Blockchain-based micro-credentialing system in higher education institutions: Systematic literature review

Abstract

A micro-credential is a proof of the student's knowledge, skills, and experience that can be used to progress towards a larger credential or degree that focuses on a particular field of study in the shortest amount of time. Micro-credentials are a new area in the education sector that has expanded significantly over recent years and have become a popular idea in the higher education sector. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, micro-credentials are the most recent innovation in online education, gaining traction in public and private universities throughout the world. This has resulted in many universities developing strategies to offer micro-credential-driven courses. Higher education institutions (HEIs) need to validate micro-credentials, but the validation is a long-drawn-out and cumbersome process, so blockchain technology can be used to easily validate the detailed information on each students’ micro-credentials. Unfortunately, to date, only scant scholarly research has been conducted on blockchain-based micro-credentialing systems in HEIs. This study provides a detailed overview of the state-of-the-art in the field of managing micro-credentials using blockchain technology. We start by outlining the various requirements that need to be met in a blockchain-based micro-credentialing system. We then use a systematic literature review (SLR) to retrieve relevant studies published between 2016–2022 and compare them to the defined requirements. We also analyse the relevant studies to determine the research gaps. This review will offer insight into micro-credentialing systems that have been proposed for HEIs over recent years.