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PROPEL Learn is a signature learning and credentialing platform designed specifically for students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It offers comprehensive, experiential, and innovative learning experiences in cutting-edge fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Swift Coding, Arts and Entertainment, Cybersecurity, Clean Energy, Career Readiness, Leadership, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The platform’s micro-credential programs and courses are co-developed by industry experts, top HBCU faculty, and notable workforce collaborators from around the world. Courses and micro-credential programs are reviewed and approved by industry giants such as Apple, Southern Company, and other top industry partners.

PROPEL Learn's micro-credentialing system is designed to help students progress at their own pace, with badges and certificates that denote their level of achievement. Students also receive ongoing support and resources to enhance their learning experience and support their professional development.

PROPEL Centers' Innovation and Design model combines cutting-edge research, learning science principles, instructional design, and tech-enhanced tools to create effective and engaging learning experiences. Our research focuses on workforce and industry credentials to ensure our courses are relevant and up-to-date. We incorporate learning science principles to promote effective learning for neurodiverse and ethnically diverse groups. Our instructional design principles organize learning experiences in a structured, learner-centered way. Lastly, we leverage tech-enhanced tools, such as our virtual learning platform PROPEL Learn, to promote the success of both faculty and students.

Learning science is the study of how people learn and how to improve the process of learning. It draws upon research from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, educational psychology, and other related fields to inform the design of effective learning experiences.

Instructional design is the process of creating educational or training materials and experiences systematically and efficiently. It involves analyzing learners' needs, defining learning objectives, designing and developing instructional content, and evaluating the effectiveness of the instructional materials.

Learning science is focused on understanding how people learn and how to improve the learning process, while instructional design is focused on applying that knowledge to create effective learning experiences. Both are important because understanding how people learn is critical to creating learning experiences that are engaging, effective, and accessible to a wide range of learners.

The program requires an application and offers over 60 hours of professional development, certification support, and opportunities to engage in innovative teaching and learning methodologies. It aims to elevate faculty expertise and facilitate collaboration with industry and government. However, all the programs for faculty isn't application-based. Faculty who are not in the Cybersecurity Fellows Program will still be able to actively participate in PROPEL Learn, Consortium meetings, CyberChats, and take advantage of other research opportunities. 

A micro-credential is a certification that recognizes an individual’s proficiency in a specific skill or set of skills. Unlike traditional degrees, micro-credentials are often shorter, more focused, and designed to be completed in a relatively short time. They are intended to be stackable, meaning learners can earn multiple micro-credentials over time, building their skills and knowledge progressively. Micro-credentials are particularly valuable in today’s fast-changing job market because they allow individuals to quickly acquire and demonstrate competencies that are immediately relevant to their careers.

To earn a Microcredential Certification at PROPEL, a learner must complete a minimum of any four courses in a pillar track, based on prior experience, knowledge, and expertise. Upon completion of these courses, a learner will receive a Microcredential Certification and Badge that denotes completion of all three levels of the courses (Levels I, II, and III).

A digital badge is awarded upon the completion of all of the requirements of a course and denotes what level the course is (Level I, II, or III). The badge is color-coded according to the level. A certificate of completion, on the other hand, is awarded in addition to the digital badge and denotes the learner's name, the course name, the date of completion, the level of completion (Level I, II, or III), the facilitator(s) name, and the name and signature of the Chief Learning & Innovation Officer of the Learning, Innovation, and Design Department.

PROPEL Learn offers three levels of badges: Level I (Green), Level II (Blue), and Level III (Orange). Our badge levels are aligned with the level of courses in the brochure and guide (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced).

Upon the completion of all of the requirements of a course, you will receive a digital badge that denotes what level the course is (Level I, II, or III). Badges are color-coded according to their

level: Level I (Green), Level II (Blue), Level III (Orange), and Microcredential Badge (Gold).

The level of a course at PROPEL Learn is determined by its sequence within the micro-credential program. Level I (Introductory or Beginner) courses are the first and/or second courses in the sequence of courses, depending on how many courses are in the micro-credential. Level II (Intermediate) courses are the second or third courses in the sequence of courses, depending on how many courses are in the micro-credential. Level III (Advanced) courses are the fourth, fifth, or final courses in the sequence of courses, depending on how many courses are in the micro-credential. Upon the completion of the full micro-credential program, you will earn a PROPEL industry-aligned Microcredential Certification and Badge (Gold).

Curriculum refers to the set of courses, learning activities, and assessments that make up a learning program. It is important for a microcredential because it ensures that the program covers the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies required for the credential. A well-designed curriculum helps learners progress from basic to more advanced levels of understanding and mastery and ensures they are well-prepared to apply their learning in real-world contexts.

Competency-based curriculum development is an approach to curriculum design that focuses on defining the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities (industry-aligned competencies) that learners need to acquire to successfully complete a program or course. This approach is learner-centered and outcome-driven, meaning that it identifies the skills and knowledge that learners need to acquire and then designs learning experiences and assessments that help them achieve those competencies. Competency-based curriculum development helps ensure learners are prepared with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their chosen careers.

The objective of PROPEL Learn's competency-based curriculum development strategy is to create a comprehensive, effective, and engaging competency-based curriculum for micro-credential programs using learning science principles.

The strategy for developing the competency-based curriculum includes 1) identifying core competencies and skills through solicitation from industry; 2) developing learning objectives; 3) implementing learning science principles; 4) creating engaging learning experiences; 5) developing assessments and evaluations; 6) establishing a feedback loop; 7) supporting personalized learning; and 8) providing ongoing support and resources.

The steps involved in co-developing courses for PROPEL Learn include: collaborating with industry partners to perform a skills gap analysis; conducting a needs analysis with HBCU faculty; defining learning objectives; designing course content; developing learning activities; creating assessments and evaluations that serve as evidence of learning; and reviewing the course content in collaboration with subject matter experts and HBCU faculty.

PROPEL Learn ensures that its competency-based curriculum meets the needs of neurodiverse and culturally diverse learners by designing learning activities that meet the needs of the widest range of learners. This includes interactive, challenge-based learning and experiential learning activities that facilitate active learning and promote the application of knowledge and skills in real-world contexts and assessments that offer opportunities to evidence learning that meet the needs of the widest range of learners.

PROPEL Learn collects feedback from students, course facilitators, student success coaches, and industry partners to inform ongoing curriculum improvements. We regularly review and update course content to ensure relevance and alignment with industry trends and emerging technologies.

PROPEL Center uses a two-pronged approach to promote HBCU student success. This strategy involves training student success coaches to work in tandem with faculty to facilitate learner course completion. Central to this approach is the promotion of student success through the active promotion of faculty success. To that end, PROPEL Center has created the Learning Innovation Center (LIC) that enhances faculty effectiveness in and out of the classroom.