Will microcredentials and digital badges change the face of education?

Microcredentials, also known as micro-certifications, are simply digital certificates confirming the acquisition of specific skills, knowledge, or competencies. They serve as proof of completing smaller educational experiences than traditional university degrees such as e-learning courses, workshops, or training programs. Microcredentials also make it easy to showcase what we know and can do, presenting our achievements in the form of an attractive digital portfolio.

Unlike traditional degree programs which can take several years to complete, microcredentials are designed to be shorter and more focused. They give learners the opportunity to study a specific area in a more flexible way. They can also be organized into collections and certification pathways to build a broader set of skills or even be used toward a formal degree.

In 2022 the Council of the European Union adopted a Recommendation on a European approach to microcredentials for lifelong learning and employability. Its goal is to implement the idea across institutions and companies in different countries. The EU believes that without shared standards ensuring quality, transparency, recognition and transferability, similar to the ECTS system, it will be impossible to fully realize their potential. Because of their accessibility, microcredentials may also help reduce social inequalities. They are part of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and the Communication on achieving the European Education Area by 2025. In recent years governmental agencies, academic think tanks and international organizations such as UNESCO and the OECD have published several policy papers on microcredentials. This shows that the concept is being taken seriously and introduced into education in a systematic way.

How can one prove possession of a microcredential? One option is through so-called Open Badges, visually appealing digital badges that contain encrypted and verified information using an international standard. They include details about what the badge was awarded for, who earned it and which institution issued it. Each badge is authenticated by a unique digital fingerprint.

Microcredentials also come with certain challenges. There is still no universally recognized standard, which makes comparing and assessing different certificates difficult. Focusing too much on collecting them may lead to neglecting general knowledge, which is essential for a full understanding of a subject area. Moreover, an excessive number of badges can oversaturate the market. Another question is how small a microcredential can be. For instance, Relay Graduate School of Education once offered a certification on “checking for understanding through gestures”, in other words, how to raise your hand in class. There is likely an invisible point at which microcredentials become so narrowly specialized that they lose credibility and value.

Because microcredentials are digital, there is also a risk of document falsification and fake badges which could undermine their credibility. For this reason many universities in the United States and elsewhere are implementing blockchain technology for microcredential verification. How does it work? Blockchain is a chain of records or blocks that grows continuously as new ones, representing verified transactions or digital events, are added. Each transaction must be validated by most participants in the network, meaning the community verifies the authenticity of new information and keeps synchronized copies of the chain across all nodes. When a user performs a transaction, it is transmitted in encrypted form to the entire network so that all participants are notified within seconds. Once verified through a process called mining, a new block is added to the chain.

Due to its transparency and reliability, this innovative technology has many potential applications. It was used, for example, in the open-source project MIT Blockcerts, which aims to develop an open standard for microcredential certification. The solution was adapted in an interesting way at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. There, a multifunctional application was created for program coordinators, acting as a web-based form used to enter details such as the certificate title, description, logo, date of issue and other information. These data are then compiled and transferred to another module that generates a certificate for each recipient. At this stage, the certificates are not yet verifiable. To enable verification, the next module creates the certificate as a unique string of characters that identifies it and issues it through the blockchain from the issuer to the recipient. The certificates are then made publicly available online through a browser that allows users to view and verify them. Each certificate ultimately receives its own unique URL. They are distributed by email through the certification module and can be sent to course participants, current or potential employers or other educational institutions.

Microcredentials and digital badges have the potential to shake the foundations of the educational world. They may become competitors to long-term degree programs, but also valuable complements to them. What is certain is that their widespread adoption will take time. First, training institutions need to be convinced of their value, then students, and finally employers who will recognize their credibility. Unless the process is accelerated by legislation that mandates their immediate implementation, adoption will likely take years. If such regulations appear, however, the change may happen faster than anyone expects. This is definitely a topic worth watching closely.

The authors of the article are Alina Guzik, M.A. and Dr. Eng. Karol Flisikowski, Associate Professor.