2.1.1. Quality Aspects for Development and Implementation
MicroCredentials could gain importance over the last decade as a tool to make (higher) education more flexible, accessible and inclusive. With respect to this fast development, issuers and authorities must be aware of quality as a key for sustained usability and value for learners. MCs are subject to internal and external quality assurance by the system producing them (European Commission 2022, p 29): education or training institutions, or labour market stakeholders like authorities, companies, or associations like chambers of commerce. It is essential that quality assurance (QA) focuses on the needs of learners. The features of MC (see Unit 1.2.) offer some new challenges for QA.
For the DigiProf Project, we assume that the course providers are (system-) accredited HE institutions. Accordingly, quality of provision for MicroCredentials lies with them.
A first aspect of quality is linked to the qualification setting of the EU Bologna Process:
It should be achievable to align the content of the respective MCs to the European Qualification Framework (EQF), when creating and maintaining new learning units, which respond to educational or societal needs.
Fig. 2.1. European Qualification Framework
With regard to the process of MicroCredential development, a second aspect of quality seems to be strongly related:
Apart from providing transparent information about policies, the involvement of learners in all steps of development, implementation and evaluation of MicroCredentials is required (e.g. EU MicroBol Project 2022). If MCs are explicitly included in new developments or re-design of procedures in HE-institutions, teachers will play an important role as they are the ‘active element’ of unbundling content and shaping new learning units like MCs. Accordingly, feedback from peers and other stakeholders should be collected and included in the development of MicroCredentials.
In the end, relevance for learners as well as for the labour market can be guaranteed if MicroCredentials are designed as ‘distinct, targeted learning achievements, and learning opportunities leading to them are updated as necessary, to meet identified learning needs.’ (European Commission 2021, p 3)
Teachers should be aware that only a learner-centered approach leads towards a sought-for and valued MicroCredential which is worthwhile the effort of designing and issuing it.
A third aspect of quality of
MicroCredentials relates to transparency:
In order to make MCs understandable, measurable and comparable (European Commission 2022, p 30), teachers are the key persons providing for substantial information on content, learning outcomes, assessment, workload and level of the learning offer. The ECT-System (ECTS) as well as the EQF provide for guidelines regarding workload and level. The EU Model for Digital Credential Data (EDCI) supports a standardised and very comprehensive declaration of all elements needed for transparency. It will be explained in Unit 2.2.3.
Eventually, for the sake of transparency, teachers could suggest key words or tags for registration of the MC in a database for learning opportunities within their HE institutions, or even on a pertinent external platform, depending on the status of the MicroCredential (e.g. in terms of openness).
Other issues of quality like access and availability, stackability, portability
and recognition are not within direct access of the teacher. The involved
institution ought to address these aspects, and also provide for information
and guidance on their offer of MicroCredentials.