Learner Satisfaction, Academic Performance, Micro-credential Design: A Case Study from European Universities

Recently, asynchronous distance learning has been gaining research attention at an accelerating pace, enabling digital transformation in education and helping learners acquire the necessary skills. Hence, micro-credentials have also raised significant scholarly interest. One of the main challenges in distance online learning is to keep the learners engaged throughout and satisfied with their learning journeys. This is especially true in micro-credentials, which, more often than not, come on top of regular studies and professional and social commitments of the learners. In general, a substantial body of research exists on student satisfaction with online distance learning and micro-credentials specifically. Researchers investigate the effectiveness of specific activities, create and compare varied course designs, and analyse factors affecting student satisfaction with online learning. However, the existing research is fragmented due to the different spectrums of learning activities analysed in different educational contexts. In addition, the research on innovative learning designs of micro-credentials is limited. To address these gaps, we present a case study of a micro-credential “AI for Business” which is proposed to students from 14 European universities collaborating under the European Consortium of Innovative Universities umbrella. The body of the micro-credential includes 51 learning activities, including hands-on small projects invoking artificial intelligence and process automation tools, discussions, interactive e-texts, memory cards, games with sound and motion, interactive videos, quizzes, peer assessment, experiential learning, challenge-based learning with challenges from real businesses – our social partners and, at the same time, leaders in their markets, and much more. Such a great variety of learning activities within the same micro-credential allows for comparing the learning activities by student satisfaction while ensuring equal environmental conditions and eliminating potential inaccuracies which otherwise could have arisen from different courses – that is, contexts – in which the activities are employed. In addition, we present the micro-credential design and explore whether the learner satisfaction rates correlate with the grades received. Therefore, this case study enriches the research on innovative learning designs for micro-credentials and learner satisfaction with online learning activities, both subjects which scholars have highlighted as needing deeper academic investigation.