Digital Promise’s Micro-credentials team had the opportunity to present and learn from many experts in the digital badging and micro-credential space at the Badge Summit in Boulder, Colorado, from July 24-26. The eighth annual summit once again brought together professionals from the K-12, higher education, workforce, government, and non-profit sectors for impactful sessions that led to stimulating conversations about digital badging and micro-credentials. Many attendees left with next steps for implementation or growth for their badging and micro-credentialing programs. The virtual portion of the summit will be held on August 14, 2023.
The Micro-credentials team shared their reflections from the Badge Summit:
Casey Baxley, Partnerships Manager, Micro-credentials
“It’s exciting to hear from higher education institutions at the Badge Summit who are leaning into the challenge of developing innovative micro-credential pathways as an alternative to standard degree programs based on credit hours. As a field, we must also maintain a focus on equitable access and ask the question: Are we designing micro-credentials for or with historically and systemically excluded learners?”
Keying Chen, Product Associate, Micro-credentials
“The past three days have been an incredible learning experience seeing players in this field adopting diverse perspectives and approaches to address various aspects within the spectrum. I look forward to continuing to witness and participate in collaborative efforts to put learners/earners at the heart of all endeavors, support them throughout the journey, and enable them to embrace the latest achievements of the ecosystem.”
Kristen Franklin, Senior Program Manager, Micro-credentials
“I was excited to hear about well-established programs that focus on the needs of learners and workers, such as Black Girl Ventures, a cohort-based program that leverages the experience of Black women-identifying founders, fostering “community, capital, and capacity-building.” I also had an opportunity to chat with an undergrad student who has earned two micro-credentials through her work-study job—skills she may not have had an opportunity to demonstrate through regular coursework, like professional communication and leadership skills. I appreciate and applaud the strong work throughout the field! A more inclusive environment with transparent opportunities to involve a diverse range of experiences and abilities is important, desirable, and much needed.”
Marilys Galindo, Project Manager, Micro-credentials
“As micro-credentials are offered by more institutions and organizations, it is important to keep the learner front and center in the micro-credential’s design. As the end-user, the learner’s perspective and needs must be captured to ensure the micro-credential has value and is sought after. This creates buy-in from the learner and ultimately helps tell the story of the learner.”
Nichole Aguirre, Badging Coalition Director, Micro-credentials
“The Badge Summit 2023 truly showcased the impactful work happening around badging and credentialing with presenters and participants from around the world. Throughout the three days of Badgesplaining, Rapid Fire, and Panel sessions, it is clear that there are many organizations working toward critical goals that boost the learner at the forefront and center of their own journeys.”
Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, Director, Micro-credentials
So many organizations are doing really great and important work on how to leverage digital badging within their contexts. As more institutions enter this space, it is critical to share best practices and continue learning from each other. Digital badging is poised to provide solutions to meet so many needs, especially those of historically and systematically excluded learners.
Sangyeon Lee, Senior Operations Manager, Micro-credentials
“Defining governance structure and decentralizing user identity is critical to building learner- and equity-centered digital badging initiatives. I was excited to connect with many organizations at the summit committed to centering learner autonomy and control of data that will empower the entire digital badging ecosystem. I look forward to learning more and continuing this exciting journey.”
Veronique Kulikov, Operations Associate, Micro-credentials
“While digital badging and micro-credentials initiatives are becoming increasingly widespread among for-profit and higher education institutions, Digital Promise remains a leader in focusing on an equity and inclusivity centered approach. The collaboration between organizations within the field has proven very important, not only for the purpose of innovation within the badging sector, but for the establishment of baseline standards within the budding field.”
(From left to right) Marilys Galindo, Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, and Gina Conner during their session, “Disrupting the Credential Ecosystem with Competency-based Micro-credentials: Building Partnerships in Professional Learning.”
Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, director of Micro-credentials, and Marilys Galindo, project manager of Micro-credentials, collaborated with Gina Conner, director of professional learning from Arizona State University for a rapid fire discussion titled, “Disrupting the Credential Ecosystem with Competency-based Micro-credentials: Building Partnerships in Professional Learning.” The session focused on insights of Digital Promise’s micro-credential implementation practices that institutions adopt for educator professional development, re-certification, and licensure. It explored how ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC) has incorporated these micro-credential implementation practices with a partner district to expand the role of micro-credentials as a professional learning pathway for educators.
(From left to right) Kristen Franklin, Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, Kerri Lemoie, and Nichole Aguirre during their session, “Supporting Open Source, Open-Badge Credentials.”
Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, Kristen Franklin, senior program manager of Micro-credentials, and Nichole Aguirre, badging coalition project director, collaborated with Kerrie Lemoie, director of technology from Digital Credentials Consortium at MIT for a long panel discussion titled, “Supporting Open Source, Open-Badge Credentials.” The panelists discussed the current work their respective organizations are doing to ensure there is a non-profit, open source, Open Badges 3.0 credential option. Some specific topics addressed included how micro-credentials are serving historically and systematically excluded learners and designing a digital infrastructure for interoperable and verifiable digital credentials.
The Micro-credentials team will also participate in the virtual portion of the summit on August 14, 2023. Kristen Franklin,, will lead a rapid fire discussion titled, “Stackable Credentials: How KQED & PBS Identified Critical Skills Toward a Media Literacy Certification,” featuring Rik Panganiban, manager of online learning and educator certification, and Randy Depew, Ed.D., managing director of education at KQED. Despite the frequent and rapidly-shifting media landscape, KQED & PBS have created a stack of eight micro-credentials about learners’ role as media consumers and creators. Once an educator has earned the full stack of eight micro-credentials, they are awarded the Media Literacy Certification. Kristen, Rik, and Randy will present the process, successes, and challenges to support others in stacking credentials.
Casey Baxley, partnerships manager of Micro-credentials, collaborated with Toriano Hayward, director of teacher leadership development of Louisiana Department of Education, Anne Morris, director of programs from Educators Rising PDK International, and Maegan Schopper, high school curriculum specialist from Rapides Parish School Board for a long panel discussion titled, “Building Diverse Educator Pathways with Micro-credentials.” This session will highlight how micro-credentials are utilized as part of an innovative Louisiana Pre-Educator Pathway program developed by the Louisiana Dept of Education and Educators Rising. Beginning in the junior year of high school, the program involves a blended curriculum that provides strong foundational academic knowledge, dual enrollment in a local university, and MC submissions as portfolios of learning.
Interested in attending the Badge Summit 2023’s virtual sessions? Register here.
Interested in learning more or partnering with us? Learn more about our work in Micro-credentials. Please contact us at microcredentials@digitalpromise.org.
