Certificates �CTDL Task Group�

October 4, 2023 Kickoff Meeting

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Nate Argo, Associate Solutions Architect

Phil Barker, CTDL Consultant to Credential Engine

Jared Diener, State Partnerships Manager

Jeanne Kitchens, Chief Technology Services Officer

www.credentialengine.org

Credential Engine:

Who We Are & What We Do

�Our Mission: Credential Engine is a non-profit whose mission is to map the credential landscape with clear and consistent information, fueling the creation of resources that empower people to find the pathways that are best for them.

Our Vision: We envision a future where millions of people worldwide have access to information about credentials that opens their eyes to the full range of opportunities for learning, advancement, and meaningful careers.

How we accomplish our Mission and Vision:

• Building common infrastructure and language
• Collaboration
• Empowerment

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Topics

• Introductions and Welcome to the Certificates Task Group! - Jeanne Kitchens
• Mark yourself as “present” in the roster
• Overview: Credential Engine Specifications and Services - Nate Argo
• Plan for the Certificates Task Group - Jeanne
• Review/Approve Plan and Charter
• Closing & Next Steps - Jeanne

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Credential Engine CTDL Team

• CTDL Team Members
• Nate Argo, Solutions Architect
• Phil Barker, Metadata Consultant
• Deb Everhart, Chief Strategy Officer
• Jeanne Kitchens, CE Chief Technology Services Officer
• Mike Parsons, Senior Solutions Architect
• Certificates Task Group Coordinators
• Jared Diener, State Partnerships Manager
• Julia Gianoulis, CE Accounts and Publishing Manager

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Welcome to the�CTDL Certificates Task Group!

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Certificates Task Group Participants

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CTDL Design Process

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Credential Engine Advisory Groups, Councils, and State Partners

Credential Engine Leadership

Credential Engine Staff and Consultants

Credential Engine Board

CTDL Team

CTDL Task Groups

CTDL Advisory Group

The Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) is developed with input from experts, following the Credential Engine Process for Significant Managed CTDL Specification Updates.��Our technical site has a page about current and past Task Groups.

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A CTDL Annual Plan of Work guides priorities.

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Other Resources:

• Credential Engine Board
• CTDL Advisory Group
• Other Advisory Groups
• State Partners

https://credentialengine.org

Purpose of the Certificates Task Group

CTDL Task Groups

• Open, temporary groups composed of subject matter experts convened to provide input to significant CTDL development based on a specified project.
• These groups are chartered and follow a structured schedule.
• Task groups conclude with a final draft CTDL domain model and terms proposal.�

The Chartered Certificates Task Group (CTG) will:

• use cases and real-world examples of certificates;
• real-world data examples that support the use cases;
• domain model for certificates;
• proposed CTDL terms where necessary to address the actionable use cases,
• schema mappings, and
• related Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy.

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Credit where it is due…

Please mark yourself as present for this meeting in the roster so that we know whom to credit for this work. ��https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12nE3dznFbRZcKELiGWoKefVw1sdlfqid-FfGUNMsACg/edit?usp=sharing

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Overview:�Credential Engine’s�Open Technologies

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Using Technology to Map the Credential Landscape

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CTDL Linked Open Data & Consuming Tools

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Providers use the API or any of the data consuming tools to use CTDL data in the Registry, powering ecosystems.

CTDL Publishing Tools

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Providers use the API or any of the publishing system tools to convert information to CTDL, publish to the Registry, and create globally unique identifiers (CTIDs).

Credential Registry

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The Registry collects and connects credential, skill, and job data described with CTDL as a linked open data graph to power tools and applications, including the Credential Finder.

Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL)

�Linked open data schema that describes over 800 characteristics of credentials, skills, jobs, and providers.

Technical site: https://credreg.net

Transforming credential information into linked open data means it can be shared, connected, and used across applications.

Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL)

A common language modeled on the semantic web for transparency and comparability of credential and competency information.��https://credreg.net/ctdl/handbook

Current CTDL family of standards:

• CTDL
• CTDL ASN
• Quantitative Data��

CTDL:�Timeline and Expansion

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The first CTDL release was in 2017. ��As a living language, the CTDL has grown to 1,088 classes, properties, concept schemes, and concepts.

* Depr. = Deprecated

More Benefits of CTDL

• Large dictionary of terms for rich descriptions across learning and working.
• Extendable to serve many use cases including international.
• Agnostic to industries and domains.
• Supports transparency, comparability, reusability.
• Development process open to all stakeholders.
• Available for anyone to use under an open Creative Commons License.
• Published as CTDL linked open data that is human and machine readable.

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Assessment

Competency

Credential

Extracurricular

Support Services

Employer

Training Provider

Transfer Value Profile

Co-curricular

Job

Course

Learner/Earner

Recommender/Articulator

Pathway

QA Organization

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Supporting Integration and Linked Open Data

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System integrations

Linked Open Data on the Web

CTDL: List of Types of Credentials

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Below is a subset of the numerous type of credentials already included with CTDL. �See the CTDL Types List

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Credential ceterms:Credential

Qualification, achievement, personal or organizational quality, or aspect of an identity typically used to indicate suitability.

The ceterms:Credential class is broadly defined to encompass credentials used across domains and communities of practice. The class should be used only when speaking of credentials in general. Subclasses of ceterms:Credential as defined by Credential Engine (or other communities) should be used when referencing specific types of credentials.�

Certificate ceterms:Certificate

Credential that designates requisite knowledge and skills of an occupation, profession, or academic program.

Apprenticeship Certificate ceterms:ApprenticeshipCertificate

Credential earned through work-based learning and earn-and-learn models that meet standards and are applicable to industry trades and professions.

Journeyman Certificate ceterms:JourneymanCertificate

Credential awarded to skilled workers on successful completion of an apprenticeship in industry trades and professions.

Master Certificate ceterms:MasterCertificate

Credential awarded upon demonstration through apprenticeship of the highest level of skills and performance in industry trades and professions.

Certificate of Completion ceterms:CertificateOfCompletion

Credential that acknowledges completion of an assignment, training or other activity.

A record of the activity may or may not exist, and the credential may or may not be designed as preparation for another resource such as a credential, assessment, or learning opportunity.

Example CTDL Linking Data: Certificates

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With the CTDL, we can tell many detailed stories about certificates. Here’s one example.

Example CTDL Linking Data: Certificates

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The story can begin with details about the organization offering and or owning learning programs and certificates can be described. This is a small sampling of information that can be included.

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See https://credreg.net/ctdl/terms#CredentialOrganization for a list of all of the CTDL terms available to describe an organization.

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We can learn about the granularity of information about the learning program that is preparation for the certificate.

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This is a small sampling of information that can be included such as all of the courses with the Learning Program.

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See https://credreg.net/ctdl/terms#LearningProgram and https://credreg.net/ctdl/terms#Course for a list of all of the CTDL terms available to describe an organization.

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The story continues with the Certificate that can be described in detail along with how long it takes to earn it, how much it costs, if financial assistance is available.

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See:�

Certificate

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Duration Profile

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Financial Assistance Profile

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The story continues with the support services, requirements, competencies and targeted job for the certificate.

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See:�

Support Service

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Condition Profile

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Competency

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Competency Framework

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Job

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Credential Finder

A tool for seeing the information using the Credential Transparency Description Language in the Credential Registry. �

https://credentialfinder.org

Select “Credentials” and filter on “Credential Type.”

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CTDL Certificates Task Group

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What We’ll Do

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How We’ll Do It

• Meeting 1: Wed, October 4, 2023 - Introduction; Review the Plan and Charter
• Meeting 2: Wed, October 18, 2023 - Approve Plan and Charter; begin to review/identify and discuss use cases, identify certificate schemas to be mapped.
• Meeting 3: Wed, November 1, 2023 - Continue to review/identify additional use cases and examples
• Meeting 4: Wed, November 15, 2023 - Review and discuss draft schema mappings and revisions to Draft CTDL Model and Terms
• Meeting 5: Wed, November 29, 2023 - Continue to review and discuss revisions to Draft CTDL Model and Terms
• Meeting 6: Wed, December 13, 2023- Final Review of CTDL Model and Terms and define Minimum Data Policy��

Throughout: Contribute to and give feedback via the shared documents.

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What We’ll Get Done

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This efficient process ensures orderly changes that support and expand the durable, persistent value of CTDL Linked Open Data.

CTDL Advisory Group Members: �Participate with and disseminates task group and other involvement opportunities and�provide input to the Annual CTDL Plan of Work

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Open Licenses�

All final materials and outputs from the process will be public information that are made available under open licenses via the Credential Engine Technical Site and via Credential Engine’s GitHub repository.

Technical site: https://credreg.net

GitHub Repository: https://github.com/CredentialEngine

Draft Work Plan

and Charter

Review and approve the Certificates Task Group Draft Plan and Charter:

• Provide feedback in chat, verbally, or via suggestions and comments.
• We can make updates in real time.
• Use the online consensus form.

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Draft Work Plan and Charter Orientation

Outline overview�

• Improving Credential Transparency Globally
• Covers what Credential Engine does and the role CTDL plays in that.
• Roles of Credential Engine’s Groups
• An outline of Credential Engine's organization around CTDL development.
• Certificates Task Group Overview & Outcomes
• Overview and what the task group will do and its final products.
• Task Group Charter and Plan
• The composition of the Group, what’s in and out of scope, meeting schedule and tasks.
• Technical Design and Process Objectives
• Summary of the design and process requirements for development of the CTDL.
• Resources
• Useful links.

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Certificates Task Group Overview

The CTDL already supports rich descriptions of numerous types of credentials including some types of certificates. Credential Engine has been asked by a number of United States-based partners to consider expanding the types of certificates that are described and included in the CTDL. Consequently, additional types of industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary, and postsecondary certificates that are embedded in programs or require successful passing of assessments need to be explored to determine if/how they should be defined within the CTDL. The CTDL Certificates Task Group will revisit the definition and framing of the term “certificate” and sub-classes of that term in order to accurately represent ecosystems’ needs. This specific Task Group will focus on U.S. based issuance of certificates but is open to any interested persons globally. See the current list of types of credentials including certificates.�

The chartered Certificates Task Group (CTG) will generate use cases and determine a CTDL model and terms proposal for additional types of certificates and terms for describing them and their relationships to competencies, assessments, jobs, other types of credentials and other relevant entities can be integrated into CTDL.

��The Certificates (CTG) will provide input and examples, and review:

• use cases and real-world examples of certificates;
• real-world data examples that support the use cases;
• domain model for certificates;
• proposed CTDL terms where necessary to address the actionable use cases and data examples,
• schema mappings, and
• related Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy.

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Certificates Task Group Scope

In Scope.

• Developing use cases for certificates.
• Providing real certificate data examples that support use cases.
• Creating additional CTDL terms to best meet the needs of identified use cases.
• Providing feedback to extend and refine the CTDL domain model and terms.
• Crosswalking existing certificate schemas via the Data Ecosystem Schema Mapper Tool (DESM).
• Defining a minimum data policy for new CTDL terms that will be applicable to the Credential Registry.

Out of Scope.

• Defining other types of credentials.
• Including CTDL terms for personally identifiable data.
• Developing policies for organizations on the development of certificates.
• Determining if certificates are effective or ineffective.
• Customizing implementations for systems or applications.

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The CTG will focus on types of industry, vocational, career, technical, secondary, and postsecondary certificates that are embedded in programs or require successful passing of assessments that need to be explored to determine if/how they should be defined within the CTDL.

Our Tasks

• Consensus on the Charter and Plan
• Participate in meetings
• Review existing and identify additional use cases
• Gather examples of certificates
• Review and provide feedback on the domain model
• Develop and review terms with definitions
• Map additional schemas
• Review related Credential Registry Minimum Data Policy proposal
• Review encoded (e.g., JSON-LD) examples
• Develop consensus for approval to go forward

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Work Plan and Charter�Approval

Review and approve the Certificates Task Group Draft Plan and Charter:

• Provide feedback in chat, verbally, or via suggestions and comments.
• We can make updates in real time.
• Use the online consensus form.
• Accept�or
• Point out a specific issue and how it may be remedied.

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Next Steps

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Task Group Next Steps

1. Review and add any comments to the Certificates Task Group Plan and Charter
1. Use the online consensus form

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• Participate with the October 18, 2023 meeting

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Resources

Task Group Resources

• Google Drive Meetings Folder
• October 4, 2023 Meeting Folder - This folder contains this deck and the draft Plan and Charter.
• Draft CTDL Certificates Task Group Plan and Charter
• Online Consensus Form
• Certificates Task Group Roster�

CTDL Resources

• CTDL Terms
• GitHub Repository: Credential Engine Schema
• Credential Engine Technical Site
• Significant Update Policy

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CTG Contacts

Website: credentialengine.org�Email us: info@credentialengine.org�Technical Information: credreg.net �Credential Finder: credentialfinder.org � � Find @CredEngine on Social Media

Jeanne Kitchens

jkitchens@credentialengine.org

Chief Technology Officer, Credential Engine

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Phil Barker

phil.barker@pjjk.co.uk

Metadata Consultant

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Jared Diener

jdiener@credentialengine.org

State Partnership Manager

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Nate Argo

nargo@credentialengine.org

Solutions Architect, Credential Engine

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Julia Gianoulis

jgianoulis@credentialengine.org

Accounts and Publishing Manager, Credential Engine

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. We encourage reuse and remix of this resource with attribution to Credential Engine.

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