Not all microcredentials are created equal. As UMBC continues to expand its portfolio of microcredentials, it will be important to implement a Taxonomy that reflects the variety of learning outcomes, activities, and assessments. The proposed taxonomies will help faculty and staff categorize their microcredentials, and they will help microcredential earners communicate the degree of their achievement to interested parties.
The following five (5) taxonomies were built off of the work of Braxton (2022), Camilleri, Muramatsu, & Schmidt (2022), Gaston & Van Noy (2022), and Kennesaw State University.
The taxonomies align with the corresponding Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.
Engagement Microcredential
Demonstration Methodology: Participation
Bloom’s Taxonomy Alignment: N/A
The Engagement microcredential may also be known as the “Participation microcredential.” These microcredentials may incentivize or award earners who complete a task or attend an event. Additionally, these microcredentials may be useful for recording and other administrative purposes. Engagement microcredentials have limited to no application outside the UMBC community.
Draft an Engagement Microcredential
Knowledge Microcredential
Demonstration Methodology: Knowledge
Bloom’s Taxonomy Alignment: Remembering & Understanding
Knowledge microcredentials build upon the earner’s prior knowledge and expose them to new knowledge, concepts, or other practices. The time to earn this microcredential may be gained through a single event (e.g., attending a workshop or completing a module). The knowledge an earner acquires from this experience may or may not have application outside the UMBC community. Assessments used for this microcredential check for remembering and understanding.
Draft a Knowledge Microcredential
Proficiency Microcredential
Demonstration Methodology: Skill
Bloom’s Taxonomy Alignment: Apply & Analyze
Proficiency microcredentials demonstrate that earners acquire a new, transferable skill with multiple applications across different contexts. Proficiency microcredentials may be earned from a single event, but are more likely to be earned after a series of events or as progress toward achievement is made over time. The assessments used may check for remembering or understanding, but they place greater emphasis on a microcredential earner’s ability to apply and analyze concepts toward the skill they have acquired.
Draft a Proficiency Microcredential
Mastery Microcredential
Demonstration Methodology: Ability
Bloom’s Taxonomy Alignment: Evaluating & Creating
Upon earning a Mastery microcredential, earners will have acquired a new ability in a specialized topic. Mastery microcredentials may take a significant amount of time to complete, up to the equivalent of a 3-credit course. Formative and summative assessments should be used throughout the learning experience to help an individual achieve the Mastery microcredential. The summative assessment will ensure that the earner can evaluate or create a producible artifact that can be shared or displayed to a broader audience (e.g., an ePortfolio webpage or a LinkedIn post).
Draft a Mastery Microcredential
Meta Microcredential
Demonstration Methodology: Culmination of Knowledge, Skill, and Ability
Bloom’s Taxonomy Alignment: Culmination of Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating
Meta microcredentials are awarded upon completion of a microcredential pathway. Course credit equivalencies and learning outcome definitions for Meta microcredentials are less than those for a certificate program. Meta microcredentials have at least two steps or prerequisite microcredentials, each composed of some combination of Knowledge, Proficiency, and Mastery microcredentials.