Micro-credentials.

Micro-credentials measure the demonstration of skill and knowledge, not time spent learning.

Time spent on professional development is not a good indicator of the value of that learning — that’s not news. Simply spending time isn’t the goal — in fact, most of us would probably say that if increased knowledge and skill in teaching can be achieved in less time, it would be a good thing. Still, time tends to be the most-measured factor in professional learning.

Micro-credentials honor existing competence and respect learners’ time.

We all know what it’s like to sit through unnecessary training, the litany of “better things to do” running through our heads when a seminar covers the same material we’ve conquered long ago. A veteran teacher who’s an expert in formative assessments may not need to sit through a course that a first-year educator finds helpful. With competency-based learning, she won’t have to. She can simply demonstrate her skill and knowledge in this area and earn the micro-credential, while the new teacher takes a course or other learning experience to gain that knowledge.

This means that teachers can spend their professional learning time focusing on learning opportunities that are meaningful and relevant to them.

Micro-credentials are a tremendous way to meet ESSA’s professional learning requirements.

The Every Student Succeeds Act sets a high bar when it comes to professional learning, and micro-credentials can help to meet each of the criteria specified in the law. ESSA calls for professional learning to be:

• Sustained. Developing a set of skills requires more than going to a one-time workshop, and with micro-credentials, the timeline can flex to meet the needs of each individual learner.
• Intensive. Professional learning that is focused on a discrete concept, practice or program is exactly what competency-based learning brings: a particular area of focus and the steps needed to achieve it.
• Job-embedded. While some learning elements of a micro-credential may be offered online, skills are mastered and demonstrated within the context of the job.
• Collaborative. One of the best ways to learn within a competency-based model is from experts: colleagues, coaches, mentors. And when submitting evidence, an in-district assessor weighs evidence and provides feedback to the learner.
• Data-driven. While time is often viewed as a data point, the most important data at an individual level is whether or not the participant can show he has learned the required skills.
• Classroom-focused. Micro-credentials allow learners to truly focus on the skills that will make the most difference to teaching and learning.

Micro-credentials break down learning into manageable chunks.

Meaningful learning needs to focus on discrete units that can be practiced. This kind of “microlearning” often involves a series of sessions that take 45-90 minutes each and are delivered over time. Not only does this put ambitious projects within reach, it provides a sense of accomplishment when each unit is practiced and implemented.

Micro-credentials ≠ badges.

As we look at what micro-credentials are, it’s helpful to also look at what they are not. By now, you can hopefully see that micro-credentials are way more than just badges. Badges are simply a way to incentivize (or even gamify) learning with micro-credentials. While the micro-credential codifies how competence must be demonstrated through the submission and assessment of evidence, a badge signifies that competence has been demonstrated.

It comes down to rigor. Looking at whether an individual attended a workshop, put a certain number of hours into a learning experience or watched a series of videos doesn’t have the same level of rigor as determining whether they can effectively put a skill into practice in the classroom. High-quality micro-credentials may award badges, but only when a participant can show mastery.

Micro-credentials can help build a district’s brand.

A challenge many school systems face today is when good teachers leave — either the school itself or the profession entirely. The job market is competitive, and building a solid brand can give your district an edge in attracting and retaining high-quality teachers.

One way to do this is by providing meaningful professional development for teachers, including micro-credentials. Competency-based learning honors what teachers already know, is flexible, and is an effective way to acquire critical skills – and that can all add up to a big differentiator for your district.

Micro-credentials can provide leadership pathways.

Beyond offering effective learning, micro-credentials can also provide a way for teachers to advance in their careers. At a certain point, the next logical step for a teacher is to leave the classroom and become an administrator. But what about those who don’t aspire to the principalship and want to remain in teaching?

One of the unexpected benefits of micro-credentials is opening a door to leadership. Imagine a master teacher who’s highly skilled at formative assessment. You might ask that teacher to become an assessor: someone who looks at the evidence other teachers submit in order to earn micro-credentials. This puts that master teacher in a position of leadership, where they can provide feedback, collaborate with peers, share expertise and be seen as an expert by colleagues. Better yet, this leadership opportunity doesn’t remove that teacher from the classroom. It’s a fantastic way to build internal capacity in your district for a rich set of skills and create a culture of collaboration and sharing.

Prioritize new plans based on research.

This helps to prevent Shiny Object Syndrome. “If you don’t make good research-based decisions, you’re bound to be kicked around by every fad,” said Cindy Phillips, Weilenmann’s Executive Director. “You look at the research on the efficiency to time of this kind of professional development, and you just can’t beat it.”

Set goals collaboratively with teachers.

“We ask our teachers to set very specific goals that are aligned to our state standards of professionalism. And we identify the micro-credential that goes with that goal.”

Offer choice.

“Instead of assigning a micro-credential, we asked them to choose,” said Kat Mitchell, Lower School Director. “And when we asked them to choose, we had far better success in them wanting to do it.”

Incentivize.

Perhaps this isn’t appropriate for every organization, but Weilenmann offers teachers a small monetary incentive for every micro-credential completed, up to three. Incentives don’t need to be financial, however — recognition and career pathing can be motivating as well.

Connect people together for support.

Perhaps multiple teachers are pursuing the same micro-credential at the same time. If so, grease the wheels for collaboration.

Take strategic advantage of the school’s schedule.

Is winter break coming up? That might be a great time to encourage teachers to pursue a micro-credential. Or perhaps include them as part of summer PD.

Ask administrators to complete micro-credentials, too.

At Weilenmann, administrators are teachers as well, and they take part in the same professional learning that the rest of the certified staff does. Cindy said this helps keep them aware of what teachers need on an ongoing basis.

Have fun.

“Students will always do something that they perceive as fun, and that they see that there’s something meaningful about it,” said Cindy. “One of the best ways to get buy-in before the first year even starts is to have a fantastically fun moment with your teachers, where you’ve previewed all kinds of great curriculum, assigned it out, and have the teachers demonstrate how they’re going to use it the very first day, so that your buy-in is almost immediate because it’s fun and meaningful. The same way you would hook your students in.”

Give teachers freedom to use what they’ve learned.

“There is no point in developing qualities of great teaching, or leadership abilities or whatever it may be, and having it hidden away in some corner of the school. You need to not only allow your teachers the autonomy to innovate and to utilize new skills in new ways, even if it wasn’t exactly what you had planned, because they’ve now learned something — they’ve grown beyond what they were doing before and want to try it out. As an administrator, if you snuff that out, you have completely undermined the credibility of all the premises on which you say that your school is based.”

Ask teachers to share success stories.

Micro-credentials provide a rich opportunity for conversations about teaching, said Steve Williams, Weilenmann’s Middle School Dean. “One thing I’ve seen is that teachers are talking about things they’ve learned. They would talk about things that they would improve… I have seen that among all of our teachers, and I think they want to do this. I think 90% of the teachers that I have talked with are interested in doing more micro-credentials.”

Be open to feedback.

“I don’t think anyone appreciates a push-down initiative,” said Steve. Communicating early and being up front with faculty about the what, why and how of micro-credentials, and giving teachers a chance to discuss, ask questions and react to them is important. “That there’s opportunity to talk about it, and it’s not just something you have to put your head down and do. And I think that gives people strength and a sense that they’re a part of this, and that their feedback really does matter in the process.”