This document summarizes a presentation on micro-credentials given by Professor Mark Brown. The presentation covered: 1) The growth of micro-credentials as evidenced by increasing Google search traffic and recent reports and funding in Europe. 2) A literature review being conducted for the European Commission on micro-credentials, including the methodology and inclusion/exclusion criteria. 3) Five key messages from the literature, including the positioning of micro-credentials, competing drivers and attractors, single institution business models, limited focus on demand, and lack of evidence on return on investment.

1. Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash
Micro-credentials Under the Microscope:
Making Sense of the Literature
EADTU Conference
4th November 2021
Professor Mark Brown
Dublin City University
@mbrownz

2. • State of the art
• State of the actual
• Five standout messages
Outline…
Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash

3. 3
https://www.dcu.ie/nidl
https://www.dcu.ie/nidl

4. 4
http://www.microcredentialssf.org

5. 1. State of the art
Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash

6. Growth of micro-credentials evidenced by Google search traffic

8. 2021
Report launch in January 2021…
€7m

11. Photo by Chaiyaporn Atakampeewong on Unsplash
“Absolute catnip
to politicians”
(Usher, 2021)

12. 2. State of the Actual
Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash

13. Currently undertaking a major literature review
on contract to European Commission

14. Major Literature Review on Micro-credentials

15. Methodology…

18. Inclusion / Exclusion Criteria…
High Relevance…

20. MOOCs
Employers
HEIs

21. 3. Five standout messages
Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash

22. • Positioning of micro-credentials
• Competing drivers and attractors
• Single institution business models
• Limited focus on the demand-side
• Lack of evidence of return on investment
Five messages…

24. TWIG, 2021
500,000 Canadians annually seek to complete St. John’s certificates
Since 1833

26. What word best encapsulates your view?

27. Lifelong Learning
§
§
Increase Equity

29. 29
“The so-called ‘microcredentialing
craze’ could be no more than a
fad, marketing hype, or another
case of ‘learning innovation
theater.’
New Learning Economy

30. (Presant, 2020)

31. (Selvaratnam & Sankey, 2020)
https://www.acode.edu.au/pluginfile.php/8411/mod_resource/content/1/ACODE_MicroCreds_Whitepaper_2020.pdf
Single Institution Model…

32. €12m

34. “Because alternative credentials are not identified in the
educational attainment component of national labour force
surveys or in international surveys of adult skills… evidence on
their effects on earnings of large-scale populations is
unavailable"
(Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020, p.28).

35. (Hollands & Kazi, 2019)
§

36. Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash
Final remark…

38. Go raibh maith
agaibh!
Thank you