Newsletter November 2021: Micro-credentials
In this month's newsletter, we focus on the European approach to micro-credentials. You can read about why the EU Commission is currently investing heavily in boosting the development of micro-credentials in higher education in Europe and what a challenge the development of micro-credentials must solve.
You will find a more thorough description of the background in the European Commission's report: "A European approach to Micro-credentials: Final report. Output of the Higher Education Micro-credentials Consultation Group”. The challenge that this effort is tempting to meet is caused by an accelerated digitalisation, following the Covid19 pandemic, as well as a growing focus on green transition.
Globally there is already an offer of short courses, described as micro-credentials (Class Central, 2020). These courses are offered by the so-called MOOC operators, such as Coursera, edX, FutureLearn og Kadenze, but we still need a clear and precise definition of micro-credentials and their exact value, in order to adapt them to specific purposes. For instance provision of ECTS, so that micro-credentials can be applied in Bachelor or Master’s degrees, or be used as building blocks in an education (Stacking). The report “A European approach to Micro-credentials: Final report” (European Commission, 2020) suggests the following definition of the designation micro-credentials. The definition involves central elements, such as quality assurance, use of qualifications frameworks, use of credits, as well as measures to ensure transferability and stackability.
Definition
”A micro-credential is a proof of the learning outcomes that a learner has acquired following a short learning experience. These learning outcomes have been assessed against transparent standards.”
The report clarifies the definition with the following:
"The proof is contained in a certified document that lists the name of the holder, the achieved learning outcomes, the assessment method, the awarding body and, where applicable, the qualifications framework level and the credits gained. Micro-credentials are owned by the learner, can be shared, are portable and may be combined into larger credentials or qualifications. They are underpinned by quality assurance following agreed standards”. (European Commission, 2020 s. 10)
You may also watch the youtube-video What are Micro-credential? presented by Professor Mark Brown, Dublin City University (DCY)
One of the characteristic teaching forms in relation to micro-credentials is online teaching, but they can also be offered as blended learning og as or on ground, f-2-f teaching. The pure online teaching form is in particular seen in connection with MOOCs.
The challenges that micro-credentials need to solve
The main challenge is that:
“It is predicted that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025 and widely accepted that over the next decade “...new technologies will reshape millions of jobs in the EU” (European Commission, 2019, p.7). These new types of jobs are expected to emerge through Industry 4.0 and as a result of the growing impact of digitalisation". (Brown, et al. 2021b, p. 2)
- ”To help increase participation rates in lifelong learning
- To respond to the demand for more flexible higher education
- To create credential pathways between formal and non formal education
- To provide pathways to formal credentials for professionals and trades workers
- To increase graduate employability, transition to work, and to develop 21st Century
transferable skills - To help close growing skill gaps resulting from the changing nature of work
- To increase employer capacity, productivity and competitiveness
- To develop new partnerships between higher education providers and industry stakeholders”.
The answer to the challenge
The answer to the challenge is:
”A European approach to micro-credentials will increase personalized learning opportunities for all. It will help widen learning opportunities and strengthen the role of higher education and vocational education and training (VET) institutions in promoting lifelong learning by providing more flexible and modular learning opportunities.” (European Commission, 2020, p. 6)
It is further stressed that micro-credentials can be a useful supplement for students on both Bachelor, Master’s and PhD level. In addition to that, a growing number of employees will need reskilling or retraining through teaching methods that are more flexible than the teaching methods currently used in traditional Bachelor or Master’s teaching in Denmark. Usually, these methods imply that the students must spend a lot of time on Campus.
Micro-credentials at SDU
Since 2019, Center for Journalism, SDU has been engaged in developing Future Educations in the shape of a more digital and flexible Master’s programme (Cand.publ.). The programme consists of so-called nano modules, i.e. small learning modules that together make up one learning process. The modules are offered as videos, podcasts, MCQ, assignments or texts. In an interview with the Danish Accreditation Institution about micro-credentials (Danmarks Akkrediteringsinstitution, 2021) Peter Bro, Professor and Head of the Center for Journalism, says that the development is too slow compared to what is seen from a number of international providers. More specifically, Peter Bro believes that “the development may be too inconcrete and too slow, if we have to wait too long for Brussels to implement a framework for the provision of micro-credentials”. Instead, he asks for national experimental schemes, to set the educational institutions free in relation to supporting lifelong learning, and to motivate and incite the heads of institutions to enter the field” (Danmarks Akkrediteringsinstitution, 2021, p. 43).
Watch Peter Bro elaborates on his points in this four minute video (only in Danish):
The boxes to the right describe central and current discussions within the development of micro-credentials.
References
Brown, M., Arnold, D., Read, T., Olcott, D., McGreal, R., & Makoe. M. (2021a). Madrid microcredential
statement - Asking critical questions: Leveraging micro-credentials to bridge divergent
paths. Outcome of EDEN Conference.
Brown, M., Nic Giolla Mhichíl, M., Mac Lochlainn, C., Pirkkalainen, H, & Wessels, O. (2021b). Paving
the road for the micro-credential movement: ECIU University white paper on micro-credentials.
European Consortium of Innovative Universities.
Class Central (2020). Massive List of MOOC-based Microcredentials. Online at: https://www.classcentral.com/report/list-of-mooc-based-microcredentials/ [Accessed 29 November 2021].
Danmarks Akkrediteringsinstitution (2021). Nye fleksible uddannelsesveje gennem hele livet – Europæiske og danske perspektiver på micro-credentials på videregående uddannelsesniveau. https://akkr.dk/micro-credentials/ [Accessed 29 November 2021].
European Commission (2020). A European approach to Micro-credentials: Final report. Output of the Higher Education Micro-credentials Consultation Group [Accessed 29 November 2021].
Micro-credentials from a user perspective
Learn about how users can apply micro-credentials through four different examples and some of the implications for educational institutions.
Stacking micro-credentials
Get knowledge of the term of stacking micro-credentials and one of the concerns of persons being able to make up an educational degree by stacking micro-credentials.