The Shift to “AND Thinking” to Meet Learners’ Needs

Today’s learners demand more flexibility and optionality. Some want degrees. Some want alternative credentials, such as short courses or boot camps. And what they all want can change as their lives change. A modular, stackable approach helps learners maximize the benefits of both learning pathways, making their education more adaptable, affordable, and relevant to their needs. The solution is not EITHER/OR but AND.

Learners are clear on their need for bite-size skills and knowledge that incrementally build on each other. So, how can universities and employers deliver—and in a way that helps them reap the benefits, too?

Figuring this out isn’t easy, but I’m feeling newly energized by all the conversations I had at ASU+GSV earlier this week, including my panel with two edX partners—Liesl Riddle, dean of the College of Professional Studies at The George Washington University (GW), and Ashutosh Tiwary, SVP and executive dean at Western Governors University (WGU). Our insightful discussion has inspired me to share eight key examples of what it means to shift from EITHER/OR to AND thinking for higher ed, so that the leap feels less daunting and the rewards come faster. (See video from the panel here .)

1. Embrace both degrees and alternative credentials. 

In a labor market where 77% of employers report difficulty in filling roles and 62% of Americans over the age of 25 don’t have a bachelor’s degree, it’s no wonder that one in five employers are adapting their education requirements to accept both degrees AND other credentials. There are also bipartisan efforts in state governments to do the same. Infosys is one of many companies in edX’s career network that is taking a revitalized approach to talent recruitment, which includes hiring boot camp graduates with only a high school diploma . But as Liesl mentioned on our ASU+GSV panel, none of us are proposing that alternative credentials take the place of degrees. Bachelor’s degrees offer foundational knowledge and experiences that can help learners become better global citizens, for example, while alternative credentials can help learners develop career-aligned skills fast. So it’s about finding ways to give learners access to both whenever they need to leverage their respective merits.

2. Build degree credit into your alternative credentials.

This is perhaps one of the best examples of AND thinking in higher ed! WGU offers credit toward a bachelor’s degree through its MicroBachelors® program in IT . GW launched a credit-bearing MicroMasters® program in public health that creates a stackable pathway all the way to a doctorate. Southern Methodist University developed a boot camp credit waiver toward a master’s degree in data science. The corporate world is also getting in on the action. IBM, for example, offers degree credit through its MicroBachelors program in cloud application development . On our panel, Ashutosh mentioned that some degree programs in India are essentially a sequence of stackable certificates, where learners leave at various intervals to get a job and then return months or years later to complete their degree. No matter how universities mix and match their offerings, he emphasized how critical it is for credentials to have specific market value—versus only what an institution believes is important to learn.

3. Seek creative ways to collaborate and combine expertise. 

By offering more modular and stackable learning opportunities, universities can boost enrollment and expand their reach, while employers can diversify their talent pipelines and fill in-demand roles. When universities and employers work together, they extend the power of AND thinking even further. For example, edX Access Partnerships , recently recognized by Fast Company , bring together coalitions of universities, employers, workforce agencies, funding organizations, government entities, and nonprofit service groups to help upskill regional workforces. And on our panel, Liesl shared how more universities are talking about developing credentials together. By combining their strengths, they can offer learners new and expanded areas of study far beyond what they could create individually. 

4. Serve a greater diversity of learners.

By nature of their flexibility, modular and stackable programs attract more learners from all different backgrounds, experience levels, AND stages of life. I’ve heard Ashutosh talk about how, in more diverse cohorts, less experienced students have been hired by more senior classmates after graduation. That’s music to my ears—what better way to show the impact of creating access! At edX, we’re opening up even more on-ramps and pathways to opportunity with new “Try It” courses , which give learners quick and easy ways to explore new topics without any financial commitment, and MicroBootCamps™ for our enterprise clients.

5. Commit to making quality education more affordable. 

As tuition rates continue to rise and more learners lose faith in the value of a traditional four-year degree, universities are leaning into AND thinking by entering into public-private partnerships. Taking the form of government-funded initiatives, revenue-sharing agreements , and other collaborative frameworks, public-private partnerships foster efficiencies at scale and help universities make learning more affordable through disruptively priced degrees and intensive short-form programs like boot camps and executive education courses . Subscriptions, which give learners access to a comprehensive catalog of best-in-class learning for less, are another way to bring down the cost of education. edX plans to roll out subscriptions to both employers and learners later this year.

6. Align all learner touchpoints, from recruitment to post-graduation. 

Have you considered rethinking and reorganizing the student services you offer, so that they seamlessly integrate with your modular and stackable programs? This AND strategy enables you to reassess everything from how you promote your programs to how you advise students to how you structure your career center. By creating alignment between all these touchpoints, learners get matched to the programs that are right for them and get the support they need every step of the way. But be sure to plan for these conversations and updates in advance!

7. Invest even more in your faculty. 

Faculty are crucial for learners —they serve as instructors, mentors, role models, networking resources, and the pedagogical experts on a topic. So consider the creation of modular and stackable online learning programs as a vital opportunity to bring your faculty’s teaching expertise, curricular guidance, AND powerful learner influence to life in new ways. Keep them at the core of your programs through a mix of live instruction and/or asynchronous video, audio narration, and other multimedia.

8. Create a culture of continuous learning at your company.

A staggering 94% of employees today say they’d stay longer at their company if their employer invested in their career. Meanwhile, the average cost of turnover for employers ranges from 50% of an entry-level salary to 200% for senior executives. So it’s one of the smartest moves an employer can make to give their workers the gift of AND by adding regular professional development to their roles. Modular and stackable learning can help companies attract, train, and retain top talent through scalable online training solutions. Nelnet is just one of many employers that have seen results with edX for Business: The company increased retention rates by enrolling employees in online programs that helped them upskill in critical areas like cybersecurity and IT.

Championing the Unique Needs of Every Learner

If today’s fast-changing world has taught us anything, it’s that every learner is different, and a one-size-fits-all to education no longer works. Long gone are the days when the only option was to either get a college degree or struggle to find career success. When universities and employers shift from that EITHER/OR mindset of the past to a modular and stackable approach to education, they embrace AND thinking and champion the unique needs of all kinds of learners—and what each one brings to solving the challenges of tomorrow.

Now it’s your turn: What other examples of “AND thinking” in education have I missed? Share your thoughts in the comments below.