Europe one step closer to interchangeable credentials
The technology behind digital learning credentials that are widely recognised and shared is still evolving, but one thing is clear: interoperability is a key precondition.
Towards uniformity
Digital learning credentials such as microcredentials, certificates and digital diplomas make it possible to record knowledge and skills in a transpart and verifiable way. In the Netherlands, we therefore consciously choose one system: edubadges. This national service has now been included in the sector arrangements for higher education. A decision will soon be made whether edubadges will also become a structural part of the sector package for mbo.
In a European context, such uniformity does not yet exist: institutions and countries use different systems and standards. In practice, this creates obstacles when transferring between programmes or sharing previously acquired learning outcomes with other institutions or employers. To address that problem, SURF and Impierce Technologies within DC4EU developed the Credential Converter: an open source tool that technically and semantically translates digital credentials from one format to another, without loss of meaning.
What does the Credential Converter do?
The tool enables conversion between different commonly used technical standards for digital credentials, such as ELM, ELMO and Open Badges. This allows institutions and systems to exchange data with each other, without using the same standard. The Credential Converter works with data files in JSON format. This is a standardised and widely used structure in IT systems, with which information on, for example, learning outcomes can be clearly recorded and exchanged.
Dictionary for converting data
To convert data from one format to another, the tool uses mappings. These indicate which fields from the source format correspond to fields in the target format. The tool converts the source data and adapts it to match the expected target format and correct placement. For example, how a date or name is stored in one system and how it is expected in another. You can think of mappings as a kind of dictionary for converting data. They can be generated partly automatically and added and modified manually as needed. Because the tool is open source, developers can work with it to develop it further or integrate it into existing systems.
Existing knowledge of DESM
What makes this development extra powerful is the collaboration with DESM, the Data Ecosystem Schema Mapper project from the United States. DESM provides a common 'glossary' that describes how data fields from different formats relate to each other. Whereas DESM secures the semantics, the Credential Converter provides the technical implementation. This enables credentials not only to be converted, but also to be interpreted correctly in terms of content in the receiving context.
Want to know more or join?
Check out the Credential Converter's GitHub repository, read more about the European project DC4EU, or contact SURF via Paul den Hertog.