Educause Report 2021 suggests that Microcredentials are quickly becoming a mainstay in Higher Education. The State University of New York defines Micro-credentialing as “programs of study that verify, validate, and attest those specific skills and/or competencies have been achieved. They differ from traditional degrees and certificates in that they are generally offered in shorter or more flexible time spans and tend to be more narrowly focused”. This caught my attention because of how learning objectives are broken down into ‘chunks’ that can be easily understood and once you demonstrate a specific skill it becomes part of your digital file.
Micro-credentials are not:
- Time-based
- One size fits all
- Traditional courses only available at set times
Education provider includes High school, non-academic provider, MOOCs, and Post-secondary education institutions.
Some key features of Micro-credentialing are:
- Peer mentors and tutors
- Game-based course
Micro-credentials can be offered online, in the classroom, or via a hybrid of both contributes to its growing trend because it is easily accessible.
It can be offered by companies, colleges, universities professional bodies, etc an example of this is, Texas A&M University who has begun offering a new series of short, online, game-based courses in order to help students meet their degree requirements. The courses can be taken at any time. Constructivism is at the core of project-based learning and “authentic, real-world problem-based projects lend themselves to the multifaceted constructivist perspective” (Bush, 2006, p.16).
In Canada, Athabasca University’s Power-Ed offers micro-credentials in project management, digital transformation and leadership
Another example is CISCO using the Acclaim platform, to offer badges for learners to develop skills that enable them to use CISCO’S technology. Cisco’s Professional badge collection can be viewed on the Credly platform:
References
Bush, G. (2006). Learning about Learning: from Theories to Trends. Teacher Librarian, 34, 14-18. https://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/magazines/learning-about-theories-trends/docview/224878283/se-2?accountid=14656
Pelletier, K., Brown, M., Brooks, D. C., McCormack, M., Reeves, J., Arbino, N., Bozkurt, A., Crawford, S., Czerniewicz, L., Gibson, R., Linder, K., Mason, J., & Mondelli, V. (2021). 2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report Teaching and Learning Edition. EDU.
I too like the idea of micro-credentialing, as it creates incentives for lifelong learning in a way that is more feasible, affordable, and accessible for many (financially, times-wise, and with the how and where). In addition, micro-credentialing also recognises that there are other leaders and educators in areas of expertise that exist outside of post-secondary institutions. In fact, I’d go further with that, as often for up-to-date / current knowledge with emerging media and technology one needs to look for credential alternatives to post-secondary institutions as often post-secondary education is behind the times in the knowledge and skills that they are teaching around emerging media and technology.
Micro-credentialing has been a hot topic in open education, and just yesterday at the OE Global Conference I heard two MET alumni Lena Patterson and Tannis Morgan speak on the subject, along with Deborah Arnold. Here is their talk on Open Futures for Micro-credentialing: https://connect.oeglobal.org/t/open-futures-for-micro-credentialing/2325
At the previous years conference there was also a talk on Extending Micro-credentials Recognition to Open up Higher Education by Christophe Fournier, Deborah Arnold, Jacques Dang – https://connect.oeglobal.org/t/extending-micro-credentials-recognition-to-open-up-higher-education/875
Hi Analesa,
Your post heavily resonated with me. Microcredentials is a term that has become quite prevalent in my life currently, and learning about it is fascinating, in that microcredentials can be offered by institutions external to just educational institutions, such as colleges and professional companies. This shows us the growth of education into the real world and the importance of such.
I also agree with Sam’s point above, where he touches on that COVID-19 propelled people toward needing to improve their qualifications to expand their career opportunities – something we may have considered previously, but is now a crucial part of many people’s lives now.
Generally, I believe microcredentials are a great supplement to post-secondary education and I am excited to see how these further develop in today’s society.
Thanks for sharing Analesa. British Columbia is on track to bolster micro-credential programs in the Province over the next several years. Learn more about their recent funding announcement https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021AEST0012-000225.
I was particularly interested in the “quick facts” (need for post-secondary education and career transitioning) included the release:
Quick Facts:
1) Over the next decade, approximately 80% of job openings in B.C. will require some form of post-secondary education.
2) The impact of COVID-19 means many people will need to transition toward more in-demand jobs to support economic recovery.
3) People who complete a micro credential may seek more post-secondary education or training, further improving their qualifications and expanding their career opportunities.
Do you think that micro-credentials are a “gateway” for more education or training? I’m not sure I agree. If a learner wants to learn they will seek out a means to grow their knowledge. I do think that micro-credentials are a good incentive (through recognition) for someone to increase their knowledge or expertise.
My cynical side, looks at micro-credentials as a revenue opportunity for post-secondary institutions. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing as long as the curriculum benefits the learner.