In this episode of MEP, the co-founder and CEO of Achievery, Damian Ewens, joins the program to chat about badging, micro credentialing and skills-based education. Don’t miss it!
Guest Bio:
Damian Ewens is the CEO of Achievery, a global platform for recognizing and verifying new and emerging skills, standards, and credentials.
Damian holds an MA in Education (Mathematics) fromStanford University and a BS in Economics from Santa Clara University. He taught in grades 6-12th in some of the most innovative schools in the country. After teaching, he worked closely with the founders of Big Picture Learning, an international system of schools based on personalization and real world learning, where he supported overall strategic initiatives.
Prior to Achievery, he led the development of one of the first credit-bearing after school systems in the country as the founding Director of The Hub, the high school initiative of the Providence After School Alliance.
A native of Providence, Rhode Island, Damian is also an avid surfer, local DJ and events producer. He lives in Providence with his wife, Stephanie Alvarez Ewens, and their two daughters.
Show Notes:
(2:00) Damian’s background
(09:30) What was it that you did make a connection about in the formal setting as a learner yourself and the kind you’re seeing through the students you’ve had and now, the customers you talk with?
(10:55) What is Achievery, what are you trying to accomplish, and what kind of progress have you made so far?
(14:50) I was wondering, in the formal K-12 setting, who is threatened by this [credentialing] or what are you seeing as far as skepticism?
(19:55) If colleges are not willing to differentiate themselves, or attempt to differentiate themselves and actually show value through the market…
(23:20) Are you working with schools such as Southern New Hampshire University,Western Governors, those type of schools, and also, are you working with companies, and in what way are you working with them?
(26:00) If you could have dinner with one person you admire, past or present, who would it be and why?
For more episodes featuring thought leaders in education visit MeetEducationProject.com, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and follow Nick DiNardo on Twitter.