References
- 1Knutsen Glette M, Ludlow K, Wiig S, Bates DW, Austin EE. Resilience perspective on healthcare professionals’ adaptations to changes and challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic: a meta-synthesis. BMJ Open. 2023;13(9):
e071828 . DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071828 - 2The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Continuing Professional Development [Wedbpage]; 2024 [cited 2024 Dec. 19]. Available from:
https://www.cpso.on.ca/en/Physicians/Your-Practice/Quality-Management/Continuing-Professional-Development . - 3Mlambo M, Silen C, McGrath C. Lifelong learning and nurses’ continuing professional development, a metasynthesis of the literature. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):
62 . DOI: 10.1186/s12912-021-00579-2 - 4Samuel A, Cervero RM, Durning SJ, Maggio LA. Effect of Continuing Professional Development on Health Professionals’ Performance and Patient Outcomes: A Scoping Review of Knowledge Syntheses. Acad Med. 2021;96(6):913–23. DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000003899
- 5Wallace S, May SA. Assessing and enhancing quality through outcomes-based continuing professional development (CPD): a review of current practice. Vet Rec. 2016;179(20):515–20. DOI: 10.1136/vr.103862
- 6Hosseini S, Allen L, Khalid F, Li D, Stellrecht E, Howard M, et al. Evaluation of Continuing Professional Development for Physicians – Time for Change: A Scoping Review. Perspect Med Educ. 2023;12(1):198–207. DOI: 10.5334/pme.838
- 7Maher B, Faruqui A, Horgan M, Bergin C, Tuathaigh CO, Bennett D. Continuing professional development and Irish hospital doctors: a survey of current use and future needs. Clin Med (Lond). 2017;17(4):307–15. DOI: 10.7861/clinmedicine.17-4-307
- 8Yam CHK, Griffiths SM, Yeoh EK. What helps and hinders doctors in engaging in continuous professional development? An explanatory sequential design. PLoS One. 2020;15(8):
e0237632 . DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237632 - 9Okpalauwaekwe U, Holinaty C, Smith-Windsor T, Barton JW, MacLean C. From field of dreams to back to the future? Exploring barriers to participating in continuing professional development (CPD) programs. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24(1):
106 . DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05038-5 - 10Cook D, Price D, Wittich C, West C, Blachman M. Factors Influencing Physicians’ Selection of Continuous Professional Development Activities: A Cross-Specialty National Survey. J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2017;37(3):154–60. DOI: 10.1097/CEH.0000000000000163
- 11Institute of Medicine Committee on Planning a Continuing Health Professional Education Institute. Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2010.
- 12European Commission. A European approach to micro-credentials – Output of the micro-credentials higher education consultation group – Final report. Luxembourg; 2020.
- 13Rajabalee YB. The Implementation of Micro-Credentials in Formal and Informal Learning: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Learning and Teaching. 2023;9(4). DOI: 10.18178/ijlt.9.4.328-336
- 14Tamoliune G, Greenspon R, Tereseviciene M, Volungeviciene A, Trepule E, Dauksiene E. Exploring the potential of micro-credentials: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Education. 2023;7. DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2022.1006811
- 15Varadarajan S, Koh JHL, Daniel BK. A systematic review of the opportunities and challenges of micro-credentials for multiple stakeholders: learners, employers, higher education institutions and government. Int J Educ Technol High Educ. 2023;20(1):
13 . DOI: 10.1186/s41239-023-00381-x - 16Zdunek K, Dobrowolska B, Dziurka M, Galazzi A, Chiappinotto S, Palese A, et al. Challenges and opportunities of micro-credentials as a new form of certification in health science education-a discussion paper. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24(1):
1169 . DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-06174-8 - 17Michener Institute. Micro-credentials Offered [Online]. Onlinend [cited 2024 Oct. 30]. Available from:
https://michener.ca/continuing-education/ce-courses/micro-credentials-offered/ . - 18Humber Polytechnic. Micro-credentials [Webpage]. Online2024 [cited 2024 Oct. 30]. Available from:
https://healthsciences.humber.ca/future-students/explore/continuous-professional-learning/micro-credentials.html . - 19European Commission. A European Approach to Micro-Credentials; 2021.
- 20Oliver B. Towards a common definition of micro-credentials. Paris: UNESCO; 2022.
- 21Wheelahan L, Moodie G. Gig qualifications for the gig economy: micro-credentials and the ‘hungry mile’. High Educ (Dordr). 2022;83(6):1279–95. DOI: 10.1007/s10734-021-00742-3
- 22Bal IA, Alvarado-Albertorio F, Marcelle P, Oaks-Garcia CT. Pre-service Teachers Computational Thinking (CT) and Pedagogical Growth in a Micro-credential: A Mixed Methods Study. TechTrends. 2022;66(3):468–82. DOI: 10.1007/s11528-022-00732-x
- 23Wheelahan L, Moodie G. Analysing micro-credentials in higher education: a Bernsteinian analysis. Journal of Curriculum Studies. 2021;53(2):212–28. DOI: 10.1080/00220272.2021.1887358
- 24Reed A, Kong Y, Abramovich S. Assessment, credential, or both? Higher education faculty’s design principles for micro-credentials. Discover Education. 2024;3(1). DOI: 10.1007/s44217-024-00100-2
- 25Macdonald MT. Are microcredentials the future of higher ed? University Affairs. 2022.
- 26Halliday M. New HEQCO report on microcredentials reveals they won’t be saving universities. University Affairs; 2024.
- 27Brown M. Newly funded micro-credential programs will provide Albertans with job-ready skills [Webpage]. University of Alberta; 2022 [cited 2025 May]. Available from:
https://www.ualberta.ca/en/folio/2022/09/newly-funded-micro-credential-programs-will-provide-albertans-with-job-ready-skills.html . - 28Univeristy of Calgary. University of Calgary Annual Report for the year ended March 31, 2023. 2023.
- 29Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Are micro-credentials the future of higher education in Europe? [Webpage]; 2023 [cited 2025 May]. Available from:
https://www.uoc.edu/en/news/2023/069-micro-credentials-future-higher-education-europe#:~:text=quickly%20and%20efficiently.-,In%20June%202022%2C%20the%20European%20Council%20adopted%20a%20recommendation%20for,including%20the%20qualifications%20frameworks%20and . - 30Rycroft-Malone J, Graham ID, Kothari A, McCutcheon C. Research Coproduction: An Underused Pathway to Impact. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2024;13:
8461 . DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2024.8461 - 31Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. Board of Directors [Webpage]; 2024 [cited 2024 Oct. 30]. Available from:
https://www.csrt.com/board/ . - 32Pollock D, Alexander L, Munn Z, Peters MDJ, Khalil H, Godfrey CM, et al. Moving from consultation to co-creation with knowledge users in scoping reviews: guidance from the JBI Scoping Review Methodology Group. JBI Evid Synth. 2022;20(4):969–79. DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-21-00416
- 33Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 2005;8(1):19–32. DOI: 10.1080/1364557032000119616
- 34Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5(69). DOI: 10.1186/1748-5908-5-69
- 35Peters M, Godfrey C, McInerney P, Munn Z, Tricco A, Khalil H. Scoping Reviews. In: Aromataris, E, Lockwood, C, Porritt, K, Pilla, B, Jordan, Z, editors. JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis; 2020.
- 36Munn Z, Peters MDJ, Stern C, Tufanaru C, McArthur A, Aromataris E. Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2018;18(1):
143 . DOI: 10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x - 37Zaccagnini M, West A, Farrell P, Tessier S, Graham I. The use of micro-credentials in health professions education: a scoping review protocol. OSF; 2024. DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/GCRD6
- 38Tricco AC, Lillie E, Zarin W, O’Brien KK, Colquhoun H, Levac D, et al. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(7):467–73. DOI: 10.7326/M18-0850
- 39Vordenberg SE, Fusco NM, Ward KE, Darley A, Brady JH, Culhane NS, et al. An Integrative Review of Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges for Pharmacy Educators. Am J Pharm Educ. 2024;88(3):
100660 . DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2024.100660 - 40McGowan J, Sampson M, Salzwedel DM, Cogo E, Foerster V, Lefebvre C. PRESS Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies: 2015 Guideline Statement. J Clin Epidemiol. 2016;75:40–6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.01.021
- 41Pollock D, Peters MDJ, Khalil H, McInerney P, Alexander L, Tricco AC, et al. Recommendations for the extraction, analysis, and presentation of results in scoping reviews. JBI Evid Synth. 2023;21(3):520–32. DOI: 10.11124/JBIES-22-00123
- 42Thomas A, Lubarsky S, Durning SJ, Young ME. Knowledge Syntheses in Medical Education: Demystifying Scoping Reviews. Acad Med. 2017;92(2):161–6. DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000001452
- 43Michener Institute. What are Micro-credentials? [Webpage]. nd. [cited 2024 November 8]. Available from:
https://michener.ca/continuing-education/micro-credentials/ . - 44Bigelow A, Booth C, Brockerhoff-Macdonald B, Cormier D, Dinsmore C, Grey S, et al. eCampusOntario’s Micro-credential Toolkit; 2022.
- 45Colleges & Institutes Canada. The Status of Microcredentials in Canadian Colleges and Institutes: Environmental Scan Report. Ottawa, ON; 2021.
- 46Higgins J, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page M, et al. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions: Cochrane; 2024. Available from:
www.training.cochrane.org/handbook . - 47Miller G. The assessment of clinical skills/competence/performance. Acad Med. 1990;65:S63–7. DOI: 10.1097/00001888-199009000-00045
- 48Norman MK, Radomski TR, Mayowski CA, Zimmerman-Cooney M, Crevasse I, Rubio DM. Expanding pathways to clinical and translational research training with stackable microcredentials: A pilot study. J Clin Transl Sci. 2024;8(1):
e138 . DOI: 10.1017/cts.2024.601 - 49Gorfinkel LR, Giesler A, Dong H, Wood E, Fairbairn N, Klimas J. Development and Evaluation of the Online Addiction Medicine Certificate: Free Novel Program in a Canadian Setting. JMIR Med Educ. 2019;5(1):
e12474 . DOI: 10.2196/12474 - 50Romero-Clara O, Madrid C, Pardo JC, Ruiz de Porras V, Etxaniz O, Moreno-Alonso D, et al. E-learning pills on immunotherapy in urothelial carcinoma: The E-PIMUC program for continuing medical education. Front Pharmacol. 2024;15:
1380954 . DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1380954 - 51Lee-Chavarria D, Loucks TL, Paranal R, Sampson R, Feghali-Bostwick C. Supporting clinical research professionals through educational innovations. Front Pharmacol. 2023;14:
1304415 . DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1304415 - 52Dysart A, Balis LE, Daniels BT, Harden SM. Health Educator Participation in Virtual Micro-Credentialing Increases Physical Activity in Public Health Competencies. Front Public Health. 2021;9:
780618 . DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.780618 - 53Tjong GB, Stutz S, Yohathasan T, Mashford-Pringle A. Developing an Indigenous cultural safety micro-credential: initial findings from a training designed for public health professionals in southern Ontario. Glob Public Health. 2022;17(12):3386–98. DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2076146
- 54Cross A, Soper AK, Thomson D, Putterman C, McCauley D, Micsinszki SK, et al. Development, implementation, and scalability of the Family Engagement in Research Course: a novel online course for family partners and researchers in neurodevelopmental disability and child health. Res Involv Engagem. 2024;10(1):
80 . DOI: 10.1186/s40900-024-00615-w - 55Lok P, Beyene K, Awaisu A, Woods D, Kheir N. Microcredentials training in pharmacy practice and education: an exploratory study of its viability and pharmacists’ professional needs. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):
332 . DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03341-7 - 56Mashford-Pringle A, Stutz S, Tjong GB. Creating an online Indigenous cultural safety micro-credential for public health professionals in Ontario, Canada. Design for Health. 2023;7(2):202–18. DOI: 10.1080/24735132.2023.2211818
- 57Mashford-Pringle A, Tan S, Stutz S, Tjong G. Designing accountability measures for health professionals: results from a community-based micro-credential: case study on Indigenous cultural safety. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):
879 . DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15721-9 - 58Feliu A, Finck C, Lemos M, Bahena Botello A, de Albuquerque Melo Nogueira F, Bonvecchio Arenas A, et al. Latin America and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer 1st edition: Building capacity on cancer prevention to primary healthcare professionals. Cancer Epidemiol. 2023;86 Suppl 1:
102400 . DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102400 - 59Christman E, Dalby K, Rosenberg S. Interprofessional Global Health Education and Credentialing for Higher Ed. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education. 2024;72(3):347–58. DOI: 10.1080/07377363.2024.2309409
- 60Goodenough B, Watts J, Bartlett S. Making sense of self-reported practice impacts after online dementia education: the example of Bedtime to Breakfast and Beyond. Brain Impairment. 2020;21(3):299–313. DOI: 10.1017/BrImp.2020.19
- 61Guest MA, Clark-Shirley L, Hancock C, Newsham TMK, Nikzad-Terhune K, Jenkins K. An environmental scan of aging-related micro-credentials: Implications for gerontology and gerontologists. Gerontol Geriatr Educ. 2024;45(4):607–17. DOI: 10.1080/02701960.2022.2130286
- 62Clayton T, Rosenberg SL, Wyatt J, VanOrsdale B, Bisaillon D. Higher Education and Real-World Training (HEaRT): A New Ecosystem for Learning. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education. 2024;72(3):392–404. DOI: 10.1080/07377363.2023.2291592
- 63Earl L. Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press; 2013.
- 64Forsetlund L, O’Brien MA, Forsen L, Reinar LM, Okwen MP, Horsley T, et al. Continuing education meetings and workshops: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;9(9). DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003030.pub3
- 65Vaona A, Banzi R, Kwag KH, Rigon G, Cereda D, Pecoraro V, et al. E-learning for health professionals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;1(1):
CD011736 . DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011736.pub2 - 66Howard B, Diug B, Ilic D. Methods of teaching evidence-based practice: a systematic review. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):
742 . DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03812-x - 67Bala MM, Poklepovic Pericic T, Zajac J, Rohwer A, Klugarova J, Valimaki M, et al. What are the effects of teaching Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) at different levels of health professions education? An updated overview of systematic reviews. PLoS One. 2021;16(7):
e0254191 . DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254191 - 68Ten Cate O, Carraccio C, Damodaran A, Gofton W, Hamstra SJ, Hart DE, et al. Entrustment Decision Making: Extending Miller’s Pyramid. Acad Med. 2021;96(2):199–204. DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000003800
- 69Epstein R, Hundert E. Defining and assessing professional competence. JAMA. 2002;287(2):226–35. DOI: 10.1001/jama.287.2.226
- 70Colleges & Institutes Canada. Standard Definition of Micro-credentials and Guiding Principles for the development of Micro-credentials Standards; 2021.
- 71Cudney E, Anderson S, Smith A, Tran S, Gourdine C, Peterson J, et al. Micro Credentials in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Transnational Journal of Business; 2022. DOI: 10.64010/EMMT4350
- 72Gauthier T. The value of microcredentials: The employer’s perspective. The Journal of Competency-Based Education. 2020;5(2). DOI: 10.1002/cbe2.1209
- 73Boud D, Soler R. Sustainable assessment revisited. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 2015;41(3):400–13. DOI: 10.1080/02602938.2015.1018133
- 74Boud D. Sustainable Assessment: Rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education. 2000;22(2):151–67. DOI: 10.1080/713695728
- 75Kakara Anderson HL, Govaerts M, Abdulla L, Balmer DF, Busari JO, West DC. Clarifying and expanding equity in assessment by considering three orientations: Fairness, inclusion and justice. Med Educ. 2025;59(5):494–502. DOI: 10.1111/medu.15534
- 76Elkhoury E, Ali A, Sutherland-Harris R. Exploring Faculty Mindsets in Equity-Oriented Assessment. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. 2023;20(5). DOI: 10.53761/1.20.5.13
- 77Ahsan K, Akbar S, Kam B, Abdulrahman MD-A. Implementation of micro-credentials in higher education: A systematic literature review. Education and Information Technologies. 2023;28(10):13505–40. DOI: 10.1007/s10639-023-11739-z
- 78Brown M, Nic Giolla Mhichíl M, Beirne E, Mac Lochlainn C. The Global Micro-credential Landscape: Charting a New Credential Ecology for Lifelong Learning. Journal of Learning for Development. 2021;8(2):228–54. DOI: 10.56059/jl4d.v8i2.525
- 79Peters M, Beirne E, Brown M. Micro-credentials and their implications for lifelong learning–global insights and critical perspectives. Distance Education. 2025;46(1):1–7. DOI: 10.1080/01587919.2025.2463137
- 80Ralston SJ. Higher Education’s Microcredentialing Craze: a Postdigital-Deweyan Critique. Postdigit Sci Educ. 2021;3(1):83–101. DOI: 10.1007/s42438-020-00121-8
- 81Pichette J, Courts R. Postsecondary-offered Microcredentials in Ontario: What does the Evidence Tell Us? Toronto: The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario; 2024.
- 82Narong DK. Research trends on micro-credentials: a keyword co-occurrence analysis and science mapping. Journal of Further and Higher Education. 2025:1–19. DOI: 10.1080/0309877X.2025.2509578