EDvancement ... A PD Framework for Minnesota Schools!

The Minnesota Service Cooperatives offer a wide variety of workshops, seminars, and conferences. The agencies also host a number of professional networks, associations, and learning communities. Training opportunities may be offered on a regional basis or customized to fit the needs of individual organizations, including on-site training. Professional Development offerings serve many employee groups: from School Administrators to Bus Drivers, from CEO to Administrative Assistants, from Custodian to Paraprofessionals.

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.

Feel free to explore the following 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 Micro-credentials Work?

A micro-credential is earned by demonstrating competence in a specific skill via a portfolio of evidence created through classroom practice. Micro-credentials on BloomBoard follow the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) instructional design framework. All micro-credentials are based on a robust, standardized blueprint, grounded in four areas of instructional efficacy research including, cycles of inquiry, job-embedded supports, rigorously calibrated assessment, and portfolio-based learning.

Completing a set of specialized micro-credentials allows educators to demonstrate skills that can open up new career opportunities and assist in advancing their compensation via existing salary schedule credit. MSC encourages districts to align micro-endorsements to existing salary schedule credit, enabling educators to advance in their compensation.

Learn more on BloomBoard's website.

Other Professional Development

Visit your local service cooperative's website to see what is being offered in your region. Click here for statewide map.

EDvancement ... A PD Framework for Minnesota Schools!

Micro-Credentials

What is Micro-endorsement?

How Do Micro-credentials Work?

Other Professional Development