4 Reasons You Need to Focus on Outcomes-Based Credentialing

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Students no longer attend a college or a university to learn for learning’s sake. Instead, they enroll in institutions for outcomes that will make them competitive in the workforce. Colleges and universities have responded accordingly and developed innovative and market-relevant credentials that their customers (students) actually want. The most agile and responsive institutions have turned to outcomes-based credentialing as a way to succeed in this marketplace and increase both enrollment and retention. Outlined below are four reasons why today’s higher education institutions should focus on outcomes rather than more traditional methods:

1. It pushes institutions forward in a commoditized landscape

It’s no secret that higher education is commoditizing and that credentials themselves are becoming interchangeable in this market-driven landscape. While this situation presents challenges, it also presents opportunity and institutions that fail to respond will be left behind their more business-minded competitors. Commoditization has created a situation where students are less tied to a particular institution, and instead want to jump from school to school. By using outcomes-based credentialing, institutions can easily integrate transfer students and students with prior learning experiences into the right courses and open themselves up to a large, and currently underserved, market.

Here is what higher education administrator had to say about how outcomes can be leveraged in a commoditized market:

"Regional accreditors are increasingly expecting institutions to define learning outcomes and to establish ways to ensure they are met. And once learning outcomes are established as part of the standards an institution must meet, the door is open for students who may have met the outcomes through means other than the school’s classrooms. This outcomes or competency basis is a driving force of the commoditization of education."
- Mika Hoffman, Executive Director of the Center for Educational Measurement, Excelsior College

2. It makes education more accessible to non-traditional students

The traditional-aged student no longer dominates the classroom and institutions have begun shifting their programming to accommodate a new student demographic. Non-traditional students are older and typically more discerning when it comes to choosing a higher education institution. They bring a specific set of needs to their place of study, and outcomes-based models help equalize the classroom and value their past non-academic experience in a way that traditional credentialing systems do not.

Here is what higher education administrator had to say about the accessibility of outcomes-based credentialing:

"Many adult students say they’d love to go back to school but they don’t really want to sit in a classroom full of people that could be their children. [Competency-Based Learning] gives them an opportunity to pursue education in a way [that rewards] their experience and they don’t have to put themselves in the situation where they feel uncomfortable."
– Cori Gordon, Assistant Clinical Professor of Liberal Arts in the Personalized Learning Program, Northern Arizona University

3. It adapts to fulfill the needs of employers

Employers no longer look at just degrees anymore when making their hiring decisions. Further, they look for current employees to return to school for certificate or certification programs in order to develop competencies and gain skills that will help their company grow. Higher education has long been criticised for not equipping its students with market-ready skills.Outcomes-based learning ensures that students receive skills that are immediately transferable to the workforce.

Here is what one industry leader had to say about adapting to fill varying needs:

"From both the university’s and corporation’s perspective—effective assessment, focused on the learning outcomes of the program, has an added benefit. Understanding if goals and objectives were met provides concrete measures that prove to the company that they have received value and verifies to the university that teaching and learning in the program were of high academic quality."
– John LaBrie, Vice President of Professional Education, Northeastern University

4. It promotes lifelong learning

Students no longer attend school for four years, find a job and then eventually retire. Today’s learners are constantly seeking out new ways to improve their skill sets. Outcomes-based credentialing promotes just that. By helping students reach their goals at a pace that fits with their needs, students are able to realize their potential sooner, promoting their enrollment not just one time, but for a lifetime.

Here is what one industry leader had to say about students furthering their education to improve their skill sets:

“Generations ago, people would get an education and job training and they would stay in their jobs until they retired. But we don’t see that happening anymore; people change jobs regularly so they need to continue to further their education and maintain their skill-sets and their employability."
– Amy Hyams, Commissioner, International Association of Continuing Education and Training

As higher education institutions rethink their credentials to meet student needs, numerous types have emerged. For an overview of some of the ones most in demand, download this Executive Guide.

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Credentialing

Last updated: February 1, 2021