Learning Mobility: Empowering Educational Journeys Beyond Traditional Pathways, a new ebook recently published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), features actionable research and diverse perspectives from system and institutional leaders, administrators, and researchers on the ways learning can and should be recognized, validated, and credentialed in the modern higher education environment. Ithaka S+R was pleased to contribute a chapter expanding on our prior holistic credit mobility work.

Our chapter, “Institutional and Systemic Approaches to Holistic Credit Mobility,” examines promising approaches to holistic credit mobility and demonstrates how higher education institutions and systems can move beyond traditional transfer policies through technological solutions, collaborative partnerships, and state- and institution-level policies.

Profiling a number of systems and institutions, the chapter explores how institutional and systemic approaches to holistic credit mobility can better serve diverse learners following nonlinear educational journeys. Specifically, the chapter probes a number of questions:

  • How does the Military Equivalency System launched by the University of North Carolina System embrace technology to improve transparency and encourage healthy competition in acceptance of military credit across their network of colleges and universities?
  • How does Florida International University’s robust internal transfer process support a large volume of mobile students in a timely manner?
  • How do Ohio’s technological tools help students optimize their educational pathways and increase faculty buy-in?
  • What can other institutions learn from Charter Oak State College’s foundational emphasis on supporting mobile learners?
  • How did the Idaho State Board of Education’s collaborative approach to credit-mobility policymaking and agenda setting translate policy into practice for learners?

These case studies highlight various ways that systems and institutions count validated learning, ensure learners avoid repeated learning, and provide timely and targeted guidance on how prior learning aligns to a credential of value. As learners continue to earn credit from an ever-increasing array of sources, the approaches employed by these states, systems, and institutions offer positive role models for others seeking to improve access.

Key takeaways from the chapter include:

  • Systems and institutions are using technology to streamline processes and increase transparency.
  • Process improvement can yield significant benefits for learners, faculty and administrators.
  • Intentional and sustained collaboration make credit-mobility initiatives successful.
  • Curricular alignment across multiple institutions and sources of credit is labor intensive and requires continual maintenance.
  • State policy can be both catalyst and scaffold for credit-mobility innovation.

This book chapter complements Ithaka S+R’s ongoing work with 12 state, system, and institutional consortia comprising the Holistic Credit Mobility Acceleration Cohort. Over the course of 12 months, this cohort is working to enhance credential completion rates by promoting flexible and equitable credit mobility pathways for postsecondary students across the country. Through this community, cohort members will collaborate closely, share best practices, and implement innovative strategies to support student success and progress toward degree attainment. Check the credit mobility landing page for periodic summaries of learning sessions and project status updates.

The book is available on Kindle and to download directly from AACRAO.