Ed-tech advocacy group explores 'micro-credentials' for teachers
A recent study by non-profit ed-tech advocacy group, Digital Promise, and consulting firm Grunwald Associates, surveyed teachers about the use of competency-based micro-credentials as part of professional development. The reported findings show that only 15% of teachers were "somewhat familiar" with micro-credentials. However, after being debriefed on the possibilities and uses of such micro-credentials, 70% of teachers expressed interest in possibly using them as part of their professional development.

New survey delves into how teachers would use micro-credentials and examines how widely-known the concept is

Micro-credentials could have a hugely beneficial impact on teacher professional development, according to a new study — provided some big ifs swing in their favor.

The study, from nonprofit ed-tech advocacy group Digital Promise and consulting firm Grunwald Associates, takes a detailed look at how teachers say they feel about professional development and competency-based micro-credentials. According to the study, the impact micro-credentials could have is dependent on whether they can adapt to suit teachers’ professional values, and whether or not they are embraced by influential early adopters.

Just 15 percent of teachers in the survey said they are even somewhat familiar with the concept of micro-credentials, which the report defines as addressing “the need for competency-based learning for educators by allowing them to identify specific competencies they wish to develop, submit evidence of their competence and then receive recognition for that learning through digital badges.”

However, after reading a description of micro- credentials, more than 70 percent of teachers surveyed said they are at least somewhat interested in them, and 65 percent of those surveyed said they are at least somewhat likely to try to earn micro-credentials as part of their professional development.

Next page: Will teachers try them?