The A-to-Z of Leveraging the Power of Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges
The world has been talking about the importance of micro-credentials. But do we know what it is? Think of higher education degrees as something everyone learns and is much broader in scope. The higher education syllabus needs to be updated more frequently.
So what do you do if you want to offer a course in a branch of the field that has emerged recently? Say, while studying the law, criminology interests your students. That’s where micro-credentials and digital badges come in.
One of the best higher education solutions, micro-credentials, and digital badges help your students specialize or diversify for better career prospects or expand their skillset.
For example, a business administration graduate will likely get a high-paying job with a micro-credential in data analysis or marketing. It can also help increase the reputation of your educational institution and put it on the top charts, as staying relevant is the key.
So how do you leverage the power of micro-credentials and digital badges in higher education? Let’s discuss.
Table of Contents:
- What are Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges?
- How Can You Leverage the Power of Micro-Credentials in Higher Education?
- Do’s
- Don’ts
- Paving the Path for the Future
- Micro-Credentials, Macro Benefits
The Most-Effective Higher Education Solutions: What are Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges?
Micro-credentials are short degrees or courses that you can take up alongside traditional degrees to level up and acquire new skills and knowledge. They are also personalized, flexible, and cost-effective.
When a micro-credential has been accomplished, the visual representation of it is called a digital badge. This digital badge can be shared as an achievement and is often digitally coded, hyperlinked images that lead to certifications and other details about the micro-credential.
Also Read: What are the Biggest Challenges of Online Education Today?
How Can You Leverage the Power of Micro-Credentials in Higher Education: Dos & Don’ts
How can you maximize micro-credentials and digital badges while offering higher education options? We’ll tell you three things to do and avoid to get the maximum out of these higher education solutions.
Do’s
1.Do Market Research and Plan For the Future
What are the current trends? Think generative AI, for example. What are the recruiters and internship managers looking for?
You can also look at global search trends, etc., and see what is in demand to plan your micro-credential courses. You can also look at what short courses are stackable on your current traditional degrees.
Look at what is absent but a necessity in recent times to plan for a course built for the future.
2. The Course Design is Your Holy Grail
Micro-credentials’ power is in their quick-byte-sized course content for skill development in higher education. The important bit is they have to be short and not something that takes years to complete.
Design the right competency-based curriculum, consult experts in the field, identify knowledge gaps, downsize, and do a beta test if required. Also, consider if you need to create learning paths with these courses.
3. Partner with an Expert
Partner with an eLearning solution provider. They have the required tools, team, and experience that can make the process seamless for you.
For example, at Hurix, we employ instructional design models that operate in different domains like behavioral, cognitive, etc. We also follow famous frameworks like Online Learning Consortium, for example, to design the modules along with other tried-and-tested strategies.
Don’ts
1. Stay Clear of the Herd Mentality
Don’t create micro-credentials in higher education that every other institution is creating. This makes you lose your USP. This is why step one of the “Dos” is important.
Do your own research and design courses that are high in demand but not offered often. That makes your institution the obvious choice. It also attracts employers, increasing your value in the market and giving the students exactly what they need to equip themselves with.
2. Avoid Being Data-Blind
Data is a gold mine. So mine it. And make informed, insight-driven decisions. Once you have designed a micro-credential, see how it is doing.
Look at different metrics like how many people have opted for it, the completion rate, the test results, the variety of topics it covers, popularity, etc. This drives constant improvement and helps in leveraging the power of micro-credentials.
3. Don’t Miss Seeking Feedback
The most important thing that many often miss out on. Hear it from the horse’s mouth. What do the students have to say? What do potential employers, recruiters, or internship managers think? You can partner with firms in various fields to get this feedback.
You can add a survey or feedback form at the end of the course to hear how the course can be improved. Get the course evaluation done by a third-party expert. Ask if it needs to be localized in different languages and so on.
Also Read: E-Learning in Higher Education: Understanding its Impact on Students and Educators
Paving the Path for the Future
Getting the right micro-credentials in higher education can help pave the way for a macro career for your students. There is always a need to get practical, relevant, and current knowledge to increase skill development in higher education. Employers are always looking for candidates with a bucket of skills instead of just one.
As new demands are placed on employees and jobs evolve significantly due to automation and other factors, research suggests that higher education graduates are often ill-prepared as they lack practical skills. According to the same study, micro-credentials can help in various social and economic contexts.
Micro-Credentials, Macro Benefits
You might know the phrase, “A jack of all trades is a master of none,” which might dissuade you. But that’s not the entire picture. The complete line says, “A jack of all trades is a master of none but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
So get started with the micro-credentials journey for your organization and offer opportunities to upskill with practical knowledge training. Allow your students to add feathers to their hats before they throw their graduation hats and showcase their digital badges to enter their careers well-equipped.
Implement a robust, updated, expert-crafted, customizable, high-end, and competency-based education program today with Hurix Digital!
With our instructional design services, custom learning management services, learning consulting, and education content development programs curated for the higher education space, you can do more! We help you prepare for the present and the future with agile and smart higher education solutions.
Get in touch to speak to our experts and start getting major benefits of micro-credentials!
Performance, Results, Growth, and Life-Long Learning define my professional life. I am passionate about making workplace learning planful, purposeful, and impactful. I take pride in partnering with clients and bringing them the best in learning design and creating solutions that address business challenges.