New to v3.0: In 2.0, an endorsement is its own type of assertion. In 3.0, an endorsement is its own type of credential.
Does this mean that previously, endorsements were assertions contained within credentials, but that now they are new standalone credentials that are sort of digitally stapled onto the VC that has already been issued? Presumably this allows endorsements to be added to badges while ensuring no modifications have been made to the original credential?
Once the students have successfully completed the course, Dr. Cara assesses each student's assignments and participation and selects which skills and competencies were met and at what level. The selection of skills and competencies triggers an issuing of a skill assertion for each one and includes the assessment results in the evidence and results.
Skills assertions and the importance of evidence to enhance trust
A Skill Assertion is an AchievementCredential asserting a subject holds an Achievement that is used by multiple issuers to recognize the same skill. The content of the Achievement, often with achievementType "Competency", is not specific to a learning opportunity or assessment offered by one specific provider only, but is designed to be generic to allow for assessment by any issuer. Verifiers of AchievementCredentials who are looking for a holder to demonstrate a specific Achievement SHOULD ensure that they trust the issuer of a credential to make this claim, because a credential may be considered valid as issued by any issuer, including self-issuance by the subject
So, is an AchievementCredential the package (eg a badge)? Or is it an element contained within?
In previous versions of Open Badges, the creator of an Achievement (known as a "BadgeClass") was the only entity that could issue it, but in v3.0, the door opens to many issuers recognizing the same achievement based on their own assessment. This practice of shared achievements enables skill assertions, where multiple issuers use a shared achievement definition to recognize achievement of a skill with each issuer doing their own assessment. In addition, further recording of related skills, competencies, standards, and other associations are enabled by the alignment of an Achievement
Big deal: credentials with disparate names, from disparate issuers, nonetheless asserting a shared achievement definition. For example, competencies in my Spanish 4 class assert Intermediate-Low language proficiency, but a teacher whose class is more advanced than mine even though it's also called Spanish 4 could assert Intermediate-Mid proficiency while their Spanish 3 assertions is for Intermediate-Low.