credential, they receive a certification that can help them work towards licensure, promotion and/or salary increases.

Minnesota Service Cooperatives

Professional Development

EDvancement ... Competency-Based Professional Learning for MN Educators

Micro-Credentials

What is Micro-endorsement?

How Do You Earn a Micro-credential?