3 Disrupting Postsecondary Pathways Using Micro-credentials
Micro-credentials as a Disrupting Force
Today, micro-credentials are used for verifying skill attainment that is typically outside of standard academic institutions, such as universities and colleges. While they are connected to learning, they can provide a mechanism to verify competencies gained through prior learning, on-the-job training, and lived experiences. Credential Engine (2019) noted that many micro-credentials have been issued by providers of Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs). Spearheaded by edX, MOOCs are online courses that can accommodate a very large enrollment. Online courses offered by MOOC providers were one of the early disruptive forces in education since they upended the idea that all postsecondary learning had to or should occur in academic institutions.
These disruptions in postsecondary pathways continued as a variety of organizations incorporated micro-credentials into their training and learning programs. Companies such as Google, IBM, and Amazon offer digital badges to represent their certifications that verify knowledge and skills in project management, UX/UI, cybersecurity, data analysis, and more. Outside of traditional learning institutions and employers, there are a host of organizations that offer professional learning services. Many professional development providers are now incorporating badging to verify completion of coursework completion. In some cases, micro-credentials may also be used with these offerings. 1EdTech (2024) distinguishes between types of micro-credentials: TrustEd Microcredential Knowledge, TrustEd Microcredential Application, and other micro-credentials or recognition badges. A TrustEd Microcredential Knowledge is issued when a learner develops foundational knowledge and is demonstrated by a validated assessment aligned to defined learning outcomes. A TrustEd Microcredential Application is issued when a learner demonstrates the ability to apply specific knowledge which is assessed by a validated assessment aligned to defined learning outcomes. Other micro-credentials or recognition badges are issued to a learner when they complete a task or participate in an event.
Digital Promise stands apart by exclusively offering professional learning providers a method to offer micro-credentials that verify the implementation of the practice. Developed with more than 115 institutions, we collaborate to provide a stamp of approval that signifies a learner has successfully implemented best practices. This type of micro-credential requires learners to submit a robust portfolio of implementation evidence, which objective subject-matter experts assess.
A Disruptive Force to Increase Access and Participation
This disruptive force is critical to improving equitable access to provide historically and systematically excluded learners with opportunities to achieve postsecondary credentials that offer economic security, well-being, and agency. In the past, institutions and systems have intentionally prevented many learners from accessing or participating in academic programs at all levels. Inadvertently, many learners have been unable to participate due to barriers such as time, money, proximity to institutions of learning, or knowledge of how to navigate the process.
Access to online learning and micro-credentials has allowed a remarkable number of learners to attain skills and evidence of their proficiency in less time and for less money. As more learners seek faster, inexpensive, and flexible paths toward postsecondary credentials, interest in incorporating micro-credentials into traditional and non-traditional programs has increased. However, it is imperative to collectively continue to increase access to more secondary pathways that lead to success as defined by learners themselves.
Verifying skills is very important. One of the problems I have is that I don’t think people understand my skills… my education. So, if you give a name to something that somebody is looking for, then they’ve got that verification, “Oh, yeah. Okay, you’ve got that skillset that I’m looking for.” Whereas, I may have some of those skills right now, but because I don’t have a name for them, that verification isn’t there.
– Lynn O’Kane (Learner), Maine
(Tinsley et al., 2022)
Ways to Continue Improving Access to Pathways of Success
With many types of credentials that already exist, it can be easy to use micro-credentials to verify learning and skills that are already confirmed using existing credentials such as a degree, certificate, or credit hour. Still there are questions to ask ourselves to continue the path toward innovation and access.
These are some questions to ask when designing micro-credentials:
- How will this offering remove barriers that have prevented learners from earning other types of credentials?
- How is this offering different from other credentials we may already grant?
- How is this offering inviting learners who have been historically and systematically excluded to participate?
- How can I make this offering meaningful to learners’ goals in gaining postsecondary credentials, employment opportunities and advancement, economic security, agency, and well-being?
By asking yourselves these questions, you can begin disrupting how learners access opportunities to verify their skills using micro-credentials.
- Digital badging has created the opportunity to disrupt traditional pathways of learning through the innovative use of competency-based micro-credentials, which provides access to new learning opportunities and methods of sharing their learner records.
- Micro-credentials have emerged as a viable type of a digital postsecondary credential that supports economic security, well-being, and agency.
- Micro-credentials have provided an unparalleled number of historically and systematically excluded learners entry to postsecondary skill recognition and workforce opportunities.
