This document discusses micro-credentials and their increasing focus and implementation. It begins with a poll showing most people expect to encounter micro-credentials more frequently. It then defines micro-credentials as certifications of assessed learning from short experiences. The document discusses why there is a focus on micro-credentials, including demands for flexible learning and workforce skills. It outlines how Europe is responding by funding programs and developing frameworks for micro-credentials. It concludes by noting challenges in evaluating their impact and effects due to limited available data.

1. Untangling the Micro:
Is Small Beautiful?
Professor Mark Brown
Dublin City University
7th July 2021
Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
@mbrownz

2. Photo by Aaron on Unsplash
Are we at
risk of building
sandcastles?

3. Photo by Aaron on Unsplash
“Education involves personal
development, not just
information snacking. It
involves committing to a longer-
term purpose, and striving to
achieve within a community of
like-minded students. If a
course is too “micro” – neither
the purpose, nor the community
takes shape”
(Prof. Merlin Crossley, 2021).
Are we at
risk of building
sandcastles?

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

5. Photo by Chaiyaporn Atakampeewong on Unsplash
“The uptake of micro-credentials will support our
Government’s plan to give Australians the skills they
need to be job-ready”(Hon Dan Tehan, MP, 2020).
“Absolute catnip
to politicians”
(Usher, 2021)

6. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash

7. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
• What is a micro-credential?
• Why such an increasing focus on them?
• How is Europe responding to micro-credentials?
Framing Questions…

8. 1. I am knowledgeable about micro-credentials
2.Micro-credentials are something my institution has already
implemented
3.Micro-credentials are something that I expect to encounter
more frequently in the future as part of my work
Quick Poll…

11. • 8,000+ learners
• High engagement
• 54% completion rate
• 1,600+ DCU certificates
• 4.7 quality rating
• Next offering Sept 2021

14. Poll conducted in March
2021 in Higher Education
4.0: Certifying Your Future

15. 1. I am knowledgeable about micro-credentials
2.Micro-credentials are something my institution has already
implemented
3.Micro-credentials are something that I expect to encounter
more frequently in the future as part of my work
Poll results…

16. 1. What is a micro-credential?
Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash

17. What?
Growth of micro-credentials evidenced by Google search traffic

18. What?

19. What?
2021

20. What?
Level of interest in micro-credentials for employee training and development
2021

21. What?
“A micro-credential is a certification of assessed
learning that is additional, alternate,
complementary to or a formal component of a
formal qualification” (p.i).

22. What?

23. What?

24. What?

25. “A micro-credential is a proof of learning outcomes
that a learner has acquired after a short learning experience.
These learning outcomes have been assessed
against transparent standards”
What?

26. Beyond “Warm Body” Badges
What?

27. Credit Bearing
Non Credit Bearing
Bundled Unbundled
Credential
Ecology
Macro-credentials
Formal Accredited
Degrees
What?
(Brown et al., 2020)

28. Credit Bearing
Non Credit Bearing
Bundled Unbundled
Credential
Ecology
Macro-credentials
Formal Accredited
Degrees
Micro-credentials
Formal & Semi Formal
Accredited & Stackable
Nano-credentials
Informal & Non-Formal
Digital Badges & Certificates
Non-status Awards
Semi-Formal Courses
Non-Accredited
What?
(Brown et al., 2020)

29. y Axis
Vertical
Life-Long Learning
Formal & Semi-formal
Stackable
Credit-bearing
What?

30. x axis
Horizontal
Life-wide Learning
Informal & Non-formal
What?

31. Diagonal
Career Focus
Non-formal & Informal
What?

32. "Despite an increasing volume of these new credentials,
great uncertainty persists. Definitions and taxonomies
to structure these new credentials have not been widely
agreed. The extent of their offer remains uncertain,
evidence of their impacts is scant, and the response of
governments to these new offerings has not been
systematically documented"
(Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020, p.7).
What?

33. What?
What word best encapsulates your view?

34. 2. Why such a focus on them?
Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash

35. Why?

36. 36
Why?
11.1%

37. Why?

38. Why?

39. 39
Pre
COVID
Why?

40. (AACU, 2015)
Why?

41. Why?

42. Why?

43. Why?

44. Why?

45. Why?

46. Why?

47. 47
Why?

48. Why?
(Duklas, 2020)
Access

49. Why?

50. Why?

51. 51
“The so-called ‘microcredentialing
craze’ could be no more than a
fad, marketing hype, or another
case of ‘learning innovation
theater.’
Why?

52. 52
“The so-called ‘microcredentialing
craze’ could be no more than a
fad, marketing hype, or another
case of ‘learning innovation
theater.’
New Learning Economy
Why?

56. 3. How is Europe responding to
micro-credentials?
Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash

57. How?
“Just as degrees are not all created
equal, short-term credentials are not all
created equal” (Craig, 2021).

58. How?
(Presant, 2020)

59. 1,200+ 30/11/2020
How?

60. How?

61. How?

62. How?

63. How?
2021

64. How?

65. DCU Futures… €20m
How?

66. €12m
How?

67. How?
€7m

68. 2021
Report launch in January 2021…
How?

69. How?

70. How?

71. How?

72. How?

73. How?

74. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
Final remarks…

75. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
Is Small Beautiful?

76. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
Does Size Matter?

77. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
“Because alternative credentials are not identified in the
educational attainment component of national labour force
surveys or in international surveys of adult skills (such as PIAAC),
evidence on their effects on earnings of large-scale
populations is unavailable" (Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020, p.28).
Does Size Matter?

78. “You can shake sand
from your shoes but
not from your soul”.

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

80. Photo by Fabian Centeno on Unsplash
Special Issue – Papers Due 31st July 2021

81. 81
https://www.dcu.ie/nidl
https://www.dcu.ie/nidl

82. Go raibh maith
agaibh!
Thank you