In the dynamic landscape of education, adaptability and continuous learning are paramount. My school, Bishop Druitt College, has embarked on a ground-breaking journey introducing microcredentials across our secondary years as well as for our staff. These bite-sized certifications, designed to focus on specific skills, have emerged as game-changers, and have had a profound impact at our K-12 institution. The article outlines the Bishop Druitt College (BDC) journey to microcredentials.

At BDC, we understood it was important to develop an innovative, effective, and sustainable microcredential badging system for our students and staff as we could see the positive impact this system was having in the tertiary and business sector with respect to motivation, learning and career advancement. We were also cognisant that even positive well-planned change in schools can be challenging at the start, and often messy in the middle even if the result is something to be extremely proud of.

We developed a plan and timeline that would meet our challenges to implement. To facilitate this process a focus group of staff was developed to research the history of badging in tertiary and secondary education sectors. The group interviewed key players in this space locally and nationally and we quickly realised that we needed an online delivery system that was stable, reliable, and responsive to the needs of the school. The focus group worked on this project throughout 2022 before its launch. The following links outline a sample of the communication we provided to our community:

1. https://www.bdc.nsw.edu.au/college-life/learning-and-teaching
2. https://www.bdc.nsw.edu.au/news/microcredentials
3. https://www.bdc.nsw.edu.au/news/revolutionising-education-bdc-embrace-the-future-with-digital-badging-for-staff-and-students

Our new microcredentials were officially launched at the start of 2023 and were immediately well-received by staff, students, and parents. Credly, the chosen delivery platform notably collates statistical overviews that can be used to capture the engagement in the microcredentials. Between May and December 2023, for example, we witnessed a remarkable distribution of 3,691 microcredential badges, across 13 faculties. This impressive number underscores the college's commitment to cultivating a diverse range of skills and competencies. A shining example came from the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education faculty whose badge took centre stage, with 489 students receiving this recognition.

At Bishop Druitt College, our commitment to excellence is evident in the creation of 131 badges spanning various faculties. This reflects the institution's acknowledgement of the multifaceted nature of education, catering to diverse interests and skill sets among both students and staff from leadership development to first aid training to developing cultural competencies.

We had hoped that students and staff would proudly share their microcredential badges through their social media platforms and indeed the influence of microcredentials quickly extended beyond the traditional classroom setting, as students and staff actively shared their achievements on LinkedIn and X. The Persistence in Mathematics: Level 3 badge emerged as the most shared student accomplishment, emphasising the value placed on cultivating perseverance and resilience in the face of academic challenges.

Among staff, the Leader AI Conversation badge took the spotlight as the most shared on social media. This highlights the dedication of the college's educators to staying at the forefront of educational technology and fostering innovative teaching practices. Furthermore, Leader AI Conversations not only garnered the most shares but also attracted the highest number of views on social media, indicating a collective interest and engagement within the educational community regarding artificial intelligence and its implications for academic leadership.

The introduction of microcredentials at Bishop Druitt College has not only provided students and staff with opportunities for skill diversification but has also fostered a culture of sharing the endeavour and benefits of continuous learning. This journey underscores our commitment to preparing its community for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow’s learning and working environment.

Nick Johnstone,
Principal
Bishop Druitt College