Opportunities and Challenges in the Development of New Micro Credentialing Programs
REFERENCE
Wiley, A. (2022). Opportunities and Challenges in the Development of New Micro Credentialing Programs. Paper presented at the meeting of National Council on Measurement in Education, San Diego, CA.
SHORT DESCRIPTION
At the 2022 NCME conference, Drew participated in a symposium on Assessment Issues in Competency Based Education. The panelists discussed challenges and opportunities, focusing on micro credentials. They highlighted market drivers, including government guidelines shifting focus from traditional degrees to micro credentials. They also discussed challenges facing micro credentials such as sample size and financial sustainability. For micro credentials, portability is crucial for long-term viability, and Drew suggests adopting practices from organizations like the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and NCCA Accreditation requirements to enhance it.
ABSTRACT
At the 2022 NCME conference, Drew participated in an organized symposium focused on Assessment Issues in Competency Based Education. During the session, Drew and his colleagues discussed some of the challenges and opportunities with these programs, with Drew focusing on the development of micro credentials. The session first focused on some of the market drivers that are causing micro credentials to become increasingly popular. The U.S. federal government along with some states in the U.S. have recently released guidelines decreasing the reliance on traditional educational degrees in hiring; which has served to increase the importance on things like micro credentials. But micro credential also face some unique challenges, such as sample size, financial viability and sustainability. One critical aspect of sustainability for micro credentialing programs is finding ways to enhance the portability of their credential so that it can be used by a greater number of candidates across a variety of settings. To support portability, Drew’s paper suggest that micro credentials consider adopting practices supported by organizations such as the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and the NCCA Accreditation requirements.