Land Acknowledgment

The author and the production team who worked on this toolkit are dispersed throughout British Columbia and they wish to acknowledge the following traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands from where they live and work: Lək̓ʷəŋən (Lekwungen)/Songhees territories in Victoria; Syilx Okanagan Nation in Kelowna; and the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation of the Coast Salish Peoples in North Vancouver. We honour the knowledge of the peoples of these lands.

Funding Source & Leadership

This project was led by Ross McKerlich at BCcampus and it was funded by the B.C. Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills (PSFS). In addition to providing financial support, the PSFS team provided valuable information about the post-secondary system, as well as guidance and feedback on the toolkit.

Production Team

The creation of this toolkit was a team effort. The production team coordinated communication with stakeholders, copy-edited chapters, designed or adapted figures, followed up on copyright permissions, and created the pressbook while ensuring all of its functionalities and links. The author wishes to extend deep, deep appreciation and gratitude to this team of highly competent and professional individuals without whom this work would not have been possible.

• Sally Glover, copy editor, BCcampus
• Ross McKerlich^[1], project manager, collaborative projects, BCcampus
• Nancy Schiller^[2], copy editor;
• Jeseye Tanner^[3], graphic designer, BCcampus
• Kaitlyn Zheng^[4], coordinator, open textbook publishing, BCcampus

Community Contributors

This project began with an online survey to identify the information needs of the community. Dozens of micro-credential practitioners from 18 B.C. post-secondary institutions responded to the request to participate. Their responses influenced the contents of this toolkit. In addition, several people participated in focus groups to further probe the community’s needs.  We would like to express appreciation for each of these people for the gift of their time and knowledge in informing this work.

This toolkit was also made possible through the participation of micro-credential practitioners who generously shared their time, their resources, and their experience through interviews, templates, figures, and resources. In doing so, their experience will help colleagues thrive. We wish to thank:

• Larry Bouthillier, executive director, extended learning, University of British Columbia Vancouver campus;
• David Burns, associate vice president academic, Kwantlen Polytechnic University;
• Myron Campbell, associate professor of teaching in creative studies, media studies, visual arts, University of British Columbia Okanagan campus;
• Dave Cormier, digital learning specialist, University of Windsor;
• Yi Cui,  program developer, continuing studies, Capilano University;
• Susan Forseille, director, prior learning and assessment recognition, Thompson Rivers University;
• Nancy Hamilton, manager, continuing education and contract services, Vancouver Island University;
• Bob Haugen, director, continuing education and contract training, North Island College;
• Joyce Ip, interim associate vice president, strategic growth, analytics, and continuing studies, Capilano University;
• Rachel Kelly, program manager, DigiBC;
• Michelle Lamberson, director, flexible learning special projects in the office of the provost and vice president, academic, University of British Columbia Okanagan campus;
• Megan Lochhead, manager, curriculum and academic programs, Irving K. Barber faculty of science, University of British Columbia Okanagan campus;
• Adrian Lipsett, dean, continuing studies, Vancouver Community College;
• Carolyn MacLaren, director, continuing education, University of the Fraser Valley;
• Zoë MacLeod, associate vice president, professional and continuing studies, Royal Roads University;
• Aurelea Mahood, director, academic initiatives and planning, Capilano University;
• Cindy Ough, new products manager, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology;
• Michelle Patterson, chair, geography and GIS programs, Vancouver Island University;
• Nannette Plant, manager, government contracts and special projects in professional studies and industry training, Camosun College;
• Don Poirier, associate vice president, open learning, Thompson Rivers University;
• David Porter, principal consultant, DP Associates;
• Anubhav Pratap-Singh, assistant professor, food processing, faculty of land and food systems, University of British Columbia Vancouver campus;
• Eric Saczuk, head, remotely piloted aircraft systems operations, British Columbia Institute of Technology;
• Claire Sauvé, associate director, continuing studies, Vancouver Community College;
• Laurie Therrien, manager, corporate training and industry services, school of construction and the environment, British Columbia Institute of Technology;
• Patrick Weinmayr, former director, new product, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology;
• Michael Yue, director, partnership development office, Vancouver Community College.

Staff from eCampusOntario provided information on the creation of their micro-credential toolkit that was critical at the early stages of this work:

• Tommy Lam, lead, programs (micro-credentials)
• Rich Louttet, manager, programs

Many others provided permission to re-use their published figures or tables in this book, for which we are grateful.

Reviewers

These expert reviewers read the contents with a critical eye and through their feedback improved the quality and relevancy of the toolkit:

• Larry Bouthillier, executive director, extended learning, University of British Columbia Vancouver campus;
• Chad Doerksen, director, research universities and institutional policy, micro-credential initiatives lead, strategic policy and initiatives, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills;
• Jennifer Gorman, associate director, continuing studies and corporate training, Okanagan College
• Don Presant, president, Learning Agents;
• Elle Ting, research and projects officer, British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer;
• Simon Towner, senior policy analyst, research universities & institutional policy, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

Competency Working Group

The BCcampus competency working group provided critical oversight and advice on the project:

• Ashley Blacquiere, chair, digital design and development, North Island College;
• Larry Bouthillier, executive director, extended learning, University of British Columbia Vancouver campus;
• Lauren Couture, associate professor, faculty of health sciences, University of the Fraser Valley;
• Eric Fry, associate dean, agile and work integrated learning, British Columbia Institute of Technology;
• Jennifer Gorman, associate director, continuing studies and corporate training, Okanagan College;
• Megan Lochhead, manager, curriculum and academic programs, Irving K. Barber faculty of science, University of British Columbia Okanagan campus;
• Carolyn MacLaren, director, continuing education, University of the Fraser Valley;
• Zoë MacLeod, associate vice president, professional and continuing studies, Royal Roads University;
• Tannis Morgan, associate vice president, academic innovation, Vancouver Community College;
• Don Presant^[5], president, Learning Agents;
• Declan Robinson Spence, project coordinator, BCcampus
• Claire Sauvé, associate director, continuing studies, Vancouver Community College;
• Elle Ting, research and projects officer, British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer;
• Rich McCue, manager, digital scholarship commons, University of Victoria Libraries;
• Tiffany Snauwaert, dean, community education and workplace training, Selkirk College;
• Simon Towner, senior policy analyst, research universities & institutional policy, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.