University of Texas System
Microcredential Innovator
The Microcredential Innovator course is designed to introduce participants to the microcredential landscape within the higher-education system. The course defines microcredentials and why microcredentials matter, and walks the learner through the microcredential planning process. Topics covered in this course include:
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The Microcredential Landscape
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Guiding Principles
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Gathering Resources and Buy-in
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Best Practices in Micocredential Design
Course Goal
The goal of the Microcredential Innovator course is to broaden the understanding of the use of microcredentials within the higher-education ecosystem among faculty and instructional design staff.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
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Define microcredentials in the university setting and beyond.
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Describe why microcredentials are a valuable tool for learners and employers.
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Describe how the six dimensions (transparency, modularity, portability, relevance, validity, and equity) are connected and support each other in the creation of high quality microcredentials.
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Explain how microcredentials can provide accessibility and equitable learning - opportunities to all learners.
Course Outline
This course is made up of 5 modules:
Welcome Primer
Let’s shake hands. We kick-off the course by providing participants the goal, objectives, outline key terminology and a guide on how to be successful in the course. A microcredential readiness survey will be issued to check participants prior knowledge.
Module 1: Introduction to Microcredentials
A whole new world. We start Module 1 by introducing participants to the world of microcredentials. We cover the history, driving forces, a taxonomy of terms, policy and guiding principles, and an introduction to the Texas Credentials for the Future Task Force.
Module 2: Gathering Resources
Module 3: Best Practices in Microcredential Design
Assessment
Participants will be assessed on their engagement with each module via vignettes, interactives, practice questions, surveys, and a final assessment. They will also be required to interact with the four virtual sessions corresponding to each module within the course. The course rubric provides further information on what work is necessary to complete the course. Contact us to request a copy of the rubric.
The final assessment of this course consists of filling out a microcredential planning template, to be filled out during Module 4. The Microcredential Planning Template encourages participants to consider a microcredential or microcredential program that may work for their department. The participant fills in the template with the information they currently have or ideas they currently have for their microcredential. Microcredentials, university policy and guidelines, and team development may not yet be established for some participants. In these areas, participants are encouraged to relay what they need to move forward, such as what still needs researching, who they need to talk to, etc., before they can continue with this area of the template.
About the University of Texas System
Participants will be assessed on their engagement with each module via vignettes, interactives, practice questions, surveys, and a final assessment. They will also be required to interact with the four virtual sessions corresponding to each module within the course.
The University of Texas System has served Texas for more than 135 years, improving the lives of Texans—and people all over the world—through education, health care and research at 13 academic and health institutions across the state. With an enrollment of almost 243,000 students and an operating budget of $23.4 billion, the UT System is one of the nation’s largest public university systems of higher education.
Module 4: Deliverables & Takeaways
Let’s bring it home. In this module we wrap up the course by summarizing the key material and provide an avenue for continued exploration. Participants will complete a microcredential planning template which includes prompts covering ideation of learning targets, best practices for microcredentials, and executing a microcredential.
Let’s dive into some of the specifics. In Module 2, we explore the specifications of microcredentials including item identification, literature and market review, change management, collaboration, flexibility and innovation.
To be the best, we must cover best practices. In this module, we cover the best practices in microcredential design to include transparency, modularity, stackability, portability, relevance, validity, accessibility, and equity.