Credentialing
Eligibility Pathways for Professional Certification
Eligibility pathways for certification are a critical, but often underappreciated, component of credentialing programs. Before candidates can register for a certification examination, they must demonstrate that they meet defined eligibility criteria. These criteria establish readiness
Test Administration: A Planning Guide
Test administration and other operations are a crucial part of the test development cycle, but often overlooked. Professional-grade exams such as certification or admissions are expensive to develop, so an organization wants to protect that
The Value of Certification: Currency for Career Growth
Certifications are becoming the new currency in today’s AI-driven workforce. By validating both technical and soft skills and supporting lifelong learning, modern assessments help professionals stay competitive, mobile, and future-ready. In today’s rapidly evolving workforce
Beyond the Credential: Retrospective of the 2025 ICE Exchange
The ICE Exchange, sponsored by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, is one of the premier conferences on the annual calendar for credentialing organizations. Held November 17-20 in Phoenix, it provided an immersive, high-energy program. From
Certification Management System: Drive Your Profession
A Certification Management System (CMS) or Credential Management System plays a pivotal role in streamlining the key processes surrounding the certification or credentialing of people, namely that they have certain knowledge or skills in a
What are Microcredentials?
Microcredentials are short, focused, and targeted educational or assessment-based certificate programs that offer learners a way to acquire specific skills or knowledge in a particular field. They can also become stackable credentials. Traditional degrees may
Testing and Certification Platform: The Foundation for Credentialing
A testing and certification platform provides an efficient, scalable, and secure solution for managing the development of credentialing exams, delivering them securely, and automating the management of business aspects. It helps to ensure competency of
Psychometric Data Forensics to Detect Exam Cheating: A Guide
Psychometric data forensics is the use of data science to improve test security by detecting evidence of exam cheating and test fraud, from copying to pre-knowledge to stealing of test content. Of course, this is
What is an Assessment-Based Certificate?
An assessment-based certificate (ABC) is a type of credential that is smaller and more focused than a Certification, License, or Degree. ABCs provide a formal recognition of skills after a structured learning experience. It is
Certification vs. Licensure Exams: Differences and Examples
Certification and Licensure exams are both types of professional workforce credentials, but a Certification is typically voluntary (usually a nonprofit) and Licensure is legally required (usually a government). However, Licensure is broader than workforce skills
Addressing Pre-Knowledge in Exam Cheating
In the realm of academic dishonesty and high-stakes exams such as Certification, the term “pre-knowledge” is an important concern in test security and validity. Understanding what pre-knowledge entails and its implications in exam cheating can
Setting a Cutscore to Item Response Theory
Setting a cutscore on a test scored with item response theory (IRT) requires some psychometric knowledge. This post will get you started. How do I set a cutscore with item response theory? There are two
Modified-Angoff Method: Guide to a Defensible Cutscore
The modified-Angoff method is one of the most common ways to set a defensible cutscore on an exam, especially in Certification. A panel of experts reviews the items on a test and sets the cutscore based
What is Test Scaling?
Scaling is a psychometric term regarding the establishment of a score metric for a test, and it often has two meanings. First, it involves defining the method to operationally scoring the test, establishing an underlying
Intro to the Exam & Test Development Process
The exam and test development cycle the process of building a high-quality assessment in accordance to international standards like NCCA or AERA/APA/NCME, so that it has validity. If there are stakes associated with the test,
What are Stackable Credentials?
Stackable credentials refer to a professional accumulating a series of credentials such as certifications or microcredentials over time, designed with a career ladder or skill scaffold in mind. For example, a certification board might have a
What are Digital Badges for Certification?
Digital badges are a professional credential recognition that provides public digital proof of skills or learning, usually in your LinkedIn profile. In many cases, it is an existing credential/course, with just the recent addition to
ANSI ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation for Certifications
ANSI ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation is an internationally recognized standard for the accreditation of personnel certification bodies. That is, it is a stamp of approval from an independent audit which says your certification is good quality.
