Knowledge and valuation of micro-credentials among online university students: predictive evidence from Ecuador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35362/rie10117365Keywords:
microcredentials, employability, higher education, distance education, student achievementAbstract
The expansion of micro-credentials in Latin American higher education contrasts with limited empirical evidence on the factors shaping students' valuation of these certifications. This study examined, among 129 ninth-cycle students of the Online Basic Education program at UNEMI (Ecuador), the extent to which conceptual knowledge (X₁) and perceived employability (X₃) predict micro-credential valuation (Y), using a quantitative non-experimental cross-sectional design. The ECVM-26 instrument was validated with Aiken's V = .926 and α = .990. Overall valuation was favorable (M = 3.93/5), with academic utility as the highest-rated dimension (M = 4.04). Perceived employability was the sole significant predictor (r = .944, p < .001; β = 1.429, p < .001; R² = .892). A Monte Carlo bootstrap mediation analysis (50,000 iterations) confirmed that conceptual knowledge affects valuation exclusively through perceived employability (indirect effect = 0.289, 95% CI [0.215, 0.363]; Sobel z = 7.71, p < .001), with no significant direct path (β = −0.006, p = .757). Gender and employment status produced no significant effects. Findings support educational signaling theory and indicate that micro-credential adoption requires explicit alignment with labor-market-recognized competencies.
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