More and more higher education institutions seek ways to make their study programs flexible.  Flexibilization contributes to some higher goals:  making education more personalized,  improve student mobility ("seamless learner journeys"), and offer short educational programs for re-skilling and up-skilling.   Micro-credentials and stackable degrees have been suggested as ways to reach this goal. However, studies have shown that motivational elements in micro-credentials and open badges need purposeful learning design. Moreover, numerous organizational and technological challenges exist (such as recognition and accreditation, quality assurance, cost and sustainability, integration with traditional Programs, implementing a LLL infrastructure, legal and regulatory compliance, market competition, etc.). Addressing these challenges requires careful planning, collaboration across departments, and ongoing evaluation and adaptation of micro-credential programs within HEIs. 

In educational policies, micro-credentials and open badges are considered promising ways for learners to demonstrate mastery of skills and knowledge at a granular level. Increased motivation and engagement in learning are conceived central to these promises. However, in research (Alt, 2021; West et al., 2020), the impact on motivation has been found inconsistent across studies. Furthermore, researchers (Cheng et al., 2023) have found that learners’ goal setting, self-efficacy and self-regulation behaviours result in different experiences of motivation and engagement. In this vein, the authors of this workshop proposal have identified a gap in understanding how recent technological developments, including AI and Web3, can contribute to learner motivation and engagement, and how these technologies can be integrated to the learning design and instruction. 

 Alt, D. Who benefits from digital badges? Motivational precursors of digital badge usages in higher education. Curr Psychol 42, 6629–6640 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02002-0

Cheng, Z., Wang, H., Zhu, X., West, R. E., Zhang, Z., Xu, Q. (2023). Open badges support goal setting and self-efficacy but not self-regulation in a hybrid learning environment. Computers & Education, Volume 197, 2023, 104744, ISSN 0360-1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104744

West, R.E., Tawfik, A.A., Gishbaugher, J.J. et al. Guardrails to Constructing Learning: the Potential of Open Microcredentials to Support Inquiry-Based Learning. TechTrends 64, 828–838 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-020-00531-2

Short presentations (10 min) based on selected experience reports, discussions in small groups and sharing good practices take turns in the face-to-face workshop. Participants of the workshop will be invited to share their experiences on how micro-credentials and open badges have been implemented in higher education institutions. The workshop will identify common challenges and ways to overcome them.

• Timo Halttunen, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland, timo.a.halttunen@turkuamk.fi
• Mika Suutari, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland, mika.suutari@turkuamk.fi
• Peter Nobels, HU (University of Applied Science Utrecht), Netherlands
• Christina Hell, University for Continuing Education, Krems, Austria
• Tobias Ley, University for Continuing Education, Krems, Austria
• Oliver Kessler, HSLU (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts), Switzerland
• Sebastian Huber, HSLU (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts), Switzerland