Micro-credentials are gaining traction as viable vehicles for rapid upskilling of the workforce in the twenty-first century and potential pathways for gaining employment for some students. The primary purpose of the current systematic review was to understand the current conceptions and discourses of micro-credentials in higher education and to identify the opportunities and challenges in adopting micro-credentials in higher education. The review also aimed to develop a need-driven micro-credentials framework that demonstrates the value of micro-credentials to stakeholders, i.e., learners, higher education institutions, employers, and government agencies. Key findings revealed that there are various stakeholders' needs and expectations. The learner wants short, practical, and up-to-date courses for their chosen career path, education institutions emphasise accreditation for building trust, employers want clarity regarding the competencies gained through micro-credentials, and government bodies expect higher graduate employability with lower tuition fees. Key findings revealed that implementing micro-credentials can be disruptive in the higher education sector and present several challenges. However, these challenges are likely to be mitigated by increased collaboration among stakeholders. The review has revealed several outstanding research questions critical for the success of micro-credentials as significant pathways to supplement traditional degree programmes. The research presented in the article has implications for policy development to guide the implementation of micro-credentials in the higher education sector. 

https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s41239-023-00381-x

A systematic review of the opportunities and challenges of micro-credentials for multiple stakeholders: learners, employers, higher education institutions and government

Abstract The presence of COVID-19 data in business databases is reflected by some providers making changes in how they collect, organize, share, and maintain data. These changes have implications for those who rely on business information for their decision-making or research. In this study, the authors sought to provide an overarching summary of ways business data providers are presenting COVID-19 data. Findings include the features used in business databases to address the impact of COVID-19 and considerations for librarians who work with business data.

COVID-19 data representation in business databases

Abstract The University of California, Irvine’s (UCI) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Librarian partnered with UCI’s New Venture Competition to provide embedded research support for teams participating in the competition, including a research workshop and individual team research consultations. To assess the impact of these library services, a quantitative study of three years of competition scores was conducted involving a control group and two experimental groups; the difference in the experimental groups was the mode in which the services were provided: in-person and virtually. The study hypothesized that teams who received information literacy training (i.e., attended a research workshop and/or participated in a research consultation) earned higher Concept Paper scores, as well as higher evidence question scores (i.e., scores for a rubric question related to providing evidence in support of claims made in the Concept Paper), than teams who did not receive information literacy training. Statistical analysis showed significant increases in both Concept Paper scores and evidence question scores for both experimental groups when compared to the control group, indicating that information literacy training positively impacted teams’ performance. Additional analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in teams’ scores based on training delivery mode, in-person or virtual. The results are of value to librarians seeking to initiate partnerships with entrepreneurship competitions on campus, as well as entrepreneurship educators interested in enhancing existing entrepreneurship competitions by incorporating research and information literacy training.

/pdf/impact-of-library-information-literacy-training-on-14t03jim.pdf

Impact of library information literacy training on entrepreneurship competition scores: A quantitative study at University of California, Irvine

This case-study describes the development of cross-disciplinary instruction for entrepreneurial information literacy. Growing out of a developing relationship between an academic library and Blacks...

Carolyn Klotzbach-Russell

Papers

Librarians in the LaunchPad: Building partnerships for entrepreneurial information literacy