Micro-credentials may create added value for students and employers, but students frequently perceive them as traditional credentials repackaged. The questions students ask do more than identify information needs; they also illuminate how effectively our institutions are defining and communicating what micro-credentials are and what they do.
Q. What exactly is a micro-credential? How is it different from a certificate or a degree?
Why this question matters:
But this is the wrong question to ask. If it’s that easy to write an essay, why are we even asking students to do it at all? It’s like requiring students to draw straight lines without a ruler. It may be true that they’ll never learn how to do it if they don’t stop using rulers, but is this a skill students really need to learn? It’s so easy and rulers just cost a few cents.
What the question reflects about our system:
When students ask this question, it shows that institutions aren’t being clear about what’s on offer. They may not be sure about the purpose of micro-credentials and what makes them different from traditional credentials such as diplomas, certificates and degrees. And it may suggest that educators think credentials are intrinsically valuable and need not be explained or shown to have wider application.
What we can do:
There must be a single, system-wide, broadly communicated definition of a micro-credential, with clear examples showing what one looks like and what it represents.
In practical terms, this means:
- Higher education must establish a single, system-wide definition of a micro-credential.
- Educators must communicate that definition clearly, consistently and broadly to all stakeholders.
- Concrete examples should be provided to show what a micro-credential looks like and what it represents.
Q. Do employers actually recognize or care about micro-credentials?
Why this question matters:
Students understand the relationship between credentials and employment but fear micro-credentials themselves aren’t particularly important. They may believe that employers don’t really care about the details of a candidate’s education, such as what courses they took or what grades they got, and are only looking at the final outcome.
What the question reflects about our system:
The students may be right. Employers might not care about the details, and this may be because the details are not relevant to their needs or interests. It also might not be clear that micro-credentials reflect actual employer needs, and not just what some educators think they should need. If this question is being asked, it shows that the relationship between micro-credentials and specific employment and workplace requirements hasn’t been clearly communicated and may in fact not exist.
What we can do:
Employers must specifically endorse micro-credentials and demonstrate how they are used in the recruitment and selection process. There should also be a mechanism in place to allow small- and medium-sized employers, in particular, to use micro-credentials to find exactly the employees they need.
In practical terms, this means:
- Explicit employer endorsement of micro-credentials must be secured.
- How micro-credentials are used in recruitment and selection must be demonstrable.
- There must be a mechanism that allows employers, including small- and medium-sized ones, to identify and hire employees based on specific micro-credentials.
Q. Does this credential actually mean I have these skills, or is it just a badge?
Why this question matters:
The question shows that students understand micro-credentials are intended to represent the attainment of specific skills, but that they fear they won’t be credible. It expresses a need for the badge to function as evidence of a skill, and is more than merely a participation prize, as is so common in badging systems in social networks.
What the question reflects about our system:
The question reflects students’ and potential employers’ expectation that credentials represent actual skills and achievement, and that an institution can demonstrate why it is confident in the person who holds it. It shows that educators are expected not only to teach but also to test. If questions are raised, it may suggest that people are losing confidence in the assertions educators are making.
What we can do:
Students and employers need to understand how micro-credentials represent skills, not just attendance, and how evidence for those skills can be produced and confirmed.
In practical terms, this means we should:
- Ensure students and employers understand that micro-credentials represent actual skills, not just attendance.
- Explain how evidence for each skill is produced, assessed and confirmed.
- Provide opportunities for students to apply and demonstrate these skills in real-world or community contexts.
Q. How do I show a micro-credential to employers or put it on my résumé or LinkedIn profile?
Why this question matters:
The student wants to make use of the micro-credential, but it’s a different sort of thing and it’s not clear how to use it. Are micro-credentials just listed, like a long list of courses? Or is there something different about them? Although schools often show students how to display micro-credentials in learning management systems or on social media, students need to know how to present the right information to the right person at the right time.
What the question reflects about our system:
It suggests that institutions don’t yet know exactly how employers are assessing individual students for skills and employability. In theory, it ought to be possible to match the skills requirements for specific positions, but students aren’t being shown how to do this, and there may not be any clear way. Similarly, for students who are already employed, there may not be a clear path from credentials to promotion.
What we can do:
Students would benefit from being able to apply micro-credentials to specific job applications by matching them to skills requirements or job descriptions. Eventually employers will be able to scan résumés or profiles for specific micro-credentials but, until then, it’s important students understand the need to be proactive.
In practical terms, this means we should:
- Help students map micro-credentials to specific job requirements and role descriptions.
- Guide students in proactively presenting micro-credentials on résumés, applications and professional profiles.
- Ensure students understand how micro-credentials can open pathways to degrees, certifications and future opportunities.
Q. Is a micro-credential worth paying for or is it just extra? Can it count toward a degree later?
Why this question matters:
Students may have had experience with extension or non-credit courses and expect that micro-credentials are more of the same — nice to have but not an essential part of their ongoing education. Students are concerned that although institutions may describe micro-credentials as “stackable,” not all credentials apply to all certifications, and credentials might not be accepted from one institution to another across the system the way courses might be.
What the question reflects about our system:
There is genuine concern that the education system is fragmented and that success in one part of the system may not be recognized elsewhere. There is also concern that education institutions may be more interested in collecting tuition than in student success. Ultimately, this suggests that the skills are important only insofar as they lead to some final capstone achievement.
What we can do:
Ideally, just as collections of courses can be mapped to the completion requirements for a program or degree, a similar mapping should be available to students as well so they understand how working toward various micro-credentials opens up a range of potential opportunities.
In practical terms, this means we should:
- Provide students with clear mappings of micro-credentials to programs, degrees and other credentials.
- Show how micro-credentials can stack and transfer across institutions and programs.
- Make transparent how earning micro-credentials creates multiple future learning and career opportunities.
