Kansas State University

NACADA is key contributor to new LER resource collection

Submitted by Patrice Scott

NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising is among 11 leading associations whose expertise contributed to the newly created LER Accelerator, a special collection dedicated to Learning and Employment Records, or LERs, for higher education institutions, educators and employers.

The LER Accelerator was developed in partnership with the Learn and Work Ecosystem Library and funded by Walmart. The coalition of associations addressed key challenges to LER adoption and implementation in higher education such as unclear market demand for skill recognition, administrative and technical barriers, disparate enterprise data systems, and outdated business models.

"NACADA is excited to be part of the exciting work of the LER Accelerator Initiative," said Kyle Ross, NACADA executive director. "Adopting and implementing learning and employment records in a consistent and coordinated manner across postsecondary institutions ultimately allows academic advisors to quickly interpret what milestones students have already achieved, what immediate next steps are available, and what long—term goals become possible. We are thrilled to contribute to these conversations on behalf of academic advisors to ensure they are positioned at the onset to smoothly transition to understanding and interpreting LERs for their students."

The creation of the LER Accelerator Special Collection marks a significant step toward creating a more inclusive and effective credentialing ecosystem. Curated resources include a range of materials that address the common challenges higher education institutions face in adopting LERs, such as:

• Guidelines and implementation tools: Detailed resources to guide institutions through the development and adoption process.
• Best practices: Insights and strategies from successful implementations of LERs across various institutions.
• Case studies: Real—world examples demonstrating the positive impact of LERs on student outcomes, including learning, retention, graduation and career success.
• The collection will also focus on the policies, practices and systems necessary to track learning outcomes, competencies and skills.

The Learn and Work Ecosystem Library is recognized for its innovative approach to collecting, curating and coordinating resources that bring clarity to the learn—and—work ecosystem. The library's digital platform, enhanced by the AI Library Assistant bot, ensures that users can easily access and navigate information.

Key features of the special collection include:

• AI—powered search and assistance: The AI Library Assistant bot aids users in finding relevant information quickly through conversational queries.
• Comprehensive resource aggregation: The collection brings together resources from a range of contributors, ensuring a diverse and rich repository of information.
• Collaborative platform: The library facilitates collaboration among stakeholders, helping them share knowledge and drive innovation in credentialing.

The LER Accelerator project was seeded with information from a coalition of leading associations representing various college stakeholders, including:

• Academic/curricular/faculty — AAC&U
• Admissions operations/enrollment management/records and registration — AACRAO
• Advising — NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising
• Career Centers and employers — NACE
• Community colleges — AACC
• Competency-based education and skills — C—BEN
• Information technology — EDUCAUSE
• Institutional leadership — ACE
• Institutional research — AIR
• Online and professional education — UPCEA
• Technology standards and practices — 1EdTech, Digital Credentials Consortium

For more information, contact Sean Bridgen, associate director for external and internal partnerships at bridgen@k-state.edu. 

NACADA is hosted by the College of Education at Kansas State University and has 14,000 members in 30 countries. The association fulfills its mission through online education, conferences and events, research and publications, and awards and scholarships. In addition, NACADA Consulting provides postsecondary institutions with an array of strategic, data-informed programs and services designed to maximize the role of academic advising in promoting student success.