The OLC Research Center and HP Present Research on Workforce Skills Communication

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine whether institutions are using workforce trends to align learning outcomes and help students communicate their level of workplace skill proficiencies to potential employers. Data was collected from 18 academic leaders, program directors, and faculty at public and private institutions, including two-year technical and community colleges, four-year institutions, and graduate schools across the United States.

Research Questions

How are institutions using workforce trends to align and measure learning outcomes?
How are institutions utilizing workforce trends to design and measure learning experiences connected to learning outcomes?
What methods are used to teach students to communicate their level of skill proficiencies

Data Collection

Each study participant engaged in a one-hour interview with a member of the research team. Each interview was guided by a semi-structured interview protocol based on the study’s research questions. Data were coded and analyzed to reveal themes in responses.

Partners

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is a collaborative community of education leaders and innovators dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences designed to reach and engage the modern learner—anyone, anywhere, anytime. OLC inspires innovation and quality through an extensive set of resources, including best-practice publications, quality benchmarking, leading-edge instruction, community-driven conferences, practitioner-based and empirical research, and expert guidance. The growing OLC community includes faculty members, administrators, trainers, instructional designers, and other learning professionals, as well as educational institutions, professional societies, and corporate enterprises. Learn more at onlinelearningconsortium.org.

HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere—every person, every organization, and every community around the globe. For higher education, HP combines instructional innovation, applied research, data science, technologies, esports and advanced information security to empower the Campus of the Future. Learn more at http://www.hp.com/education.