Pathways program exemplifies the quick rise of micro-credentials

In about a year and a half, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) has gone from one micro-credential badge awarded through a single track to more than 160 awarded through seven tracks. Micro-credentials -- short, flexible learning experiences that verify skills students or employees gain -- often don't show up on a college transcript or resumés, but many business leaders see them as key employee attributes.

In CALS, the Pathways to Innovation and Leadership program grew quickly because it leveraged skills and high-impact practices already being taught to build micro-credentials, tracks and badges. Pathways staff also worked with the Student Innovation Center, learning communities and the Academic Success Center to build micro-credentials.

"We collaborate with our departments as well as our high-impact practice programs, like undergraduate research, internships, study abroad programs and more, to make the program as impactful as possible," said Amy Mendee, director of CALS Pathways to Innovation and Leadership. "It also is important to remember that a micro-credential does not need to be a major undertaking, they are supposed to be bite-sized learning opportunities," she said. "That is why reflection is an important part of the process to keep participants engaged and stacking micro-credentials."

Pathways program

CALS' graduate and undergraduate students can earn the college's micro-credentials for free. Each track is built the same way. A learner can begin their journey at any point on the track and choose from micro-credential experiences, such as the Pathway Planner, workshops, mock interviews and hands-on learning that align with their goals. Most students begin with a 15-minute planning session with Pathways staff to map out a micro-credential plan, then attend workshops and mock interview sessions to develop and demonstrate a range of skills. By completing a hands-on learning experience, submitting a final reflection and presenting the project, students can also receive hands-on learning micro-credentials.

"CALS has a lot of hands-on learning experiences, but we want to make that learning visible to employers," Mendee said. 

She said the Pathway Planner is like a four-year degree plan but for skill development. It helps students decide what experiences will benefit them most in their future career. All the workshops focus on innovation, leadership and professional skill development to help students accentuate their strengths. The mock interviews are skills-based and already were a staple of CALS' career services. They are designed to help in job and graduate school interviews. 

CALS currently offers seven tracks with specific micro-credentials required for each:

• Innovator and leader scholar
• Creative innovation and leader
• Global innovator and leader
• Innovator and leader intern
• Entrepreneurial innovator and leader
• Competitive innovator and leader
• Service innovator and leader

"The tracks are based on the high-impact practices offered in the college through collaboration with the study abroad, research experiences, entrepreneurship programs and others," Mendee said. "It benefits those programs to have more participants, and students get the added value of earning a micro-credential."

She said the college held a LinkedIn workshop each of the past two semesters to show students how and where to share their micro-credentials on social media or include them as part of their email signature. Department collaborations and student word of mouth and sharing their micro-credential experiences with clubs and organizations has helped the program grow.

Building micro-credentials

Mendee said faculty and staff interested in developing a micro-credential can start by looking at things they already teach. Connecting with other departments or units that engage students through learning experiences also is important.

"Working with study abroad or service learning opportunities can help you understand the skills that students are building through those experiences and how to build off of that," she said.

Micro-credentials growing at Iowa State

Most micro-credentials reflect ISU priorities like innovation, entrepreneurship and high-impact practices, and are available to working professionals for $10. Currently, ISU offers more than 90 badges and 11 pathways. All are non-credit offerings. As of October, learners earned nearly 675 badges and 80% of them are sharing their badges online. The most popular platform is LinkedIn (77%) followed by email (19%).

Tanya Austin, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching's professional learning and micro-credentials program specialist, said all micro-credentials must pass through the micro-credential review committee with faculty and staff representation from across campus. Each credential must meet seven quality criteria for approval, she said.

"Employers are telling us that right now there is a strong need for transferrable or soft skills," Austin said. "Providing evidence of things like strong communication skills, excellent problem solving and adaptability are increasingly important."