Announcements

Unlock Skill Assessment Potential with CTDL Rubric
Posted on 3/11/2024

Thank you to all who attended the February 29, 2024 CTDL Rubrics Webinar. The webinar via YouTube, audio recordings and presentation via Google Drive are available for your review.

CTDL rubrics offer versatility, applicable not only for assessing individuals' skills but also for evaluating organizational capabilities and assessing the quality or suitability of products, services, and more. The benefits of utilizing CTDL Linked Open Data Structure extend to all.

During the webinar, we delved into the CTDL update process and highlighted the latest enhancements supporting detailed Rubric descriptions. We introduced options for publishing and consuming rubric data:

  • Credential Registry Publishing Options: Bulk uploading via a CSV file and Publishing Assistant API
  • Credential Registry Consuming Options: Access records, perform search queries, download or import data for offline use, or utilize the credential finder widget.

A special thanks to our partners, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), for sharing their Rubrics as CTDL Linked Open Data via the Credential Registry. Explore their Rubrics at https://credentialfinder.org/search?searchType=rubric.

Start Publishing and Consuming CTDL Rubrics: Feeling inspired to start publishing and exploring the Credential Registry data consumption options? Here's how to get started:

  1. Create or log in to your Credential Registry Account at https://sandbox.credentialengine.org/accounts.
  2. Begin publishing Rubrics to the Credential Registry. Refer to the Credential Registry Guidance Site for instructions for using the bulk upload CSV option and the Credential Registry Assistant API Handbook.
  3. Start consuming Rubric Data from the Registry at https://credreg.net/registry/handbook#consume.

This information is also available on our website: Unlock Skill Assessment Potential with CTDL Rubric | Credential Engine

For any inquiries or assistance, please contact publishing@credentialengine.org.

Request for Feedback: Updates to Course Minimum Data Policy and Benchmark Model
Posted on 3/7/2024

Credential Engine is proposing a revised Course Benchmark Model to refine the Required, Benchmark, and Optional CTDL properties published to the Credential Registry to better meet customer needs and leverage readily available course data from various sources.

Our objective is to streamline the process of publishing minimum data while recommending CTDL terms that provide essential information about courses, thereby removing barriers to publication.

We invite you to review the proposed updates and provide your valuable feedback. The feedback period will remain open until March 31, 2024. You can share your thoughts and suggestions by using the comments section or by emailing us at info@credentialengine.org.

Review the Draft Course Minimum Data and Benchmark Model Proposal

To delve deeper into the proposal:

This information is also available on the Credential Engine Website: Request for Feedback: Updates to Course Minimum Data Policy and Benchmark Model | Credential Engine

CTDL Education and Employment Outcomes Metrics Task Group: Invitation to Participate
Posted on 2/9/2024

Introduction: Transparent education and employment outcomes metrics empower people to make informed decisions about education and career paths. Stakeholders in credentialing ecosystems benefit from well-defined metrics:

  • employers can see which programs help people succeed
  • credentialing organizations can refine their offerings to meet industry demands
  • education and training providers can tailor programs to maximize student success
  • government agencies can make informed investments in workforce development

These benefits hinge on clear and explicit definitions of metrics. Understanding the precise calculation of metrics, based on open definitions in CTDL, enables broader benefits using data that is both humanly-readable and machine-actionable. Credentialing ecosystems include: education, training, workforce development, professional development, work-based learning, academic programs, non-credit opportunities, and more. Some examples of applicable education and employment outcomes metrics include:

Credential Engine is hosting a targeted Task Group focusing on the metrics used in determining outcomes in credentialing ecosystems, to further expand and refine the CTDL terms available to describe them. By participating in the CTDL Education and Employment Outcomes Metrics Task Group, you'll play a vital role in improving how the CTDL meets the evolving needs of credentialing ecosystems.

This Task Group will focus on education and employment-related outcomes metrics, sets of numeric values associated with various types of outcomes that can be described with CTDL Quantitative Data (QData). Relevant metrics include data sets that help people:

  • understand the characteristics of educational opportunities and students’ aggregate achievements
  • inform decision making about educational opportunities
  • compare outcomes resulting from participating in educational opportunities
  • gain insights about the relationship between educational opportunities and employment

At Credential Engine, we believe in a transparent and open process for evolving the CTDL as defined by our significant updates policy. We recognize that the world of metrics for education and employment outcomes is constantly evolving, and we're committed to keeping pace with these changes.

What to Expect: As a member of the CTDL Education and Employment Outcomes Metrics Task Group (E2OM), you'll participate as a subject matter and/or technical expert. Together, we'll generate use cases, define a CTDL model, and propose new terms to describe a wide range of metrics and their relationships to credential organizations, credentials, learning programs, assessments, and other relevant entities.

Your Contribution Matters: By joining our task group, you'll help ensure that the CTDL remains at the forefront of quantitative data representation, ultimately benefiting individuals, employers, credentialing organizations, educational institutions, and other stakeholders. Your insights and expertise will shape how education and employment-related metrics are integrated into the CTDL, making it a more comprehensive and adaptable resource. Join us on this exciting journey to enhance the CTDL and its role in the world of metrics.

Learn more via the Credential Engine Website.

Action Items and Follow-Up: CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal
Posted on 2/8/2024

Thank you to all who participated in the Certificates Task Group and attended the January 31, 2024 CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal Webinar. The webinar and audio recordings and presentation are available for your review.

Your input is highly valued, and we appreciate your contribution. Following the webinar today is a two-week comment period, so please provide feedback on the CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal by Friday, February 16, 2024 using any of the following options:

The CTDL Certificates terms updates are part of a process designed to facilitate organized changes to CTDL Linked Open Data. Credential Engine's plan includes updating the CTDL, with a February 2024 implementation of the changes within the Credential Registry Publishing System. We will provide further details on these updates.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@credentialengine.org.

This information is available on our website: CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal Webinar January 31, 2024

Assessing Skills with CTDL Rubrics
Posted on 2/2/2024

Rubrics enable clear assessment of skill levels. For assessing learning outcomes and evaluating job performance, rubrics provide transparent information about what a person knows and can do. The CTDL data model for rubrics makes this valuable assessment information human- and machine-readable and provides an open standard for connecting learning, skills, and jobs. CTDL rubrics are versatile and can be used not only for assessing a person’s skills, but also for assessing organizational capabilities and gauging the quality or suitability of products, services, and more. You can publish your rubrics as linked open data in CTDL and reuse rubrics that are published by others.

Credential Engine invites you to a webinar that covers updates in the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and the Credential Registry Publishing System focused on Rubrics. CTDL Rubrics have been seamlessly integrated into the Credential Registry Publishing System. This integration enables the publication of rubrics through API or bulk upload options.

During this webinar we will:

  • Provide an overview of the value of assessing skills with CTDL rubrics
  • Explain the CTDL Rubric terms implemented in September 2023
  • Demonstrate and provide step-by-step instructions for publishing Rubrics to the Credential Registry
  • Cover options for consuming Rubric data from the Registry.

CTDL Rubrics Webinar Details:

  • Date: February 29, 2024
  • Time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Location: Virtual via Zoom
  • Audience: Professionals involved in creating or storing rubrics; and/or in publishing rubrics to the Registry, and/or interested in consuming CTDL rubric data or reusing others’ rubrics, and anyone curious about how CTDL and the Registry support data for assessing skills with rubrics.
  • Registration: Click here

Stay ahead in the field of credential transparency by joining us for this informative session.

Visit the Credential Engine Website to view this announcement

Opportunity to Provide Input: CTDL Definitions of Certificates
Posted on 1/7/2024

Credential Engine is clarifying the diverse marketplace of certificates by providing more extensive credential type definitions, in order to help people make informed decisions. We need your expertise and feedback to confirm the proposed additions to the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL).

The CTDL Certificates Task Group, which included experts from education, government, licensing, certification, training and other arenas, worked in collaboration with the Credential Engine CTDL team to introduce new certificate types, definitions, and usage guidance as part of the CTDL. Certificates play a pivotal role in learn and work ecosystems, and this proposal seeks to enhance the definition of certificates for greater clarity and transparency.

This proposal complements the existing capability to describe a wide range of credentials, learning opportunities, competencies, assessments, jobs, pathways, and more. The CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal takes this a step further by refining the granularity of valuable certificate data.

You can provide feedback by reviewing the CTDL Certificates Proposal and adding your comments or by reviewing the proposal and emailing info@credentialengine.org. You can also learn more and engage with the Credential Engine team in our webinar on this topic.

  • Webinar: CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal Webinar
  • Audience: Anyone interested in learning about the CTDL Certificates Terms Proposal and engaging in an opportunity to provide input.
  • Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2023
  • Time: 11:00 am ET (See the WorldClock for your time zone.)
  • Registration: To register, please click here.
  • Additional Information: The webinar will be recorded and made publicly available, along with meeting materials.

Your engagement and insights are vital to the evolution of CTDL. We appreciate your interest and active participation in the CTDL development process. For additional information, please visit the Credential Engine website here.

Resources:

Connect Learning to Working with CTDL data and the Credential Registry
Posted on 10/9/2023

Credential Engine now supports publishing Job, Occupation, Work Role, and Task information as CTDL Linked Open Data. We are thrilled to invite you to an interactive webinar on October 25th, 2023, at 11 am ET, delving into the practical aspects of how to publish and use this data.

Why CTDL Matters:

The Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) provides essential terms that bridge the gap between learning and working. Now, with the newly introduced bulk data upload options in the Credential Registry Publishing System, you can seamlessly link Jobs, Occupations, Work Roles, and Tasks to credentials, learning programs, assessments, competencies, skills, pathways, and more. This transparency via connected, open data empowers individuals to pursue educational opportunities tailored to their career goals, enables education providers to align with employer needs, and assists employers in finding relevant credentials and programs that prepare for the jobs they offer.

Join us by registering below to learn about and get started with publishing using the Credential Registry API and bulk upload options for Jobs, Occupations, Work Roles, and Tasks.

Event Details:

We're dedicated to ensuring you leave the webinar equipped with actionable insights and hands-on knowledge to enhance your organization's data transparency. Feel free to invite colleagues who share your interest in leveraging CTDL for better data integration and understanding.

New CTDL Rubric Terms Release October 2023
Posted on 10/4/2023

Credential Engine is pleased to announce the release of new terms in the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) to facilitate the publishing of Rubric information. This development is the result of collaboration with experts and partners in the Rubrics Task Group in accordance with our Significant Managed CTDL Specification Updates Process which ensures the enduring value of CTDL Linked Open Data.

Rubrics are vital for understanding competencies in relation to credentials and jobs, outlining observable behaviors indicating a person's competence level. These rubrics support various processes, such as assessing learning outcomes or job task performance. CTDL, which was already capable of describing credentials, competencies, assessments, and tasks, now includes rubrics. This addition enhances transparency regarding required competencies in specific contexts and their assessment methods. Moreover, the CTDL model for rubrics has broad applicability, extending beyond individuals and competences to appraise organizational capabilities and assess product quality or suitability.

At this time, the Credential Registry Publishing System is being updated to support publishing Rubric data to the Credential Registry, and an implementation webinar is scheduled for November 2023.

For more information, refer to the following resources available or anyone to use under an open license:

Feel free to explore these resources to understand this update better. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out via our Contact Us page or email us at info@credentialengine.org. We aim to respond within one to two business days.

CTDL Certificates Task Group Invitation to Participate
Posted on 9/8/2023

Credential Engine follows a clearly defined, open process to make significant updates to develop the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). This process includes subject matter and technical experts forming short-term task groups to provide valuable input, typically through six online meetings over approximately 12 weeks. You are invited to join our new CTDL Certificates Task Group.

The CTDL already supports rich descriptions of numerous types of credentials including some types of certificates. Credential Engine has been asked by a number of United States-based partners to consider expanding the types of certificates that are described and included in the CTDL. Consequently, additional types of industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary, and postsecondary certificates that are embedded in programs or require successful passing of assessments need to be explored to determine if/how they should be defined within the CTDL. The CTDL Certificates Task Group will revisit the definition and framing of the term “certificate” and sub-classes of that term in order to accurately represent ecosystems’ needs. This specific Task Group will focus on U.S. based issuance of certificates but is open to any interested persons globally. See the current list of types of credentials including certificates.

The chartered Certificates Task Group (CTG) will generate use cases and determine a CTDL model and terms proposal for additional types of certificates and terms for describing them and their relationships to competencies, assessments, jobs, other types of credentials and other relevant entities can be integrated into CTDL. This information is also available via the Credential Engine Website.

Join the CTDL Certificates Task Group

Who: Prior knowledge of CTDL is appreciated but not required. Credential Engine encourages subject matter and technical experts from education, training, industry and business to join the CTG regardless of where in the world they work. Examples of the knowledge and experience we seek include:

  • subject matter experts with knowledge or experience of developing, implementing, and/or approving industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary or postsecondary certificates and related programs;
  • subject matter experts in the use of industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary or postsecondary certificates;
  • subject matter experts in designing or implementing education and career pathways that include industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary or postsecondary certificates;
  • technical experts with knowledge of existing standards or technical implementations for industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary or postsecondary certificate and related areas such as competencies, learning opportunities, and assessments.

When and Where: The Certificates Task Group is anticipated to begin on Wednesday September 27 , 2023, hold approximately six, one-hour bi-weekly meetings on the following dates at 11:00 am ET. See the World Clock for your time zone. All meetings will be recorded and materials will be shared with all SSTG members.

  1. Wed, October 4, 2023
  2. Wed, October 18, 2023
  3. Wed, November 1, 2023
  4. Wed, November 15, 2023
  5. Wed, November 29, 2023
  6. Wed, December 13, 2023

Resources: Credential Engine will create and provide all resources needed for this work, based on CTG input, and share them for ongoing feedback between meetings. All feedback and materials are transparently available following an open development process.

Outcomes: The final products of this work include the expanded use cases, real-world data examples, and relevant CTDL domain model and terms with definition, and data standards mapping. All outputs from the process are all public information made available under open licenses.

Processes: The process utilized to ensure timely and usable outcomes from Task Groups is well established and successful. The resultant outputs will be reviewed via an open webinar for Credential Engines’ advisory group members and other stakeholders followed by a public comment period. This efficient process ensures orderly changes that support and expand the durable, persistent value of CTDL Linked Open Data. Once this process is completed, the CTDL family of standards and Handbook will be updated along with the Credential Registry publishing and consuming tools. The Registry and related tools and resources are freely available for publishing data to the Credential Registry.

Contact Credential Engine: If you have any questions about this task group, please email info@credentialengine.org. This mailbox is monitored during normal U.S. business hours.

Action Request and Follow-Up: CTDL Rubric Terms Proposal
Posted on 9/6/2023

Thank you to all who participated in the Rubrics Task Group and the September 6, 2023 CTDL Rubric Proposal Webinar. The webinar and audio recordings and presentation are available for your review.

Your input is highly valued, and we appreciate your contribution towards evolving the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). Following the webinar is a two-week comment period, and we encourage you to provide feedback on the CTDL Rubric Proposal by Friday, September 22, 2023 using any of the following options:

The CTDL Rubric terms updates are part of an efficient process designed to facilitate organized changes and enhance the enduring value of CTDL Linked Open Data. Credential Engine's plan includes updating the CTDL family of specifications and implementing these terms within the Credential Registry Publishing System in 2023. We will provide further details on these updates, as well as information on how to participate in an implementation webinar, in an upcoming announcement.

We want to express our appreciation for your interest and active involvement in the CTDL development process. If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@credentialengine.org.

Opportunity to Provide Input: CTDL Rubric Terms Proposal
Posted on 8/24/2023

Credential Engine is extending an invitation to you to join the CTDL Rubric Terms Proposal Webinar.

In collaboration with the CTDL team, the CTDL Rubrics Task Group (RTG) has crafted a proposal introducing CTDL rubric terms. Rubrics hold the key to unlocking a deeper comprehension of competencies within the context of credentials and job roles. By defining observable behaviors that indicate varying levels of proficiency, rubrics empower us to assess learning outcomes, gauge task performance, and more.

Already proficient in describing credentials, competencies, assessments, and tasks, CTDL is poised to take its capabilities to the next level by incorporating CTDL rubric terms. With the Task Group's work now complete, we are excited to present the CTDL Rubrics Term Proposal to stakeholders like you and eagerly await your invaluable feedback. At the heart of CTDL's evolution lies community engagement and feedback. This is your chance to delve into the RTG's efforts, review the proposal, and contribute your insights.

We are offering two time slots on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Please register for the time that is most convenient for you:

Please note that the webinars will be recorded and the recordings made publicly available along with all meeting materials.

Thank you for your interest and participation in the CTDL development process. We look forward to your involvement.

This information is also available via the Credential Engine website.

Resources:

Opportunities Ahead: Recap Of “Traversing Data Landscapes” Webinar
Posted on 8/23/2023

Thank you to those who were able to participate in the "Traversing Data Landscapes: CTDL Schema Crosswalks Planning Session Webinar." It was wonderful to see such a diverse and engaged group of participants.

We explored the importance of schema mappings, introduced the freely available Data Ecosystem Schema Mapper tool, and discussed effective approaches to scoping and planning mapping projects. The session also featured a real-world mapping example used by the CTDL Rubrics Task Group, underscoring the value of transparent data through well-defined crosswalks. We concluded with an invitation to participate in the development of use cases and solutions that empower people using transparent data that is clarified through well defined crosswalks. For more information, see the links to the recordings and webinar materials below.

We have a promising opportunity on the horizon—the proposal for global micro-credential schema mappings. Your expertise could play a pivotal role in shaping this initiative, which is open to all and will result in an open, public crosswalk. The CTDL Advisory Group is where your insights can shape the direction of these efforts, driving tangible outcomes. If you’re not already a member, we invite you to take your involvement a step further by joining this group; like all Credential Engine Advisory Groups, there is no cost for participation, and we welcome everyone’s perspectives. Furthermore, if you or someone you know possesses the skills of a potential schema mapper or can facilitate connections within your network, we encourage you to share this information. Use this form to indicate how you’d like to participate.

For any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Jeanne Kitchens jkitchens@credentialengine.org.

Webinar Deck and Recordings:

Meeting References and Materials:

Other CTDL Resources:

Traversing Data Landscapes: CTDL Schema Crosswalks Planning Session
Posted on 8/11/2023

Attention CTDL Advisory Group Members and Interested Participants,

We invite you to our upcoming CTDL Schema Crosswalks Planning Session, where we will delve into learning about the process of mapping schemas using the Data Ecosystem Schema Mapper Tool (DESM), focusing on data models in areas relevant to the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). We’ll also seek input on next steps for pursuing mapping projects that are aligned to opportunities identified by the CTDL Advisory Group. This collaborative event will take place on August 22nd and will be hosted via Zoom.

Event Details:

Who Should Participate? This session is a unique opportunity for two key groups:

  • Schema Managers: If you are responsible for managing schemas or data models that intersect with the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL), your insights are invaluable. Join to contribute your expertise in fostering interoperability and effective data utilization.
  • Learning Ecosystem Professionals: For those seeking crosswalks to bridge the gap between different data models within the learning and work ecosystem, this session offers an exceptional chance to gain insights and collaborate with experts in the field.

Why Participate? Engaging in schema crosswalks and mapping offers a multitude of benefits to the CTDL ecosystem.

  • Avoid Unnecessary Proliferation: Gain a comprehensive understanding of existing public data models, reducing redundancy and enabling informed decisions on potential content standard reuse.
  • Enhance Clarity: Create transparent and clear mappings among relevant data models, fostering improved comprehension and communication.
  • Evaluate Expressivity: Assess the level of expressivity of different data models, identifying commonalities and differences in attributes.
  • Informed Term Selection: Determine whether new CTDL terms should be based on existing data model namespaces, enhancing consistency and coherence.
  • Interoperability Support: Provide essential insights for establishing relationship alignments to terms in other data models, aligning with the CTDL Namespace Policy and boosting data interoperability.
  • Enable Transformation: Support the aggregation, repurposing, and transformation of metadata expressed through diverse data models.
  • Extend CTDL: Contribute to expanding the CTDL vocabulary by identifying and filling gaps through the addition of new terms, aligning with both current and aspirational use cases.

Your expertise and insights are crucial to the success of the CTDL Schema Crosswalks Planning Session. We encourage all CTDL advisory group members and anyone passionate about enhancing data interoperability to join us for this session.

Thank you for your dedication to advancing the credential transparency ecosystem. We look forward to your active participation and meaningful contributions during this session.

Credential Engine Equity Advisory Council Webinar Follow Up
Posted on 7/24/2023

Thank you to those who participated in the July 21st webinar that covered our newly released Equity Advisory Council Report, its recommendations, and how to publish the identified data. The webinar recording and presentation are now available for your viewing.

As part of the webinar, we reviewed the Report, the data elements that are broken down into tiers, and the use of data principles. Additionally, the rollout of the report and where you can find all of the resources. As a reminder, our Equity webpage has all available materials located towards the bottom. You can find links to those resources below:

Our technical team provided an overview of the Support Services data elements that came out of the work of the Council, and how to publish those data to the Credential Registry. To help get started, we have prepared a set of resources that will guide you through the process of publishing your data to the Credential Registry. Below, you will find the relevant materials.

We encourage you to seize this opportunity and publish your Tier 1 data to the Credential Registry. The implementation of these recommendations will help meaningfully advance the collective work to bring about a more equitable education and training marketplace through the use of linked, open, interoperable data, like the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). We encourage the sharing of the report and all related resources.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Publish Pathways Using Credential Engine’s New Pathway Builder and Attend Launch Webinar
Posted on 7/11/2023

A new tool is being integrated into Credential Engine's Credential Registry to help publish pathway information!

There are over 1 million credentials and at least 50,000 providers in the United States alone, making it difficult for learners, workers, and employers to understand, map, and navigate their learning and career pathways. Additionally, there is an imbalance in talent ecosystems where employers say they cannot find the talent they need, yet training and credentialing organizations say their programs and credentials provide what employers are looking for. Learning and career pathways provide individuals with structured routes to gain knowledge, skills, and experiences that guide them toward meaningful and fulfilling careers while enabling lifelong learning. Pathways vary for different people and opportunities, so making data transparent helps everyone understand quality, equitable pathways through this maze.

The Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and the Credential Registry provide critical solutions for data transparency. The CTDL-linked open data structure is foundational for creating solutions that benefit everyone. The Pathway Builder tool builds off the data in the Credential Registry to communicate learning and career pathways. This tool enables publishing existing or creating new CTDL pathways. And no matter your role in creating, supporting, and sharing learning and career pathways, the CTDL is beneficial to you and your stakeholders. When ecosystem players work together and publish CTDL-linked open data structures, they are building balanced ecosystems where everyone benefits.

Our goal is to empower people to build quality CTDL data in the Credential Registry that’s foundational to pathways, and to link the components of learning and career pathways into beneficial human and machine-readable data to power systems and applications. Using the CTDL and Credential Registry data to build pathways illuminates the best path forward for learners, workers, and employers by providing actionable data.

We are available to help you and other organizations publish data to include in pathways. Watch the overview video here.

We are launching and hosting a webinar on July 26th at 12:30 PM EST to introduce the tool, provide an overview of how the tool works, and why this is an important development for credentialing ecosystems.

You can register for the webinar here

Can’t attend the webinar? No problem! We will make the recording and all accompanying resources available on our website and YouTube page.

Maximize Your Organization's Reach: Publish Your Support Services to the CTDL Credential Registry
Posted on 6/28/2023

We are pleased to announce the launch of the CTDL Credential Registry publishing and consuming options on June 28, 2023.

For organizations that provide resources and assistance that help people overcome barriers to succeed in their education and career goals, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase your offerings by publishing your information to the Credential Registry. To help you get started, we have provided a range of valuable resources listed below:

  • Support Services Bulk Upload Demonstration: This demonstration of the Support Services Bulk Upload will guide you through the process of bulk uploading your support services to the Credential Registry. You'll learn step-by-step instructions on how to efficiently publish your information. Access the demonstration here.
  • Support Services Launch Google Slides: This comprehensive set of Google Slides provides an overview of the Support Services features with the CTDL and Credential Registry. This deck was used for the webinar recordings. View the Google Slides
  • Support Services Webinar Recording: We understand the importance of clear communication and knowledge transfer. That's why we recorded the launch webinar to provide a deep dive into CTDL and Credential Registry Support Services features. You can access these recordings at your convenience and gain valuable insights on utilizing the Credential Registry effectively. Please find the webinar recording here.
  • CTDL Handbook: Support Services: To ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of how to publish support services using the CTDL we have prepared a Support Services section of the CTDL Handbook. Access the CTDL Handbook section for Support Services.
  • Credential Registry Publishing API Handbook: Support Services: Directly publish structured support services data from a database to the Credential Registry. See details in this API Guide and its Support Services section.

We encourage you to seize this opportunity and publish your support services to the Credential Registry. By doing so, you will maximize your organization's visibility and accessibility to those seeking the services you offer. Should you have any further questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team via publishing@credentialengine.org.

Thank you for your participation, and we look forward to seeing your support services on the Credential Registry.

Learn About CTDL Support Services Terms, Publishing, and Consuming Options
Posted on 6/13/2023

We are excited to announce the completion of the significant updates process for the new CTDL Support Services terms, effective June 1, 2023. This involved the successful formation and conclusion of the Support Services Task Group on April 28, 2023. In addition, we held public webinars on May 16, 2023, followed by a two-week comment period. The purpose of these updates is to ensure orderly changes that enhance the enduring value of CTDL Linked Open Data.

As a result, we are pleased to inform you that the CTDL family of specifications has been updated, and we’re launching the Credential Registry publishing and consuming tools. You can now access and utilize these updated terms.

Please join us for a webinar on Wednesday June 28, 2023 at 12:30 pm ET to learn more about the CTDL Support Services terms and to get started with using related Credential Registry publishing options. See the World Clock for your local time and Register for the Support Services Webinar.

Here is a list of the updated resources and documents:

CTDL Terms:

Credential Registry Policy:

Credential Registry Publishing and Consuming Tools Launching on June 28, 2023:

We also want to bring your attention to the following resources, which provide further information and guidance:

These resources will assist you in effectively utilizing the updated Support Services terms and provide comprehensive information about their implementation.

If you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our support team at publishing@credentailengine.org.

Rubrics Task Group
Posted on 5/10/2023

Rubrics are key to understanding competencies in relation to credentials and jobs. They specify the observable behaviors that indicate a person has reached a certain level of competence. As such rubrics may support processes such as the assessment of learning outcomes from a learning opportunity, the appraisal of task performance in a job, etc. CTDL is already capable of describing credentials, competencies, assessments and tasks; the inclusion of rubrics will enable further transparency regarding the competencies that are required in a specific context and how they are assessed.

The Rubrics Task Group (RTG) will generate use cases and review examples and existing standards to decide how information about rubrics and their relationships to competencies, assessments, jobs, credentials and other relevant entities can be integrated into CTDL.

Who: Prior knowledge of CTDL is appreciated by not required. Credential Engine encourages subject matter and technical experts from education, training, industry and business to join the RTG regardless of where in the world they work. Examples of the knowledge and experience we seek include:

  • Subject matter experts with knowledge or experience of preparing and using rubrics in assessment or job appraisal
  • Subject matter experts in the creation of competency frameworks
  • Subject matter experts in curriculum design, especially relating to learning objectives, competency based learning and assessment
  • Subject matter experts in the use of rubrics for recruitment and selection for work roles
  • Subject matter experts in job-task analysis
  • Technical experts with knowledge of existing standards for rubrics and related areas such as competencies and assessments

When and Where: The Rubrics Task Group is anticipated to begin on Wednesday June 14, 2023, hold approximately six, one-hour bi-weekly meetings on the following dates at 11:00 am ET. See the World Clock for your time zone. All meetings will be recorded and materials will be shared with all SSTG members.

  • June 14, 2023
  • June 28, 2023
  • July 12, 2023
  • July 26, 2023
  • August 9, 2023
  • August 23, 2023

Resources: Credential Engine will create and provide all resources needed for this work, based on RTG input, and share them for ongoing feedback between meetings. All feedback and materials are transparently available following an open development process.

Outcomes: The final products of this work include the expanded use cases, real-world data examples, and relevant CTDL/CTDL-ASN domain model and terms with definitions. All outputs from the process are all public information made available under open licenses.

Processes: The process utilized to ensure timely and usable outcomes from Task Groups is well established and successful. The resultant outputs will be reviewed via an open webinar for Credential Engines’ advisory group members and other stakeholders followed by a public comment period. This efficient process ensures orderly changes that support and expand the durable, persistent value of CTDL Linked Open Data. Once this process is completed, the CTDL family of standards and Handbook will be updated along with the Credential Registry publishing and consuming tools. The Registry and related tools and resources are freely available for publishing data to the Credential Registry.

Contact Credential Engine: If you have any questions about this task group, please email info@credentialengine.org. This mailbox is monitored during normal U.S. business hours.

Join the Rubrics Task Group

Join the CTDL Support Services Proposal Webinar
Posted on 5/3/2023

We are excited to invite you to join the CTDL Support Services Proposal Webinar hosted by Credential Engine. The Support Services Task Group (SSTG) has collaborated with the CTDL team to develop a proposal for CTDL support services terms. The SSTG focused on data that describes support available to learners and earners as they enter into, navigate, and complete informal and formal education to career pathways.

Now that the Task Group's work is complete, we are pleased to present the proposal to all stakeholders and solicit your valuable feedback. The CTDL development process is driven by open participation and feedback from the community. This is your opportunity to learn about the SSTG, review the proposal, and provide your input.

We are offering two time slots on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. Please register for the time that is most convenient for you:

Please note that following the webinars will be recorded and the recordings made publicly available along with all meeting materials.

Thank you for your interest and participation in the CTDL development process. We look forward to your involvement.

Resources: Draft CTDL Support Services Terms Proposal

CTDL Webinar: Getting to know and use CTDL
Posted on 2/28/2023

You’re Invited to a CTDL Webinar: Get to know and use CTDL

As a follow up to the first Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Advisory Group (CAG), a CTDL Webinar has been scheduled for March 21, 2023 at 11 AM ET (see the world clock for your time zone) that will go deeper into the design of the CTDL and how anyone can use it.

This webinar is open to all CAG Members and anyone else interested in getting to know and use CTDL. The topics build off the introduction to CTDL covered with the February 14th CAG meeting.

The webinar topics will cover:

  • Introduction to the CTDL Handbook
  • Important background information
  • Examples of using CTDL
  • Questions and answers

To join the webinar, please register. If you cannot make the webinar, the webinar will be recorded and made available as public information.

Resources:

Invitation for Participation in Credential Engine’s New CTDL “Support Services” Task Group
Posted on 1/24/2023

Credential Engine follows a clearly defined, open process to make significant updates to develop the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). This process includes subject matter and technical experts forming short-term task groups to provide valuable input (typically 8-12 weeks). You are invited to join our new Support Services Task Group (SSTG). This Task Group will focus on data that includes learner supports to enter into, navigate,and successfully complete credentialing programs including pre-enrollment, post-enrollment, and post-exit. It will also consider demographic information with outcome data, and other types of information about how organizations develop and implement policies related to equitable access and outcomes. The work of this task group supports the goals and recommendations of Credential Engine’s Equity Advisory Council, state partners, and other agencies and organizations who are working to improve the learn and work data ecosystem.

The Support Services Task Group will build off the recommendations from the Credential Engine’s Equity Advisory Council. This Council has been working for over a year to form recommendations for CTDL expansion and for communicating the importance and value of publishing data to the Credential Registry that helps with equity challenges.

The SSTG will:

  • Review and expand upon use cases developed by the Equity Advisory Council.
  • Provide real data examples that support use cases.
  • Provide input to expand the CTDL domain model and create additional CTDL terms where necessary to address actionable use cases.

Who: Prior knowledge of CTDL is appreciated by not required. Credential Engine encourages subject matter and technical experts in the following areas, both in and outside the U.S., to join the SSTG. The SSTG is for:

  1. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who define or deliver support services for a diverse student population;
  2. SMEs who define or deliver outcome data that helps students and educators understand barriers for a diverse student population and how they matriculate in career pathway, and
  3. SMEs that develop and communicate equity policies, and (4) SMEs that utilize support services, outcome data, and/or knowledge of equity policies to ensure success of a diverse student population.

When and Where: The SSTG will hold its first meeting on February 9, 2023. There will be approximately six virtual (Zoom) meetings held every other week for one hour, and conclude in April 2022. Below is the proposed meeting schedule. Meetings are scheduled for 11 am ET / 10 am CT / 9 am MT / 8 am PT. Use the World Clock to see more time zones.

  • Thursday, February 9th @@ 8 AM PT
  • Thursday, February 23rd @@ 8 AM PT
  • Thursday, March 9th @@ 8 AM PT
  • Thursday, March 23rd @@ 8 AM PT
  • Thursday, April 6th @@ 8 AM PT
  • Thursday, April 20th @@ 8 AM PT

Resources: Credential Engine will create and provide all resources needed for this work, based on SSTG input, and share them for ongoing feedback between meetings. All feedback and materials are transparently available following an open development process.

Outcomes: The final products of this work include the expanded use cases, real-world data examples, and relevant CTDL domain model and terms with definitions. All outputs from the process are all public information made available under open licenses.

Processes: The process utilized to ensure timely and usable outcomes from Task Groups is well established and successful. The resultant outputs will be reviewed via an open webinar for Credential Engines’ advisory group members and other stakeholders followed by a public comment period. This efficient process ensures orderly changes that support and expand the durable, persistent value of CTDL Linked Open Data. Once this process is completed, the CTDL family of standards and Handbook will be updated along with the Credential Registry publishing and consuming tools. The Registry and related tools and resources are freely available for publishing data to the Credential Registry.

If you’re interested in joining the Support Services Task Group, please use the sign up form.

If you have any questions, please let us know via info@credentialengine.org.

New CTDL Pathway Constraints Terms June Release
Posted on 7/6/2022

Credential Engine has been collaborating with partners, subject- and technical-matter experts to expand the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) to support complex education and career pathways. Although the CTDL had already supported publishing pathways, the Pathway Constraints Task Group (PCTG) was formed to work on more complex use cases for progressing through Pathways.

The outcome from the PCTG, is a CTDL Terms Release that supports publishing pathways whether only a simple progression, a progression with conditions, or a more complex progression with conditions and constraints.

  1. Pathways (previously supported) - A progression of Pathway Components that navigate to a destination.
  2. Component Conditions (previously supported) - Define required quantities from an array of predetermined Pathway Components. For example, a requirement to complete two courses.
  3. Constraints (new) - Restrictions that can be expressed in addition to Component Conditions. For example, credits earned must be equal to or greater than a specific quantity, courses must be at a specific level, or hours worked must be equal to or greater than a determined quantity.

With this June 2022 release, Credential Engine has:

This CTDL update was completed following Credential Engine’s clearly defined, open process to make significant updates to develop the CTDL.

Publishing complex pathways to the Credential Registry will be supported with a new Pathway Builder interactive tool that will be available later this year.

If you have any questions, please visit our Contact Us page. We typically respond within one to two business days.

Thank you, Credential Engine Team

https://credentialengine.org

Call for Participation: Updates to the Credential Engine CTDL Pathways Constraints Terms Proposal Webinar
Posted on 6/1/2022

Please join us on Monday, June 13th at 2:00 pm ET / 1:00 pm CT / 12:00 pm MT / 11:00 am PT to provide feedback on the proposed CTDL Domain Model and Terms for handling more complex pathway use cases!

While following Credential Engine’s clearly defined, open process to make significant updates to develop the CTDL, Credential Engine has been collaborating with partners and subject matter experts to enhance the CTDL expansions to support Pathways with more complex constraints. Additional CTDL terms will be implemented over the coming months.

The goal is to use CTDL to publish pathways whether only a progression, with a progression and conditions, or with a progression, conditions, and constraints. During our time together, the Credential Engine Team will walk through the Pathways Levels that are already supported in the CTDL, and the new proposed terms.

  • Pathways (Already Supported) – Comprising a progression of Pathway Components that navigate to a destination.
  • Component Conditions (Already Supported) – Define required quantities from an array of predetermined Pathway Components that can be nested and provide descriptive data. For example, a requirement to complete two courses.
  • Constraints (This Proposal) – Restrictions that can be expressed in addition to Component Conditions using CTDL properties that systems could use for their algorithms. For example, credits earned must be equal to or greater than a specific quantity, courses must be at a specific level, or hours worked must be equal to or greater than a determined quantity.

Please join us on Monday, June 13th to provide comments and feedback for the upcoming CTDL expansion.

Register Today!

Webinar: Updates to Credential Engine Currency Policy and New Reports
Posted on 4/21/2022

Join the Credential Engine Team on Thursday, May 5th at 12:00 pm ET as we provide updates on the changes made to our Currency Policy for publishing to and maintaining data about credentials in the Credential Registry. Additionally, we will provide an overview of the new reports available to all publishers, which will enable them to easily identify any data quality issues and access instructions to update Registry information.

For clarity, here is how we are defining these terms:

  • Bad Links: Broken links to web pages included with Registry information.
  • Duplicate Data: More than one resource, such as credentials, with identical names, credential types, web page links, and descriptions.
  • Incomplete Data: Information in the Credential Engine publishing system that was only partially published to the Registry.
  • Life Cycle: Progression of a resource beginning with an active status and concluding with a status indicating the resource is no longer offered.

Following the implementation of these changes, for each credential published there will now be a requirement that the publisher confirms the data is current and up to date at least every two years. This update will be effective as of May 2nd, 2022.

Register Today!

Call for Participation in Credential Engine’s Task Group on Credential Approval Lists
Posted on 10/6/2021

State and Federal government agencies and other organizations are tasked with approving credentials and their associated education and training programs for funding and inclusion on lists such as Eligible Training Provider Lists, Approved GI Bill, industry-recognized credential or high-quality credentials lists, and others. Currently, that work is siloed within and across state lines but can be better streamlined using a common data infrastructure. Credential Engine technologies already support describing credentials and associated data using a common language as Linked Open Data, publishing that data to the Registry, and allowing multiple states and agencies to reference and show quality assurance processes. The next step in the evolution of the CTDL is to identify any gaps in functionality to support state and federal requirements and to include information that communicates why a credential is on the list and recognizes that credentials can come off the list once criteria are no longer met.

Credential Engine follows a clearly defined, open process to make significant updates to develop the CTDL. This process includes subject matter and technical experts forming short-term task groups to provide valuable input (typically 8-12 weeks). You are invited to join our new Credential Approval Lists Task Group. The work of this task group supports the goals of Credential Engine’s state partners and other agencies and organizations who are working to improve the education and training data ecosystem.

The CALTG will:

  • Identify real-world use cases for approving functions.
  • Provide real examples of how approving functions and data are currently used and how they could be improved.
  • Provide input to expand the CTDL domain model and create additional CTDL terms where necessary to address.

Who: The CALTG is for subject matter experts who oversee, regulate, review, use, report on, or apply for state education and training funding. For example, ETPL administrators, training providers who are approved or want to be approved for state funding, state leaders who develop “Industry Recognized Credentials” lists, and others. We also welcome federal representatives who oversee relevant federal regulations. Prior knowledge of CTDL is appreciated by not required.

When and Where: The CALTG will hold its first meeting on October 27, 2021, and meet no more than six times, every other week for one hour, and conclude in January 2022. The one-hour meetings will be held via Zoom.

Resources: Credential Engine will create and provide all resources needed for this work, based on CALTG input, and share them for ongoing feedback between meetings. All feedback and materials are transparently available following an open process.

Outcomes: The final products of this work include the use cases, real-world examples as instance data, CTDL domain model and terms with definitions, and usage guidance. The products are all public information made available via the Credential Engine technical site and where appropriate, on GitHub and available under open licenses. All subsequent updates to the CTDL will follow the Significant Update Policy. The policy requires formation of the Task Group, input by the Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group and other advisory group members and stakeholders, and a comment period. This efficient process ensures orderly changes that support and expand the durable, persistent value of CTDL Linked Open Data. Once this process is completed, the CTDL family of specifications will be updated along with the Credential Registry publishing and consuming tools. The tools include the open-source Competency and Skills System (CaSS). The Registry and related tools and resources are freely available for stakeholders to publish competencies and skills, competency frameworks, and related data.

September 2021 TAG Meeting
Posted on 9/30/2021

Colleagues,

We hope you’re doing well! It’s been quite awhile since we’ve convened the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) but it’s time to ask you to spare a bit of your time. We’re conscientious of how busy you have been and we understand meeting fatigue. Thereby, we decided to take a break from our typical TAG schedule. However, we have some big updates and are looking forward to sharing them with you and getting your feedback.

The CTDL team has also been very busy participating with numerous spec development efforts and working with our many partners to extend the CTDL. We’ll ensure TAG members have a link to all of the meeting materials closer to the meeting date.

Agenda:

  • Contextualizing Skills and Competencies Task Group: New CTDL Terms Proposal
  • Expanding CTDL Learning Opportunity to specify Courses and Programs
  • Using CTDL to efficiently publish articulated transfer value

Please join us and if you have colleagues who may be interested, pass this email on to them to join the TAG and they’re welcome to join this meeting. We’ll have a couple more meetings with the TAG this year with the intent of them being highly informative and for getting feedback. We hope to see you soon!

Meeting Date: Thursday, September 16, 2021

Time: 12:00 pm ET / 11:00 am CT / 10:00 am MT / 9:00 am PT

Call for Participation in Credential Engine’s Task Group on Contextualizing Skills and Competencies
Posted on 5/28/2021

Clearly defining and communicating the skills and competencies for credentials, programs, and jobs can lead to more equitable learn-and-work ecosystems that recognize everyone’s specific abilities. In order to achieve this, we all need clearly written skills that are contextualized with additional information, providing a valuable currency across education, training, and employment. Open skills that are published on the web using Linked Open Data support connections among the skills, credentials, jobs, and more. The Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) and the Registry provide a freely available, shared Linked Open Data structure for publishing open skills and their rich connections to other data.

The CTDL already supports data structures for describing competencies and skills, competency frameworks, alignments among skills, and rich metadata for contextualizing competency frameworks and related information. The CTDL also provides structure for linking competencies to credentials, courses, programs, assessments, transfer value, education and career pathways, jobs, work roles, and learning and employment records. The next step in the evolution of CTDL is to support additional rich metadata for individual competencies and skills.

Credential Engine follows a clearly defined, open process to make significant updates to develop the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). This process includes subject matter and technical experts forming short-term task groups to provide valuable input (typically 8-12 weeks). You are invited to join our new Contextualization of Skills and Competencies Task Group (CSCTG). The work of this task group supports the goals of the Open Skills Network, T3 Innovation Network, and other initiatives and organizations advancing the development, sharing, and reuse of skills and competencies as linked data.

The CSCTG will:

  1. Identify real-world use cases for individual skill and competency statement contextualization. The contextual information is important to correctly interpret the intent, purpose, use of, or authoritative sources for an individual skill or competency statement.
  2. Provide real examples of skill and competency statements with contextual information.
  3. Provide input to expand the CTDL domain model and create additional CTDL terms where necessary for the meaningful contextualization of individual skill and competency statements.

Who: The CSCTG is for subject matter experts who create, manage, reuse, share, consume, or align skill and competency statements across learning and work domains. For example, skills architects, curriculum developers, assessment developers, HR or other job information managers, military and industry training developers, and others who work with skills and competencies. We welcome managers of data specifications who would like to participate and align their data standards to the resultant use cases and CTDL terms. We also welcome product and service providers who support skills and competencies and want to incorporate CTDL into their solutions. Prior knowledge of CTDL is appreciated by not required.

When and Where: The CSCTG will kickoff on Thursday, June 24, 2021 and meet no more than six times, every other week for one hour, and conclude in August, 2021. The one-hour meetings will be held via Zoom.

Materials: Credential Engine will create and provide all resources needed for this work, based on CSCTG input, and share them for ongoing feedback between meetings. All feedback and materials are transparently available following an open process.

Outcomes: The final products of this work include the use cases, real-world examples as instance data, CTDL domain model and terms with definitions, and usage guidance. The products are all public information made available via the Credential Engine technical site and where appropriate, on github and available under open licenses. All subsequent updates to the CTDL will follow the Significant Update Policy. The policy requires formation of the Task Group, input by the Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group and other advisory group members and stakeholders, and a comment period. This efficient process ensures orderly changes that support and expand the durable, persistent value of CTDL Linked Open Data. Once this process is completed, the CTDL family of specifications will be updated along with the Credential Registry publishing and consuming tools. The tools include the open source Competency and Skills System (CaSS). The Registry and related tools and resources are freely available for stakeholders to publish competencies and skills, competency frameworks, and related data.

For more information: info@credentialengine.org

Join the CSCTG

May 2021 CTDL and CTDL-ASN Releases are now Pending
Posted on 5/14/2021

This month's pending releases for CTDL and CTDL-ASN bring with them a few small adjustments as well as some larger changes, namely:

  • The return of ceterms:codedNotation to the Occupation, Job, WorkRole, and Task classes to handle cases where the identification code is not part of a known or referenceable source, or where it isn't useful to include such a source
  • The introduction of the ceterms:Organization class to accommodate organizations that are not exclusively/specifically Credentialing or Quality Assurance organizations (even if they exhibit one or both of those functions)

You can view the pending changes here:

As always, please leave feedback in our Github, Google Group, or by contacting Credential Engine directly.

These changes will be implemented in the live versions of CTDL and CTDL-ASN on Friday, May 28, 2021.

March 2021 Schemas Update Feedback Period
Posted on 3/22/2021

The CTDL family of schemas is now in the feedback period for the March 2021 Release.

This release has some minor improvements along with the beginnings of a significant change to the way that aggregate data is managed. Previously, CTDL required the use of three separate classes (ceterms:HoldersProfile, ceterms:EmploymentOutcomeProfile, and ceterms:EarningsProfile) in order to convey various aspects of aggregate data. These classes were initially sketched out in the earliest days of CTDL and much of the functionality originally envisioned for them has been implemented in the QData schema instead. As such, these three classes took on a "summary" role wherein several test cases showed that they all ultimately linked to the same qdata:DataSetProfile.

After much discussion, we have now created a new class, ceterms:AggregateDataProfile, and given it a combination of properties drawn from those three aggregate data classes to enable it to fill the same "summary" role, but with less complexity.

However, this consolidation of classes represents a large change in how this kind of data is handled, so in order to ensure compatibility, we have not yet deprecated the original three aggregate data classes. Instead, we have updated them to reference and strongly urge the use of ceterms:AggregateData instead. We will consider whether or not to deprecate these classes based on future feedback (or lack thereof).

For a detailed list of changes, see the following:

These changes are scheduled to go live to their respective schemas on March 26, 2021.

Follow Up Information: Final Review of Transfer Value and Education & Training to Jobs CTDL Term Proposals
Posted on 10/16/2020

Thanks to all who joined the October 14, 2020 meetings to review the new CTDL terms proposals for Transfer Value and Education and Training to Jobs. If you can provide feedback by Friday, October 30, 2020, it would be very helpful.

All meeting materials are available to you:

Please review and provide feedback on these documents. Please provide feedback using any of these options:

Backup materials for Transfer Value terms and Education & Training to Jobs are listed below.

Transfer Value

  1. Transfer Value Charter with Use Cases - This document is complete.
  2. Transfer Value GitHub Issues - The terms proposal is documented with multiple GitHub issues. Use the Terms proposal to provide suggestions. Otherwise, log into your GitHub account and add comments to related issues.
  3. Transfer Value CTDL JSON Examples - These are the examples from slides 10-14 available for review.
  4. Updates to CTDL terms are in Pending status during the feedback period through Nov 1, 2020.

Education & Training to Jobs

  1. Education & Training to Jobs Charter with Use Cases - This document is complete.
  2. Education & Training to Jobs Domain Model - Review and provide suggestions.
  3. Education & Training to Jobs GitHub Issues - The terms proposal is documented with multiple GitHub issues. Use the Terms proposal to provide suggestions. Otherwise, log into your GitHub account and add comments to related issues.
  4. Education & Training to Jobs CTDL JSON Examples - These are the examples from slides 21 - 22 available for review..
  5. Updates to CTDL terms are in Pending status during feedback period through Nov 1, 2020.

Thank you in advance for reviewing proposal materials and please let us know if you have any questions.

Feedback Request: CTDL Terms for Transfer Value and Education & Training to Jobs
Posted on 10/5/2020

Thanks to all who joined the October 2, 2020 TAG meeting to review the new CTDL terms proposals for Transfer Value and Education and Training to Jobs. If you can provide feedback by October 16, 2020, it would be very helpful. This enables a review of your comments for potential updates ahead of presenting materials to the four other Credential Engine advisory groups as well as other partners and Registry users. A webinar is scheduled or October 14, 2020 to garner additional feedback. Watch for an emailed invitation, TAG members are welcome to join this webinar as well. The timeline is to get all feedback by October 30th.

All meeting materials are available to TAG members:

Materials for Transfer Value terms and Education & Training to Jobs are listed below. Please provide feedback on terms proposals using any of these options:

  • Send an email to info@credentialengine.org
  • Use comments on the terms domain model diagrams and terms proposals
  • Use this TAG Google Group
  • Post to the related GitHub issues.

Links to all of the review materials are included below and linked in the Google slides used for the TAG meeting.

Transfer Value

  1. Transfer Value Charter with Use Cases - This document is complete.
  2. Transfer Value Guide - Optionally, provide suggestions.
  3. Transfer Value Domain Model - Review and provide suggestions.
  4. Transfer Value Terms Proposal - Review and provide suggestions.
  5. Transfer Value GitHub Issues - The terms proposal is documented with multiple GitHub issues. Use the Terms proposal to provide suggestions. Otherwise, log into your GitHub account and add comments to related issues.
  6. Transfer Value CTDL JSON Examples - These are the examples from slides 10-14 available for review.
  7. Updates to CTDL terms are in Pending status during the feedback period through Nov 1, 2020.

Education & Training to Jobs

  1. Education & Training to Jobs Charter with Use Cases - This document is complete.
  2. Education & Training to Jobs Domain Model - Review and provide suggestions.
  3. Education & Training to Jobs Terms Proposal - Review and provide suggestions.
  4. Education & Training to Jobs GitHub Issues - The terms proposal is documented with multiple GitHub issues. Use the Terms proposal to provide suggestions. Otherwise, log into your GitHub account and add comments to related issues.
  5. Education & Training to Jobs CTDL JSON Examples - These are the examples from slides 21 - 22 available for review..
  6. Updates to CTDL terms are in Pending status during feedback period through Nov 1, 2020.

Thank you in advance for reviewing proposal materials and please let us know if you have any questions.

October 2020 TAG Meeting
Posted on 9/28/2020

We have an upcoming TAG meeting this Friday, October 2nd, at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST. This meeting will focus on two primary areas:

  1. Transfer Value
    1. Transfer Value Profile class
    2. Related terms
    3. Final Proposal
  2. Education and Training to Jobs
    1. Occupation, Job, Work Role, and Task classes
    2. Related terms
    3. Final Proposal
  3. Next Steps

We will use this presentation to cover the above areas.

We hope to see you there!

CTDL Financial Assistance types Update
Posted on 8/17/2020

Partners,

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the CTDL proposal to define and expand the types of financial assistance. We received quite a bit of feedback that was very helpful and we’ve made updates accordingly. Everyone who provided feedback will receive a separate email early next week summarizing how we responded to your comments. Those terms went to a “Pending” CTDL status Friday, August 14, 2020.

You can see these Pending terms here.

There is still time to comment on these pending terms prior to moving them to a status of "Stable" on Friday, August 28, 2020. In tandem with these terms being part of the CTDL on August 28th, the Credential Engine’s publishing tools will be updated to support publishing to the Credential Registry.

To provide feedback, either: (1) post to GitHub Issue #651 or (2) email info@credentialengine.org.

Employment and Training to Jobs Meeting Summary
Posted on 8/7/2020

Thank you so much to all who were able to join us for our Education and Training to Jobs meeting. We covered the Draft Plan and Charter and came to a consensus of approving the Draft Plan & Charter. This will continue to be a work in progress while this task group continues to meet. In addition, the Credential Engine Team discussed the initial use cases and draft domain model. Details and direct links to these materials can be found in this document:

Employment and Training to Jobs Meeting Summary

July TAG Meeting Followup
Posted on 8/3/2020

Thank you to all Technical Advisory Group (TAG) members that were able to participate in the July 31, 2020 TAG meeting. Below you will find all relevant information regarding Friday’s TAG meeting. This meeting provided opportunities to provide feedback on proposed CTDL updates and introduced additional pathway publishing work that is currently underway.

TAG Meeting Information

Next Steps:

  1. Provide feedback on the new Financial Assistance Concepts Proposal by August 7th.
  2. Review the Task Group Materials and provide feedback.
    1. Transfer Value Task Group
      1. Approved July 28, 2020 CTDL Transfer Value Profile Plan and Charter
      2. Draft July 29, 2020 Transfer Value Use Cases and Examples
      3. Draft Version 2 July 23, 2020 Transfer Value Domain Model V2
      4. Draft July 13, 2020 Transfer Value Draft Terms Proposal July 13, 2020
    2. Education & Training to Jobs Task Group
      1. Draft July 12, 2020 Education & Training To Jobs Task Group Plan Charter
      2. Draft July 12, 2020 Use Cases and Examples
      3. Draft July 6, 2020 Education & Training to Jobs Draft Domain Model
      4. Draft July 12, 2020 Education & Training to Jobs Draft Terms
  3. Let us know of any potential pathway publishing opportunities.
Feedback Requested for Financial Assistance CTDL Updates
Posted on 7/27/2020

As you know, the CTDL is a continuously evolving language to meet new needs and use cases; as partners and experts in your field, we look to you to provide input and feedback as we consider new terms, definitions, and concepts. While we already have a Financial Assistance Profile, we have a proposal to update and organize it here.

Please review and provide feedback on the proposal no later than Friday, August 7, 2020. In particular, we are looking for input on:

  • Are there other categories of financial assistance that should be included?
  • Are the definitions sufficient to communicate the purpose of the term?

To provide feedback, please use one or more of the following options:

Please let the Credential Engine team know if you have any questions.

July 2020 TAG Meeting
Posted on 7/27/2020

We have an upcoming TAG meeting this Friday, July 31st at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST. We will be covering a number of topics during Friday's webinar:

  1. CTDL
    1. T3 Innovation Network Mapping Page
    2. Financial Assistance Profile Concept Updates Proposal
    3. Transfer Value Task Group Update
    4. Education & Training to Jobs Task Group Update
  2. Pathways Publishing Updates
    1. Publishing API updates
    2. Badgr Pathways Examples
    3. Pathways Bulk Upload
  3. Consuming DataUpdates
Join new Credential Engine Task Groups
Posted on 6/30/2020

Credential Engine follows a process to make significant updates to develop the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). This process includes subject matter and technical experts forming task groups to provide valuable input. You are invited to join one or both new task groups for Transfer Value or Education and Training to Jobs. These groups are open to anyone interested in contributing their subject matter expertise on these topics. You do not need to have technical experience with the CTDL to participate.

Each group will hold 3-5 separate meetings online and use Google Docs and Groups between meetings to provide input. Additional meetings may be added if the task groups determine them needed. The meetings will begin in July and conclude in September. Once you join a group, you'll receive an email concerning meeting dates.

The task groups are to develop the CTDL terms for:

  • Transfer Value
    • Now more than ever, people need to combine education and training from multiple sources in order to continuously re-skill and upskill in rapidly changing careers. Unfortunately, most people do not get the full benefit of transferring their learning achievements to apply to further education and career advancement.
    • This group will help develop the CTDL Transfer Value Profile terms that can be used by all types of organizations to signal value across all types of learning programs and credentials. The group needs participants to provide transfer value use cases and recommendations for how CTDL can support valuable transfer value “currency.” The group will provide required community review, validation, and feedback before making this new profile a permanent part of CTDL.
    • Learn more and join this group
  • Education & Training-to-Jobs
    • With our rapidly changing economy, it’s critical to address the need to improve linking of education & training to jobs.
    • This group will help develop the CTDL job terms to be used to show the connections between education and training to credentials to jobs. Currently the CTDL can provide rich descriptions of connections to occupation classifications such as O*NET, but as our ever-changing economy has proven, we must also have explicit connections to jobs. This is not intended to describe resumes or Human Resource system content, but it will enable linking skills, competencies, credentials, learning opportunities, assessments and other opportunities to jobs. This means that credentialing organizations can better show connections to jobs and employers can better signal the credentials, skills, and competencies for jobs both in the Registry and on the Web.
    • Learn more and join this group

Please share this information with colleagues who may be interested in joining, and let us know if you have any questions via info@credentialengine.org

NSF Convergence Accelerator Expo: Get registered and express your interest in Credential Engine’s B7118 proposal
Posted on 6/25/2020

After more than a year of planning and preparation, We'd like to invite you to register for the National Science Foundation's Track B Convergence Accelerator Expo to occur on July 1 from 2:30pm - 6:00pm ET and July 2 from 10:00am - 2:30pm ET. With 41 team "booths" for interactive discussion and short video overviews there will be a lot of exciting ideas coming together around the future of work, human-technology interfaces, artificial intelligence, big data, public-private partnerships, and more.

A key output of the expo will be securing "Expressions of Interest" for specific Phase 2 proposals and this is where your advocacy is urgently needed. Credential Engine, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Midwestern Higher Education Compact, and Lumina Foundation need your support for an ambitious Team B7118 phase 2 proposal entitled "Midwest Compact for a Connected Learn-and-Work Ecosystem" (for a preview, watch this 4 minute video). In short, we take a regional approach to scaling up linked open data about credentials by building a community of practice amongst state agencies, credential providers, edtech providers, national organizations, and more. We need you to register for the expo, come to team B7118’s booth to learn more, and fill out an expression of interest for our proposal. Please share this information with your colleagues and we look forward to discussing our proposal with you and hundreds of attendees.

Register Here

Thank you for participating in Credential Engine's Interoperable Learner/Worker Record Webinar
Posted on 6/19/2020

We held this webinar on June 16th and 18th. If you couldn't join, you can use the links below to watch the webinar and use all of the resources that were shared.

For more information:

New Credential Engine Resources
Posted on 6/10/2020

We are excited to share two new resources with you today.

First, as attention and interest in Interoperable Learner/Worker Records continues to grow, Credential Engine is pleased to release its new GUIDANCE: Introduction to Using CTDL Schemas and the Credential Registry to Support Interoperable Learner/Worker Records (ILWRs) broadly. We’ve also prepared a two-page overview on this topic.

Credential and competency transparency enriches digital credentials, Interoperable Learning Records (ILRs), and Comprehensive Learner Records (CLRs) and helps people have deeper and richer information embedded in their learning records.

There is growing attention at the state, federal and institutional levels in ensuring these learning records use open schema and include linked open data (LOD). As you work towards this goal, now is the time to utilize the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) to represent credentials, competencies, and other learning achievements, so that learning records are relevant, comparable, and machine actionable.

We also invite you to sign up for one of our upcoming webinars on CTDL and ILWRs.

Webinar title: Using the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) for Meaningful, Relevant, Interoperable Learning Records (ILRs)

If you have any questions, we’re happy to set up a time to talk in more detail.

Second, we wanted to draw your attention to our work with the U.S. Department of Labor and share with you the news that O*NET and its detailed occupational frameworks and job skills listings are available as linked open data in the Credential Registry through the use of CTDL-ASN. This blog by Deb Everhart provides details and examples of how having O*NET available in the Registry can further enrich pathway descriptions from credentials and competencies to occupations and job skills.

Thanks, and as always, let us know if you have questions.

New CTDL Term: Certificate of Completion
Posted on 6/3/2020

Thank you to all who responded to the request to review and provide feedback on a new Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) term for the Credential type, Certificate of Completion. All feedback was gathered, reviewed, and considered for this terms definition and comment. Some of the feedback referred to attributes of a credential such as whether or not the credential is for credit or non-credit or its quality. The CTDL provides numerous terms for describing attributes of credentials such as credit and non-credit and quality. The terms for further describing credentials are available to the new Certificate of Completion subclass.

  • See the Certificate of Completion credential term, definition, comment and the many other terms that can be used to describe this type of credential here.
  • You can also see the definition for Certificate of Completion along with all other types of credentials currently included with the CTDL here.

Any partners publishing to the Credential Registry can now publish Certificates of Completion via any of the publishing options:

  1. Registry Publishing Assistant API,
  2. Bulk upload (via CSV files)
  3. Manual entry.

If you’re interested in publishing but haven’t set up a Credential Engine Account, click here. Setting up an account and publishing with these options is free to credentialing organizations and their designated 3rd-party publishers. All information published to the Registry must meet the Minimum Data Policy.

Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing info@credentialengine.org.

May 2020 CTDL and QData Releases are now available
Posted on 5/29/2020

We have officially released the April 2020 releases for CTDL and QData. This update focuses primarily on enabling descriptions of transfer value and adding a new Credential Type, Completion Certificate.

You can review the changes here:

May 2020 TAG Meeting Followup
Posted on 5/29/2020

Thank you to all members that were able to participate in the May 29, 2020 TAG meeting. For all TAG members, attached, you will find the presentation used during the May TAG meeting.

Below you will find additional information related to the May TAG Meeting:

Next steps:

  1. Please provide any additional feedback on the new Certificate of Completion subclass by COB Friday, May 29, 2020.
  2. Provide feedback on the DRAFT Credential Engine Guide Supporting ILRs.
  3. Join either or both of the CTDL Task Groups, watch for emailed information and Google Group posting.
    • Transfer Value
    • Education/Training to Jobs
May 2020 Schema Releases are now Pending
Posted on 5/18/2020

The May 2020 release of CTDL, CTDL-ASN, and QData are now pending.

These changes mostly focus on the additions of Transfer Value Profile (as a set of unstable terms) and Completion Certificate as a new credential type.

Please use the Google Group thread to provide feedback.

Pathways Webinar Followup
Posted on 4/24/2020

Thanks to all who were able to participate with the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Pathways Minimum Data Policy for Publishing. See the archived webinar here. During the webinar we reviewed the following:

  • PowerPoint - Reviewing Pathway Terms, Proposed Policy and Publishing Plan
  • Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy Proposal for Pathway Terms - This document is for your review to provide feedback.on the proposed policy.
  • Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy Web Page - To view the “Pending” policy updates per the minimum data policy proposal for pathway terms, from the bottom of the screen, click on “Selected Sections” and select only: Pathway Set, Pathway, and Pathway Component then click on “Policy Status” only select Pending. Now you can scroll down and see the proposed policy updates to include the Pathway terms.

Please provide your feedback on the Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy Proposal for Pathway Terms using any of these options by Friday, May 15, 2020:

  • Review the proposed Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy updates to include Pathway terms.
  • Provide feedback via any of three ways:
April 2020 CTDL and CTDL-ASN Releases are now available
Posted on 4/24/2020

We have officially released the April 2020 releases for CTDL and CTDL-ASN. This update focuses primarily on enhancements for the Pathway-related terms in both schemas.

You can review the changes here:

Pathways Webinar
Posted on 4/22/2020

Credential Engine will be holding a webinar on Credential Engine Pathways Minimum Data on Friday, April 24th, and hope you are available to join us. This webinar will discuss the proposal for Pathways Minimum Required and Benchmark Data for the Credential Registry. We will be holding two sessions for your convenience, a morning and afternoon session. Below you will find an EventBrite Registration to register for the session that works best for you.

EventBrite Registration

  • Morning Session - April 24th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • Afternoon Session - April 24th at 3:00 pm EST / 2:00 pm CST / 1:00 pm MT / 12:00 pm PST

Please let us know if you have any questions or if I can be of further assistance.

April 2020 CTDL and CTDL-ASN Releases are pending
Posted on 4/21/2020

The CTDL and CTDL-ASN schemas will be updated this month on Friday, April 24th. The changes are primarily focused on enhancing the implementation of Pathways and related data.

For details about these releases, please see below:

March 2020 CTDL and QData Releases are now available
Posted on 3/27/2020

The CTDL and QData schemas have officially been updated to the March 2020 Release.

March 2020 CTDL and QData Releases are pending
Posted on 3/20/2020

Some small updates are pending for the CTDL and QData schemas:

These changes will go live on Friday, March 27, 2020.

Credential Engine is Growing its Technical Team
Posted on 2/26/2020

Credential Engine is looking for a solution-oriented team player with a broad range of design, programming, and communication skills to join our growing technical team.

Learn more and apply https://credentialengine.org/about/careers/solutions-developer/

Competency Framework Publishing Guidance
Posted on 2/7/2020

We have released a new guidance page to help guide publishers through the process of publishing competency frameworks to the Registry. The Publishing Competencies and Concepts page covers the following broad topic areas:

  • Mapping your data
  • Entering your data with CE CaSS
  • Publishing your data
  • In-depth overviews of CTDL-ASN:
    • Competency Frameworks
    • Concept Schemes
January 2020 TAG Meeting Followup
Posted on 2/5/2020

Thank you to all TAG members that were able to participate in the TAG meeting this past Friday, January 31, 2020.

Below are links to additional information related to the meeting.

Employment and Earnings and Other CTDL Updates
Posted on 11/22/2019

The work of the Employment and Earnings Task Group concluded in October and was followed up with webinars for all Advisory Groups and other partners. The resultant terms are in pending for release on November 29, 2019. Employment and earnings are aggregated and de-identified quantitative data. To support this type of data, the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) is using a Quantitative Data schema. It is expected that additional terms for describing other types of quantitative data, e.g., program outcomes such as completion rates, will be determined by a new task group in 2020.

In addition to updates to include the employment and earnings terms, a small update to the CTDL and CTDL ASN (Achievement Standards Network) for competency frameworks are also in pending to be released on November 29, 2019. The CTDL and CTDL-ASN release history web pages document the details of these updates.

  1. See the employment and earnings terms that are pending in the new Quantitative Data schema
  2. See the CTDL November release information
  3. See the CTDL-ASN November release information

The CTDL family of specifications is available for anyone to use under and open license. Once these terms are released on November 29, 2019, they’re available for anyone to use. A follow-on webinar is being planned to share additional information to plan for supporting publishing of employment and earnings quantitative data to the Credential Registry.

Please let us know if you have any questions by email info@credentialengine.org

CTDL/CTDL-ASN October 2019 Release Available
Posted on 10/25/2019

CTDL and CTDL-ASN have both been updated for October 2019.

CTDL/CTDL-ASN October 2019 Release is pending
Posted on 10/17/2019

Several updates for CTDL and CTDL-ASN are pending for release on Friday, October 25, 2019.

CTDL Pending Updates CTDL-ASN Pending Updates

A summary of these updates is provided below. To provide feedback and comments, please:

Feedback and comments are due by Friday, October 25, 2019. These updates will go from Pending to Stable on Monday, October 28, 2019.

Change Summary:

  • Issue #620: Added CTID and Subject Webpage to the Pathway class
  • Issue #466: Created a new property and associated vocabulary to indicate types of financial assistance available for the pursuit of a credential
  • Issue #568: Reworked CTDL's handling of pointers from one version of a credential to another
  • Issue #619: Updated several CTDL-ASN properties to indicate their equivalence to their respective IMS Global CASE properties
August 2019 CTDL Release now in Pending
Posted on 8/19/2019

The August 2019 CTDL Release is now in pending!

There are several small updates in this release, but one of them is an important change to note:

The range of ceterms:submissionOf is changing from rdf:langString to xsd:anyURI. To take its place, we are introducing a new property, ceterms:submissionOfDescription. This will align ceterms:submissionOf with other properties in CTDL that come in URI/text pairs.

We welcome feedback, especially during the two-week comment period before the official release on Friday, August 30th, 2019.

To post feedback, please use either the Credential Engine Github or the Credential Engine Google Group.

July 2019 TAG Meeting Followup
Posted on 7/29/2019

Thank you to all who were able to participate with the July 26, 2019 TAG meeting. The first part of this meeting was a combined TAG and Employment and Earnings: CTDL Data Model and Terms Task Group meeting. The second part of the meeting provided more information on consuming data from the Credential Registry as part of a series that is aimed at going deeper into the benefits of consuming data from the Registry.

As a follow up to the meeting, Please review and provide feedback on the Employment and Earnings proposals below by August 15, 2019:

Below is additional information from the July 2019 TAG Meeting;

July 2019 TAG Meeting
Posted on 7/15/2019

Reminder: The next Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group (TAG) webinar is scheduled for this Friday, July 26th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST.

Agenda:

  • Welcome
  • Employment and Earnings Domain Model and Terms Proposal for TAG Review
  • Consuming Data from the Registry
  • Next Steps
May 2019 TAG Meeting Followup
Posted on 6/19/2019

Thank you to all members that were able to participate in the May 31, 2019 TAG meeting. Below you will find additional information related to the May TAG Meeting.

CTDL Round Robin at the Indiana App-Athon
Posted on 5/8/2019

If you're coming to the Indy App-Athon Learn and Build May 14-15, join Stuart Sutton for the CTDL 101 Round Robin.

This Round Robin and the reference below will help you quickly gain an understanding of the Credential Transparency Description Language.

Download Reference

April Applications Work Group (AWG) Meeting
Posted on 4/23/2019

All, the April Applications Work Group (AWG) is this Friday, April 26.

The folder for the meeting is here.

The agenda for this meeting can be found here.

April 2019 CTDL/CTDL-ASN Release is pending
Posted on 4/15/2019

We are happy to announce that the April 2019 releases of CTDL and CTDL-ASN are now pending and ready for comments:

This release primarily adds terms from SKOS to CTDL-ASN to improve our use of concept schemes with competency frameworks and other places in the schema.

The CTDL and CTDL-ASN schemas will be officially updated on Friday, April 26, 2019.

Please leave feedback in either our Google Group or our Github.

Join us at the Indiana App-athon: Credential Data LaB
Posted on 3/4/2019

Join us at the upcoming App-athon! Registered participants will have an opportunity to apply for a travel scholarship to support travel to and from the event.

Credential Engine, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and event partner Learning Tapestry are co-hosting the Indiana App-athon: Credential Data Learn and Build (LaB), a two-day event that will bring together technologists, developers, educators, state agency personnel, and others to demonstrate what innovations are possible with open, transparent credential data in Indiana and beyond. Learn more and register here.

CTDL/CTDL-ASN March 2019 Release
Posted on 3/1/2019

As of today, CTDL and CTDL-ASN have been officially updated to the 20190301 Release.

The primary change for this release is the introduction of Pathways and Pathway-related classes and properties. The CTDL Pathway classes are intended to enable describing a wide variety of pathways, from education to careers to personal achievement.

For more information, view the Release History pages:

Applications Work Group meeting
Posted on 2/20/2019

All, the first Applications Work Group (AWG) is this Friday!

The folder for the meeting is here and it contains two items:

February 2019 CTDL/CTDL-ASN Release is pending
Posted on 2/14/2019

We are happy to announce that the February 2019 release of CTDL and CTDL-ASN are now in pending and ready for comments:

The major focus of this release is the addition of Career and Education Pathways to CTDL. Pathways allow describing a sequence of credentials and related information that ultimately lead to a goal, such as a career or credential.

The CTDL and CTDL-ASN schemas will be officially updated on Friday, February 22nd, 2019.

We invite the community to leave feedback in our Github.

January 2019 TAG Meeting
Posted on 1/23/2019

Reminder: The next Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group (TAG) webinar is scheduled for this Friday, January 25th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST.

Agenda:

  • Welcome
  • Pathways Proposal and Task Group Update
  • Creation of Applications Working Group (AWG)
  • Creation of Employment and Earnings Task Groups (EETG)
  • 2019 Technical Topics
  • Next Steps
Pathways Working Group Update
Posted on 1/3/2019

Good morning and Happy New Year!

On Friday, November 30th the PWG met, along with the Technical Advisory Group, to discuss the Pathways term proposal in the Credential Transparency Descriptive Language (CTDL). During this meeting Stuart Sutton provided an overview of the current Pathways Proposal. Mr. Sutton walked through and discussed the "Overview" document, Term Declarations, and Example encodings.

After this discussion, PWG and TAG members were asked to individually to do a deeper review of these resources, posting comments and questions to the TAG and PWG Google Groups. Below I have provided direct links to the PWG and TAG Google Groups. These discussion will continue through January 10, 2019.

On January 10, 2019, the Credential Engine Higher Education, Business, Certification and Licensure, and Quality Assurance advisory groups will review and comment on the proposal. After any necessary refinement and updates stemming from feedback, the model terms will go through the Credential Engine standard release process.

If you are interested in participating in the Pathways Term Proposal Information Webinar on Thursday, January 10th please register here. We are offering morning and afternoon sessions for your convenience.

CTDL December 2018 Release
Posted on 12/14/2018

Reminder: The 2018 release of CTDL will occur on December 28th, 2018.

This release has a few small changes:

  • Instructional Program Type added to Credential
  • Assessment Delivery Type (new property) added to Credential
  • Learning Delivery Type (new property) added to Credential

For more information, visit the pending entry on the CTDL Release History page.

November TAG Meeting Followup and Tentative 2019 TAG Meeting Schedule
Posted on 12/3/2018

Thank you to all TAG members that were able to participate in the November TAG meeting this past Friday, November 30, 2018.

Below is additional information related to the November TAG meeting.

With the holidays quickly approaching, we will not be meeting in the month of December and will re-convene in the new year. We will share information on the Pathways Proposal before the end of the year.

Below are the proposed 2019 TAG Meeting schedule. TAG members will also receive calendar invites for the proposed 2019 schedule.

2019 Technical Advisory Group Meeting Schedule:

  • January 25, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • February 22, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • March 29, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • April 26, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • May 31, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • June 28, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • July 26, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • August 30, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • September 27, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • October 25, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
  • November 29, 2019 - 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST
November 2018 TAG Meeting
Posted on 11/12/2018

Reminder: The next Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group (TAG) webinar is scheduled for this Friday, November 30th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST.

Agenda:

  • Welcome
    • Briefing on UNESCO and OECD meetings in Paris on November 26-28, 2018
  • CTDL
    • Advancing the Pathways Terms Proposal
  • Credential Registry
    • Demo of the Quick Start Guides for Developers
    • Publishing to and Consuming from the Registry
      • Demo of the new Graph Search
      • Account System Access to API Keys for Search now available
      • Demo of accessing API Keys for Search
      • Demo of using the new Search API endpoint
  • Competency Connections
    • Competency Connections through Condition Profile and Condition Manifest
    • CE/CASS Updates
  • Next Steps
October 2018 TAG Meeting Followup
Posted on 10/29/2018

Thank you to all TAG members that were able to participate in the October TAG meeting this past Friday, October 26, 2018.

Below are links to additional information related to the October TAG meeting.

Credential Engine Data Design Update
Posted on 10/16/2018

Credential Engine strives to ensure our data meets the needs of all stakeholders, which sometimes requires updates to our technology infrastructure. Today, the information in the Credential Registry is being republished to fit a new data design. The data in the Registry will look the same when you access it on Credential Finder, but will allow for easier consumption by application developers.

In addition to this technology refresh, after gathering feedback and following our policy update protocol, we've added In Language to the minimum data policy; it will now be a required element for credentials, learning opportunities, and assessments. Any credential, learning opportunity, or assessment that is already published to the Registry will be automatically updated to include the language. However, anyone who has published to the Registry might use this opportunity to review their information and ensure it is up to date and accurate. We also encourage you to add more information to your existing credentials, or add new credentials to the registry.

As always, thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions, please direct them to info@credentialengine.org.

October 2018 TAG Meeting
Posted on 10/4/2018

The next Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting is this Friday, October 26, 2018 at 11AM EST / 10AM CST / 9AM MT / 8AM PST.

Agenda:
Links:
Credential Registry Learn and Build Summit: Putting Ideas into Action!
Posted on 9/18/2018

Credential Engine will be hosting a developer summit on December 4th and 5th, 2018. This will feature tools and resources to empower developers to take full advantage of Credential Registry data. For more information, click here!

July 2018 CTDL Release Comment Period
Posted on 7/16/2018

We have officially entered the comment period for the July 2018 CTDL release. The official release will occur on Friday, July 27, 2018.

This is a relatively small release. Please see the Release History page for the changes.

Comments on this release can be left via either the Credential Engine Github or Google Group.

May TAG Meeting this Friday (May 25th)
Posted on 5/21/2018

Reminder: The next Credential Engine Technical Advisory Group (TAG) webinar is scheduled for this Friday, May 25th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST.

April 2018 CTDL Release Review/Comment Period
Posted on 4/13/2018

The comment period for the April 2018 CTDL release has begun. The official release date is Friday, April 27th, 2018.

This release contains several changes and updates. Please review the http://credreg.net/ctdl/release notes for details.

To respond to the pending release ahead of the official release date, please use either the Github Repository or Google Group.

March Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 3/29/2018

Reminder - The Technical Advisory Group is scheduled to meet this Friday, March 30th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST. Below you will find some reference links in preparation for Friday's meeting, along with instructions for joining the webinar.

February Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 2/21/2018

Dear TAC Members,

This is a reminder that the upcoming Credential Engine TAC webinar is scheduled for this Friday, February 23rd at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST. Below you will find the proposed agenda for this webinar and login information.

Agenda:

  • Quick Update on Publishing
  • Structure and Format of Data in the Credential Registry
  • CTDL: Planning Overview for the March TAC

Webinar: http://siuccwd.adobeconnect.com/ctitac
Audio Options: Call 866-572-8856 or connect via microphone

Reminder - Credential Engine TAC Webinar this Friday!
Posted on 1/22/2018

This is a reminder that the upcoming Credential Engine TAC webinar is scheduled for this Friday, January 26th at 11:00 am EST / 10:00 am CST / 9:00 am MT / 8:00 am PST. Below you will find the proposed agenda for this webinar and the webinar information.

During the webinar on January 26th we want to discuss the following items that are listed below.

  • Provide updates on Credential Engine following the launch on December 7, 2017.
  • Show an updated “Big Picture” for Credential Engine.
  • What is to come in 2018!

Webinar: http://siuccwd.adobeconnect.com/ctitac
Audio Options: Call 866-572-8856 or connect via microphone

Credential Engine Launch
Posted on 12/7/2017

Today’s Credentialing Marketplace Has Become Unwieldy and Complex...

The credentialing marketplace is growing. By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the economy will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school, and the number of postsecondary programs has already more than quintupled since 1985. In today’s information age, accessing and understanding data about credentials is critical to success—educators need it to determine best practices and build new programs, employers need it to understand where to find qualified hires, and students and workers need it to decide what pathways to choose. To date, there has never been an efficient system to collect, connect, search, and compare up-to-date information about credentials in a common language that can be universally understood and easily accessed. With an estimated 250,000 credentials in the U.S. alone, this lack of information contributes to confusion and uninformed decision making.

…Until Now

Join Credential Engine on December 7 as we announce how we are bringing transparency and credential literacy to the marketplace.

CTDL W3C Group
Posted on 11/2/2017

With recent Credential Engine updates, we shared information about the goal to have a subset of the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) included with schema.org through the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Community Group process.

Thanks to the leadership of Phil Barker, the W3C Educational and Occupational Credentials Community Group (EOCred) is now approved. The aim of this community group is to show how educational and occupational credentials may be described with schema.org, and to propose any additional terms for schema.org that may be necessary. Educational and Occupational Credentials are defined as diplomas, academic degrees, certifications, qualifications, badges, etc., that a person can obtain through learning, education and/or training. They are typically awarded on successful completion of an assessment of relevant capabilities.

We would like to encourage and welcome anyone with interest to contribute to the work of the group (or even just lurk and follow what we do). To participate or lurk, please join this Group!

  • On the right side of the EOCred Community Group page, select the “JOIN OR LEAVE THIS GROUP” button.
    • You will need a W3C account in order to join. Registering for one is free, but you do need to give an assurance that you will not be contributing an IP that cannot be only licensed under W3C's terms. This is appropriate for contributing work to schema.org.
    • If you already have an account select, “LOG IN.”
    • If you don’t have an account, select “REQUEST AN ACCOUNT.”
  • We recommend you also use the “Tools for this group” available from the EOCredCG page. Click on the mailing lists and select to [subscribe to this list].
  • There’s some information on the Credential Engine GitHub site that was developed to prepare for this group, please take a look:
  • Visit the Credential Engine Technical site to learn more about the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL)

We hope to work with you as a member of the EOCred. Please pass this message on to anyone who you think might be interested in joining.

October 2017 CTDL Release
Posted on 10/27/2017

As of today, CTDL has been updated to the 20171027 release.

This release includes the text changes brought to us by the interrim release a few weeks ago, and brings a few key changes of its own:

  • All properties that previously had a range of rdfs:Literal now have a range of either xsd:string or rdf:langString (See https://github.com/CredentialEngine/vocabularies/issues/459 for details)
  • The ceterms:Address and ceterms:GeoCoordinates classes have been cleaned up. Their properties have been trimmed and they have been removed from the range of all properties. They have not been deprecated, as we may yet have use for them.
  • A new class, ceterms:Place, replaces the functionality previously provided by Address and GeoCoordinates. All properties that used to have a range of either of those classes now have a range of ceterms:Place. See https://github.com/CredentialEngine/vocabularies/issues/460 for details.

Additonally, the JSON-LD serializations of the schema have been updated:

  • The @context property is now a link to http://credreg.net/ctdl/schema/context/json rather than an embedded object
  • The @context document now indicates all properties with an explicit range of xsd:anyURI using the { "@type": "@id" } implementation. This means that serializations of CTDL can use ordinary strings for properties like ceterms:subjectWebpage instead of awkward { "@id": "http://..." } objects.
  • The @context document does not use { "@type": "@id" } for properties that point to top-level classes in CTDL. This is done to clearly indicate that these properties point to objects, minimize damage to any existing implementations, and to more easily facilitate the use of special classes that are used to point to entities not yet published in the Credential Registry (see https://github.com/CredentialEngine/vocabularies/issues/394 for details).
  • The @context document now indicates all properties that use a JSON-LD language map (these are the same properties that have a range of rdf:langString). Specifically, it uses the { "@container": "@language" } implementation (Example 36 in this section), such that all language maps should look like this:

{ "ceterms:name": { "en": "English (generic) Name", "en-US": "English (US) Name", "en-GB": "English (UK) Name" } }

Note that all encodings of the schema that credreg.net generates currently use "en-US" as the language property for all language string properties. This includes the encodings of the schema itself and the history/change notes.

For more information, see the following:

October Credential Engine TAC Meeting Cancelled
Posted on 10/24/2017

Due to quite a few members of the TAC attending conferences and travelling this week, we are cancelling the October TAC meeting. The CTDL update will still be released on Friday.

October 2017 CTDL Release this Friday
Posted on 10/24/2017

On Friday, October 27th, 2017, the next release of CTDL will occur. This release simplifies the handling of geospatial data and cleans up several loose ends. For full information, see the Release History page and view the changes for the 20171027 release. You can also view pending additions and changes.

September Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 9/27/2017

This is a reminder that the September CTI/CE TAC meeting is this Friday, September 29th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

Agenda

  • Welcome and Housekeeping - Jeanne Kitchens
  • CTDL - Stuart Sutton, Nate Argo, and Jeanne
    • CTDL definition, usage notes, comment updates are coming - Stuart
    • Schema management update and new credreg.net webpages - Nate
    • Credential Engine Board-approved registry policies for minimum data and currency - Jeanne
    • Next Official CTDL Release date is October 27, 2017; an interrim release is anticipated prior to this
  • Planning for W3C Community - Phil Barker
    • Using Github to manage discussions
    • Draft search and discovery use cases for review and input
  • Credentialing Ecosystem Mapping Team Update - Alex Jackl and Jeanne
    • Closing in on wrap up of competency framework mapping
  • Credential Registry Assistant API - Mike Parsons
  • Competency Frameworks Updates - Fritz Ray and Nate Argo
  • Next Steps - Jeanne

We look forward to meeting with everyone on Friday!

August Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 8/22/2017

This is a reminder that the August CTI/CE TAC meeting is this Friday, August 25th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

Agenda

  • Welcome and Housekeeping - Jeanne Kitchens
  • CTDL & Linked Data - Stuart Sutton
  • Planning for W3C Community - Phil Barker
  • Schema Management - Nate Argo
  • Credential Engine Architecture - Jeanne, Steve, and Fritz
  • Credential Registry Assistant API - Mike Parsons
  • Competency Frameworks - Fritz Ray and Nate Argo
  • Next Steps - Jeanne

We look forward to meeting with everyone on Friday!

August 2017 CTDL Release
Posted on 8/22/2017

The August 2017 release of CTDL will go live this Friday, August 25, 2017.

The changes for this release are mostly related to cleaning up the definitions, comments, and usage notes of some key terms, and extending the domain of some classes with a few useful properties.

You can see the complete change list here: http://credreg.net/ctdl/release

Please review these changes and post any comments or concerns to the relevant github issue for the change(s) in question.

June Credential Engine TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 7/5/2017

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

June Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 6/28/2017

This is a reminder that the June CTI/CE TAC meeting is this Friday, June 30th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

Agenda

  • CTDL Release: 20170630
  • Credential Registry Update
  • Competency Registry Introduction

We look forward to meeting with everyone on Friday!

ADL iFest: July 31 - August 2, 2017 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
Posted on 6/23/2017

In collaboration with the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA), the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative is excited to announce iFest 2017. iFest provides unique opportunities for military, government, industry, and academia professionals to share the latest in distributed learning innovations. This year’s theme emphasizes learning analytics with associated topics, such as technological inter-operability (e.g., xAPI), implementation, privacy, and security. Learn more http://www.ndia.org/events/2017/7/31/adl-ifest

Among the program offerings is a panel on how competency standards are key to advanced distributed learning. ADL is represented on the TAC and some of the panel are fellow TAC members.

Competencies are pervasive in education, training, and workforce development. They are used to describe learning objectives, a learner’s current state of progress, the relevance of learning materials, job requirements, and so on. Standardized digital competency data are needed by smart apps such as personal assistants, adaptive learning environments, and intelligent tutoring systems as well as for competency-based credentialing, staffing, and talent management applications. In this session, distinguished panelists representing leading standards development organizations will discuss their perspectives and how their standards relate to personized learning, learning analytics, lifelong transcripts, and workforce transition. After the panel discussion, Dr. Jim Belanich of the Institute for Defense Analyses will facilitate a discussion with the attendees about competencies in the DoD.

Panelists (and their affiliations):

  • Joshua Marks, IMS CASE Project
  • Eric Shepherd, HR Open Standards
  • Michael Sessa, PESC
  • Rosalyn P. Scott, Medbiquitous
  • Robby Robson, CASS Project and IEEE Standards Association
  • Jeanne Kitchens, Credential Engine
  • Discussant: Jim Belanich, Institute for Defense Analyses
  • Moderator: Avron Barr, IDA and IEEE LTSC
June 30th, 2017 CTDL Release Comment Period
Posted on 6/19/2017

The comment period for the June 30th, 2017 CTDL release has officially started. Please review the change history and provide comments and feedback ahead of the official release on June 30th. These changes include some important new updates, such as ceterms:ConditionManifest and ceterms:CredentialPerson.

Change History: https://credreg.net/ctdl/release

Here you can see all of the changes for the forthcoming CTDL release. Follow the links for each item to see them in the pending metadata viewer and post comments/feedback in the linked github issues:

To view the entire pending CTDL schema: http://credreg.net/ctdl/pending

Note that only new classes and properties here have a status of pending. Changes to existing items can be found in the change history.

Thank you on behalf of the Credential Engine Technical Team.

May Credential Engine TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 5/30/2017

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

May Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 5/24/2017

This is a reminder that the May CTI/CE TAC meeting is this Friday, May 26th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

Agenda

  • Welcome and Housekeeping - Jeanne Kitchens
  • CTDL
    • CostManifest Proposal Update - Nate Argo, Credential Engine Team
    • Thin Credential Profile to Propose for a W3C Committee for Schema.org - Stuart Sutton, Credential Engine Team
    • Credentialing Ecosystem Mapping Team - Jeanne Kitchens, Credential Engine Team & TAC Members
  • Paving the Road Forward for Competency Frameworks
    • Partnership with CASS/ADL - Jonathan Poltrack, ADL and Fritz Ray, Eduworks
  • Credential Registry Update - Mike Parsons and Steve Midgley, Credential Engine Team
  • Credential Engine Partners Update
    • Co-design Roadmap Guides/Implementation, Developing a Vendor Strategy - Jeanne
  • Next Steps - Jeanne
    • Next TAC Meeting: June 30, 2017
    • Next CTDL Release: June 30, 2017

We look forward to meeting with everyone on Friday!

April Credential Engine TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 4/28/2017

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

April Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 4/27/2017

This is a reminder that the April CTI/CE TAC meeting is this Friday, April 28th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

Agenda

  • CTDL Release: 20170428
  • Cost Manifest Proposal
  • Credential Engine Registry Update
  • Credentialing Partner Update
  • Co-design Roadmap Guides Update

We look forward to meeting with everyone on Friday!

April 28th, 2017 CTDL Release Comment Period
Posted on 4/17/2017

The comment period for the April 28, 2017 CTDL release has officially started. Please review the change history and provide comments and feedback ahead of the official release on April 28th. These changes include some important new updates, such as ceterms:ConditionManifest and ceterms:CredentialPerson.

Change History: https://credreg.net/ctdl/release

Here you can see all of the changes for the forthcoming CTDL release. Follow the links for each item to see them in the pending metadata viewer and post comments/feedback in the linked github issues:

To view the entire pending CTDL schema: http://credreg.net/ctdl/pending

Note that only new classes and properties here have a status of pending. Changes to existing items can be found in the change history.

Thank you on behalf of the Credential Engine Technical Team.

New Credential Engine Google Group URL
Posted on 4/10/2017

Please note that the CTI Google Group is now the Credential Engine Google Group. This means the URL has changed, and any bookmarks or links you are currently using will need to be updated. The new group URL can be found here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/credentialenginetech

This was done by renaming the existing group, so all existing threads are carried over, and you do not need to rejoin the group.

CEDS V7 Draft Released for Public Comment
Posted on 4/10/2017

The draft of the Version 7 Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) has been released for public comment. All are encouraged to review the draft standards and submit comments by May 4th via the CEDS website at: https://ceds.ed.gov/elementsCEDS.aspx. There are 106 new data element definitions and 93 updated elements. In addition, more than 50 elements have been added to new contexts within the CEDS Domain Entity Schema (DES) to reflect additional uses.

The Version 7 draft spans P-20W (early learning through workforce), with significant improvements related to data vocabulary for:

  • Credentials definition and assertions,
  • Competency frameworks (renamed for expanded use),
  • K-12 special education data used locally for IEPs and compliance,
  • Postsecondary finance (IPEDS)
  • Reporting variables, and
  • School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED) updates.

The draft standards include various updates and clarifications in response to feedback from the CEDS community after the version 6 release.

A webinar is scheduled on April 12, 2017 at 1:00 PM EDT giving a high level look at the changes taking place in the CEDS standard. Register Here for the webinar or visit ceds.ed.gov to view the draft standards.

—CEDS Team

March Credential Engine TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 4/6/2017

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

March Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 3/29/2017

This is a reminder that the March CTI/CE TAC meeting is this Friday, March 31st @ 11:00 am EST. Below I have provided the proposed agenda for Friday’s meeting. This agenda and all other meeting documents can be found in the TAC Google Drive.

Agenda

  • Welcome and Housekeeping - Jeanne Kitchens
  • CTDL Pending - Stuart Sutton and Nate Argo
  • Co-design Partner Implementation Roadmaps Update - Stuart and Jeanne
  • Credential Registry Update
  • Next Steps - Bob, Stuart and Jeanne

We look forward to meeting with everyone on Friday!

February Credential Engine TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 3/1/2017

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

February Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 2/22/2017

This is just a reminder that the Monthly Credential Engine Technical Advisory Committee is this Friday, February 24th at 11:00 AM EST. You will find the meeting agenda below. Friday, February 24th is also the CTDL Release 20170224. We are very excited about this release and look forward to telling all of our TAC members more!

Agenda

  • Welcome and Housekeeping - Jeanne Kitchens
  • CTDL Release: 20170224 - Stuart Sutton and Nate Argo
  • Primary Topics for Next Release Scheduled for April 2017 - Stuart and Jeanne
    • ceterms: CredentialPerson - Seeking feedback now to determine if this class should be retained and refined.
  • Proposal for CostManifest Class
  • Proposal for ConditionManifest Class
  • Co-design Partner Implementation Roadmaps Update - Stuart and Jeanne
    • Feb 23, 2017 - June 30, 2017 working up to 10 credentialing partners to co-design Partner Roadmaps for implementing CTDL
  • Next Steps - Bob, Stuart and Jeanne
    • Back to Focus on Registry Specifications
    • Work with Selected Partners on Co-design of CTDL Implementation Roadmaps
    • Next CTDL Release, April 28, 2017
    • Upcoming CTDL Review Groups, Please Join!
February CTDL Release
Posted on 2/10/2017

Dear CTI/Credential Engine Technical Advisory Committee and Partners,

A Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) release will occur on Friday, February 24, 2017. This release follows the initial release on November 11, 2016. Following the CTDL release policy, all updates for the February release are now available for TAC and partner review via the CTDL Pending page. This web page shows all of the CTDL classes, properties and concept schemes that are ”Stable”, “Unstable” and “Pending.” All items with a status of “Pending” are scheduled for release on Feb. 24th and will change to a status of “Stable.”

To filter to see only “Pending” items:

  1. Go to http://credreg.net/ctdl/pending
  2. In the footer at the bottom of the window, select to filter by clicking on “Show Pending.”
  3. Scroll down the page to see all classes, properties and concept schemes with a status of Pending.
  4. To see the details of each pending item, click on the term’s panel. This will open the panel to show all of the related information.

If you have any comments about the CTDL schema items marked as “Pending” please either use the TAC Google Group or email credregtechnicalplannning@gmail.com. Comments need to be submitted by Wednesday, February 22, 2017.

This same process will be followed for all subsequent releases. Also, on the day of the release, a History page on the website will be updated to show all updates from “Pending” to “Stable” as well as other updates such as deprecations. The team will send an email and update the Google group on the day of the release to include direct links to the information about the CTDL release such as the change history. The CTI/Credential Engine (CE) team appreciates your review and comments.

References:

Sincerely, CTI/CE Technical Team

January CTI/Credential Engine TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 1/30/2017

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

January CTI/Credential Engine TAC Meeting
Posted on 1/25/2017

The January 2017 CTI/Credential Engine TAC Meeting will be held this Friday, January 27th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

The agenda for this meeting includes:

  • Welcome and Housekeeping - Jeanne Kitchens
    • Brief update on the official formation of the Credential Engine Nonprofit
    • In addition to the TAC, four new advisory groups have been formed
    • Quick poll for the TAC: The new Credential Engine informational website to be launched in early February has a page for identifying group members. Each page identifies member name, title, and organization. How would TAC members prefer to be included?
  • New CTDL Overview and Documentation - Stuart Sutton
    • Review of the initial documentation and diagrams for defining the meaning and relationships among the terms, properties, and classes. This documentation is for both technical and administration/leadership person's interested in understanding and using CTDL.
  • Pilot-site Partner Guidance Roadmap: Analytical and Technical Approach - Jeanne Kitchens
    • Update on working with CTI/Credential Engine's credentialing partners
  • Next Steps - Bob, Stuart, and Jeanne
CTI/Credential Engine TAC Thank You and Plans for 2017
Posted on 12/15/2016

Dear CTI/Credential Engine TAC Members,

Thank you for your participation during 2016 with the CTI/Credential Engine Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)! With your help, much progress was made culminating in the first release of the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) http://credreg.net/ctdl. The TAC will continue in 2017 along with four new advisory groups being formed by the Credential Engine (CE). More information will be shared very soon about the new Credential Engine nonprofit. Please keep on the lookout for opportunities to participate with CTDL review groups. The first two groups that will be convened during January 2017 are Cost and Conditions Profiles and Credential Holders.

In the meantime, the CTI/CE team is truly appreciative of all of our TAC members and wish each of you Happy Holidays! We’re looking forward to continuing our work together in 2017. Please note the TAC webinar originally scheduled for this Friday is cancelled; the meeting schedule for the first half of 2017 is listed below. Meeting invitations for all of these webinars will be sent to all TAC members.

Sincerely, Jeanne Kitchens on behalf of the CTI/CE Team

2017 TAC Schedule:

Friday, January 27, 2017 at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT

Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT

Friday, March 31, 2017 at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT

Friday, April 28, 2017 at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT

Friday, May 26, 2017 at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT

December TAC meeting cancelled
Posted on 12/12/2016

The December TAC meeting has been cancelled.

CTI Webinar: "Pilot-site Partner Guidance Roadmap: Analytical and Technical Approach"
Posted on 12/12/2016

The webinar will lay out how the technical team will proceed with designing and developing guidance roadmaps for all pilot-site partners to implement CTDL and populate the Credential Engine Registry.

This webinar will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2017 from 10-11AM CST.

For more information, click here.

Credential Engine Technical Deep Dive Webinar on November 18, 2016
Posted on 11/22/2016

This webinar focused on the first release of the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). The release is available here: http://credreg.net/ctdl.

You will also find the recorded webinar on the meeting summary that is located in the CTI TAC Google Drive here.

During the webinar we mentioned creating subgroups to cover specific technical aspects for the project. Below I have provided the list of the subgroups we would like to create. Please reply with interests of any of the options to Scarlett VanStechelman svanstechelman@siu.edu and as we work out dates/timing, we will let everyone know.

Each group should plan on 3- 4 one-hour webinars and will have access to supporting information via Google Drive.

  • Pathways -- Experts and those who have created Pathway frameworks for connecting careers, competencies, and credentialing.
  • Credential Holders -- Experts and those who operate data systems (e.g., government reporting systems) and services for providing information on the characteristics of credential holders (e.g., number, locations, demographics) and their connections to those providing employment and earnings data (see below). and can provide important linked data connections using CTDL.
  • Employment and Earnings of Credential Holders -- Experts and those involved in national and state data system development that provides information on the employment and earnings of credential holders (see above) and can provide important linked data connections using CTDL.
  • Quality Assurance (QA) -- In cooperation with new Credential Engine QA advisory group---quality assurance experts and organizations including state agencies that accredit, approve, recognize, and regulate credentials and credentialing organizations to address some remaining issues on vocabularies that can apply to all types of QA roles including state agencies.
  • Cost -- Experts and those now involved in data systems that capture and report comparable cost information for universities, colleges and certification organizations as well as other credentialing organizations.
  • Credential Thin-layer for Proposal Submittal W3C –- This group will determine the use cases and crosswalk to CTDL to assemble a proposal for a W3C Community Group. The proposal will be guided by recent successful W3C communities.
“Expressing Concept Schemes & Competency Frameworks in CTDL” presented by Stuart Sutton
Posted on 11/21/2016

The “Expressing Concept Schemes & Competency Frameworks in CTDL” presented by Stuart Sutton is now available for viewing on the Credential Engine YouTube Channel and PowerPoint may be viewed on SlideShare.

This presentation is focused on how the Credential Engine can access 3rd party resource data stores and recipes for mapping and publishing competency frameworks as Linked Data. Additional webinars on this topic will be offered. We’ll email information once webinar dates are sent and visit http://credreg.net any time to learn more.

Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Release: 20161117
Posted on 11/18/2016

The first release of the CTDL is now available.  Use the filters at the bottom of the CTDL Terms page to view all stable and unstable classes, properties and concept schemes. Additional documentation, how-to guidance and the Namspace Policy is forthcoming.  As this information is published, all TAC members and credentialing partners will be notified via email and the TAC Google Group.

TAC Google Group
Posted on 11/18/2016

A direct link to the TAC Google Group will be available from this site early next week.  Several updates to the site were made today for the CTDL release causing the temporary displacement of some pages.  In the meantime, access the TAC Google Group here

November 18th - Credential Engine Registry Technical Deep Dive Webinar
Posted on 11/17/2016

On November 18th, we will host a combined Technical Deep Dive Webinar and CTI TAC Meeting.

This webinar will be formatted for Technical Advisory Committee members and other partners who want to learn more about the technical aspects of the Registry and its related services.

This will occur Friday, November 18, 2016 at 11 AM EST / 10 AM CST / 9 AM MT / 8 AM PST.

Upcoming Webinars!
Posted on 11/8/2016

November 14th: Using Linked Data for Competency Frameworks and Statements Webinar

Linking competency frameworks and granular statements will improve online information about credentials. Learn more about how the Credential Engine Registry and Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) will improve connections to competencies.

Monday, November 14, 2016: 11:30 AM EST / 10:30 AM CST / 9:30 AM MT / 8:30 AM PST

More Information

November 16th: CTI Credential Engine Registry Partner Informational Webinar

Purpose: To provide background about the CTI project and details about participating as a registry partner.

WebEx Link
Meeting #: 733 000 954
Audio: 1-855-282-6330
Audio Access Code: 733 000 954

More Information

November 17th: Credential Engine Registry Services and Support Plan

This webinar is a follow up to the On the Road to Improving the Credentialing Ecosystem: Next Steps in the Credential Registry event held September 19, 2016.

Thursday, November 17, 2016 (11:00 AM Eastern / 10:00 AM Central / 9:00 AM Mountain / 8:00 AM Pacific/ 4:00 PM Greenwich Mean Tiime)

More Information

November 18th: Credential Engine Registry Technical Deep Dive

This webinar will be formatted for Technical Advisory Committee members and other partners who want to learn more about the techcical aspects of the Registry and its related services.

Friday, November 18, 2016 (11:00 AM Eastern / 10:00 AM Central / 9:00 AM Mountain / 8:00 AM Pacific/ 4:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time)

More Information

October CTI TAC Meeting
Posted on 10/27/2016

The CTI TAC meeting is being held this Friday, October 28th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific.

Credential Engine Registry Webinars
Posted on 9/16/2016

Register for the webinars that are a followup to the On the Road to Improving the Credentialing Ecosystem: Next Steps in the Credential Registry event.

CTI Collaborative Event: On the Road to Improving the Credentialing Ecosystem Live Webcast
Posted on 9/16/2016

On Monday, September 19, 2016, the CTI Collaborative Event: On the Road to Improving the Credentialing Ecosystem: Next Steps for the Credential Registry is offering a live webcast.

The webcast begins at 9 am EST. It’s our understanding the webcast will only be available during the morning.

Register for the remote participation https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N3H257R. Registration will ensure you receive any other information needed so you may view it.

The webcast will be streamed via this webpage.

September CTI TAC Meeting Cancelled
Posted on 9/12/2016

Unfortunately, with the CTI team working to get everything prepared for the CTI Collaborative Meeting in Washington D.C. on Monday, September 19th we have cancelled the September Monthly TAC Meeting. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. The next TAC Meeting will be Friday October 28th at 11 AM EST. The October TAC meeting invite will be updated to reflect this date.

We encourage all TAC members to join the CTI Collaborative Meeting on Monday, September 19th. If you have not already signed up to attend, please consider registering for the webcast. Also, more details about the event are available on the conference event page.

August CTI TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 9/1/2016

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

August CTI TAC Meeting
Posted on 8/3/2016

The August CTI TAC meeting will be held on August 26, 2016 at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific / 4 PM GMT.

During our last TAC meeting Stuart Sutton had lost power and was unable to present. Stuart has recorded his presentation from that date and has provided us a link to watch it here. It is approximately 32 minutes in length and very informative! It covers:

  • Credential subclass discussion
  • Concept Scheme Representation – Internal and External controlled vocabularies
  • Framing TAC conversation: Credential-to-Credential connections (relationships)

We encourage everyone to watch the video and follow the related post in the Google Group.

Finally, Mike Parsons is posting the CTID and Credential Identifier Final Solution Summary this week and he posted it to the TAC Google group and Google Drive Google Drive folder for the July TAC Meeting.

Credential Transparency Initiative (CTI) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Webinar Agenda:

  • Welcome / Housekeeping / Reminders - Jeanne Kitchens
  • Schema.org Course Extension – Phil Barker, Learning Technology Adviser, Cetis and Faculty, Heriot-Watt
  • Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Learning Opportunity Profile and Understanding the CTDL Vocabulary and the Applications Profile’s Role with the Credential Registry - Stuart Sutton
  • Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Learning Opportunity Profile - Stuart Sutton
  • Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) Learning Opportunity Profile and Understanding the CTDL Vocabulary and the Applications Profile’s Role with the Credential Registry - Stuart Sutton
  • Credential Registry Update – Steve Midgley
July CTI TAC Meeting Rescheduled
Posted on 7/6/2016

The July CTI TAC meeting has been rescheduled for Friday, July 22nd at the usual time (11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific).

June CTI TAC Meeting Rescheduled
Posted on 6/14/2016

The June CTI TAC meeting has been rescheduled for Next Friday, June 24th at the usual time (11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific).

May CTI TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 5/20/2016

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

June CTI TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 5/20/2016

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

July CTI TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 5/20/2016

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

May CTI TAC Meeting
Posted on 5/18/2016

The CTI TAC meeting is being held this Friday, May 20th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific.

Agenda

  • Welcome! - Jeanne Kitchens
  • Credential Registry Update - Steve Midgley
  • Metadata Infrastructure Update - Stuart Sutton
  • Pilot-site Partner Update - Jeanne Kitchens
  • Credential Directory App Update - Nathan Argo
  • Next Steps - All
April CTI TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 4/25/2016

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

April CTI TAC Meeting
Posted on 4/22/2016

The CTI TAC meeting is being held today at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific.

Agenda

  • Welcome - Jeanne Kitchens
  • Pilot-site Partner's Credentials Update - Jeanne Kitchens
  • Credential Registry Design Update - Steve Midgley
  • Metadata Infrastructure Design Review - Stuart Sutton

For more information, click here.

CTI TAC Meeting Schedule Change
Posted on 3/29/2016

The CTI TAC meeting schedule will now be regularly held on the third Friday of each month, beginning on April 22nd.

March CTI TAC Meeting Followup
Posted on 3/18/2016

Thank you for participating in this month's TAC meeting. Meeting notes and followup information can be found on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

March CTI TAC Meeting
Posted on 3/15/2016

The CTI TAC March meeting was postponed and will be happening on Friday, March 18th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific.

This presentation will include a deep-dive presentation on competency frameworks and models. The comprehensive presentation addresses the prior discussions and presentations concerning competency frameworks and competencies. The presentation will be made by Stuart Sutton, DCMI Managing Director Associate Professor Emeritus, Information School, University of Washington.

We look forward to meeting with everyone tomorrow!

CTI TAC Competency and Competency Framework Discussion
Posted on 2/5/2016

The CTI TAC will host a webinar to discuss competencies and competency frameworks on Friday, February 12th at 11AM Eastern / 10AM Central / 9AM Mountain / 8AM Pacific.

You should all have received an invitation in your email already.

January Meeting Followup
Posted on 1/20/2016

Meeting notes and followup information for the TAC's January meeting have been posted on the Meetings Minutes and Resources page.

Among them you will find:

  • A whitepaper by Dr. Robson on the TAC's next focus: Competencies
  • Followup Materials
  • Links to the TAC google group, google drive, and github
  • Links to information and tools to describe and view the current state of credential metadata
Pilot-Site Partner Guidance Roadmap Webinar Followup
Posted on 1/20/2016

Thank you to our partners who were able to participate with today's "Pilot-site Partner Guidance Roadmap: Analytical and Technical Approach Webinar." The PowerPoint used for the webinar is attached and the archived webinar is also available for viewing here.

To progress with the CTDL and Credential Registry, all partners, please complete the Online Credential Information Sources and Formats Survey.

The purpose of the survey is to gain additional understanding of the information and data sources and formats used to provide public information about credentials on each partner’s website. The credential and technical contacts should complete this survey together. Based on working together to complete this survey, it should take 10 – 15 minutes to complete it.

Additionally, the CTI/Credential Engine (CE) team is offering the opportunity for 6 – 10 partners to participate with co-designing partner road-map guides and testing the implementation of CTDL to either populate the Registry directly or via harvesting. These partners will not be asked to change their current technologies but will work with the CTI/CE team to undergo an analytical process and use open source technologies, on top of their existing technologies, to implement and test the CTDL and directly publish or harvest data to populate the Registry. The intent is to identify a limited set of credentials, not necessarily every credential offered by the organization.

Please complete the survey by February 9, 2017 and let us know if you have any questions.

2016 CTI TAC Montly Meeting Schedule Set
Posted on 12/11/2015

All members of the TAC were sent calendar invitations to the monthly TAC meeting to occur the first Friday of each month between 10:00 AM CST - 11:30 AM CST. TAC members, if you didn't receive the calendar invite to each meeting please let us know (info@credreg.net).

Visit the CTI Technical Committee - Meeting Minutes and Resources page, it includes all scheduled dates and times.

CTI Webinar
Posted on 11/30/2015

We will be having the next CTI TAC meeting tomorrow, December 1st, at 12PM EST / 11AM CST / 10AM MT / 9AM PST. Expected duration is 90 minutes.

Please log onto the video conference 15-20 minutes early if possible.

Please check your email for an invitation with the details about how and where to connect.

Education Technology Standards
Posted on 10/16/2015
If you’re interested in knowing more about standards in the ed tech space. The AAP PreK-12 Learning Group has published a new free white paper on standards in the ed tech space. The paper is a synthesis of the Ed Tech Forum, a full-day event at the 2015 Content in Context conference that featured representatives from nine different standards/specifications groups. Each one gave a 10-minute “TED Talk” on their standard, its purpose, and where it fits in the ed tech development landscape. This document includes summaries of those presentations as well as links to videos, slide decks, and related resources for each standard covered. Finally, it includes a list and brief summary of a number of other standards we didn’t get to that day. Download the paper.
CTI Collaboration
Posted on 10/16/2015
Through the efforts of a partnership between the Competency-Based Education Network (CBEN) and the IMS Global Learning Consortium, the Technical Interoperability Pilot (TIP) project is researching common and critical competency-based education technology issues and developing interoperability solutions. Learn about why interoperability is essential.
First Meeting
Posted on 10/16/2015
The first meeting of the CTI Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is scheduled for November 18, 2015.
CTI Webinar
Posted on 10/16/2015
The CTI team is offering an informational webinar to pilot-site partners, TAC members, and other interested persons. The webinar will provide a general overview and update on the CTI project on Tuesday, November 17, 2105 at 2:00 PM (EST). Registration is required to join this event.
Welcome to the CTI Technical Planning Microsite
Posted on 10/14/2015
This site provides information for the CTI Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and Credentialing Pilot Site Partners. Other stakeholders are encouraged to visit the CTI informational site to learn more, submit their App Ideas and join the open Google discussion group.