An Easy 3-5 Year LER roadmap for a Community College
A recent survey by AACRAO has unveiled widespread confusion about Learning and Employment Record (LER) technology and its related components—highlighting a significant barrier not just for the individuals these systems aim to empower, but also for the institutions and employers who stand to benefit the most. At Gobekli, we recognize that the jargon and technicalities often associated with what we call “the emerging LER ecosystem” can be impenetrable, making it difficult for those outside the immediate circle to grasp the full potential of these technologies.
Our mission at Gobekli is to cut through this complexity, providing the clarity, vision, and leadership necessary to help others understand and build their own quantifiable and verifiable digital solutions. These solutions are designed to unlock human potential by optimizing and enhancing the interactions between students, educational institutions, and employers.
This article aims to demystify the LER ecosystem and outline a straightforward, actionable roadmap for community colleges. By implementing these technologies, colleges can achieve systemic improvements in all key institutional KPIs—enhancing relationships, understanding, placement, guidance, and support for students. Moreover, these changes can be implemented in under three years, allowing institutions to adapt swiftly and effectively to the rapidly evolving educational environment.
Year 1: Planning and Initial Engagement
Focus Groups and Strategy Development
The first year is crucial for laying a solid foundation for LER implementation. It begins with organizing focus groups that include a diverse range of stakeholders: faculty, administrative staff, students, and local employers. The purpose of these focus groups is to understand the unique needs and expectations of each group and to integrate their insights into the strategic planning of LER deployment.
Action Steps:
- Conducting Focus Groups: Schedule and conduct multiple sessions to ensure all voices are heard, particularly focusing on the usability and accessibility of LER solutions.
- Developing Strategic Plans: Based on the feedback received, develop a comprehensive strategy that addresses identified needs, such as integrating academic credentials with real-world skills and ensuring data privacy and security.
Technology Assessment and Infrastructure Setup
With a strategy in place, the next step involves assessing the current IT infrastructure’s capability to support LER technologies. This phase is critical as it determines the technical feasibility of integrating new solutions with existing systems.
Action Steps:
- Infrastructure Evaluation: Conduct a thorough assessment of existing hardware and software to identify upgrades needed to support LER platforms efficiently.
- Selection of LER Platforms: Choose appropriate LER technologies that align with the strategic goals of the college. Gobekli’s Universal Talent Passport, for instance, offers a robust framework for creating and managing digital credentials that are easily shareable and verifiable.
Year 2: Pilot Programs and Integration
As community colleges enter the second year of LER implementation, the focus shifts from planning to action, with the initiation of pilot programs in select departments. This stage is crucial for testing the practical application of LER solutions in real-world settings and refining the system based on direct feedback from users.
Launching Pilot Programs
The pilot programs serve as a microcosm of the broader implementation strategy, providing valuable insights into the operational, technical, and educational impacts of LER technologies.
Action Steps:
- Select Pilot Departments: Career Services and the Registrar’s Office are ideal starting points. These departments regularly handle a significant volume of student data and are pivotal in managing career and academic credentials.
- Implementation of LER Solutions: Begin with the deployment of Comprehensive Learner Records (CLRs) and integration of Pythia-UTP for a selected group of students. This will allow students to utilize TalentPass for self-representation, showcasing their skills and achievements in a digitally verifiable format.
Integration and Feedback Loop
A crucial aspect of the pilot phase is the creation of a feedback loop to capture insights from all stakeholders involved in the pilot programs. This feedback is essential for identifying any issues and making necessary adjustments to the LER system.
Action Steps:
- Gather Feedback: Regularly collect input from students, faculty, and administrative staff involved in the pilot through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
- Refine LER Processes: Use the feedback to refine user interfaces, streamline data integration processes, and ensure the LER platform meets the diverse needs of users.
Scaling Up and Building Capacity
With the insights gained from the pilot programs, the second year also focuses on preparing for a wider rollout. This involves training staff, scaling up technological resources, and developing partnerships with technology providers and other educational institutions.
- Staff Training and Development: Conduct workshops and training sessions to familiarize all college staff with the LER system, emphasizing how it can be utilized to enhance student services and outcomes.
- Enhance Technological Capacity: Upgrade infrastructure as needed to support a wider rollout, ensuring robust security measures are in place to protect student data.
- Expand LER Integration: Begin the development of scalable micro-credential pathways with the academic department, using LER technology to inform curriculum development and academic advising.
Year 3: Full Implementation and Expansion
The third year of LER implementation at community colleges marks a significant transition from pilot testing to full-scale deployment. This phase is characterized by comprehensive integration of LER technologies across the campus, optimizing every facet of the student academic and administrative experience.
Campus-Wide Rollout
With the successful completion of pilot programs and necessary adjustments made, the LER system is ready for a campus-wide rollout. This stage will see the LER solutions become a standard part of the student and administrative workflows.
Action Steps:
- Launch of TalentPass Pages for All Students: Implement a personalized TalentPass page for each student, which integrates application, acceptance, and credit transfer processes seamlessly.
- Comprehensive CLR Issuance: Expand the issuing of Comprehensive Learner Records to include all academic departments, ensuring all student achievements and learning outcomes are digitally recorded and accessible.
Advanced Features Deployment
As the basic functions of the LER system stabilize across campus, additional advanced features are integrated to further enhance the learning and administrative environment.
Action Steps:
- Integration of Academic Advising and Career Services: Utilize the data from TalentPass to offer personalized academic advice and career planning services, directly linking students with potential employers and internal advisors.
- Enhancement of Inter-Departmental Communication: Enable departments to share and access LER data easily, facilitating better-informed decisions regarding curriculum adjustments, student placements, and resource allocation.
Evaluating Impact and Future Directions
As community colleges conclude the initial three-year LER implementation plan, it is crucial to assess the impact on institutional effectiveness and student success. The LER system has the potential to transform how education is delivered, credentials are managed, and students are prepared for the workforce.
Reflecting on Achievements:
- Review the increased efficiency in administrative processes and the enhanced student engagement and success rates. Analyze data to see how LER has improved pathways from education to employment.
Planning for the Future:
- Discuss potential expansions of LER functionalities, such as integrating with national and international educational and professional networks to further enhance student mobility and job market integration.
- Consider the adoption of emerging technologies and innovations within the LER framework to keep the system at the cutting edge of educational technology.
Call to Action:
- Encourage other educational institutions to consider the benefits and opportunities presented by LER solutions. Offer insights and support for those beginning their journey towards digital transformation.
- Provide a list of resources, including detailed case studies from the pilot programs, technical guides on LER integration, and contacts for further information or collaboration.
