What AI says about micro-credentials
For the past few months, I’ve joined the “Emerging Credential Standards” group for a series of discussions on the development of a broadly applicable and actionable micro-credential toolkit. (Arizona State Universities ShapingEDU)
Visit https://shapingedu.asu.edu/ to learn more ⭐️
After working with the group for a few weeks, it became clear that the best first step we could take was to leverage ASU’s network to develop and deploy a comprehensive micro-credential survey. The survey would aim to solicit persona-specific responses to some of the most pressing frequently asked questions posed by the micro-credential community with the goal of grounding the micro-credential toolkit in the real needs of those same communities.
This survey would help the team understand:
What questions do key stakeholders surface - regarding the adoption, development, and implementation of micro-credential programs?
How could university leadership address existing micro-credential questions using the micro-credential toolkit?
What are the differences in how respondents answer the questions - specifically with regards to their unique stakeholder perspective? (learners vs educators vs industry)
What is ShapingEDU?
ShapingEDU is a global community of 4K+ passionate and insightful educators, students, researchers, storytellers, edtech creators and education futurists, all of whom are dedicated to creating change so that lifelong learners may thrive in the digital age.
Visit the ShapingEDU website to learn more ⭐️
The Micro-credential Multiverse AI
Qualitative surveys like the one developed by the ShapingEDU team are bound to garner a tremendous amount of interest, but they often fall short of expectations for two key reasons:
The quality of the responses is highly variable and will often take a lot of time to translate into something meaningful
Although interested, motivating and engaging survey respondents at scale becomes difficult.
So, that leads us to our goals:
To increase the number of responsese
To increase the quality of responses (KPI’s below)
To introduce AI to new audiences and demonstrate the sophistication of the tool.
This is where the Micro-credential Multiverse AI came in, and here’s how it works:
The Micro-credential Multiverse team has been training our proprietary AI to provide highly nuanced responses to questions narrowly focused on the micro-credential space.
This involves continuously training the tool against:
micro-credential frameworks
micro-credential principles
micro-credential stakeholder needs, and
relevant, related concepts (for example, the connection between micro-credentials and labor market needs).
After soliciting responses from a sample set of questions, our AI tool will provide a “here’s what AI says” section as a complementary section throughout the survey. (a copy of the response are below)
The frequency and quality of the responses will be used as a KPI (key performance indicator) to determine success against similar surveys used by other organizations.
Optionally, the team believes that the AI responses will pique the interest of respondents and motivate them to engage with the survey.
Finally, here is a list of nine AI responses
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Here’s what AI says:
Micro-credentials are smaller, more specific credentials than diplomas. They are designed to show that a student has mastered a specific skill or body of knowledge.
Micro-credentials can be earned through online courses, MOOCs, or other learning experiences. They are often digital and can be stored on a blockchain.
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Here’s what AI says:
There are many reasons why employers accept micro-credentials when considering a job candidate.
Micro-credentials can provide employers with a way to quickly and easily assess a job candidate's skills and qualifications.
In addition, micro-credentials can help employers identify candidates who are committed to lifelong learning and who are willing to invest in their own professional development.
References:
"Why Employers Value Micro-Credentials." Lumina Foundation, 20 Dec. 2017, www.luminafoundation.org/news_room/news/why-employers-value-micro-credentials
"The Impact of Micro-Credentials on Employment." Credly, 9 Mar. 2018, blog.credly.com/the-impact-of-micro-credentials-on-employment.
"5 Reasons Employers Should Care About Micro-Credentials." eLearning Industry, 29 Mar. 2018, elearningindustry.com/5-reasons-employers-care-micro-credentials.
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Here’s what AI says:
From the perspective of a student, micro-credentials may be seen as more immediately useful than a traditional college degree with regards to employment. Micro-credentials may be seen as demonstrating more specific and relevant skills than a degree, which can make them more attractive to employers. Additionally, micro-credentials may be obtained more quickly and at a lower cost than a degree, making them a more attractive option for some students.
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Here’s what AI says:
Micro-credentials can help students get jobs by providing them with a way to showcase their skills and accomplishments to potential employers. Micro-credentials can also help students stand out from the competition and demonstrate their commitment to lifelong learning.
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Here’s what AI says:
If you offer micro-credentials as an option, you can inform students by providing information about the micro-credentials on your website or through other marketing channels. You can also provide information about micro-credentials at events or fairs that you participate in. You can also reach out to students directly to let them know about the micro-credentials that you offer.
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Here’s what AI says:
Some consequences or weaknesses of micro-credentials include:
They may not be recognized by all employers.
They may not be as valuable as a full degree from an accredited institution.
They may not provide the same level of education or training as a full degree.
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Here’s what AI says:
There is no one answer to this question as the cost of micro-credentials can vary depending on the provider and the specific credential.
However, some examples of micro-credentials and their approximate cost are as follows:
The Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Business Analytics costs approximately $1,750. (source)
The University of California, Berkeley Extension Certificate in Data Science costs approximately $5,100. (source)
The ASU MicroMasters® Program in Global Business Leadership and Management costs approximately $897 (source)
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Here’s what AI says:
Yes, you can.
You can share your micro-credential with anyone using a unique URL.
You can also share it on social media, in an email signature, or on your resume.
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Here’s what AI says:
Micro-credentials are digital credentials that are owned and managed by the learner. The learner can share their micro-credentials with employers and other stakeholders to demonstrate their skills and abilities.
Conclusion
This has been such a fun and rewarding experiment for the Micro-credential Multiverse team as we dip our toe in the vast pool of AI potential.
I’m especially grateful to the ShapingEDU for letting us use the micro-credential toolkit survey as an exciting vehicle to introduce our AI project to the wider public as we continue to find new ways of uniting learning experiences with life-changing career opportunities - for all.
🌈
Special shout out to Andrew Fisher for collaborating on the development of the survey!
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