Microcredentials Resources

Like traditional continuing-education models, learning programs leading to microcredentials may cover professional knowledge and skills, or topics of general interest. These programs range widely from brief non-credit-bearing programs to year-long or semester-long series of credit-bearing courses that lead to a separate microcredential, or a formal undergraduate or graduate certificate.

Microcredentials can be designed to be ‘stackable’, meaning that a combination of certain required programs lead to a larger credential (yet to be defined). Like traditional college courses, microcredentials can be delivered synchronously (in person or via video conferencing), asynchronously (online), or both synchronously and asynchronously in a hybrid format.

At the present time, IU Kokomo is offering non-credit-bearing microcredentials called badges in a 3-10 hour program format. Offerings will be based on the demand among prospective students, as well as our current infrastructure. Participants who successfully complete a non-credit-bearing microcredential will earn a digital badge.

For the foreseeable future, microcredentials will not be required components of any faculty member’s teaching load, but rather optional opportunities that you may choose for additional compensation.

You will be compensated for your time spent preparing the microcredential, as well as the time spent delivering it.

• A sample of a microcredential badge.

We encourage you to consider trends and demands in your disciplines when proposing microcredential programs, as there is already a potential audience for those programs. IU Kokomo is in touch with various employers in our service region, who can provide additional insights into in-demand topics.

Complete the Microcredential proposal form and submit to your chair or dean.

First, the submitter’s department chair or dean will review their proposal to ensure the accuracy of any anticipated outcomes.

Then, IU Kokomo’s Fiscal Officer will review the projected revenue and expenses to determine the Microcredential’s viability and minimum number of required participants.

A Faculty Senate sub-committee will review the proposal and either approve it, deny it, or return it for revision.

Finally, the Office of the Registrar will review the proposal for completeness, complete the badge, and send the assessment agreement to the submitter for signature and return.

Once the assessment agreement is returned, the submitter will receive instructions related to awarding badges to their participants.

The quality and relevance of microcredentials are a central aspect of quality assurance and the responsibility of those who develop and deliver the learning experience, evaluate participant outcomes, and issue badges (American Institutes for Research, 2019). Instructors who develop a microcredential will identify the specific skills and competencies that will be addressed, and the accompanying learning opportunities that will help participants gain the identified outcomes.

These learning outcomes and an assessment plan will be provided in the Microcredential proposal form.

Upon completion of the learning experience, instructors will submit information for participants who have achieved the stated learning outcomes.

More information will be provided in the 2023 spring semester.