Getting started with micro-credential work requires you to become familiar with terms that are specific to learning and earning. Here are the top terms that are helpful to know.
Annotation: annotations provide the opportunity for platform users to make their thinking transparent by having them show the planning/thinking behind the choices made in an artifact. Annotations are self-generated statements. A best practice is to use the +tag indicator feature in the platform to tag the appropriate competency indicators for each annotation.
Artifact: evidence gathered by the participant to compose the portfolio of evidence submitted to demonstrate competency of the demonstrated outcomes of a micro-credential; artifact = end of course assessment.
BLC: BloomBoard Learning Community meetings are part of the Success Academy model. These meetings scaffold you towards the submission of your first micro-credential and support for further individualized, personalized path through your micro-endorsement.
Competency Indicator: these indicators are the expectations of quality that you, the platform user, should meet to demonstrate competency.
Learn/Explore activities: resource activities designed to build and refine participant knowledge and directly support artifact development; Learn activities = course resources.
Micro-credential: a type of certification earned by demonstrating competency in specific skills, knowledge, and/or experience in a given area; micro-credential (MC) = course.
Micro-endorsement: a research-based, coherent, and connected set of micro-credentials focused on a related theme; micro-endorsements (MEs) are like a course and can be combined in different programs such as master’s degrees, certifications, or state-recognized endorsements.
Pre-assessment Indicator: these help the pre-assessor determine if the artifact is complete and is ready for evaluation. These pre-assessment requirements may include the use of specific templates, legibility, audio and/or video quality, and other characteristics that indicate the artifact is ready to be assessed.
Template: a document provided in the platform that is required for submission.
Timestamp: this is the determined start and stop time within a video that a particular competency indicator(s) are present.