Welcome to "the Micro-evaluator"
 
A tool for evaluating micro-credentials

You're an admission officer, credential evaluator, or maybe you're just curious about the recognition of micro-credentials. This tool will support effective recognition procedures for micro-credentials, in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention. 
Click here for help

Flexible Approach
Recognizing micro-credentials often requires some flexibility of procedures. This app will guide you through the most significant recognition criteria for micro-credentials. You will be asked to answer the questions. Sometimes you might have to look up information online. If you can't find the right information, just answer with "no".

You may not be able to answer "yes" to all the questions. With each step, keep in mind the purpose of recognition and consider which criteria are most important for that context.

At the end, you will receive our advise on how to deal with the recognition of micro-credentials.

You will evaluate these recognition criteria:
Quality Assurance
Verification (not for on-site courses)
Level
Learning Outcomes
Workload
Testing 
Identification (not for on-site courses)
Before we start: what type of course do you want to evaluate?

1: Quality Assurance

1: Quality Assurance
Strong quality indicators

1: Quality Assurance
Substantial quality indicators

(For example: the course is provided by an accredited institution and is eligible for credit transfer. But there is no information on internal or external QA).

1: Quality Assurance
Weak quality indicators

(For example: Positive student reviews. Alternative quality assurance by third parties such as employers).

1: Quality Assurance
No quality indicators

2: Verification

2: Verification
Secure

2: Verification
Some verification possible

(For example: the course details on the certificate coincide with the online information). 

2: Verification
Limited verification possible

2: Verification
No verification possible

3: Level

3: Level
The level is clear

3: Level
Relevant information available 

(The level is platform-specific, but additional information on admission requirements, learning outcomes and further opportunities is available and allows for comparison with NQF level).

3: Level
Little information available 

(The level indicated on the course certificate is platform-specific).

3: Level
Level unknown

4: Learning Outcomes

4: Learning Outcomes
No doubt

4: Learning Outcomes
Relevant information available

(For example: the learning outcomes are not mentioned on the course certificate, but a unique course numbering system makes it possible to quickly check the corresponding course description).

4: Learning Outcomes
Relevant information available

(For example: the learning outcomes are not mentioned on the course certificate, but a unique course numbering system makes it possible to quickly check the corresponding course description).

4: Learning Outcomes
Unknown

5: Workload

5: Workload
Substantial workload

5: Workload
Substantial workload 

(on the basis of the indicated number of working hours/week in the course description).

5: Workload
Insufficient workload 

(Insuffient workload in relation to the puspose of recognition)

5: Workload
Workload unclear

6: Testing

6: Testing
Clear indicators

(of formative and summative testing)

6: Testing
Substantial

6: Testing
Weak

(self-assessment or peer assessment)

6: Testing
No assessment 

(For example:
- only attendance
- only viewing
- only completion)

7: Identification

7: Identification
Secure

7: Identification
Substantial forms of identification

(e.g. more than one type of identification and recurring verification of ID)

7: Identification
Unsubstantial identification

7: Identification
Weak

(no or self-declared identification like in open accounts)

Your Results:
Quality
Verification (online)
Level
Learning Outcomes
Workload
Testing 
Identification (online)
Press "Next" to see how this course can be recognized.

How to use these results?
This micro-credential can be recognized in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

How to use these results?
Micro-credentials often don't comply with all recognition criteria. 

Ask yourself:
  • Can we still recognize the micro-credential by prioritizing certain criteria, such as quality, and accept that other criteria are not or only partially met?
  • If not, can we still recognize the micro-credential through procedures for Recognition of Prior Learning?
 
The Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC) is the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in the European Region. It was drafted in 1997 by the Council of Europe and Unesco to facilitate and promote fair recognition among Parties of the Convention.
An organisation checks and assesses the quality of education. Usually the accreditation is valid for a certain period. In some countries, accreditation is compulsory, in others it is voluntary. The government of a country often appoints one or more organisations responsible for accrediting institutions and/or study programmes. In addition, there are also private accreditation organisations. Read more about accreditation in the EAR manual (http://ear.enic-naric.net/emanual/)
Ideally, this involves both internal and external quality assurance.
Whereas internal quality assurance is the responsibility of the higher education institution itself, external quality assurance is done by the national quality assurance agency.
"Alternative" QA may involve course provider status, recognition by third parties (higher education institutions or employers) or a substantial amount of student reviews.
For example, can you check an e-badge or enter a verification number on the website of the course provider? 
This could include important information on:
- the course dates
- the course content
- the results
The NQF (National Qualification Framework) contains the levels of most diplomas in a country.
For example:
- admission requirements; 
- learning outcomes;
- stated further opportunities.
Most courses have an assigned difficulty level, which can be introductory, intermediate, or advanced. This is often only a platform-specific indication.
A frequent difficulty with informal providers is that course information can be taken off the provider's website over time. In some cases, important information can be retrieved by using: https://archive.org/web/web.php
What constitutes a "substantial workload" has to be judged by the evaluator of the course in relation to the purpose of recognition.
We consider this combination to be "best practice". However, you may decide a different combination of tests or assessments is also satisfactory.
For example:
- a passport check;
- a photo ID;
- a key stroke ID. 
For example:
- a passport check;
- a photo ID;
- a key stroke ID.