11 Conclusion

The evolution of the credential ecosystem through macro-credentials and micro-credentials has significantly impacted how learners acquire and demonstrate skills. Technology has enabled this shift, causing learning to be self-driven, accessible, and developed in a variety of ways. Micro-credentials help showcase the competence of skills developed across different contexts. Grounded in competency-based education, micro-credentials allow learners to gain recognition for specific skills and competencies, reshaping how competence is recognized and measured. Represented by digital badges, micro-credentials offer a personalized experience, addressing the needs of learners and employers in a rapidly changing workforce, specifically those who have been historically and systematically excluded. Their inclusive nature of flexibility, affordability, and accessibility provides learners from diverse backgrounds with opportunities for career advancement and lifelong learning. Overall, micro-credentials are redefining the landscape of education and workforce development, offering a pathway for skills acquisition and recognition for learners to enhance their careers and skills in a more accessible, equitable, and personalized manner.

If we don’t step up to meet the populations that we want to service where they are, we’re going to totally lose them. If the ultimate goal is to increase the education, knowledge, and skill set of individuals, we’re going to have to continue to find ways that are feasible and makes sense for the end-user. I think micro-credentialing is growing in a positive trajectory, and it’s only going to continue and expand.

– Dr. Kimberly Smith, Director, Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences, Tennessee State University 

(Tinsley et al., 2022)