What teachers and students will demonstrate.

A competency-based recognition for the civic inquiry, leadership, action, and reflection made visible through this program.

In a nutshell

A micro-credential is formal recognition of demonstrated competency: what someone has genuinely learned and can do.

01 · The recognition

Learning and growth have evidence.

Through this pilot, both teachers and students earn a Civic Leadership in Action Micro-Credential: a competency-based learning experience in which genuine learning and growth are recognized by the University.

Digital badge

Participants receive a digital badge they can add to their digital platforms.

02 · Teacher micro-credential

Facilitating a complete action-research cycle.

Teachers earn a Civic Leadership in Action Teaching Micro-Credential from DePaul University in addition to Illinois Continuing Professional Development Units. The state recognizes the work through CPDUs that count toward licensure requirements, while DePaul’s university-level credential documents the specific skills and competencies teachers build as civic leadership educators.

Culture of dignity and belonging

Creates safe, respectful, accessible participation where identities, lived experiences, and perspectives are assets.

Facilitation of civic inquiry

Guides students to frame a meaningful civic question and use credible evidence to deepen understanding.

Student agency and leadership coaching

Shares leadership through authentic choices, meaningful roles, and growth-focused coaching.

Action and community connection

Helps students move from learning to responsible, feasible civic action and appropriate community connection.

Responsive guidance and formative judgment

Uses observation, feedback, and reflection to adapt support and address barriers.

Reflection and professional learning

Reflects on facilitation choices, student learning, and equity; identifies a next step for practice.

03 · Student micro-credential

Learning, action, and a voice of one’s own.

Students earn a Civic Leadership in Action Micro-Credential from DePaul University by completing a civic action-research cycle and sharing their learning publicly. The competency-based credential recognizes what each student learned and accomplished, giving students lasting evidence of their civic leadership. Work may be individual or collaborative, with each student able to describe their own contribution.

Civic purpose and belonging

Explains why an issue matters to them and others, and recognizes their role in a community.

Inquiry and evidence

Asks a focused question, gathers and interprets information, and uses evidence responsibly.

Ethical and collaborative leadership

Contributes reliably, listens across differences, and shares responsibility.

Informed civic action

Takes feasible, responsible action connected to the inquiry and what was learned.

Communication and advocacy

Communicates learning and action clearly to an appropriate audience.

Reflection and future agency

Reflects honestly on learning, impact, and next steps as a civic leader.

04 · What to remember

The guidance is here when you need it.

This page now brings the current DePaul overview and working competencies together in one place. Teachers can return here for planning without opening a separate, unformatted document.

Detailed evidence and review directions will be added here when the design team finalizes them for the pilot.