Microcredentialing: Small courses, big opportunities for professional learners and associations

In this digital age, the modern learner is someone more technology-savvy and used to having quick resources at their disposal. They want to advance their professional skills, but between their current job and their personal life, they don’t have time or backup resources to commit to full-time learning for an extended period.

Enter microcredentialing, small courses of study on a specific area of professional education that allows the learner to go deep into a topic without having to commit to a full-time, weeks- or months-long program. They can stack mini-courses as it suits their professional goals or areas of interest. They don’t earn a full certificate, but they do earn a mini-certificate that verifies they mastered a precise subject.

Organizations that sponsor learning experiences should think about how their members learn as consumers. What kinds of interactive experiences are your members participating in with their favorite brands, news sources or personal hobbies? How can your association replicate that interactive experience within your slate of member learning activities? Furthermore, how can your association capitalize on the revenue opportunity that small, affordable courses present for expanding your budget?

Moreover, association members are now teaching participants who, thanks to the ease of creating and publishing content online, can be active content creators as they learn. How can associations recognize that content and the member(s) behind it?

Ready to explore more? In the spirit of the short bursts of learning that is microcredentialing, Blue Sky eLearn has created an 11-minute introductory video about microcredentialing. Hear from Jocelyn Fielding, director of marketing & sales at Blue Sky eLearn, and Ryan Graham, former senior sales director at Blue Sky eLearn, about why microlearning is becoming more popular and how associations can start to dabble in it.

Want a longer burst of learning? Join BadgeCert and Blue Sky eLearn for a 60-minute webinar where you’ll learn why badges have become the currency of choice for organizations to recognize their stakeholders’ accomplishments. (You must sign in or create a free account, but the webinar is available to anyone.) You will also learn how micro-credentials differ from badges and traditionally offered credentials, and how they are providing additional value for professionals while helping organizations meet their goals. The webinar finishes with some concrete ideas to consider when developing your association’s own microcredentials.

Thanks to Blue Sky eLearn for sharing this useful content with Association Adviser!