What is a microcredential?
A microcredential is a focused certification that recognizes specific skills, knowledge, or competencies gained through targeted learning. Often issued as open digital badges, these visual representations can be easily shared and verified online. Open digital badges follow the Open Badges standard, ensuring they are secure, portable, and interoperable across platforms.
These badges and certificates include embedded metadata—such as the issuer, earners, learning criteria, and links to assessments or standards—that make them transparent and verifiable. This rich information allows learners to confidently showcase their skills across digital environments.
What are the benefits of digital microcredentials?
Microcredentials offer numerous advantages for both individuals and the campus community. They enable learners to quickly acquire and demonstrate new skills, enhance employability, and support ongoing professional growth. For students, microcredentials provide a practical way to supplement their degrees with targeted expertise that can boost their resumes and job prospects. Faculty and staff can leverage microcredentials to develop specialized training programs, stay current with industry trends, and showcase their commitment to continuous learning.
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Articulate
Digital microcredentials contain metadata revealed when you click on the image. Metadata includes the microcredential description and earning criteria including links to evidence of the learning.
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Verifiable
Verifiability allows employers or peers to authenticate the badge’s origin and validity, which adds credibility to the microcredential.
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Sharable
Shareability enhances visibility and allows earners to publicly demonstrate their competencies on social media sites and on digital resumes.
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Portable
Portability means that there is no need to request a copy of your digital microcredential. Once awarded it is yours to store in your own digital wallet and take with you when you leave the institution.
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Stackable
Stackability, allows earners to accumulate multiple digital microcredentials in a pathway representing specific skillsets or achievements.
What is the Digital Microcredential Creation Process?
Our digital microcredential creation process is designed to be straightforward and aligned with our campus governance procedures. It is a two-step process in which a short Concept Intake Form is submitted to OPPS for initial approval, followed by the submission of a longer more detailed Comprehensive Proposal Form that includes required meta data and aligned assessments. Once approved, the digital microcredential is hosted on our digital platform, making it accessible and verifiable for learners.
