The demand for up-to-date knowledge within the workforce is growing. In contrast, professionals are struggling with a lack of time.
The successful implementation of OpenCreds represents an opportunity for Australian education providers to offer short-form courses, credentials and pathways that meet the needs of industry and learners alike by providing a range of upskilling opportunities that could prepare all of us for a future of continuous, lifelong learning.
The emergence of micro-credentials has caused great excitement for some and confusion for others. Subsequently, there is a need for definitions and quality assurance mechanisms that govern and protect micro-credentials.
Shorter form credentials need protections not unlike those in place for full qualifications, but with clarity as expressed by the Skills IQ submission to the AQF Review, that shorter-form credentials are to be used primarily for upskilling/reskilling as a top-up of an existing qualification, to foster a lifelong learning culture; and as a clear pathway to qualification.
Our expertise centres on designing great student experiences that are social, active, and engaging. Driven by continuous feedback, our collaborative course design process guides subject matter experts through transitioning their courses online. Once course design is complete, we provide facilitation training, ongoing support and recommendations to deliver a world-class student learning experience on OpenLearning.
Learn moreThe World Economic Forum predicts that 42% of the core skills within existing jobs on average are expected to change by 2022. Lifelong learning and continuous retraining can help meet these evolving skill demands.
Credentials of any kind are markers of achievement and potentially important signals to employers of a candidate's skills, capabilities, and fit, or an employee's capability to evolve with the needs of the business.
This pyramid demonstrates the credential ecosystem. At the top are macro-credentials, which are formal learning experiences from schools or universities in the early years of our lives. In the middle are micro-credentials, which are self-paced, non-formal learning experiences such as short courses and learning certificates. And at the widest section of the pyramid, there is informal learning which happens every day through channels such as podcasts, videos, books, and more.
While each type of learning is important, micro-credentials hold the key for lifelong learners to continuously learn and verify in-demand skills, with less time and financial obligation involved.Micro-credentials are helping to meet the rapid pace of skill decay that requires working professionals to engage in learning at every age.
Micro-credentials are certification-style qualifications that individuals choose to study to improve a skill found in a particular industry area.
They are short, low-cost online courses that provide learners with a digital certification or a ‘digital badge’ when complete.
This new learning concept continues to gain recognition and is highly sought after within the professional landscape.
The demand for up-to-date knowledge within the workforce is growing. In contrast, professionals are struggling with a lack of time.
The emergence of micro-credentials has caused great excitement for some and confusion for others. Subsequently, there is a need for definitions and quality assurance mechanisms that govern and protect micro-credentials. Enter OpenCreds.
OpenCreds are a distinct type of micro-credential, set out in this framework and designed to meet the needs of the Australian education sector, industry, and most importantly its lifelong learners. OpenCreds are an innovation that builds on this clarity about micro-credentials.
In keeping with the definition proposed in the Review of the AQF:“An OpenCred is a certification of assessed learning that is additional, alternative, complementary to, or a component part of a formal qualification.”
An OpenCred specifies indicative hours of learning, rounded to one of seven levels between 2.5 hours to 150 hours, to indicate the usual amount of time required for a new learner with little or no experience to develop the required competency or expected learning outcomes (as recommended in the AQF Review).
Simply put, a digital badge is an indicator of accomplishment or skill that can be displayed, accessed, and verified online. These badges can be earned in a wide variety of environments, an increasing number of which are online.
In the context of OpenCreds and micro-credentials, there are two forms of learning-associated digital credentials:
Digital badges can have a significant impact and can be used to motivate learning, signify community, and signal achievement.
The paper does highlight one very important fact about badges - context is more important than design: “The information linked to or ‘behind’ each badge serves as justification and even validation of the badge.”
In short, it’s imperative that the badge includes information on who earned the badge, what the badge represents, how it was earned, when they earned it, who issued it, and whenever possible, evidence of learning that went into earning the badge.
OpenCreds supports professionals by making digital badges accessible as manageable modules of knowledge. The smaller courses are undertaken online, rather than in-person, and usually last weeks or months, rather than the years required for a full degree.
Take Alex for example, he’s been in his role for a while but would like to advance professionally. He has experience with AI and Machine Learning but has little to show for his knowledge. By taking a micro-credential focused AI and Machine Learning, he can:
Not only has Alex shown initiative to his employer, he’s gained some additional knowledge along the way. In addition to winning a promotion, Sam feels empowered to further his learning with additional micro-credentials.
In partnership with Accredible, digital badges can be shared across social media platforms and are secured and verified through a blockchain, making them a portable, personal record of achievement.
Micro-credentials are certification-style qualifications that individuals choose to study to improve a skill found in a particular industry area.
They are short, low-cost online courses that provide learners with a digital certification or a ‘digital badge’ when complete.
This new learning concept continues to gain recognition and is highly sought after within the professional landscape.
The demand for up-to-date knowledge within the workforce is growing. In contrast, professionals are struggling with a lack of time.
The emergence of micro-credentials has caused great excitement for some and confusion for others. Subsequently, there is a need for definitions and quality assurance mechanisms that govern and protect micro-credentials. Enter OpenCreds.
OpenCreds are a distinct type of micro-credential, set out in this framework and designed to meet the needs of the Australian education sector, industry, and most importantly its lifelong learners. OpenCreds are an innovation that builds on this clarity about micro-credentials.
In keeping with the definition proposed in the Review of the AQF:“An OpenCred is a certification of assessed learning that is additional, alternative, complementary to, or a component part of a formal qualification.”
An OpenCred specifies indicative hours of learning, rounded to one of seven levels between 2.5 hours to 150 hours, to indicate the usual amount of time required for a new learner with little or no experience to develop the required competency or expected learning outcomes (as recommended in the AQF Review).
Simply put, a digital badge is an indicator of accomplishment or skill that can be displayed, accessed, and verified online. These badges can be earned in a wide variety of environments, an increasing number of which are online.
In the context of OpenCreds and micro-credentials, there are two forms of learning-associated digital credentials:
Digital badges can have a significant impact and can be used to motivate learning, signify community, and signal achievement.
The paper does highlight one very important fact about badges - context is more important than design: “The information linked to or ‘behind’ each badge serves as justification and even validation of the badge.”
In short, it’s imperative that the badge includes information on who earned the badge, what the badge represents, how it was earned, when they earned it, who issued it, and whenever possible, evidence of learning that went into earning the badge.
OpenCreds supports professionals by making digital badges accessible as manageable modules of knowledge. The smaller courses are undertaken online, rather than in-person, and usually last weeks or months, rather than the years required for a full degree.
Take Alex for example, he’s been in his role for a while but would like to advance professionally. He has experience with AI and Machine Learning but has little to show for his knowledge. By taking a micro-credential focused AI and Machine Learning, he can:
Not only has Alex shown initiative to his employer, he’s gained some additional knowledge along the way. In addition to winning a promotion, Sam feels empowered to further his learning with additional micro-credentials.
In partnership with Accredible, digital badges can be shared across social media platforms and are secured and verified through a blockchain, making them a portable, personal record of achievement.
