Presentation Panel
Microcredentials: A Fad or the Future for Unlocking Potential?
Date Friday, Nov 29 Time – RoomCharlottenburg I
Is digital badging merely a passing trend? Are microcredentials just another fad, or could they revolutionise how we build and recognise skills, unlocking both individual and organisational potential? This session will explore both sides of the debate, assessing the sustainability and long-term value of microcredentials across different sectors.
Kristen Franklin
Director of Product, Digital Promise
Kristen Franklin, Director of Product, Credentials, has worked in adult education for more than 25 years, ranging from informal learning spaces to undergraduate seminars on rhetoric and communication at Stanford University. At Digital Promise, she is the competency-based assessment framework expert, and directs all Digital Promise Credentialling products, including the robust Micro-credential Platform.
Helen Gray
International project development Manager, IÐAN education centre, Iceland
Helen Gray is the International Development Manager at IÐAN Education Centre in Iceland. She holds a BS in Administration Dietetics from Umeå University, Sweden, an MA in Pedagogy from the University of Iceland, and a teaching qualification. With over 20 years in the vocational education and training (VET) sector, Helen has led research and development at IÐAN for 15 years, contributing to both national and international initiatives in initial VET (IVET), continuing VET (CVET) and continuous professional development (CPD). Currently, she is focused on advancing digital transformation in education.
Links
Patrina Law
Lifelong Learning Lead, RSA
Patrina has over 20 years' experience in educational technology in Higher Education and the charity sector, focused on open access to learning and generating significant social impact. As well as co-authoring the 'UNESCO Global Education Monitoring report 2023', Patrina was awarded lifelong Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2023 and Open Education Global's Leadership Award for "significant leadership and longstanding involvement with Open Education". Patrina currently manages the newly established UK Digital Badging Commission, delivered in partnership between the RSA and Ufi VocTech Trust.
Moderator
Rolf Reinhardt
Member of the Executive Committee, International Council on Badges and Credentials [ICoBC], Germany
Rolf Reinhardt works for LinkedIn at the intersection of government, education and organizational learning. He is also an active member of the International Council on Badges and Credentials [ICoBC] to ensure a systemic view of badges and credentials for individuals, organizations and societies. Additionally, he serves as a Council Member to the Union of International Associations, as a Council Member to the OEB Global and as a Certified Supporter to the Corporate Social Responsibility community of ZiviZ at Stifterverband (W.I.E.). Prior to joining LinkedIn in 2016, he worked for Pearson, the largest education company in the world, on secondary, post-secondary and corporate training initiatives across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
From 2011 to 2012, Rolf was tinkering on various visionary projects such as eLearning quality (epprobate), streaming (TEDx etc.), ePortfolios, Immersive Worlds, Networks of Change Structures as well as Coworking and Community Spaces.
The focus of his work from 2007 till 2009 was on the ROI of eLearning programs for larger corporations. This focus changed with his assignment as Executive Manager of the European Foundation for Quality in E-Learning where innovation and technology as an enhancer of personal, organisational and societal development became a central topic.
By the time he obtained his Engineering degree in Media Technology, Rolf worked on large digital transformation projects, for instance, for the L&D department of L’ORÉAL. Rolf later designed and managed complex eLearning projects mainly for corporate customers.
From Competency to Credential: Using Open Source Digital Badging in Education and Industry, Kristen Franklin
Since 2013, Digital Promise has led the work of competency-based micro-credentials using the Open Badges standard to help historically excluded learners achieve postsecondary credentials. In 2023, we launched the Digital Promise Badging Coalition to develop an open-source digital badging solution, adhering to the 1EdTech Open Badges 3.0 standard, that supports equitable and verifiable learner achievements.
Redefining Professional Growth Using Digital Micro-Credentials, Helen Gray
My presentation will explore the transformative potential of Digital Micro-Credentials (DMCs) in continuing professional development, highlighting the outcomes of a European pilot project aimed at enhancing lifelong learning and employability through flexible, industry-aligned qualifications.
I will discuss the MCEU-Hospitality project, an Erasmus+ initiative designed to test the issuance of DMCs in the EU hospitality sector, emphasizing the integration of portable micro-credentials, quality assurance, and the use of blockchain technology to ensure the recognition and portability of these digital credentials.
Building Global Consensus around Digital Badging and Micro-Credentials: Insights from the UK’s newly formed Digital Badging Commission, Patrina Law
Demand for digital badging has grown in response to calls from industry, civil society, and education organisations to reward shorter, flexible learning opportunities and help individuals better showcase their skills, while employers seek to identify those with the right abilities. However, digital badge development has lacked a standardised framework for for good practice, quality, interoperability and recognition. In response, the RSA and Ufi VocTech Trust launched the UK's Digital Badging Commission in May 2024, bringing together experts from education, commerce, and technology to advance the understanding and adoption of digital badges. This presentation will share insights from the Commission’s first six months and mark the first time their work is presented internationally.