Mary Elizabeth Smith and Nick Williams leading session on University of Phoenix progress toward skills-aligned curriculum connecting to careers

University of Phoenix announces that Mary Elizabeth Smith, director, Learning Innovation Strategy, and Nick Williams, Ed.D., director, Assessment, are leading a session on the University’s work to establish skills-aligned curriculum tied to digital credentials at the 1EdTech Digital Credentials Summit held February 27- March 1, 2023, in Dallas, Texas.

1EdTech's Digital Credentials Summit invites education, workforce and business leaders and innovators working to transform education and work with verifiable credentials to attend and become part of a transformative new focus on developing skills and connecting talent to opportunities.

Smith and Williams will lead the session, “Empowering Learners Through High-Demand Skills and Digital Credentials,” on February 28, at 2:15pm CT. As part of the University of Phoenix academic leadership in student learning assessment, data analytics, and learning experience design, they will explain the building blocks behind the University’s curriculum transformation, how to highlight the benefits of that work to students, and how these efforts reinforce the University’s commitment to connecting curriculum to careers.

“We believe the foundation for a successful, sustainable microcredential program includes a solid academic framework,” states Smith. “The University of Phoenix skill-mapped curriculum illuminates the skills or competencies sometimes hidden in the course-level and program-level learning outcomes and gives our students the tools for demonstrating these skills in professional settings throughout their coursework – especially before they graduate.”

The session’s focus was also the subject of a recent interview with Smith and Williams by The EvoLLLution and was published as the interview transcript, “Starting Slow to Go Fast Later: Creating Sustainable Microcredentials.”

Williams has been with University of Phoenix since 2014 in roles centering on student learning outcomes assessment and student learning experience research. He is formerly a K-12 teacher who taught in various grades and school settings.

Smith has been involved in educational innovation for over thirty years, working in curriculum development, learning design, faculty development, faculty, and e-learning roles for four universities and several community colleges, as well as two educational software companies.

1EdTech is a worldwide member-based non-profit community partnership of educational providers, state/national departments of education, and edtech suppliers. The 1EdTech community provides collaborative leadership that shapes the foundation of an open edtech ecosystem now and into the future to enable unlimited potential in every learner.

For more information about the 1EdTech Digital Credentials Summit, visit the registration website.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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