Making micro-credentials work:  A student perspective: Provocation

Kaleb Oxley; Tristan van Rooyen

doi:10.21153/jtlge2021vol12no1art1321

Authors

Kaleb Oxley Deakin University, RMIT University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1587-0282
Tristan van Rooyen Deakin University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9721-8652

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21153/jtlge2021vol12no1art1321

Abstract

Micro-credentials, digital badges and industry-recognised certificates have been attracting considerable attention in recent years and with the disruption of many jobs due to the pandemic, interest in continuing education has grown. Micro-credentials represent an alternative approach to career and professional development (Ghasia, Machumu, & De Smet, 2019, p. 219; LaMagna, 2017, p. 207). These credentialed … industry aligned short units of learning’ are described by Wheelahan & Moodie (2021, p. 212) as an extension of ‘21st century skills’ and the discourse of employability in higher education. Graduate employability has become heavily integrated into modern higher education policy frameworks, but what does this actually mean from a student perspective?

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Kaleb Oxley, Deakin University, RMIT University

Kaleb Oxley is a Law graduate at Deakin Law School and presently completing his final year of Aviation cross-institutionally at RMIT School of Engineering.
Tristan van Rooyen, Deakin University

Tristan van Rooyen is presently completing a double undergraduate degree in Law and Science at Deakin University.

References

Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc.

Ghasia, M., Machumu, H., & 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 (IJEDICT), 15(1), 219–230.

Jaynes, S. (n.d.). Six skills you need to land a graduate job. this: Deakin University. https://this.deakin.edu.au/career/six-skills-you-need-to-land-a-graduate-job

LaMagna, M. (2017). Placing digital badges and micro-credentials in context. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 29(4), 206–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/1941126X.2017.1378538

Orr, D., Pupinis, M., & Kirdulytė, G. (2020). Towards a European approach to micro-credentials: A study of practices and commonalities in offering micro-credentials in European higher education (Report No. NC-03-20-553-EN-N). NESET. https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/default/files/document-library-docs/towards-european-approach-micro-credentials-analytical-report.pdf

The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). (2021, April 16). Which way for micro-credentials? https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/news/quality-compass-which-way-for-micro-credentials.pdf?sfvrsn=25c6d481_8

Ralston, S.J. (2020). Higher education’s microcredentialing craze: A postdigital-Deweyan critique. Postdigital Science and Education, 3, 83–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-020-00121-8

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), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0175-9

Wheelahan, L., & Moodie, G. (2021). Analysing micro-credentials in higher education: A Bernsteinian analysis. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 53(2), 212–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2021.1887358

Williamson, J., & Pittinsky, M. (2016, May 23). Making credentials matter. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/05/23/understanding-differences-what-credentials-are-being-stacked-and-why-essay