Micro-credentials: A learner value framework

Abstract

Much has been made of micro-credentials, and the ‘craze’ (Ralston, 2021) and ‘hype’ (Roy & Clark, 2019) they generate. One of the barriers to their success is that a definition of micro-credentials has not been widely agreed (Kato, Galán-Muros, & Weko, 2020). However, to succeed, micro-credentials need not just a definition, but a way to ensure they are valued, and bring value to key stakeholders: particularly learners, employers and providers. To this end, this provocation proposes a micro-credential value framework that sets out their key benefits and costs for learners.