As a new decade emerged, technology was integrated into every aspect of society. Blake, a Canadian professional in international business, was not used to feeling that her knowledge and skills were not up to speed. She asked herself, “How do I start exploring options to upskill in 2030?”
As Blake pondered her future, Blake’s new supervisor, Manpreet, called the entire team together for an impromptu presentation. Blake fidgeted nervously as she knew the team’s last project failed miserably. She had overheard Manpreet saying to a colleague the still famous saying, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” as quoted by Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Alan Lakein, and others in the past. Blake was particularly familiar with this standard advice provided to managers. The words resonated as her third project had recently failed within the last six months.
To Blake’s surprise, her anxiety was met by a welcoming message of encouragement from Manpreet about supporting the team with learning opportunities. Manpreet explained that he had participated from 2021 to 2023 on a speculative working committee for the Lakeside Institute of Trades & Technology (LITT) on advancing the development of micro-credentials and digital badges. The purpose of his presentation was to share his past research and encourage the team to enroll in lifelong learning opportunities through micro-credentials.
To start, Manpreet shared a quote from Brown et al. (2021) “Micro-credentials are gaining increasing momentum around the globe” (p. 228). He elaborated that over ten years ago, in 2019, $10 billion was spent on micro-credentials, underscoring his case on the investment being made (Pelletier et al., 2021). Manpreet emphasized that even though the speculative working committee began in 2021, he felt the research was still relevant for the team. He explained micro-credential courses as short courses focusing on specific knowledge or skills. Graduate employability is enhanced through “the validation of competency-based skills, outcomes and/or knowledge using transparent standards and reliable assessments” (McGreal & Olcott, 2022, p. 3). Also, micro-credentials can stand alone or be connected to other forms of accreditation (Gooch et al., 2022).
To further explain, Manpreet highlighted that his micro-credential knowledge stemmed from interviewing experts like Dr. Wilde, who emphasized that post-secondary institutions should understand “what the value proposition is and how to articulate it” (R. Wilde, personal communication, October 20, 2023). In addition, Manpreet reiterated that organizations adopting digital badges need to communicate a clear purpose to their stakeholders (Stefaniak & Carey, 2019). As Manpreet knew that LITT had spent considerable effort to clarify and communicate its value proposition and adoption strategy, he eagerly recommended that his team members explore micro-credential options at LITT. From an employer’s perspective, Manpreet was confident in LITT’s authentic assessments and stackable option for “coupling of micro-credentials to provide credit towards a larger traditional credential” (Harvey et al., 2023, p. 21).
Driven to upskill and expand her knowledge, Blake set her sights on learning what LITT offered in micro-credentials. Searching micro-credentials was an effortless process for Blake, as she was provided with a personal AI assistant named EVA (Enrollment Virtual Assistant). EVA helped Blake navigate through a wide range of micro-credentials and digital badges available and assisted her in choosing the most suitable course for her career goals. Blake reflected on the advancement of this personal approach since she had last been to school (Mekni, 2021). With EVA’s assistance, Blake discovered a project management micro-credential was being offered, and a digital badge would be issued upon completion.
As Manpreet advocated for earning digital badges, Blake knew she needed to learn more about collecting them. In her investigation, Blake discovered that digital badges embed metadata, which provides context to the accomplishment (Perkins & Pryor, 2021). Blake also learned that the digital badges can be displayed in an e-portfolio, on websites, and social media (Gibson et al., 2015). This made sense as she remembered Manpreet being proud of his many badges on LinkedIn.
For the project management micro-credential, Blake chose the online learning delivery option. She found herself in a virtual lab, using virtual tools to monitor project financials and analyze variances with learners worldwide (Simon & Murray-Webster, 2018). In terms of learners’ confidence, Newby and Cheng (2019) discovered higher levels of perceived confidence among learners who achieved badges compared with those learners who did not earn badges. After Blake herself recognized the confidence gained by earning her first micro-credential and badge, she was keen to explore more options outside of the scope of her current role at work.
During her studies at LITT, Blake realized the significance of tackling global issues. Inspired by her newfound passion for environmental sustainability, Blake explored micro-credentials and badges related to climate change. She earned micro-credentials in renewable energy tech, sustainable urban planning, and climate policy. Through simulations and real-world case studies, Blake understood climate change’s complex issues and developed practical solutions to mitigate its impact. LITT used “video streaming technology to provide reliable, remote, evidence-based assessment of competency” (Lane & Griffith, 2017, p. 22).
“In contrast to other informal learning methods, micro-credentials outline incremental learning pathways with badges and serve as visual representations of specific skills to be achieved along the way toward larger goals” (Gish-Lieberman et al., 2021, p. 5). In Blake’s situation, the pursuit of micro-credentials and badges had a profound impact on her personal and professional growth toward a much larger goal. Blake became a champion for sustainable practices, engaging in initiatives to combat climate change. Her earned digital badges demonstrated her commitment and expertise, attracting organizations seeking individuals with a holistic understanding of critical issues worldwide through Open Educational Resources (OER) (Pelletier et al., 2021). These global connections were a result of LITT implementing the lessons learned from the BCcampus’ recommendations to “leverage the expertise through a coordinated combination of micro-credentials across multiple institutions” (Prud’homme-Généreux, 2023, p. 233).
In this interconnected world, micro-credentials and badges serve as an OER bridge connecting learners globally, fostering a sense of citizenship and collaboration. This global OER bridge was all made possible through “the emergence of open linked data technologies and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) systems that can process and relate vast data sets across silos to make connections makes the establishment of a competency-focused economy of jobs a viable proposition” (Griffiths & Lane, 2023, p. 11).
Blake’s interaction with learners from diverse countries broadened her cultural perspective and facilitated the exchange of ideas, best practices, and innovative solutions. Earning micro-credentials and badges enabled Blake to contribute to global challenges, creating positive change beyond her community. Blake became a global ambassador for sustainable development and climate action by leveraging micro-credentials and digital badges. She went on to explore connections within Tanzania to continue her learning. The educational culture within Tanzania inspired students “to be in charge of their professional development,” where Blake felt welcomed to continue her learning within this global digital badging community (Ghasia et al., 2019, p. 228).
Even though Blake left Manpreet’s team to pursue her newfound passion, she was forever thankful for his introduction and encouragement to pursue lifelong learning opportunities with micro-credentials and digital badges. The new global connections enabled Blake to make a significant impact in building a more sustainable and inclusive future beyond geographical boundaries.
References
Brown, M., Mhichil, M. N. G., Beirne, E., & Mac Lochlainn, C. (2021). The global micro-credential landscape: Charting a new credential ecology for lifelong learning. Journal of Learning for Development, 8(2), 228–254. https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v8i2.525
Ghasia, M. A., Machumu, H. J., & DeSmet, E. (2019). Micro-credentials in higher education institutions: An exploratory study of its place in Tanzania. International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology, 15(1), 219–230. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1214271.pdf
Gibson, D., Ostashewski, N., Flintoff, K., Grant, S., & Knight, E. (2015). Digital badges in education. Education and Information Technologies, 20:403-410. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10639-013-9291-7
Gish-Lieberman, J. J., Tawfik, A., & Gatewood, J. (2021). Micro-credentials and badges in education: A historical overview. TechTrends, 65(5), 5–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-020-00567-4
Gooch, E., Chaktsiris, M., Jae, K., Patterson, L., Suleman, S., Urban, M. C., Cukier, W., & Luke, R. (2022). The future is micro: Digital learning and micro-credentials for education, retraining and lifelong learning, 1–52. Toronto, Ontario: eCampusOntario. https://www.ecampusontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/TheFutureisMicro-final-ENG.pdf
Griffiths, J., & Lane, J. (2023). Matching people with jobs & jobs with people, 1–30. Calgary, Alberta: Canada West Foundation. https://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-CWF-Matching-People-with-Jobs-Report-WEB.pdf
Harvey, D., Wilde, R., & Roy, P. (2023). Employer and employee perceptions of micro-credentials, 1-55. Future Skills Centre. https://fsc-ccf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NAIT_FSC_Report_April2023-1.pdf
Lane, J., & Griffiths, J. (2017). Matchup: A case for pan-Canadian competency frameworks, 1–38. Calgary, Alberta: Canada West Foundation. https://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/HCC_Matchup_Report_FEB2017_WEB.pdf
McGreal, R., & Olcott, D. (2022). A strategic reset: Micro-credentials for higher education leaders. Smart Learning Environments, 9(9), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-022-00190-1
Mekni, M. (2021). An artificial intelligence based virtual assistant using conversational agents. Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, 14, 455-473. https://doi.org/10.4236/jsea.2021.149027
Newby, T. J., & Cheng, Z. (2019). Instructional digital badges: Effective learning tools. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(3), 1053–1067. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09719-7
Pelletier, K., Brown, M., Brooks, D. C., McCormack, M., Reeves, J., Arbino, N., Bozkurt, A., Crawford, S., Czerniewicz, L., Gibson, R., Linder, K., Manson, J., & Mondeli, V. (2021). 2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition. EDUCAUSE Publications. https://library.educause.edu/resources/2021/4/2021-educause-horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-edition
Perkins, J., & Pryor, M. (2021). Digital Badges: Pinning down employer challenges. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 12(1), 24–38. https://search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.961722196681526
Prud’homme-Généreux, A. (2023). BCcampus micro-credential toolkit for B.C, 1-406. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/bcmicrocredential/
Simon, P. & Murray-Webster. R. (2018). Starting out in project management. (3rd ed.). UK: Association for Project Management. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/royalroads-ebook/reader.action?docID=6348574
Stefaniak, J., & Carey, K. (2019). Instilling purpose and value in the implementation of digital badges in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16:44. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0175-9