Empowering Recognition: Innovations in Badging and Credentialing

Dr. Rita Fennelly-Atkinson is the Senior Director of Credentials at Digital Promise. She has worked at the intersection of education and technology to create inclusive and accessible learning environments for learners for the past 20 years. As a first-generation LatinX college graduate, she is committed to providing learners with expanding options for success for historically and systematically excluded learners. She is passionate about ensuring equitable access to learning through inclusive instructional design and competency-based micro-credentialing. Her research interests include digital credentialing, accessibility, micro-learning, distance education, adult education, and social media for learning. Prior to joining Digital Promise, Rita worked in the education sector in a variety of roles that included secondary STEM education, coaching toward effective use of technology for learning, and advocating for students with disabilities in technology procurement decisions.

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Marieta is a former teacher from South Africa who majored in languages and started her teaching career in
1984. In 2000 she joined the North-West University School of Languages. In 2008 Marieta was subsequently appointed in the
School of Educational Sciences as language lecturer an also provided supervision to Honours, Masters and PhD students. In 2012 Marieta was appointed as Senior Academic Developer in the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the North-West University.
She holds a doctorate in Sociolinguistics with the focus on Language and Internet based Communication,
Using Corpus Linguistics as a research method. She also holds a post graduate diploma in Design Thinking and Innovation from MIT. Current fields of interest and research include topics such as education and digital alternative assessment, hybrid virtual teaching mobility, Teaching Learning mentorship and micro credentials for higher education.

Rolf Reinhardt works for LinkedIn at the intersection of government, education and organizational learning. He is also an active member of the International Council on Badges and Credentials [ICoBC] to ensure a systemic view of badges and credentials for individuals, organizations and societies. Additionally, he serves as a Council Member to the Union of International Associations, as a Council Member to the OEB Global and as a Certified Supporter to the Corporate Social Responsibility community of ZiviZ at Stifterverband (W.I.E.). Prior to joining LinkedIn in 2016, he worked for Pearson, the largest education company in the world, on secondary, post-secondary and corporate training initiatives across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

From 2011 to 2012, Rolf was tinkering on various visionary projects such as eLearning quality (epprobate), streaming (TEDx etc.), ePortfolios, Immersive Worlds, Networks of Change Structures as well as Coworking and Community Spaces.

The focus of his work from 2007 till 2009 was on the ROI of eLearning programs for larger corporations. This focus changed with his assignment as Executive Manager of the European Foundation for Quality in E-Learning where innovation and technology as an enhancer of personal, organisational and societal development became a central topic.

By the time he obtained his Engineering degree in Media Technology, Rolf worked on large digital transformation projects, for instance, for the L&D department of L’ORÉAL. Rolf later designed and managed complex eLearning projects mainly for corporate customers.