Origins and Impact of Micro-credentials in Education

The terms digital badges and micro-credentials are often used synonymously. Occasionally, digital badges are taken as the visual representations of learned skills, while micro-credentials emphasize the incremental character of acquiring competences. At times, digital badges are referred to in the higher education space, while micro-credentials are connected to the field of professional and career development. The difference is yet far from being clear cut, and the terms can also be found in reverse usage.