Micro-credentials are becoming increasingly common in education as a way of identifying teachers with specific skills and knowledge. The authors of this report share the findings from a study on the implementation and impact of teacher micro-credentials intended to improve high school science, technology, engineering, and math teaching and learning in Louisiana.
Authors
Tekkumru-Kisa, Miray, Ziegler, Michelle D., Kaufman, Julia H., Wolfe, Rebecca L., Christianson, Karen, Doss, Christopher Joseph
- Division
- RAND Education and Labor
- Pages
- 76
- Published in
- United States
- RAND Identifier
- RR-A2486-2
- RAND Type
- report
- Rights
- RAND Corporation
- Series
- Research Reports
- Source
- https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2486-2.html
Table of Contents
- The Role of Micro-Credentials in Strengthening STEM Teaching and Learning 1
- About This Report 3
- Summary 5
- Contents 9
- Figures and Tables 10
- Figures 10
- Tables 10
- Introduction 11
- Review of Relevant Research on Micro-Credentials in Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Education and Their Effectiveness 12
- How Are Micro-Credentials Being Used to Support Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Teaching 12
- What Do We Know About the Impact of Micro-Credentials on Teacher and Student Outcomes 13
- What Factors Support or Discourage Teacher Use of Micro-Credentials 14
- The Louisiana STEM Micro-Credentialing Project 15
- Project Partners Structure and Timeline 15
- Review of the Micro-Credential Earning Process 16
- Theory of Action 16
- Louisiana STEM Micro-Credentialing Project Implementation and Impact Studies 18
- Study Population 19
- Implementation Methods and Data 19
- Impact Study Methods and Data 21
- Data Sources 21
- Randomization 22
- Organization of the Remainder of the Report 23
- Implementation of Micro-Credentials 25
- Teachers Progress Toward Earning Micro-Credentials 26
- Motivators Barriers and Facilitators to Completing Micro-Credentials 28
- Teacher Perceptions of the Usefulness of Micro-Credential Content 33
- Alignment and Applicability of Micro-Credential Content to Teachers STEM Courses 33
- Opportunities for Professional Learning Provided in Micro-Credentials 36
- Teacher Perceptions of the Supports Offered for Implementing Micro- Credentials 39
- Perceived Impacts of Micro-Credentials on Teaching and Learning 42
- Impact of the Offer of Micro-Credentials on Student Outcomes 47
- Effect of the Offer of Micro-Credentials on Student Academic Outcomes 47
- Effect of the Offer of Micro-Credentials on Student Course-Taking and Attendance 48
- Summary of Impact Findings and Limitations 49
- Conclusion and Lessons Learned 51
- Summary of Findings 51
- Teacher Engagement with Micro-Credentials Was Relatively Low 51
- Teachers Provided Mixed Feedback About the Micro-Credentials Value as Professional Development and the Accompanying Supports but Largely Saw the Micro-Credentials as Aligned with Their Courses 52
- Teachers Perceived Some Impacts from the Micro-Credentials on Their Teaching Although the Study Showed No Impacts on Objective Student Outcome Measures 52
- Implications and Recommendations for Policy and Practice 53
- Identify and Communicate the Goals of Micro-Credentials as They Are Being Developed and Implemented 53
- Provide Information to Schools and Teachers About the Demands of Micro- Credentials and Take Steps to Minimize Those Demands 54
- Critically Examine the Value Proposition That Micro-Credentials Afford Teachers 55
- Qualitative Codes Definitions and Examples 57
- Additional Impact Study Details 63
- Randomized Controlled Trial Design and Independence 63
- Teacher Logs and Student Surveys 63
- Teacher Logs 63
- Student Surveys of Attitudes Toward Math and Science 64
- Analysis of Student Data 64
- Statistical Model 64
- Standardization of Achievement Variables 64
- Baseline Variable Imputation 65
- Baseline Balance and Attrition for Student Outcomes 65
- Statistical Power of the Study 68
- Additional Results 69
- First Stage 69
- Additional Student Outcomes from Administrative Data 70
- Abbreviations 71
- References 73
