Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers University’s Post

Noncredit and non degree credentials are some of the hottest properties in higher education today. But how much do we really know about noncredit, compared to the credit side of higher ed? This study from Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers University is really the first to review the research on education and employment outcomes of noncredit students. It's worth a look!

More than ever before, policymakers and college leaders are taking a keen interest in noncredit education as a potential game-changer for connecting Americans to the skills and credentials that they need to get ahead. But there’s a problem: Too little is known about noncredit education, particularly the outcomes of students who obtain noncredit or nondegree credentials. Today, Rutgers University's Education and Employment Research Center released a review study addressing that gap. EERC researchers Michelle Van Noy, Sam Scovill, Ph.D., and Nicole Sandelier Boyd analyzed 15 core studies on noncredit student education and employment outcomes. The full report and a summary of findings are available:  https://lnkd.in/ewn_BKhN

Some important insights here.

Few noncredit students transition to credit pathways, and their completion rates lag behind students in credit-bearing programs. That’s a key finding of an EERC review of studies assessing recent research on noncredit students’ outcomes in postsecondary education. In one five-state study, four states moved only 1 in 20 noncredit students into for-credit education within two years of entering community college. California was the only state that saw a significant number of noncredit students simultaneously enrolling in for-credit courses. Another study found completion rates to be substantially lower in noncredit courses compared to comparable for-credit courses. Given the low rates of movement these studies found between noncredit and credit pathways, EERC recommends that policymakers and practitioners consider ways to create articulation agreements, advising capacity, and integrative structures between noncredit and credit programs. Read more from the report: https://lnkd.in/ewn_BKhN ECMC Foundation

Rutgers University’s Education and Employment Research Center released, "Review of the Evidence on Noncredit Education." The review details a core group of articles on noncredit outcomes, focusing on completion, wages and employment. This review examines the postsecondary system, its costs and benefits, and outcomes of noncredit programs compared to credit programs using ECMC Foundation-funded data and other data collected over the past five years. https://lnkd.in/ewn_BKhN

The conversation around #noncredit #data is decades old, yet little progress has been made and “new” ideas keep being proposed. As part of my due diligence as a funder in the issue space I took time to learn as much as I could about it. This article sums up three key takeaways. Lumina Foundation National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) #continuinged #ceu #credentials #microcredentials

Let’s first start by not calling Continuing Education “non-credit” courses. The idea that these courses produce “no credit” can be disputed. The fact is that many CE training programs result in student’s earning industry based credentials and licenses not to mention workforce training skills and abilities. For too long, students from CE programs have been disconnected and NOW is the time to increase awareness that EVERY student is a STUDENT. That’s why I’m proud to work at Del Mar College where a student, is a student, is a student❣️ #levelup #upskill #reskill #highereducation #continuingeducation

Good post on the history of measuring non-credit activity in post-secondary, opportunities to better understand what’s happening today, and a reminder that non-credit happens in colleges -and- universities. #highereducation #noncredit

Appreciate this newly released study from Michelle Van Noy et al - Noncredit Research Collaborative / EERC at Rutgers: Review of Research on Noncredit Outcomes - with important takeaways, including this: Strategies should be developed to improve pathways and articulation between noncredit and credit programs. And this: Examine outcomes within their specific labor market context. #Noncredit #Credentials #Outcomes #Work #HigherEducation

Is #FAFSA confusion impacting enrollment at your institution? Check out Blackbaud's latest blog post to discover 5 things you can do right now to help students navigate the turbulence and keep them engaged with your school. #HigherEd #FinancialAid