Build your Digital Fluency with ACC's Microcredentials
Austin Community College District recognizes that digital skills are an ever-increasingly important requirement to study, communicate, work, and conduct our everyday lives.
As part of ACC’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), 16 microcredentials in high-demand technical and professional skills are being developed and will be offered for free to ACC students. These microcredentials will feature competency-based education, Open Education Resources (OER), the support of a digital navigator, and badging.
Students
Whether you’re just starting your college career or are finishing your degree, these digital fluency microcredentials can help you in your coursework and employment.
Faculty
Could your students benefit from additional digital skills? You can suggest that a students take a microcredential, or use one to supplement your course curriculum.
Featured Microcredentials
Web Builder –
Available Now
Plan, set up, build, test, and launch a website using the world's most popular content management system.
Word Processing –
Available Now
Conquer Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Beginning to advanced topics covered.
Spreadsheets –
Available Now
Master basic to advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets software apps.
Explore all our Microcredentials
ACC's Microcredentials can help remove barriers
Overwhelmed
by Technology?
Technology is moving so fast these days, it's hard to keep up. This program offers microcredentials that cover foundational skills and professional competencies in many high-demand areas that are needed in school, the workforce, and even in your day-to-day life.
Ready for a
Career Change?
Moving into a different field often requires learning new skills. Our microcredential program offers a great way to quickly gain in-demand digital skills, along with portable digital badges that can be shared with potential employers and posted on social media, such as LinkedIn.
Need a Supportive
Learning Environment?
Many online courses offer ways to learn quickly and inexpensively, but don't offer a lot of support, if you need it. Our program has dedicated digital navigators who provide guidance, encouragement, and feedback, to help you stay on track.
Need Digital Skills,
like yesterday?
Sometimes we need to pick up skills quickly. Maybe it's to master PowerPoint so that you can ace a presentation, or fill in gaps on a resume to apply for a promotion or new job. Our 16 microcredentials in high-demand digital skills are designed to take an average of 20 to 26 hours to complete.
Told Techology was
not for you?
Whether you have always wanted to learn how to make a website or produce a video, become proficient in HTML, or beef up your knowledge of spreadsheets or presentation software, our program can help you can build your digital fluency without worrying about barriers.
Need Digital Skills
for College?
College requires technical knowledge in a lot of areas such as word processing, presentation software, spreadsheets, internet research, and even basic computing. Our program helps you fill in the gaps quickly to get the skills you need to be successful in college.
Mini Poll
Tell us what you think
Which of the following digital skills is the most important when starting an academic career?
Did you know?
80% of 18 to 25-year-olds report they have good to very good digital literacy skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Active ACC students, faculty, and staff can enroll in microcredentials for free. There may be small charges for software in some of the microcredentials (for example, Adobe Photoshop).
Microcredentials are offered in one or two sessions each semester.
Microcredentials are offered online and may be offered in a hybrid model in the future.
You will have up to 5 weeks to complete a microcredential, but since they are offered as competency-based education, you may complete the microcredential as quickly as you are able.
We don’t recommend taking more than one microcredential at a time, unless you have a lot of free time or prior knowledge.
Although our microcredentials are fun and engaging, they are also packed full of content. You want to allow yourself enough time to fully benefit from the learning materials.
The microcredentials are offered in 5-week sessions. You must start a microcredential within the first 7 days of the session. A student who fails to start within 7 days may be dropped from the microcredential to make room for another student.
If you have extenuating circumstances, please reach out to your digital navigator.
You can move through the microcredential as fast as you are able to show competency in both concepts and content. Earning an 80% or above on a pre-assessment demonstrates your mastery of concepts in a particular module, allowing you to skip the practice quizzes. You will demonstrate mastery of the content by completing assignments, quizzes, and the capstone project with a 80% or above.
Microcredentials take an average of 20 – 27 hours to complete the instructional articles and videos, plus you’ll need additional time to do assignments and quizzes.
The microcredentials are non-credit but stack to one of four microcertificates. Each microcertificate equates to a credit course in Computer Science and Information Technology (CSIT).
Students may receive up to 13 credit hours in CSIT courses by completing all 16 microcredentials. Visit the Microcredential page to learn more.
The microcredentials are open to active ACC students, faculty, and staff
We have easy, step-by-step instructions for adding badges to LinkedIn
If you aren’t able to complete a microcredential within the 5-week session, you can retake the microcredential in the future.
- All the DFI microcredentials require very basic knowledge of computers including how to turn on a computer, how to create and save files, and how to use a keyboard.
- Some microcredentials require additional digital skills to complete assignments. An example would be using Microsoft Word to complete an assignment.
- A few microcredentials have hardware or software requirements. An example would be to learn Photoshop, you will need a computer with appropriate computing power, and a copy of Photoshop loaded onto your computer (available at a significant discount for students).
Click on the screenshot below to open the Google spreadsheet and view specific microcredential requirements.
