A Strategic Institutional Response to Micro-Credentials: Key Questions for Educational Leaders

This article responds to the rise of the micro-credential movement. It evidences the heightened attention politicians, policy-makers and educational leaders are giving to micro-credentials by framing the discussion in several recent high-level policy developments, an exponential growth in the number of academic publications and the increasing level of interest shown by popular media. It follows that micro-credentials appear to be high on the change agenda for many higher education institutions (HEIs), especially in the post-COVID-19 environment. However, the emergence of the micro-credential raises several crucial questions for educational leaders, set against fear of missing out. Importantly, the paper identifies a significant gap in the literature regarding leadership and strategic institutional responses to micro-credentials. Indeed, there is a dearth of literature. Leadership is crucial to the success of any educational change or innovation, so five key questions are presented for institutional leaders. They challenge institutions to make strategic decisions around how they engage with and position micro-credentials. If micro-credentials are part of an HEI's change agenda, then serious consideration needs to be given to the type of leadership and internal structures required to develop and execute a successful micro-credential strategy. Consideration must also be given to fit-for-purpose business models and how to mitigate potential risks. We hope to bring these strategic questions to the table as institutions plan, envision and develop their micro-credential strategies. © 2023 The Author(s).

The Acceptance and Readiness of Micro-credentials and its Barriers in the Tech-related Job Market in Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an acceleration unlike any other in terms of digital and technological acceleration for the entire world and also within Malaysia. The sudden and rapid need for organisations as well as businesses to shift their day-to-day operations online has changed the way people are working everywhere. And what that means is now more than ever, there is a huge increase in demand for a workforce that is ready and can pioneer this new age of rising technological needs in conjunction with the government's aim of heading towards Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0). Micro-credential (MC) has grown in popularity in recent years and have been labelled as a new disruptor to lifelong learning and higher learning. The Malaysian workforce and job seekers now have more options in their reskilling and upskilling efforts as they seek to remain relevant in the present-day job market which has shifted towards a digital transformation. An extensive study is proposed to be done to explore the current status quo of MC in Malaysia from the viewpoint of the hiring parties in the tech-related job markets as well as how MC will be able to play a part in the continuous growth of the tech and digital ecosystem in Malaysia. © 2023 IEEE.

Online higher education: current landscape and future trends

This critical review and perspective of the literature features the current landscape of online learning in higher education institutions (HEIs). The review starts by exploring the changing nature of student needs and staff and institutional roles in the face of online learning, and how digital transformation is shaping the culture and ways of learning. The aim is to better understand the challenges faced by higher education leaders to adopt online offerings and the factors affecting their decision-making. Emergence and fast evolution of third-party online programme management providers (OPMs) and forces which encourage or oppose their partnership with HEIs are critically discussed. The review also highlights the impact of COVID-19 emergency online learning on institutional practices and future adoption of online offerings. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Further & Higher Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Health Passport: A blockchain-based PHR-integrated self-sovereign identity system

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was necessary to validate a person's health status along with their identity to permit travel. This was facilitated via paper-based certificates and centralized digital apps. Even after COVID-19, it is anticipated that such health status verifications will be required for travel and other purposes. As a result, there needs to be an additional credential, a "Health Passport," that establishes whether a person satisfies the health requirements for various purposes. Digital credentials so prepared should be trustable, unforgeable, and verifiable. The Health Passport should be designed to protect the end-users' privacy and give people control over the data they use to confirm their credentials. This article explores the requirements for a generalized Health Passport system and uses agent-oriented modeling (AOM) to design a blockchain-based self-sovereign identity (SSI) system integrated with the Personal Health Record (PHR) to address this requirement. The article demonstrates the feasibility of the solution by implementing a proof of concept on Hyperledger Indy and Aries, integrated with the PHR - MediTrans. Credential issuance and verification time were calculated, and it was observed that the time overhead was minimal. This solution allows users to verify their credentials with the verifier without revealing any significant personal information. Our solution can be integrated into any PHR solution as the SSI solution is added as a plugin to the PHR accessible via a mobile/web app.

When wearing a mask is (not) the norm: Political partisanship and persuasion in the context of COVID-19

This study examined the effects of source partisanship and credentials on persuasion. Democrats and Republicans (N = 206) read a policy statement advocating for a national mask mandate, ostensibly written by either a doctor or layperson, associated either with the Democratic or Republican party. Participants' perceptions of the source and receptivity to the message aligned with their political party's normative position on the issue: Democrats rated the source as more competent and trustworthy, engaged in less counterarguing, and supported the policy more than Republicans. Although the doctor was trusted more than the layperson and Republicans (but not Democrats) attributed more trust and competence to an ingroup than an outgroup source, source characteristics had no effect on message receptivity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Labor Market Returns to MBAs From Less‐Selective Universities: Evidence From a Field Experiment During COVID‐19

Master's degree enrollment and debt have increased substantially in recent years, raising important questions about the labor market value of these credentials. Using a field experiment featuring 9,480 job applications submitted during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic, I examine employers' responses to job candidates with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), which represents one‐quarter of all master's degrees in the United States. I focus on MBAs from three types of less‐selective institutions that collectively enroll the vast majority of master's students: for‐profit, online, and regional universities. Despite the substantial time and expense required for these degrees, job candidates with MBAs from all three types of institutions received positive responses from employers at the same rate as candidates who only had a bachelor's degree—even for positions that listed a preference for a master's degree. Additionally, applicants with names suggesting they were Black men received 30 percent fewer positive responses than otherwise equivalent applicants whose names suggested they were White men or women, providing further evidence of racial discrimination in hiring practices.

Catholic Universities in an Increasingly Competitive Environment

Pope Francis' vision for a global compact on education, including the role that Catholic universities should play, is in sharp contrast to the vision that dominates the higher education sector: that of producing graduates for gainful employment. Can Catholic colleges and universities rise to the challenge? This article provides a partial answer to that question by first considering four trends affecting higher education globally: (i) the impact of Covid;(ii) the technologization of higher education;(iii) the promise of employability;and (iv) the great unbundling towards micro-credentials. Thereafter, using data for the United States, the article provides a brief assessment of whether Catholic universities may be losing ground, while nevertheless keeping some sources of comparative advantage. The analysis remains explorative and tentative. What seems clear is that there is a lot of heterogeneity between institutions, with some struggling and others finding ways to maintain their comparative advantages.

Trust by Design: Evaluating Issues and Perceptions within Clinical Passporting.

A substantial administrative burden is placed on healthcare professionals as they manage and progress through their careers. Identity verification, pre-employment screening, and appraisals: the bureaucracy associated with each of these processes takes precious time out of a healthcare professional's day. Time that could have been spent focused on patient care. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, it is more important than ever to optimize these professionals' time. This article presents the synthesis of a design workshop held at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) and subsequent interviews with healthcare professionals. The main research question posed is whether these processes can be re-imagined using digital technologies, specifically self-sovereign identity? A key contribution in the article is the development of a set of user-led requirements and design principles for identity systems used within healthcare. These are then contrasted with design principles found in the literature. The results of this study confirm the need and potential of professionalizing identity and credential management throughout a healthcare professional's career.

Exploring the potential of micro-credentials: A systematic literature review

Micro-credentials have recently become a huge research interest, as they play an important role in the social, economic, and higher education sectors. Mindful of growing critique in some circles and recent publications, this paper offers an informed analysis of the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery across a spectrum of dimensions, including supporting innovation in higher education institutions (HEIs). It reports a systematic literature review analysis of scientific articles published between 2015 and January 2022 on micro-credential research in the field of higher education. Results of a bibliometric and qualitative content analysis from 32 scientific articles provided insights into the potential of micro-credentials to foster post-pandemic recovery through social, economic, and higher education innovations. The findings suggest that the potential can be unfolded through multiple dimensions, like offering more possibilities for individuals to up-skill, re-skill and enter the labor market (economic context), enhancing lifelong learning by developing flexible personal learning pathways (social context), extending services in assessment and recognition of non-formal and informal learning, and introducing stackable credits and previous qualifications (higher education context). Even though the paper analyses scientific articles from the pre-pandemic and pandemic period, this study aim to systematize the results of other researchers and to offer sound insights into how further development in micro-credentials could contribute to the post-pandemic recovery. Copyright © 2023 Tamoliune, Greenspon, Tereseviciene, Volungeviciene, Trepule and Dauksiene.

The Preliminary Investigation on Micro-Credentials Practices in Malaysia

This COVID-19 has lately changed the way individuals study and teach by making it available at any time, from any location, and at a low cost. Traditional face-to-face teaching and learning are losing popularity as more students opt for hybrid or all-online learning. In today's fast-paced business, the advent of the gig economy needs the development of individuals and experts with specialised skill sets to fill increasingly specialised positions. Higher education providers needed a more dynamic and quick style of learning to match these demands, which Micro-Credential, a well-known player in 21st-century training and education, delivered. Micro-credentials are nanodegrees, also known as small qualifications, that demonstrate a person's talents, knowledge, and/or experience in a certain subject area or ability. After completing a micro-credentials course, the learner will receive a digital badge. The adoption of Micro-Credential courses in Malaysia was investigated using desktop research and a survey questionnaire in this study. This study examines how Micro-Credentials are used in Malaysia's top three public universities, as well as a poll of Malaysian students' Micro-Credentials habits. Micro-credentialing appears to be gaining popularity at Malaysian universities. The research will be broadened to collect and analyse data for the preliminary study, which will focus on learners' attainment of Digital Badges for Micro Credential Computing Courses using a quantitative research technique. © 2022 IEEE.

Blockchain-based micro-credentialing system in higher education institutions: Systematic literature review

A micro-credential is a proof of the student's knowledge, skills, and experience that can be used to progress towards a larger credential or degree that focuses on a particular field of study in the shortest amount of time. Micro-credentials are a new area in the education sector that has expanded significantly over recent years and have become a popular idea in the higher education sector. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, micro-credentials are the most recent innovation in online education, gaining traction in public and private universities throughout the world. This has resulted in many universities developing strategies to offer micro-credential-driven courses. Higher education institutions (HEIs) need to validate micro-credentials, but the validation is a long-drawn-out and cumbersome process, so blockchain technology can be used to easily validate the detailed information on each students' micro-credentials. Unfortunately, to date, only scant scholarly research has been conducted on blockchain-based micro-credentialing systems in HEIs. This study provides a detailed overview of the state-of-the-art in the field of managing micro-credentials using blockchain technology. We start by outlining the various requirements that need to be met in a blockchain-based micro-credentialing system. We then use a systematic literature review (SLR) to retrieve relevant studies published between 2016–2022 and compare them to the defined requirements. We also analyse the relevant studies to determine the research gaps. This review will offer insight into micro-credentialing systems that have been proposed for HEIs over recent years.

Harnessing the Benefits of Micro Credentials for Industry 4.0 and 5.0: Skills Training and Lifelong Learning

Industry 4.0 has centered on 'Digitalisation' of the economy and Industry 5.0 will synchronise highly trained humans with collaborative technologies. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in significant changes in the jobs market with job losses and skills gaps occurring in many sectors. There is now a need for upskilling and lifelong learning to be consolidated into the workforce. This paper outlines the part Micro-credentials play in joining together the three main stakeholders: the learner, the higher education institution and the employer. It offers a description of micro-credentials in today's marketplace and outlines the current research in universities, technological institutes and governments worldwide. Copyright (c) 2022 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

A Framework to Implement Academic Digital Badges When Reskilling the IT Workforce

Information technology (IT) plays an increasingly significant role in today's world. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased that reliance. Employers in all industries are struggling with considerable shortages of skilled IT workers and are seeking innovative alternatives to meet these needs. Digital badging and micro-credentials have emerged as an alternative system to validate skills. The issuing of digital badges has spanned across a wide spectrum of settings and purposes. However, there is currently less application of digital badges in graduate-level programs to link to important academic or subject-matter related achievements and higher-level competencies. Reskilling and upskilling existing employees need a more practical and sustainable approach and often do not require completion of an entire IT master's degree. To align with such demand, this study aims to demonstrate how a digital badging system can be used to validate stackable certificates for micro-credentials in a graduate-level program. The paper starts with a background introduction of the current IT employment landscape. The next two sections provide an overview of micro-credentials in workforce development and higher education today. This is followed by a section on our conceptual framework used to determine the potential value of digital badging to our graduate programs. The next section focuses on the case study. The last sections conclude with the lessons learned and the future research directions.

Comparability and Integrity of Online Remote vs. Onsite Proctored Credentialing Exams

Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, many credentialing organizations have incorporated online remote administration of their examinations to enable continuity of their programs. This paper describes a research study examining several high stakes credentialing examination programs that utilized mixed delivery modes, including online remote testing at home, as well as testing in test centers. Candidates were monitored in real time by a test proctor, either remotely by video camera, or in person. The study examined the comparability of test scores, instances of irregular candidate testing behavior (potential cheating), and candidate test taking experience ratings across modalities. Overall, results of the study indicated that test scores were psychometrically sound and comparable across modes, rates of suspect test taking behavior were low and not significantly different across modes, and candidate experience ratings were favorable and unrelated to testing modality. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.

Credentials as Regulatory Tools in the COVID Era

Credentials are the documents we are required to have in our possession to achieve certain ends—for instance, driving licenses, identity cards, passports, and credit cards. Credentials play an important role in COVID regulations. This paper aims to reconstruct and analyse their role during the pandemic. In particular, the paper will stress how credentials may act as an innovative non-prescriptive tool of social control. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

THE EFFECT OF MOTIVATION ON NURSE PERFORMANCE IN MODERATE WITH NURSE CREDENTIALS AT PKU MUHAMMADIYAH KUTOWINANGUN Hospital PAN ERA FOR COVID-19

Power health wrong the only one nurses in the current COVID-19 era work bear heavy load _ about many threat are you serious to health work . Burden work and problem mental health officer health in the COVID-19 pandemic has become attention . Problem this increase error medical and Dead patient as well as could lower performance officer health . Credential process also Becomes part important, because as base gift authority clinic to nurse, however on reality not yet fully done with good . Type research used _ explanatory, with cross sectional design . Population study is whole nurse at PKU Muhammadiyah General Hospital Kutowinangun as many as 58 people. Technique taking sample i.e. total sampling, i.e. whole registered nurse _ as employee permanent and already get credentials as many as 56 nurses . Instrument study use questionnaire . Data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis with PLS application . Results analysis influence direct show there is influence motivation to performance nurse, there influence credentials to motivation nurse, there influence credentials to performance nurse . Credentials capable moderate influence motivation work to performance nurse at PKU Muhammadiyah General Hospital Kutowinangun. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Eduvest: Journal Of Universal Studies is the property of Green Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Bridging the Gap: Micro-credentials for Development UNESCO Chairs Policy Brief Form - Under the III World Higher Education Conference (WHEC 2021) Type: Collective X

This paper describes current trends and issues in implementing micro-credentials. The Covid19 epidemic, combined with the increasing cost of higher education;employer concerns about graduate skills and competencies;increasing inequities in access;and student frustrations about lack of job opportunities have all been a catalyst for universities, colleges, independent credentialing agencies, and leaders of national qualification frameworks to rethink the broader credentials continuum in terms of open education and micro-credentials. Students desire more options at lower costs to combine their education and training for jobs. Employers want entry-level employees with better skills and capacity to learn. As a result, major colleges and universities are now actively engaged in granting and/or recognising micro-credentials. Standardising qualifications based on time competencies is an essential requirement for credit transfer among institutions. Micro-credentials are important in ensuring the acceptance and stackability of credentials from different institutions, while providing employers with a secure and unalterable permanent digital record of applicants' abilities to perform skills of high value in the workplace. The OERu (Open Educational Resources universitas) provides an example of how one international consortium is supporting SDG4: Education for All by implementing micro-credentials allowing for maximum transferability among institutions in different countries. The lesson for strategic leaders is simplicity. Micro-credentials should be well Integrated into current institutional programs, rendered easy-to-use with clear validation metrics, providing a value-added benefit for all stakeholders. A list of recommendations to institutions, governments, UNESCO and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) is provided © 2022, International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning.All Rights Reserved.

A Proposal for Decentralized, Global, Verifiable Health Care Credential Standards Grounded in Pharmaceutical Authorized Trading Partners.

The twin forces of privacy law and data breaches have fundamentally challenged how we collect, store, and share sensitive information. Within this landscape, healthcare information is sacrosanct - and intimately tied to identity and data ownership. Building on prior work with UCLA Health, Genentech (a member of the Roche Group), Sanofi, Amgen, Biogen, and others, we offer this opinion piece to promote the development of a standard for decentralized Verifiable Credentials (VCs). This will empower Authorized Trading Partners (ATPs) in the pharmaceutical supply chain to trade and exchange information in compliance with the US federal law. Starting with credentialing and interoperability for the ATP community, our ultimate goal was to chart a path to a global standard for all health care VCs - providing individuals and health-care professionals control over their own data. By sharing our results and releasing essential components of the work to the public domain, we hope to align and connect with other foundational efforts, thus evolving standards within a truly open framework with broad stakeholder involvement.

Microcredentials training in pharmacy practice and education: an exploratory study of its viability and pharmacists' professional needs.

BACKGROUND: Microcredentials (MCs) are short courses that certify/recognise an individual's achievement of specific skills or knowledge. Schools of pharmacy could be well-placed to contribute to the continuing professional development (CPD) of pharmacists through the inclusion of MCs training in their programs. This study aimed to explore pharmacy professionals' views on the need and viability of MC courses globally. METHODS: Eleven semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with pharmacy practitioners, policymakers, and academics across seven countries. The participants were selected using purposive sampling to explore information from varying pharmacy disciplines. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using a general inductive approach. RESULTS: Participants regarded MCs in pharmacy as an innovative idea, well-suited to the increasingly technology-driven world. They believe MCs provide easily accessible means of skills and knowledge acquisition that fulfils the needs of the pharmacy profession. MCs were also perceived as an alternative pathway of meeting the requirements of traditional CPD programmes. Many participants believe universities are well-suited to provide MCs; however, numerous challenges such as recognition, time and resources have been identified as potential barriers to enrolment and implementation. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an insight into the views of pharmacy practitioners and academics on MCs, and their potential utility in pharmacy education and practice. The findings should help in the development of MCs that could be utilised by pharmacy practitioners around the world for CPD purposes. This study comes at a time when alternative models of teaching and learning are being explored as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Toward just and equitable micro-credentials: an Australian perspective.

The current historic COVID-19 Pandemic moment has thrown into sharp relief the need for flexible and rigorous higher education that meets upskilling and reskilling needs of global workforces. Discussions of micro-credentialing predate the Pandemic but have received increased focus as potentially assisting in addressing perceived skills gaps. However, not all commentators have been complimentary about the possibilities inherent in micro-credentialing. In this paper we discuss Ralston (Postdigital Science and Education 3:83-101, 2021) criticism of the "microcredentialing craze" as provocation to consider how equitable, thoughtful and just educative aims may be met. We address Ralston's argument that micro-credentials present an educative "moral hazard" by arguing that micro-credentialing will allow universities to respond quickly to changing worker educational needs rather than only offering full degrees that may not be economically viable or personally desirable for individuals. Rather, we suggest, the potential of micro-credentials lies in their pathways and potential to enhance lifelong learning and suggest that micro-credentials do not stand outside of the pedagogical ethical imperative that learning experiences should be positive and inclusive.