The ACE Model
The agile continuous education (ACE) model is focused on providing education in a flexible, cost- and time-efficient manner, by combining a broader range of modalities: online (e.g. leading to course and MicroMasters micro-credentials), on-site (e.g. leading to bootcamps credentials from face-to-face activities), or at-work (through apprenticeships and professionally coached project-work).
These modalities on their part consist of a meaningful range of sub-modalities (such as online synchronous and online asynchronous) that further expand our design space.
This more granular approach provides a degree of freedom to students in their professional lives by:
Letting them try new content that could be accredited later as part of a full-time academic program
Acquiring content and credentials in smaller bite-sized chunks
Allowing them to customize their path based on personal preferences and rapidly-evolving industry needs
Applying learned skills and knowledge in more rapid cycles
Enabling these benefits in a more cost-effective manner
A combination of learning modalities
To upgrade their knowledge and skills learners would:
Individual learning
Take online courses from digital academic portfolios. These include synchronous and asynchronous courses and activities that can lead to technical skills credential certification.
Group Mentored learning
Participate in intense facilitated hands-on, project-based, online and on-site activities aiming to promote technical and professional skills development, and community building.
Real-life Mentored learning
Apply the new content and skills at-work, through apprenticeship programs or in carefully structured and mentored activities designed to be implemented at the workplace.
ACE learners will explore, follow, and ultimately craft for themselves, with specific guidance, any professional path that better suits their needs and interests. They will select from a range of courses and activities that are online, on-site, or at-work, or combine any of them together.