By Autumn Walden, Editor, ̽»¨Â¥ Connect, Content Strategy Manager, ̽»¨Â¥
Higher education has no shortage of tools, research, reports, and policy proposals, and now ̽»¨Â¥ offers a new focus for the industry.
“Learning Mobility: Empowering Educational Journeys Beyond Traditional Pathways” is not just a resource. It’s a blue book—but not the kind you filled with essays in school. It’s a launching point for rewiring how colleges and universities recognize, validate, and credential learning, especially for the millions of students whose educational journeys don’t follow a linear path.
This new e-book from ̽»¨Â¥, , offers a bold and practical framework to help institutions break out of outdated credit transfer models and build systems that actually reflect how, where, and why today’s learners gain knowledge. With contributions from 29 respected leaders across the field, and made possible with the support of , "Learning Mobility" sets a new standard for what enrollment professionals should expect—and demand—from their practices, tools, and policies.
Nonmembers and the general public can and .
“Millions of learners are being left behind by rigid systems that don't match how people actually learn and live today,” said Dr. Wendy Kilgore, Executive Editor and Senior Director of Research at ̽»¨Â¥. “When a working parent can't get credit for professional training, when a veteran's military experience goes unrecognized, or when a student has to start over because their credits won't transfer, we're wasting human potential and perpetuating inequality. This book confronts that reality while providing concrete frameworks to transform how we recognize and validate learning in all its forms.”
"Learning Mobility" presents a compelling alternative that centers learners’ full experiences, including prior learning, work-based learning, and education that takes place outside traditional classroom settings. The book calls for a reimagining of how we design student records, evaluate transcripts, transfer credits, issue credentials, and partner across institutions and sectors to create more seamless and supportive pathways.
“The gap between language and validation in education and employment persists,” said Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, Ph.D., Consulting Editor and Dean at Butler University. “Employers and educators must move beyond talking past each other—our shared success depends on creating clear, trusted pathways to better communication skill acquisition and learning.”
The contributors represent a wide cross-section of the enrollment management ecosystem, offering insights from public and private institutions, community colleges, policy organizations, and edtech innovators. Each chapter offers a unique lens—covering everything from transcript modernization and AI integration to equity-focused transfer strategies and skills-based credentialing.
CHAPTER ONE by Juana H. Sanchez: Beyond Traditional Pathways: Learning Mobility in the 21st Century Undergraduate Experience CHAPTER TWO by Lindsey Myers, Zhe Zhao, and Hironao Okahana: Learning-Mobility Metrics: Evaluating Impact and Guiding Future Directions CHAPTER THREE by Courtney Brown and Stephanie Marten: Bridging the Gap: The Role of Postsecondary Education in Career Development and Success CHAPTER FOUR by Patrick Lane, Rebecca Klein-Collins: Moving Beyond Transfer: Credit for Prior Learning as a Tool for Learning Mobility, with an Institutional Spotlight by Allegra Fowler CHAPTER FIVE by Michele Spires and Abby Kinch: Not Just Another GI Bill Story: The Realities of Military-affiliated Learners and Learning Mobility CHAPTER SIX by Julia Funaki: Navigating Global Horizons: Institutional Strategies for International Learning Mobility, with a Learner Spotlight by Garrett Seelinger, and Ellen Ramsey CHAPTER SEVEN by Linda Vazquez: Policy Matters: Influencing Institutional, State, and Federal Higher-Education Policy to Accelerate Change CHAPTER EIGHT by Janie Valdés: Paving the Way: How Receiving Institutions Can Facilitate Learning Mobility, with a Practice Spotlight by Tammy Aagard
| CHAPTER NINE by Marc Booker: The Cultural Transformation: Moving From Transfer Policies to Learning Mobility Mindsets CHAPTER TEN by Wendolyn Davis: Cultivating Inclusive Learning Mobility: Understanding and Addressing Bias Through Institutional Practices CHAPTER ELEVEN by Mike Simmons: The New Currency of Skills: Learning and Employment Records in Higher Education CHAPTER TWELVE by Veronica Garcia and George Railey Van Noy: Learning Mobility in Action: A Case Study of Institutional Policies and Practices CHAPTER THIRTEEN by Samantha Dickey: Journey Mapping as a Learning Mobility Tool: Missouri's Adult Learner Success CHAPTER FOURTEEN by Kyle Gray, Betsy Mueller, Madeline Trimble, Emily Tichenor, and Martin Kurzweil: Institutional and Systemic Approaches to Holistic Credit Mobility CHAPTER FIFTEEN by Eleanor Brown: The Future of Learning Mobility
|
̽»¨Â¥ has long been at the forefront of innovations in academic records, credentialing, and learner success. With this publication, the association affirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible—and providing practical, actionable resources to help professionals lead change on their own campuses.
“Stop asking, 'How can learners fit into our systems?' and start asking, 'How can our systems adapt to learners?'" said Kilgore. “Here's where to start: Audit one process in your institution through a learner's eyes. Is transferring credits difficult? Does prior learning recognition take months? Pick one barrier and ask, ‘How would we design this if we truly put learners first?’ Then change it. Real transformation begins with that first step away from institutional convenience toward genuine learner success.”
Whether you’re a registrar modernizing student records, an admissions leader focused on access and equity, a transfer coordinator navigating articulation challenges, or a policy advocate designing systems-level solutions, this book speaks directly to your work. And it offers inspiration, examples, and strategies from peers who are forging new paths.
“Our blind spots may result in accidents, though not intended,” said Gentle-Genitty. “Among others outlined in the ebook, the blind spot most illuminated is the urgent course correction of learning alignment and employer needs. Our outdated credentials and credentialing systems are crippling both employers and educators, the economy and job market, and handcuffing our human potential to compete globally. More than ever, understanding and trust are needed. It must start with our institutional documentation of learning and competencies and continue with revisions to the portability and communication of that learning for use and recognition elsewhere, with a reduction in the need to revalidate for personal use.”
The future of higher education won’t be written in policy memos alone. It will be shaped by the professionals willing to act, not just react. This book is your starting point. We invite you to read, reflect, and participate in this growing movement—one that acknowledges the complete story of how learning occurs.
Members: .
Nonmembers: or .